How to beat Huckabee

and they were wrong. We had better take him seriously because the sheep believe him.

It is not the views that are wrong but his manner of pressing them. He is immature and fanatical. He is not serious but a joker. Not fit to run a country. Yes he would never win because we are in a serious mess and the country is not going to listen to jokers. Yes he will get a good initail following but that is limited.

It is not blasphemous as you state it (of course I never saw the statement he gave on this) but just presumptuous. There is nothing out of the ordinary about this. The Evangelicals have no one to vote for in the main candiates who will push their cause and Huckabee is someone who will. He has a few backers and that is enough for a lot of people to get behind him now. The statement could be made in a blasphemous way or it could be just along the lines that God gives the increase. If it was said in a bad way then that is one thing but if not then let us not overstate our opposition. Focus on what is important and don't waste time on unimportant things.

As for Israel, there is much divide in Christian circles on what Israel really is, and what is the role and destiny of Jews. This is not a simple thing to solve as it requires some time to read through the bible without prejudice. In Romans Paul talks about many things and it seems evident that he is dealing with the Pharisee mindset in addressing their philosophy. He shows that Jews or decendants of Abraham are sinners just as Gentiles and once they have broken the law of God they can never live up to the law. Thus they need to be saved by the Grace of God. This gift of forgiveness cannot be earned by further works of obedience because we all owe full obedience to the moral law (in seeking the welbeing of all, etc.) and therefore cannot do more than the law requires to make up for the lack at any time. So it is a gift we receive if we let go of pride and seeking to save ourselves by our good works. It is thus by faith, the faith that works by love, absolutely impartial and unselfish trust in God. This state is conformity to God's moral law and thus we fulfil the law of God at that moment. Paul argued against the idea that mere birth could save you after showing all have sinned and fallen short (by their own choice and not by some mere choice of their parents). So Jews also needed salvation. The first Christians were Jews. Many believed Jesus was the Christ but many others rejected especially the idea of a need for salvation from sin.
Paul further argues that the real Israel of God lives by faith--the just shall live by faith--and really keeps the moral law of God, not merely external regulations that can be done with a selfish unbelieving heart. Jesus also made the same distinctions and rejected the idea of salvation by birthright. The Old Testament made it clear, even in Ezekiel chapter 18 where it says that a child is not saved or lost because of his parents.

Later in Romans Paul explains that the natural people of Isreal, not talking about spiritual Israel, will become gealous one day when Gentiles believe in God in the masses, and then these people will one day believe.

Now here is what you need to know. There are many new theories in the last hundred years about how the end will come and who is involved, etc. Many Evangelicals believe Premilenial views in which they suppose Christ will return on the earth and have a physical kingdom and kill off or win over unbelievers, including Jews. The false prophets today write many books and tell us we need to support Israel because it is chosen of God and the wars there need to fulfil some prophesy. Thus they neglect to see all the evils that take place while the profits get rich. They have a wrong endtimes philosophy but it has become a fundamental point with such people that it is very hard to get them to think otherwise.

Anyway, you have to show them that according to their own bible there is no justification for their position. The passages that they quote do not prove their point. Here let me quote an important statement from Asa Mahan that all people need to carefully ponder. This will take us much deeper than the surface issues and will check the loose interpretations people apply to the bible and other people's statements:
FUNDAMENTAL FACT ABOUT PROOF.

"No proposition is, properly speaking, proven, till facts or arguments are adduced, which not only affirm its truth, but contradict every opposite proposition. How often is this fundamental law of evidence overlooked and disregarded in almost every department of human investigation. In Theology, for example, how often is an hypothesis denominated a doctrine, which merely consists with a given class of passages of Holy Writ, assumed as absolutely affirmed by these passages, when, in reality, they equally consist with the contradictory hypothesis. Let it ever be borne in mind, that no passage or passages of Scripture prove any one doctrine which do not contradict every opposite doctrine. No facts affirm any one hypothesis which do not equally contradict every contradictory hypothesis." Asa Mahan, Intellectual Philosophy. http://truthinheart.com/EarlyOberlinCD/CD/Mahan/Intel.htm

The Bible says to take care of the poor, and yet I don't think your friend believes in forcing everyone to do so via taxes and redistribution of wealth. So assuming the Bible instructs her to support Israel, why must that be done by through taxes, force, and redistribution of wealth?

Sending "Evangelical Factor" to a friend.

Not sure what faith, but one of the good Dr.'s brothers is a priest.

Someone please do it!

They set him up for not just a big political fall but also a moral fall. Gives them an opportunity to show another preacher who does not live by the book. They love to attack Christians. It is a sad fact that most professing Christians are not really Christians according to their own book that they claim is truth. So I think there is more than just the elections in this matter. It is also entertainment.

He was very smooth, very smooth. He can lie better than the best of them.