Sound of Truth – Ep. 2

Biblical priorities for christians when voting

Regarding the Media’s Shock at Last Night’s Historic Upset and the Need for Integrity Among Politicians and Journalists

As a pastor, I try not to wade too much into politics, but I refuse to refrain from commenting occasionally on the subject. Now is one of those occasions. I am not going to communicate any happiness or distress at the outcome of this election. I was honestly disappointed that these two candidates were the best the leading two parties could put forth.

I’ll start by saying (in case you have successfully ignored the news) that last night Donald Trump shocked most of the world, and seemingly the entire Democratic Party, by defeating Hillary Clinton for the highest office in the land. Although it looks like Trump has probably lost the popular vote, he has handily defeated Clinton on the electoral map.

I tried to stay up last night to witness the final conclusion of the matter, but my eyelids wouldn’t cooperate. When I went to sleep at a little after 1:00 a.m. (EST), the New York Times had projected an almost 100% chance that Trump would win.

When Trump announced his candidacy so many moons ago, I was one who never thought he would actually win the Republican nomination, let alone the Presidency.  However, as he stormed through the primaries and won the Republican nomination, I began to realize he should not be underestimated.

The Media “Experts” Speechless

As I sat in bed with my computer, going back and forth between CNN and Fox News (both were providing free live streaming of their coverage), I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the shock and confusion of the media pundits. It was almost like they hadn’t prepared any talking points for Trump winning easily, so certain were they of only three options: (1) Clinton winning easily, (2) Clinton winning a close race, and, least likely, (3) Trump surprisingly pulling out a squeaker. They never dreamed that Trump would actually “flip” any blue states.

Once it was clear that Trump was going to win, they started trying to put into words how this could have happened. And for the most part, they were clueless. They couldn’t figure out how they could have missed so badly. Using a baseball analogy, it’s not that the media swung and missed. They weren’t even in the right ballpark.

Why the Media Could Not Envision a Trump Victory

Here’s why I think the media missed it.

(1) They underestimated how much of America is sick and tired of the political establishment. And rightly so. The American people haven’t forgotten when their representatives in Washington voted themselves a raise right in the middle of a recession (2008). The American people don’t have so short of a memory as to forget when their representatives exempted themselves from the increasingly not-so-affordable Affordable Healthcare Act that they thrust on the rest of us. The American people haven’t forgotten that their representatives passed that legislation before they, the lawmakers, even knew what was in it. Remember Pelosi’s famous words:”We have to pass it to know what’s in it!” As more than one person has pointed out, by choosing the political outsider, Trump, it’s as if America shouted to the political establishment, “You’re fired!”

Eric Metaxas on a Living Faith

I may have already linked to this video, but now Thomas Nelson has published it in book form and is available via Kindle at the great price of $3.99 (click on the image to go to the amazon link):

Iraq Free? Not for the Christians

I try to avoid politics as much as possible on this blog, but I cannot help but comment on the persecution of Christians in Iraq in recent years. Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator and there is no doubt the world is a better place without him. But while the world may be a better place without him, Iraq is not a safer place for Christians. As David George of Knight Ridder points out, Christians were actually more free under Hussein than the current situation:

This Election Ugly? Maybe not so much…

…in comparison to the mudslinging between a certain Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Adams back in 1800:

Moore on Beck and the DC Rally

Dr. Russell Moore nails it.

Christian Pastor in U.K. Arrested for Saying Homosexuality is a Sin

Here is what happens when political correctness overtakes free speech in a democratic country.

A Lot At Stake for British Christians in the Upcoming Elections

For those of us concerned about our shrinking liberties in these United States, our brethren across the Pond are already further down the slippery slope. Prominent Christian blogger Adrian Warnock, in a couple of posts about what is at stake in the upcoming election, articulates why he will vote conservative. In his second post on the subject, he lists ways in which the Labour party is undermining the moral foundation on their nation. He points out that Christians face a daunting future if the current political trajectory is not altered. Churches being forced to hire staff who do not believe their doctrines and pastors being imprisoned for publicly teaching that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is wrong are not far from becoming reality. He warns: “This pledge could mark the end of centuries of Christian liberty in Britain if Brown was to return to power. So quite simply a vote for Brown is a vote for persecution of Christians.”

Why the Democrats Lost the Seat Vacated by Ted Kennedy

No one saw it coming. In fact, a Republican victory for the open U.S. Senate seat was no where on the radar. Massachusetts is one of the most liberal states in our union. The seat was filled by Edward Kennedy for 47 years. But last night, the seemingly impossible occurred: a Republican, Scott Brown, was elected.

There is no doubt Scott Brown ran a good campaign. But ultimately, he won the seat because of what the national Democrat leaders were doing in Washington. His opponent, Coakley, held an overwhelming lead just over a month ago. But 2 key events in Washington sunk her bid at winning the seat vacated by Kennedy: