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Rick Santorum, Jeremy Lin, Attribute Success to Faith in Christ

February 22, 2012 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

It’s often said American’s love an underdog in sports and politics. If that’s the case, then there is good reason former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and NBA newcomer Jeremy Lin are riding high. What is ago getting attention is they are crediting God for their success.

“I’ve survived the challenges so far by the daily grace that comes from God,” Santorum said shortly after the Iowa caucuses. “For giving me His grace every day, for loving me, warts and all, I offer public thanks to God.”

Since then, Santorum has had much to be thankful for. After being discounted shortly after the South Carolina primary in late January, Santorum has steadily risen to the top of state and national polls in the GOP quest for the White House.

Lin’s success has taken a similar path. After a standout career at Harvard, few if any thought he would have an impact in professional basketball. Initially signed as a free agent, he was cut by a couple of clubs before being picked up by the New York Knicks.

Then, after shooting a winning three-pointer last week to win the game, Lin commented, “I just thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for that shot.”

Yet for all the credit both have given God for their success, their detractors have come out of the woodwork to criticize their faith.

David Brooks, a noted columnist for The New York Times, addressed Lin’s use of religion and even compared it to politics in his Feb. 17 column. Brooks questioned how crediting God with athletic and political success is possible when both are filled with self-absorption and putting ones self ahead of the greater good.

“Jeremy Lin is now living this creative contradiction,” Brooks wrote. “Much of the anger that arises when religion mixes with sport or with politics comes from people who want to deny that this contradiction exists and who want to live in a world in which there is only one morality, one set of qualities and where everything is easy, untragic and clean. Life and religion are more complicated than that.”

For Santorum, the stakes may be even higher. As he seeks to remain atop the GOP polls, his faith will more likely become an even greater issue.

Not only is his chief rival, Mitt Romney hitting him hard on his support of past legislation, the Obama campaign team has already started reminding voters of his support for Terri Schiavo when her husband was fighting to take her off life support.

NBA fans seemed more than infatuated by Jeremy Lin’s prowess on the basketball court. However, voters in will most likely determine Santorum’s public confession of his faith, along with his political success, over a dozen states within the next two weeks.

Study: Presidential Candidates Expressing Their Faith May Be Turning Voters Off

January 20, 2012 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

Charleston, SC – A new poll released by LifeWay Research shows that presidential candidates who share their faith on the campaign trail may not be helping their cause. The results of this study may go against the strategy being implemented by at least two of the GOP candidates this week in South Carolina as they try to woo evangelicals to the polls on Saturday.

The online survey of adult Americans was conducted Sept. 23-26 and asked the question, “When a candidate running for office regularly expresses religious conviction or activity, how does that impact your vote?”

According to the study’s findings, only 1 in 6 Americans, or 16 percent, are more likely to vote for a candidate who regularly shares their religious beliefs.

Even more interesting, 30 percent indicated they would be less likely to vote for a candidate expressing religious activity, 28 percent say it would have no impact on their choice of a candidate and 21 percent of Americans said it would depend on the candidate’s religion.

Despite this study’s findings, at least half of the GOP candidates have been touting their personal religious convictions when speaking to groups in Iowa, New Hampshire and now in South Carolina.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum refers to his faith and religion in almost every stump speech he gives.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Candidates Preach Politics to Undecided Christian Voters at SC Tent Revival

January 18, 2012 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

Myrtle Beach, S.C. – It had the feeling of a Great Depression tent revival, but the speakers weren’t calling for the participants to come to Jesus, because most of them already have. They were searching for the right words to get politically active Christians in South Carolina to come together before primary voting Saturday.

The candidates and other key leaders spoke to about 300 people in a tent across Monday’s debate location, who appeared to mostly be evangelical Christians undecided, and looking for a candidate to settle on.

South Carolina Rep. Tim Scott fired the audience up by asking, “Do you love Jesus? Yes you do!” said Scott as the audience roared.

“Here we are on the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but we know now the minority who is under the greatest attack are Christians. I believe we can look no further than the word of God to help save from these attacks,” Scott screamed.

The tone of the event was established by Faith and Freedom founder, Ralph Reed, who is no stranger to rallying Christian troops and keeping track of them. He also is keenly aware that 17 million evangelicals failed to show up to vote in 2008 and he knows that if that even half of those people don’t cast their votes, then President Obama can serve another four years.

“At our peak during the heyday of the Christian Coalition, we had a database of about 80 thousand evangelical voters,” Reed told the crowd. “Because of technology, we have a tremendous amount of data. We know who you are because we’re tracking over 130 million households today.”

To read the rest of the story, click on this link. http://www.christianpost.com/news/candidates-preach-politics-to-undecided-christian-voters-at-sc-tent-revival-67455/

Santorum Gets ‘Blessing’ of Christian Leaders; Now What?

January 15, 2012 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum received a major boost to his campaign on Saturday as a result of being endorsed by a group of the nations leading evangelical leaders. Now voters and candidates are wondering what will happen as a result of the endorsement?

“Everyone was invited here under the premise of ‘would you be willing to drop your support for someone if the group is able to reach a consensus on one candidate,’” Perkins explained. “Given the outcome, I think you see what the answer to that question was for the overwhelming majority of attendees.”

Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council assumed the role as the group’s spokesperson and held a tele-conference at the conclusion of the Saturday meeting.

“What I did not think was possible – is possible,” Perkins told reporters. “This group of Christian conservatives, after three rounds of voting, has endorsed Rick Santorum as the GOP nominee and hopefully the next president of the United States.”

To read the rest of the article, click on: http://www.christianpost.com/news/santorum-gets-blessing-of-christian-leaders-now-what-67198/

Does the Public Have the Right to Know About a Candidate’s Personal Life

December 8, 2011 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

Herman Cain may be the latest fatality on the national political scene after announcing he would suspend his presidential campaign on Saturday after allegations of sexual harassment and an on-going affair took their toll. Yet the question remains – how much does the public have a right to know about a candidates personal and family life and how should voters weigh this information when deciding whom to vote for?

Penny Nance, The CEO of Concerned Women of America weighed in on the issue with an opinion piece and in a conversation with The Christian Post, saying that yes, “character does and should matter.”

“I think the public does have a right to know about a candidate’s personal background,” Nance told The Christian Post. “How a person conducts themselves says a lot about how they are going to lead and govern – not to mention how they think.”

“The question before citizens is, ‘Do we have a right to hold elected officials to a high moral standard?’” Nance wrote in her column. While Cain may be the latest public figure to succumb to media revelations, recent history has produced numerous examples on both sides of the aisle.

To read the rest of the article, click here: http://www.christianpost.com/news/does-the-public-have-a-right-to-know-about-a-candidates-personal-life-64016/

Dr. Richard Land’s Open Letter to Newt Gingrich

December 1, 2011 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 3 Comments

During my time in the Tennessee General Assembly I had the pleasure of sharing the stage once with Dr. Richard Land, who is the director of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. In addition, Dr. Land is also the Executive Editor of The Christian Post where I serve as the Politics Section Editor.

I recently sat down with Dr. Land for coffee and we discussed a number of political issues, primarily centered around the Republican presidential race. Dr. Land told me he was going to write an open letter to former Speaker Newt Gingrich and below I have included a link to the article.

Not only is Dr. Land’s advice to Speaker Gingrich timely, but it is exactly what he needs to do in order to show evangelical voters – namely women – that he is indeed sorry for any personal failures that have hurt others in his life.

Having a great deal of personal experience in this area, I can truly say that most people – especially those who embrace and understand God’s word – will forgive and simply want to see true repentance from those who have fallen short in the public arena. However, the repentance must be genuine and if not, people will see right through it.

I’m going to write more on this issue in the next few days, but in the meantime, please read Dr. Land’s column.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/dr-richard-land-an-open-letter-to-newt-gingrich-63393/

The Fall to Forgiveness: A Once-Tainted White House Aide Restored by Christ

November 22, 2011 in By Paul, Politics, Religion with 0 Comments

In 2008, Tim Goeglein was at the pinnacle of success for a then 44-year-old politico. A journalism major who used his communications skills to fine tune the messages of Members of Congress and eventually the President of the United States, he had indeed arrived until he began committing one of the biggest sins in public life – secretly using the work of other writers without attribution.

It is called plagiarism and in the world journalism and politics, it seems an unpardonable sin.

The fall was swift and painful. That’s because Goeglein not only was in the White House inner circle, he was the face of President George W. Bush when it came to dealing with evangelical leaders nationally. The event attracted the sharpest of criticism from gleeful enemies and the White House could not defend itself.

Nine out of ten who fail in this way never recover, either in public life or in personal relationships.

Yet Goeglein is now vice president of external affairs for Focus on the Family, just celebrated his 20th wedding anniversary, and enjoys the trust of most of his former colleagues, include the former president.

In his new book, “The Man in the Middle: An Inside Account of Faith and Politics in the George W. Bush Era,” Goeglein talks about his poor decisions, how his close friends and the President handled his failures and how forgiveness and redemption are now the driving forces in his life.

To read the rest of the article, click on this link: http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-fall-to-forgiveness-a-once-tainted-white-house-aide-restored-by-christ-62724/

 

 

 

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