Letter I'm sending to church Leaders
Hello everyone. I was listening to a Christian talk radio show today and realized something - all of us that vote for values are voting for the candidate who best represents our own beliefs instead of the candidate who will best let us PRACTICE our own beliefs. So, I typed up this letter that I'm thinking of sending to church pastors/ priests in an effort to show them an alternative. If Huck drops out soon, maybe I can win them through the pulpits. Please let me know what you think - all constructive criticism welcome.
Dear Pastor Whatever,
I am writing to you today to humbly ask your thoughtful, prayerful consideration on a subject that we Christians, for several decades have found painful. That seemingly insurmountable task is finding a candidate that will reflect our values. We, this year, have seen several who hold our same core belief that an unborn child is a valuable child of God, and that marriage is a union between one man and one woman. But what I would ask of you today is that you consider a man who can be trusted with not only our values, but with our very freedoms.
I am speaking of Dr. Ron Paul. Dr. Paul is a Christian, but you won't hear him speak it from the debate stage. He doesn't talk about faith, he lives it. As our Bible instructs us, we are to pray in the closet, not in the public square.
I am also voting for Dr. Paul because I am a Christian conservative who believes that our founding fathers foresaw that the freedoms of the people would be at risk of coming under threat by enemies foreign and domestic. So in their wisdom they created a great living document that ensured that I, as a Christian, could go out and speak my religion freely in an effort to win people to Christ.
However, I have seen legislation in recent months that terrifies me. We have seen our freedom of speech be stripped by hate speech legislation and movements to eliminate religious broadcasting, a misconstrued interpretation of separation of church and state, the passage of a national ID card with Real ID, and now, this Homegrown Terror act - horrifying! What if the goverment decides at some point that my expression of Christianity is a threat to them and decides arbitrarily that I am a terrorist? That may sound like a stretch, but haven't we all seen Christianity come under attack in recent years? Evangelicalism cannot exist in a society that is not allowed free speech. And how will we then continue our work of winning souls for Christ? As the people of the tyrannical dictatorships do? In closets and back allies, with Bibles smuggled under our coats? Ron Paul is the only candidate who has consistently, without falter, for 20 years, voted to protect my Constitution and thereby, my right to be a Christian.
Please prayerfully consider a vote for Dr. Ron Paul in your primary. Even if all our other issues were out of step with Dr. Paul's, wouldn't knowing that he has never and will never vote to errode our Constitutional freedom of religion make it so that you could sleep peacefully at night?
Sincerely,
Me
Edited version
I updated and incorporated alot of your suggestions. See what think ye now!! Thanks.
This is a great idea! I have some suggestions:
First, I would not point out that the Founding Fathers may not have been Christians; that may scare some Christians away. Just focus on the fact that they deliberately wrote our Constitution and Bill of Rights because they understood that at some point power would corrupt our politicians.
I don't know if you will be contacting Evangelical Christians or not, but I must say that their concept of War for Israel is based on a Dispensationalist theory, that was only invented 200 years ago and is heretical to traditional Christianity (Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran). This is why Mike Huckabee scares me - he wants to alter the Constituion, yet his concept of Christianity is a direct infringement on my religious rights.
If the Evangelical Religious Right has their way in instituting a Dominionist (ruled by Christians) government, the Catholic and Orthodox and many Lutheran Churches will be outlawed or forced to alter their theology to fit a heretical viewpoint.
Also, Mike Huckabee has written legislation in Arkansas limiting Parental Rights by controlling their ability to homeschool their children and forcing homeschooled children to take secular state-run academic tests.
I may be a vegetarian, but I'll defend to the death my right to eat pork!
I may be a vegetarian, but I'll defend to the death my right to eat meat!
I want to put on every car, every church parking lot, Sat Sunday
Where in your bible, does it say , “Blessed are the war makers”?
There is only one man , running for President of the United States, that wants to end all the war, NOW.
Go, in the name of the Lord, find the Peacemaker, Ron Paul.
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
Go for it!
Just change the name from "Pastor Whatever"... lol
That's Just It
The issue to most voters is not about the war it is the economy. Sure we understand how they co-exist however, most Americans don't understand.
You can't say well the war is the reason why the economy stinks.
Be persuasive. Get people to think. I believe in the American people. Think about this, what is more helpful? Well it is because of the war the economy is tanking and we're spending trillions on a war no one wants. Or?
My fellow Americans. I believe each of us has an ability to stop the economic downturn. We, working together, can strengthen our dollar, cut taxes improve health care and provide security. Through our joint efforts as Americans, we can recover. All I ask is for a fair shake. Just look at my voting record available at: (weblink) and you'll see you and I love our country.
We face changing times and working together, we will show the world, that we my friends, are Americans. Let's get it done. Join me as an American.
Detective Krum Investigates:
http://victory1project.wordpress.com/
I want to put on every car, every church parking lot, Sat Sunday
Where in your bible, does it say , “Blessed are the war makers”?
There is only one man , running for President of the United States, that wants to end all the war, NOW.
Go, in the name of the Lord, find the Peacemaker, Ron Paul.
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
I'm Bumping Your Post
because you are doing something proactive to help the campaign. Good for you!
May I Help
May I suggestively edit?
" that we, as Christians, have found painful for several decades." To - that we Christians, for several decades, have found painful.
Sorry - I think you are great for deciding to write. I would review my copy for structure. If you want my suggestions, send me a message. If you choose to leave your letter as is, I understand and wish you well.
To help you, look at the copy structure in the article I just wrote at:
http://beforeelections.com/election-2008/floridas-vote-makes...
By submitting quality material to churches, news magazines, local penny savers or shoppers, we the people can change. The hearts and minds of our great American people will awake. I applaud you and your effort.
Detective Krum Investigates:
http://victory1project.wordpress.com/
may I suggest...
1) send your letter email ---direct to pastors---although make it personal addressing them by name.
2) do not send to secretary's email--the pastor won't see it. It would not hurt for the secretary to read it for her own info...but she is a gatekeeper and most likely will not pass on letters to the pastor.
3) most church web pages have other administrators/youth pastors/adult pastors/choir director and sometimes elders emails too. You can find tons of church leaders on one page---that is why they are there--for public access. It is not considered 'spam'
But each email letter must be customized with the person's name.
If you send your letter via snail mail..it will be delayed and again, the secretary opens and screens such mail, and the pastor (s) will likely never see it.
I've done these methods...and pastors do read, and sometimes actually do answer their emails---especially small to mid-sized churches.
Bombs...away..and oh..email is cheaper too.
I did it!
I took your suggestion to heart and did a google search for churches in my county. Most of them did have websites - and most of them had a direct email for the pastor. I copied and pasted the letter, changed the address line and in the description of the email I just wrote "Dear pastor fillintheblank" and I've sent it out to 10 churches so far. But man, I got a ways to go... I'm in the Bible belt!! LOL!
also good input
I should've thought of this myself as I've been opening mail for the bosses for years and what he reads (or doesn't read) is mostly at my discretion. I'll check the church sites for emails, since the Good Lord knows I've already overspent my budget this month on other RP stuff (don't tell him - he would be upset w/ me for not being fiscally responsible... lol). I was very encouraged though to find that alot of elderly people at church are not committed to anyone yet. They usually vote for the Dems (they don't know why.. they just do b/c their parents did) but they don't like Hillary or Obama. So that is at least a little crack that maybe I can slip thru.
and...
if you do emails you can add some great web page links like RP's page.
This is great....
Please Hucklebee - quit. You're not a real Christian - you are cut from the same cloth as Clinton and your family and your politics gives witness. I got a phone call from God to telling me so.
One other point
that I make when talking with the Christian crowd: Look at how many of those other candidates have violated their oath of office to "protect and defend" our Constitution.....If they'll violate that oath, they will violate others.
As to McCain...Ask them to google Keating 5. Huge thing back in the day but everyone seems to have forgotten about it now......our old friends in the media NEVER mention it so I bring it up as often as possible. Not a smear or gossip, just plain old historical fact.
that is right sistagirl86
just plain old historical fact......that is the truth!!!
Good for you.
Jesus is the saviour of the WHOLE WORLD, "As in Adam all die, so too in Christ ALL shall be made alive." (ICor.15:22) All means all. The pagan 'hell' of literal fire & eternal torment is a lie and is SPIRITUAL TERRORISM. http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/blog
I listened to a Christian radio show today also
that absolutely was endorsing Huckabee and completely ignored Ron Paul in their discussion of "all the candidates". After yesterday writing a letter of complaint to the show that their coercion of listeners to vote for the only candidate that they could vote for without violating their conscience (Huckabee) and that he would be God's choice, basically, I was outraged to hear it again today. I received a response with a whole slew of misinformation about Huckabee and I warned them, as a brother in Christ, that they were sadly misled and that their facts were wrong. One of the sources they used to support Huckabee with, I went to the link and it was quite the OPPOSITE of what was claimed in the email. I reminded them to check back because they must have read it wrong. Since then, no response, and today they did the exact same lauding and praising of Huckabee on their show urging Christians to vote for the "only candidate" who supports morals, values, etc. I wrote them again and told them I would never again listen to their show because of it's dishonesty in ignoring Dr. Paul and by claiming that Huckabee was the "only candidate" who supported Biblical ideals. Agree with him or not, they basically lied by not even presenting him and what he does support. This is not Christian behavior, this is deception. FYI, the show was called "Faith to Action".
Be not Disheartened
Gomer Huckapyle will be gone after tomorrow anyway and then we can really hit 'em up!!! But I hear what you're saying. Sometimes we get so involved in taking our message to a goal that we overlook the vehicles that make the trip easier. Blissful ignorance.
sorry
this site is so slow, I can never tell if it goes through because it loads for so long.
deleted
sorry, it posted too many times
One adjustment...
Google the new law they are trying to pass to eliminate all religious broadcasting on tv and the radio...this will show them you are up on current events that effect many of them...also shows how close we are to losing some of our most cherished rights...
Great Idea
I will see what I can come up with.
excellent letter
you put into words what i have been thinking for so long. it is THE reason i am voting for Dr. Paul - my religious freedom! thank you for an elloquent letter.
I like it!!
Your letter makes me want to check out Ron Paul (if I already did not know of him).
The Lord hears you and that matters most
Your letter is your heart. The Lord hears you friend, and that is all that matters. Unfortunately alot of pastors are blind to the truth. Your prayers are what matter most right now.
Obviously be led by the Spirit & if you are led to send it...than may Yahweh bless your letter with favor.
Jesus is the saviour of the WHOLE WORLD, "As in Adam all die, so too in Christ ALL shall be made alive." (ICor.15:22) All means all. The pagan 'hell' of literal fire & eternal torment is a lie and is SPIRITUAL TERRORISM. http://www.hopebeyondhell.net/blog