October 2012 - Paul Stanley

Who Is Nate Silver and Why Should You Care About Him?

Nate Silver might not be a household name, but he is receiving much attention this election season given his astoundingly accurate prediction in the 2008 election. Silver, who began his career calculating political statistics blogging for the Daily Kos and now is blogging for The New York Times, accurately predicted the winner of 49 of the 50 states in 2008. So it's no wonder pundits are eager to see Silver's election forecast this year. His predictions for this election come with some surprises, including that the 2008 voter make-up – strongly non-white and young – will again come out to the polls in similar numbers, and that President Obama has a 77.4 percent chance of winning the election. Some data, however, have predicted that young, non-white voter turnout will drop this year and that President Obama is tied with Republican contender Mitt Romney. "Prediction is the name of Silver's game, the basis for his celebrity," wrote Dylan Byers in his Monday column in Politico. "So should Mitt Romney win on Nov. 6, it's difficult to see how people can continue to put faith in the predictions of someone who has never given that candidate anything higher than a 41 percent [...]

By Paul Stanley|2012-10-31T20:09:30-05:00October 31st, 2012|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Should Pastors, Religious Leaders Endorse Political Candidates and Is It Legal?

One of the more common strategies any candidate or campaign seeks to employ is to use the endorsement of high profile individuals who are willing to lend their name and personal support to a candidate with the intention of influencing others to do the same. But the issue gets a bit sticky when those endorsing are connected to a church or a major religious organization. But perhaps before answering whether they should, the first question to ask is can they legally endorse political candidates? Under the 501 (c) (3) section of the Internal Revenue Service Code, it states that churches may engage in some "legislative activity" and still qualify for favored tax status, as long as such activity is not more than an "insubstantial" part of its overall activity in terms of time and money (e.g., worship service, Sunday school programs, etc.). In other words, the amount of permissible legislative activity is somewhat vague. Legislative activity that amounts to 5 percent of all church activity is generally considered "safe." Legislative activity between 5 and 20 percent is less certain and, therefore, less safe. Activity over 20 percent has been found unacceptable by the Internal Revenue Service, although the rule has [...]

By Paul Stanley|2012-10-30T10:36:28-05:00October 30th, 2012|My Blog Post|Comments Off

‘Beyond Ordinary;’ An Amazing Story of Brokenness and Reconciliation

A year or so ago I connected with Justin Davis, an Associate Pastor under Pete Wilson at Cross Point Church in Nashville. We had a few things in common. Justin was a senior minister at a mid-western church when he had an affair with a fellow staff member who was also a friend of his wife, Trisha. It was a recipe for disaster. Although the affair was not public at the time, Justin was so disgusted with himself that after telling his wife he went and packed up his office, vowing never again to return to the ministry. After several months of separation, prayer and counseling, Justin and Trisha were able to reconcile and begin rebuilding their life. No doubt it was a huge and painful process. But they not only survived, but they were blessed beyond their wildest dreams. Beyond Ordinary is the title of their forthcoming book and will hit stores and websites in a few months. In the meantime they are sharing the first chapter of their book in hopes it will generate discussion and book sales which is critical in expanding their ministry. Click here to read their first chapter. Like me, I believe you'll be [...]

By Paul Stanley|2012-10-05T10:12:53-05:00October 5th, 2012|My Blog Post|Comments Off

A Breakdown from One of President Obama Biggest Fans

There is a lot of hype in presidential debates, especially from those who report and analyze it on a daily basis. Romney scored a clear and decisive victory in last night's first presidential debate. But don't take the right's slant on it; just read what one of Obama's biggest fans had to say about the president's weak performance. Lot's of anxiety pills being taken this morning. This play-by-play by Andrew Sullivan merits reading from the bottom (beginning of the debate) to the top. Here is one example of Sullivan's observations. "9.51 pm. Romney is dominating Lehrer. And the debate. Just in pure alpha male terms."

By Paul Stanley|2012-10-04T08:11:37-05:00October 4th, 2012|My Blog Post|Comments Off

Obama’s ‘Other Accent’ Used to Praise Jeremiah Wright, Charge Racism in Katrina Aftermath

A 2007 video has been making its way around the web that shows then Sen. Barack Obama using an "urban" accent to praise his former minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. He also goes to great lengths to say any delay in responding to Hurricane Katrina was the result of racism. But before I go any further you should read this article from The Daily Caller and watch the video. In fact, there is nothing more I need to say about this video.

By Paul Stanley|2012-10-03T10:19:28-05:00October 3rd, 2012|My Blog Post|Comments Off