Politics & Government Forum to be closed during Inauguration Week

[Semper Fidelis]

As the board is about to enter Sabbath mode shortly, I wanted to announce that we do not intend on turning the P&G forum back on until 26 Jan 09.

Just a thought: If Paul could still focus on the Gospel of Christ without constantly vaunting off into a rant about how "...wicked them Emperors are..." in the Pastoral Epistles as he was approaching execution unjustly, I think we ought to consider whether we are called to live in a state of political rage that consumes our waking moments.

Beloved, this is a wicked and evil world. There are things that enrage me and cause me to weep in this Nation that we live. I don't have a "love her or leave her" attitude nor do I believe submission to authority precludes Godly appeal.

I guess it's just that I did the whole "angry at power" over a decade and a half ago. Pastors who have lived through previous administrations that got the "righteous" hyper-active about cultural transformation will testify to you about how destructive to Church unity previous periods have been. We even see, on this board, how it is often the political issues that members end up lining up on different side throwing hand grenades at one another.

It should not be this way. Yes, politics matter because it affects where we live but this board is supposed to be a place where the Gospel is discussed and it's always bothered me that those that I might have otherwise never have thought anything but fond feelings for are distanced from me over issues of this world that will burn up with the rest of all the dross of this world. I've had to personally apologize to more than I can count over political issues.

Permit me this one week respite. Let others fret and hand wring over the future of one nation among the thousands on this Earth that are in the Sovereign control of almighty God. As for me, I want to remind myself (even as I weep about the voices of millions of unborn that will never gasp their first breath and cry and mothers that rejoice over their "choice" to murder them) that God works all things together for the good for those that love Him and are called according to His purposes.

I'm closing the forum for a week because I believe you are loved by Him and, because of that, I want to remove the temptation that I might sin and love you less than I am called to...for the times are evil and I need to encourage and build up in Christ.

-----Added 1/21/2009 at 11:13:47 EST-----

Moved to Updates and Information. A number of people don't realize we actually have a forum for the discussion of Politics and Government (which is probably a good thing). You can join the usergroup that allows access in your user profile.

Anyhow, a few people are anxious to post about current political events on the board at large. We've been deleting these conversations for a reason that makes sense to those of us who have had to moderate through intense political cycles. Please indulge us during this period.