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A new pro-Obama faith-based group called the Matthew 25 Network, started by John Kerry's 2004 faith outreach director, has launched a Christian Radio ad on the heels of Obama's faith-based initiatives speech:
The ad is running first in Colorado Springs, CO, home of Focus on the Family and site of an Obama speech today.
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The God-o-Meter (pronounced Gah-DOM-meter) scientifically measures factors such as rate of God-talk, effectiveness—saying God wants a capital gains tax cut doesn't guarantee a high rating—and other top-secret criteria (Actually, the adjustment criteria are here). Click a candidate's head to get his or her latest God-o-Meter reading and blog post. And check back often. With so much happening on the campaign trail, God-o-Meter is constantly recalibrating!
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When has McCain ever talked about surendering his life to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus, the way Obama has? The answer is NEVER.
John McCain can have the endorsement of 100, 200, 300 or 1,000 Christian leaders. It's the endorsement of millions of Christian voters that really count and we're going with Barack Obama. These Christian leaders can ignore their flock and endorse McCain all they want, but John McCain isn't the man of faith that George Bush was.
As a Christian, Senator Obama's faith interview on CNN really put him ahead of McCain. He said one's faith is what that person has with himself and God; what matters is how this faith would translate in real life, interfacing with others and circumstances. That's the message of unity and inviting people from various sects to come together and cherish each other using what their faith bestows them rather than nit picking each others' way of reaching the ultimate harmony.
I don't even know when was the last time McCain really spoke of his faith and interpersonal relationship with God. He has only paraded a few controversial figures, hurling them on the stage and that was it. Obama, on the other hand, seems to be embarrassing his faith, if not to the extent some may want him to, but at least there is something there... something tangible. I understand if someone prefers to be more secular but senator McCain appears to be shunning the religious community all together. Why senator McCain? Although this is not an election base on one's faith, Obama clearly outperforms McCain on this arena.
God bless
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" — Matthew 7:15
For every tree is judged by its fruit. Men do not get figs from thorns, or grapes from blackberry Matthew 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits."
In response to your comments. Please wake up. Obama is pro-death, pro-homosexual marriage, backed by New Age Oprah, and denies that Christ is the only way to be saved. Read his own words:
"I'm rooted in the Christian tradition," said Obama. "I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people."
Contrast this to Christ's teaching: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
That's all folks.
Obama the truth is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you can only find it in the Gospel of the new testament. It is not found in any man made denominational churches, only in the church that Jesus died for which was started around 33 AD by the apostles, followers of Christ on the day of Pentecost. If you really seek the truth you would find it their; in the one church ,one Lord , one faith, one body of Jesus Christ. Christ was not divided neither should his church be. Through his church only is there the one true salvation for man. But of course that mean you would not be very popular with the world,but it is beter said in this scripture Matthew 7: 13,14. This scripture:Thessalonians 1: 8,9 sums it up when it comes to obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Member of the one true church(Church of Christ)
Reject Obama’s Faith-Based Initiative
In Zanesville, Obama (Ill.) did not shy away from professing his beliefs.
"I didn't grow up in a particularly religious household," he said. "But my experience in Chicago showed me how faith and values could be an anchor in my life. And in time, I came to see my faith as being both a personal commitment to Christ and a commitment to my community, that while I could sit in church and pray all I want, I wouldn't be fulfilling God's will unless I went out and did the Lord's work." Source
So, why is he proposing an initiative that underminds people's ability to practice their faith?
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According to Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, who urged Catholics to reject Sen. Barack Obama's faith-based initiative:
"If a customer walked into a New York deli and said, 'Let me have a hot dog on a roll-hold the frankfurter'-he'd likely be thrown out. That's what the public should do to Obama's faith-based initiative: since he wants to gut the faith from his faith-based programs, he should be told to junk it.
"Any church or religious agency that agrees to take federal money on the condition that it must operate in a secular fashion-in hiring and in disseminating its values-is selling out. If Orthodox Jews running a day care center are not allowed to exclusively hire Orthodox Jews, there is nothing kosher about it. If a Catholic foster care program cannot place Catholic children with Catholic parents, it is doing a disservice to the children. If an evangelical drug rehab program can't deliver a Christian message to its clients, it may as well close up shop. But that's what Obama wants-he wants to secularize the religious workplace.
"No wonder Obama said yesterday that 'I'm not saying that faith-based groups are an alternative to government or secular nonprofits, and I'm not saying that they're somehow better at lifting people up.' Indeed, if he really believes this then he might as well withdraw his initiative.
"The whole purpose behind funding faith-based programs is that they are, in fact, superior to secular programs. And the reason they are has everything to do with the inculcation of religious values disseminated by people of faith. No matter, Obama wants to gut the religious values and bar religious agencies from hiring people who share their religion. Hence, his initiative is a fraud." (Source)
In other words, they're removing the "faith" from faith-based initiatives.
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The following are excerpts from the full text of the Obama '08 campaign's report,
PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITIES OF FAITH
Barack Obama supports a White House office dedicated to a strong partnership
between the White House and grassroots groups, both faith-based and secular.
As president, he will establish a new President's Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The new name will reflect a new commitment to strengthening the partnership between government and neighborhood community programs.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Barack Obama believes that our problems require an "all hands on deck" approach, and that the federal government should enlist effective faith-based and community groups to help solve them.
Obama also respects the First Amendment and prudential concerns that have been raised on both sides of the debate over the role and scope of faith-based initiatives.
Obama's initiative will be governed by a set of core principles for federal grant recipients. In order to receive federal funds to provide social services, faith-based organizations:
Obama will fund programs that work and end funding for programs that do not – whether they are large or small, well-established or new, faith-based or otherwise.
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Directing federal money at religious groups and at times having them bid one against the other for it to provide social services to the needy is a Trojan Horse tactic, aimed squarely at the weakening and destroying the Bride of Christ. Remember the ancient Greeks attempted for years to besiege the city of Troy but there many battles were inconclusive. However, they were able to enter the city without out force by playing to their pride and vanity by creating a wooden horse as a gift for the Trojans. Tragically, they were even were warned prior to wheeling the horse inside the city walls by Cassandra, who foresaw the destruction of Troy, to no avail. With a number of Greek warriors hidden inside, they opened the gates for the Greek force outside and conquered the Troys by surpise during the night - many still sleeping.
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In The Pied Pipers of Purpose, Lynn and Sarah Leslie together with Susan Conway bring a warning we need to remember:
Since God calls us to serve the poor, the imprisoned, the broken and the lame, community service makes sense. But genuine Christian service also involves the freedom to share the whole gospel, not a message watered down by politically correct guidelines and dialectic consensus. Any partnership with the government sector or the business sector will involve accountability to politically correct standards and guidelines that should be unacceptable to those who love God's Word and cannot condone politically correct limitations on their freedom to share the gospel as the Spirit leads. No matter how great a person's "felt needs," the greatest needs are spiritual. And only Jesus Christ -- through His Word and Spirit -- can meet those needs. That's true both for the server and those who are served.
"Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ," wrote Oswald Chambers. "The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him.... Are we being more devoted to service than to Jesus Christ?" If so, we have lost our First Love.... Spiritual Gifts and Community Service
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"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1-2
We must keep our lamps filled and there flames burning brightly - for the Bridegroom is coming and only the "wise virgins" will be taken into the wedding. Matthew 25:1-13
Related Articles:
Obama's Faith-Based Plan: An Education Agenda Disguised as Religion
Faith-Based Compromise 1-2001: Selling Our Souls In The Name of Charity
Corrupting Charity: Why Government Should Not Fund Faith-Based Charities
Note: McCain says the faith-based initiative is "one of the more successful parts of the Bush Administration and I would continue it." In 2003, he voted for a bill that was a watered-down version of changes sought by President Bush to make it easier for religious groups to compete for federal grants. The bill never became law. He says groups receiving federal funding should be able to take religion into account in hiring. Religion and Politics 2008: Faith-Based Initiatives Profile
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