ONE ISSUE POLITICS

Single issue campaigns are nothing new. The Jewish leaders had their anti-Jesus campaign. Then their anti-Paul campaign. Paul responded with his own Freedom in Christ Campaign where he backed down from no one. Martin Luther had his campaign on justification by faith against the Catholic Church. The colonies had their "taxation without representation" mantra against the British. The Abolitionists concentrated their efforts against slavery. Susan B. Anthony fought for women's rights. Darwin, who could not reconcile the death of a child of his, concentrated his war on the veracity of the Bible and proposed naturalistic explanations. Bertrand Russell and other atheists concentrated their war on God himself. The temperance movement concentrated on alcohol. And Hitler concentrated against the Jews. The anti-war movement was fanatical in its opposition to the Vietnam War. The pro-life movement has weighed all candidates with the litmus test of how they believe on abortion. Al Gore has waged a one-issue campaign against alleged man-made global warming. The pro-homosexual "marriage" folks don't care how "tolerant" you are unless you support their perverted idea of marriage. One issue people to the hilt. For good or for evil, single issue campaigns have been waged. Seems that who is waging the campaign matters a whole lot as to whether it is accepted or not.

What were the results? Jesus won easily over his enemies, though at first it looked like a defeat. So did Paul, overcoming the campaign against him, changing the whole world. Luther, while not successful in significantly reforming the Catholic church, provided an alternative pathway for faith. The colonies are now the United States. The slaves in America are now free. Woman can vote and for the moat part can pursue whatever career they wish. As far-fetched as Darwin's theory was, the scientific establishment loved it and shut down all opposition. Strong research from Christians who are scientists have fought back, and the public is still skeptical about the molecules to man variety of evolution, but it is probably the single biggest reason for lack of faith in the youth, particularly those who go to college and are overwhelmed by the pressure to conform. The atheistic agenda seemed to grow and then overstepped with the "God is Dead" movement. It has since regrouped under Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins and is back in style, despite the intellectual absurdities of the position given the overhwleming evidence for God in the natural world. The temperance folks banned liquor, though that victory was short lived. Still, the alcoholic epidemic of the late nineteenth century was reduced. Recently with major anti-drug campaigns, the major problem today is underage and college drinking. Six million Jews and millions of others died during World War II, but Hitler was totally defeated. Unfortunately Joseph Stalin and Chairman Mao killed more people than Hitler. The anti-war people got their way. Arguments for ending the Vietnam War turned from so-called moral ones to racist and selfish ones, and with those twists they got more mainstream political support and ended up shutting off funds for the South Vietnamese, resulting in the fall of Saigon and a most dishonorable ending to the war with many slaughtered that they have never admitted responsibility for. The pro-life forces refused in the beginning to settle for outlawing abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother, which over 90% of Americans supported. Instead, they took an absolutist position, were beaten in a media war that blatantly lied and put the majority of abortions in those emotional categories while in fact the numbers were miniscule. Outmaneuvered, pro-lifers have occasionally maintained the status quo, but have not been able to overturn the deeply flawed Roe v Wade despite the support of the original litigant. Al Gore's efforts have resulted in widespread acceptance of the controversial premise that man and not God has more to do with temperature fluctuations on the earth. An incredible propaganda machine and massive government grant funding given only to proponents of the theory has largely silenced those opposed, resulting in lopsided dogma which frankly many in the scientific community are alarmed about, a political agenda clearly superseding pure scientific truth. The result of the homosexual campaign is not final, but their concentration of effort and unwillingness to bend has by and large been wildly successful in changing the terms of the debate despite consistent voter opposition. Few Christians dare call homosexuality itself a sin anymore in public or denounce civil unions or any other overt homosexual activity. Like RIck Warren, they are satisfied to oppose homosexual "marriage" but be totally tolerant of anything short of that. This is a huge victory by any measure. By and large, single-issue campaigns have been very successful. The focus on one issue, the firepower of unbridled emotions, and the setting aside of all distractions is smart politically. While the opposition on any issue is going many directions, a small minority of totally focused individuals can change everything.

It has long been a criticism of evangelical Christians that they are "one-issue" people and need to grow up. The argument goes, "There are a host of issues in the political marketplace, and certainly no one issue should counterbalance all other sensitivities. We have to be thoughtful about all this." The rejoinder is usually that the Holocaust is an issue, and if Hitler was a good manager, a good repairer or the national psyche, but simply was wrong on the Jewish issue, would you vote for him anyway? The answer of course would be no.

We need to learn to be careful to evaluate all we hear, whether from the Pulpit or whether from political candidates. Many were shocked on outgoing President's revelations on his true beliefs. These should not have been shockers. He has long naively proclaimed Islam as a religion of peace. He has been caught using profanity on mike. He has not fought for the causes of Christians who supported him so strongly. He was not clear-cut in his proclamations of faith. We cannot project onto him what we want him to be. He is what he is, and I treated him accordingly. I have treated Obama similarly. I have read books about him, thoroughly researched him including his own website, his uncanny campaign similarities to the Saul Alinsky principles he himself taught, his relationship to Oprah and her New Age connections, a whole book just on his faith from one sympathetic to him who was very precise (Stephen Mansfield's "The Faith of Barack Obama"), and listened to him in person, and I understand what he believes and why. He is who he is. However, some more liberal Christians have made the same mistake about him that many conservative Christians made about George Bush. They have projected their beliefs and priorities on him because of a few politically calculated words that he used that do not mean the same to him (by his own admission) that they mean to others. Further, these Christians have stuck their head in the sand and robotically denounce all thoughtful opposition. It really sounds to me remarkedly like people about as deceived as the Germans were about who Hitler truly was.

You know, I think it would be an idea to refresh on the whole Hitler era. Please don't get offended. I am not calling Obama Hitler. But the rapid rise to power of one who was considered unqualified in intriguing, and history is a good teacher. The Lord knows how many comparisons were made about George W. Bush, so it is all in the name of education. We will wait and see how he does and whether he actually follows his platform and demonstrated past actions before we expand Mount Rushmore or tell Jimmy Carter to move over as the most ineffective modern President. We can learn a lot from history and there are quite a few interesting parallels to our current situation. If we aren't more discerning, the level of deception in many hearts over recent candidates of both parties indicates to me how easily so many CHRISTIANS will be deceived by the Anti-Christ.

Hitler actually lost to the 84 year old Paul von Hindenburg in a runoff election. Hindenburg would be 92 at the end of his term (even older than McCain or Reagan), but basically ran to keep HItler out. Those years were tough times. Hyperinflation from printing money to pay off war debts a decade before left no money to invest in industry. America had been struck by the 1929 crash and had started demanding repayment of loans which the Germans were unable to do. Even the Nazis had almost gone bankrupt from big spending on lavish street parades. You guessed it - a media bigwig named Hugenburg bailed the Nazis out. Six million Germans were now out of work. It was a depression. The BIG one. There was violence and gangs roamed the streets. There was fear of Marxism that was expanding in influence. A vortex of fear ruled the day. Demagoguery holds sway when people are dissatisfied. We just went through that this election cycle. Amazingly, huge numbers of voters going for Obama did not even know that it was Obama's party that ruled Congress for the last two years when ALL the meltdowns occurred. Obama kept talking about the last eight years, and the inept McCain rarely called him on it. The press for sure marched in lockstep with Obama and never seriously challenged any of the lies he and Biden told while they harped on every real or imagined slip by McCain and Palin. Obama's voters believed the propagandized press and had scant knowledge of any facts, not aware off their candidates missteps and misdeeds, actually falsely attributing them to his opponents, and believing nonsensical things about his opponents - even thinking a candidate said what was in a fictitious SNL sketch! Watch this video to show how well propaganda still works - www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1KOBMg1Y8. Propaganda helped Hitler sell himself in Germany. While not comparing Obama to Hitler, it is undeniably true that propaganda by Obama and his adoring press resulted in people electing someone based upon false and incomplete information. That is never good for a country, because the leader inevitably believes the hype, thinking he has a mandate for everything his jolly heart desires, and oversteps, Then the mess has to be cleaned up as best it can be, if at all.

We aren't done with the lessons we should learn from those who arise to power before. Note that The History Place has a riveting account of how Hitler came to power - visit www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/rise of hitler/runs.htm. Through incredible intrigue and after showing extreme patience, Hitler was appointed Chancellor by Hindenburg, a man who had deemed him perhaps qualified to be a postmaster at most. Hitler was a master of spin. He would come by plane in dramatic fashion to huge rallies like a messiah and then take off into the clouds. He worked behind the scenes. He got big money behind him. He managed to overcome questionable associations, including an alleged pedophile (anyone know the Frank Davis story?). Many thought him not ready, but by playing political chess, and keeping his goal for power straight in front of him, he was put into power without winning an election. Troubling, and not unique. Hitler got Germany working through socialism and militarism, but not in ways with long-term benefits. America ended up really getting Germany back on her feet after World War 2.

People supported Hitler because he fed the desire for a take-charge leader who would solve some problems. The people had suffered through years of ineffective leadership - squabbling between factions and no real progress. They overlooked the troubling aspects of Hitler. His two jail terms. HIs desire to take power through violence. His smashing of Jewish shop windows in October, 1930. Many leaders today have backgrounds riddled with corruption and questionable loyalty to the constitution of the country they seek leadership of. The problem was, Hitler's opponents never coordinated their opposition and they were overrun and Germany ended up with a Dictator. There are still groups in Germany, America, and elsewhere who admire the man DESPITE, or perhaps BECAUSE OF his most infamous acts.

Hitler's first major act in office was a radical pro-abortion agenda - it was ethnic based, just as it is in the United States, with disproportionate numbers of Black preborn babies killed. There were 500,000 abortions a year in Germany. The country was on spiritual life support. You remember the great falling away in the 1920's in the United States, with seminaries going modernist, and the Roaring Twenties coming to a grinding halt. The German church had a neo-conservative bent, and was looking to the future Kingdom. They were keenly aware of the failures of the church and believed the state was an institution of God to bring order. The moral suasion of the church on key issues was not strong. The church was weak. It did not have the moral authority to oppose that which was evil, though some like Bonhoeffer certainly tried their hardest and paid the price.

Hitler had a cavalier attitude toward the Weimar Constitution. Even though it technically remained, he made havoc of it, exploiting its weaknesses and abusing his power. A German's home was considered his asylum, and Germans had many rights. Hitler found excuses for circumventing them all (for the public good, of course). He remove private gun ownership, an the rest is history. We are talking attitude, here, so do not get offended by any comparisons because of the singular evil nature of Mr. Hitler. We are talking about LEARNING FROM HISTORY.

Let's go back to abortion. Parallel to Hitler, President-Elect Obama has promised to do essentially the same thing by signing the Satanic Freedom of Choice Act which would remove absolutely EVERY restraint on abortion and force medical personnel to perform them regardless of moral and religious objections. It would remove parents from even the knowledge loop let alone the consent loop. It would force taxpayers to pay for abortions willy-nilly. Obama has pledged 1.5 billion to promote abortion worldwide, even in places where it is forced and where there is forced sterilization. This is a radical position, and far more intolerant than ANY Christian position. It is foolhardy for any Christian to support such a dangerous radical who so despises the creation of God so openly and so completely. Yet I have heard those proclaiming to be strong, Spirit-filled Christians talk of a dream world position where Obama will not follow through on his published platform positions and his stated promises. It is disturbing to me, because as a German, the Germans were endlessly criticized for falling for Hitler. I blame them, too, as do the vast majority of modern Germans. However, to see an entirely different type of personality arise who is extremely radical, and whose positions on the Middle East are hostile to God's chosen people the Jew, be so widely accepted by CHRISTIANS who have set aside every Biblical position of God, every evidence of his dangerous ideas, his radical and divisive associations that have persisted for decades, not months, is beyond my imagination. It is as though a blindness came upon them because of his pleasant public manner and attractive family. Some even claim God prophesied his approval on the man to them who has opposed almost every Biblical principle there is. That is Revelation territory, and I surely hope I am wrong.

The problem is, it doesn't end with abortion or cozy relationships with Muslims. Also in the wings is normalization of homosexuality, criminalization of free speech when it disagrees with the speech czars, oppressive abridgment of freedoms under the guise of shaky environmental dogma, further oppression of scientists of principle who have stood for the Bible and God's truth, ominous restrictions on the political speech of those not in fawning adulation, discouragement of home schools and alternative educational efforts (while of course sending his own kids to an elite private school), resulting in a continuation of the culture of failure in many United States cities and discouraging children of great promise in their quest for a sound education. Perhaps tantamount to treason is the position Obama takes as a global citizen, with the distinct sense projected that he does not view his primary responsibility being the maintenance and defense of the United States of America. Our country is in many dangers because of our long sin and rebellion than has spanned many administrations of all parties. We are in a weak state because the church is in a weak state and rather than being prophetic has been pandering to those of both parties who care not for the Kingdom of God. It would not take a lot for our nation to collapse, especially if there is not a strong advocate for its constitution and foundations at the top of its leadership.

All this does not represent a single issue of course, but we see how things run together. People like Obama who believe that a lot of the Bible is far-fetched and who are captives to the anti-God liberal establishment believe things in bunches. They oppose just about everything that Bible-believing Christians favor. They are intolerant of being questioned and believe that those who disagree are - take your choice - mean, bigoted, narrow-minded, stupid, etc. That is why evolutionists run from debates, why Mainstream Media interviewers won't do live interviews, but want venues like 60 minutes that they can creatively edit to bring about their preferred editorial result.

We need to put together an agenda that includes ALL relevant positions that are Bible-friendly. Some may stick to single issues, but unless all are addressed, our future is not bright, and the future of the church is not glorious. We must be salt and light, and we must fight for what is right.

1) Pro Life
2) Pro morality
3) Pro parent
4) Pro genuine education,not indoctrination
5) Pro honoring of the poor and provision for them
6) Anti-crime
7) Anti sin
8) Anti state-enforced beliefs
9) Anti indoctrination by the media and government
10) Anti-racism
11) Pro alliances world wide with people of similar convictions.
12) Close friendship with Israel
13) Unshakable defense of our allies.

What are you going to do? Pick one and forget the rest? That has not worked. We need to put it all on the table.