Matthew777,
I noticed in your profile, which is public information, that you are a democrat.
Just curious, do you stand by all beliefs of your political platform?
R
After the election, I renounced political affiliations. I just haven't gotten around to changing my AIM name.
To quote my weblog, "In case I didn't make this clear enough, I have abandoned all political ideologies and parties. It is my opinion that all Christians should see the foolishness of political ideologies and be independents.
I am neither a liberal or a conservative. Conservatism as a political system disgusts me as much as liberalism. The idea of a "compassionate conservative" is as much a confusion of terms as "socialist anarchist".
I am a man who believes in Christian principles and I will support politicians who believe and uphold these principles regardless of party affililiation.
Conservatism as a political system is a man-made ideology. All man-made ideologies should be discarded in favor of Christian principles.
As I said before, being a political independent frees me from having to ignore Bush's mistakes or give him praise where praise isn't due.
He is not a particularly good president, he makes many mistakes and makes many decisions that I disagree with. However, I can still try to see the good in him as a fellow Christian and a fellow human being.
If I could go back in time, I still would not vote for the man. But since there is nothing I can do about him being in office for the next four years, I might as well try to see the good in him instead of allowing hatred to tear away my soul.
I have faith that Bush is the right man for our time because it is ultimately Divine Providence that determines the outcome of an election; whether it be for the good of the nation or the punishment of the nation (Romans 13).
When I refered to myself as a social and religious conservative, I meant that I agree with our founding fathers that the Bible serves as the moral foundation of our society. This goes beyond politics to the very heart of our heritage and the moral integrity of our nation.
(President John Quincy Adams directly addresses the Ten Commandments --"The law given from Sinai was a civil and municipal code as well as a moral and religious code. These are laws essential to the existence of men in society and most of which have been enacted by every Nation which ever professed any code of laws. Vain indeed would be the search among the writings of secular history to find so broad, so complete and so solid a basis of morality as the Ten Commandments lay down."
"The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded," James Madison, framer of the Constitution
"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other," John Adams)
I still strongly oppose the war in Iraq but I no longer see that as a reason to hate our president. As the Dalai Lama has stressed, it is too early to say whether or not this war is a mistake because it may end up benifiting the greater good of the Iraqi people and the world.
Having said that, I still would not have gone to war if I were in Bush's shoes and the current situation in Iraq is much too terrible to call a "victory". This is the reason why I asked that we pray for our troops and the Iraqi people. Without our prayers, it will continue to be a quagmire.
Why can't anyone write anything positive about Bush without being labeled as a Republican?
Even if you do not support the president, you should still pray for him; regardless of who is in office. Remember that Jesus said, "Love your enemies" and "Pray for those who persecute you."
I have not changed my political beliefs, I have abandoned all political beliefs.
I have not changed my religious beliefs, I have been a happy member of the Orthodox Church for two years.
Political ideologies change with the trends of man; Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever."