the Centrist

Sen. Obama Refusing to Pledge to the American Flag while Campaigning in the Primary

Dear friends and family;

How to Pray for This Election:
I have prayed long and hard on that question … how do we pray for an election? What requests are subject to prayer? For instance, how often have we prayed for a loved one’s health, but disease continues, or for safety, and safety not granted? Just as we never get everything we want, we never get all of the prayer requests for which we pray. But just because we do not get what we want, does not mean the prayer was not answered, it was merely answered against our will. First and foremost prayer and fasting is replete throughout the bible. Jesus says: when you fast and pray … not ‘if’ you fast and pray. But, exactly what does come under the power of prayer … what can be changed by prayer? First and foremost I have always railed at those who pray for things like a win for their favorite sports teams, etc. and in my opinion praying for a candidate is perilously close to that. Some of my bloggers have asked me to pray for McCain and Palin and advise others to do the same. Although I do support them as the more righteous candidates, I have a tough time asking you to pray for those whom I think are more righteous. For instance what if it is God’s Will that the other guys win?

In my opinion any discussion on prayer must include a dialogue on God’s Will. In “Rebirth Pains” (see my webpage for purchase) I researched that subject. Here is a summary from page 219:
1. Decretive Will – when God decrees something, nothing will change that decree … not all the praying in the world could stop: “Let there be light.”
2. Preceptive Will – God gives us precepts or laws to follow; i.e. the Ten Commandments – He allows that these laws are broken by our ‘free will’ (sin) and extends forgiveness to those who confess and repent. He also allows that fasting, prayer, and sacraments can strengthen humans to overcome their weakness (See “Roman Baptist” Chapter 10 … my webpage for purchase).
3. Dispositional Will – Acts that please God … like fasting, praying, love, receiving sacraments, forgiveness, charity, etc. God does not punish humans for failing to participate in these acts, but is pleased when his image bearers do.
4. Perfect Will – If followed we will be in sync with God … it is partaking in what He commands us and what pleases Him.
It is with the above in mind, that prayer can change things. Here is my advice and request: Fast* and pray for discernment in the Jewish and Christian populations in America. If it is God’s Perfect Will that in spite of these actions your candidate looses, then it is His Perfect Will, and we will have to live with it. In the Book of Jonah, the prophet was asked to tell the enemy, the Assyrians, to repent in sack cloth and ashes. The Assyrians did so and were spared. Therefore, if American Jews and Christians cannot discern that infanticide, damning America, denying the wisdom in America’s Constitution, failure to keep word on using private monies and dubious sources of campaign sources, censuring media, and stealing votes, close relationships with terrorists domestic and foriegn (**see enclosed websites or goggle any of the above subjects); then this nation is doomed to suffer the consequences.

Correction on Tax statement from Bloggers; my brother helped me correct the following statement on Monday’s article:
DIVIDEND TAX
MCCAIN 15% (no change)
OBAMA 39.6% – (How will this affect you? If you have any money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama becomes president. The experts predict that ‘Higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash the stock market, yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.’)

The facts in the statement “How will this affect you?”, is not totally correct: IRA and retirement are taxed as regular income tax once they are withdrawn, not dividends; college funds withdrawn for college purposes (529’s) will not be taxed; if not used for college they are taxed … life insurance is not taxed as dividends, it may be subject to estate tax or if the policy is surrendered for cash value … anything above cost basis is taxed as ordinary income. Thank you to brother Sal.

Lighter Side: Sal says this is an easier way to understand tax policy:
Lesson – Let’s put TAX CUTS in terms everyone can understand – Beer and TaxesSuppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all
ten comes to $100.
If they paid their bill the way we pay our TAXES, it would go
something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that’s what they decided to do.
The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the
arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. “Since you
are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost
of your daily beer by $20.”
Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so
the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free.
But what about the other six men – the paying customers? How could
they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair
share?’ They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted
that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man
would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the
amounts each should pay. And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. “I only got a dollar out of the $20,”declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,” but he got $10!”
“Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I!”
“That’s true!!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!”
“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison. “We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!”
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up!
The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get themost benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for
being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, University of Georgia

Prayer Requests:

Deedee C’s Mom – elderly and weak
Sudden Passing of Lawrence Cooper (Sunday OCt. 20)- strength for family

Americans must be on our knees fasting and praying for a fair election, as well as a restoration of our economy.

Update on our son Pastor Dan … Dan has a surgical date in early November.

Brother Les – no news, other than the diagnosis is still a mystery … please pray that he gets the proper diagnosis and treatment – no new updates

Brother Pat (liver transplant) … please keep praying for his well being
Please continue to pray for our friend Vinny (cancer-metastatic – Fredonia Patti).
Please continue to pray for Scott’s upcoming marriage (long time girl friend Chelsea) and his maternal grandfather, Bob L (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
My friend and personal physician Dr Hal P. continue to pray as you know he has developed metastatic bone cancer, pray for healing and comfort. He is presently going through chemo. This is his second bout with cancer – no new word.
Sister Jane has improved and was able to visit her son and their family in Tenn.
Continue to pray for our niece Rhonda for headaches and eye problems
Cousin Doug for cancer and radiation treatment – no new information
Unity for our family

Tolerance, Christ’s Love, and Understanding for our families, friends, and enemies
Newlyweds: Son Rand and wife Erin, niece Cassy and husband Tom, niece Julia and Steve, and grandson Scott and Chelsa (engaged) for long happy and prosperous relationships centered on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Bonnie Erbie (author accusing Christians of being knuckle draggers), prayer for salvation.
Pray for wisdom and spiritual guidance in rearing children for our family as well as the renewal of the nuclear family; pray that marriage stays as one man, one woman, but rights are extended to same gender unions.
Pray for spiritual wisdom for America’s leaders; my prayer is that Sen. McCain will be elected to the Presidency and the Dems are prevented from a super majority
Pray for our troops each evening at 9:00 pm. every night … pray that America wakes up to evil before it is to late.
Nephews John and Ryan – Ryan in Iraq and John in Virginia (both in the Navy)
Marilyn L (former employee) close friend for many medical problems – update, he passed away last Sunday … please pray for strength for our dear friend.
Prayer partners Bill, John, and Ron … Bill and Rita for their granddaughter’s marriage; Ron and Judy stress, John for health issues for him and Deedee.
Please continue to pray for health issues for five of our nieces, especially Jenny who has the same disease as Marilyn.
Pastors: Dan, John, Tom, Lyell, Steve D, Ben, wisdom for all leadership at Yates Baptist, Whittikers, Neil, and Steve T for their ministries, ease of stress, and courage to spread the gospel
Pray that the Lord have his way and place into office the most competent and honest people available … Proverbs teaches us that “The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom”

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,

Dr B

*When fasting your health must be taken into consideration. If one wishes it may be for only a meal, or a day, but nobody should fast if it threatens their health.
**Sources: Radio interview where Obama denies wisdom of the Constitution and it’s “negative liberties” (what the state cannot do to you) and champions redistribution of wealth:

On Censuring:
WFTV-Channel 9′s Barbara West conducted a satellite interview with Sen. Joe Biden on Thursday. A friend says it’s some of the best entertainment he’s seen recently. What do you think?
West wondered about Sen. Barack Obama’s comment, to Joe the Plumber, about spreading the wealth. She quoted Karl Marx and asked how Obama isn’t being a Marxist with the “spreading the wealth” comment.
“Are you joking?” said Biden, who is Obama’s running mate. “No,” West said.
West later asked Biden about his comments that Obama could be tested early on as president. She wondered if the Delaware senator was saying America’s days as the world’s leading power were over.
“I don’t know who’s writing your questions,” Biden shot back.
Biden so disliked West’s line of questioning that the Obama campaign canceled a WFTV interview with Jill Biden, the candidate’s wife.
“This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election,” wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.
McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was “a result of her husband’s experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West.”
Here’s a link to the interview: http://www.wftv.com/video/17790025/index.html.
WFTV news director Bob Jordan said, “When you get a shot to ask these candidates, you want to make the most of it. They usually give you five minutes.”
Jordan said political campaigns in general pick and choose the stations they like. And stations often pose softball questions during the satellite interviews.
“Mr. Biden didn’t like the questions,” Jordan said. “We choose not to ask softball questions.”
Jordan added, “I’m crying foul on this one.”
Obama and Public funds from Google search (plethora of sources) this excerpt from NYTimes:
WASHINGTON — Senator Barack Obama announced Thursday that he would not participate in the public financing system for presidential campaigns … With his decision, Mr. Obama became the first candidate of a major party to decline public financing — and the spending limits that go with it — since the system was created in 1976, after the Watergate scandals.
Mr. McCain, who has been a champion of the public financing system, affirmed Thursday that his campaign would accept public financing.