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A View From Peavine Ridge
Art Thompson
(Editor's Note: Since this article was written, some of the web links contained in it have changed. In case they are ever restored at the same place on the net, we have left them in place.)
Well, things in Washington - as usual - are a mess! Only this time, the mess is without precedent in the history of our country.
It doesn't matter much whether you are Democrat, Republican, or Independent. It doesn't matter much whether you think President Clinton's private "affairs" are your business or not - the integrity of the Office of President of the United States of America certainly is your business and it ought to be your concern, as well.
This is not political commentary - though I could certainly get up on a political soap box and have a lot to say. But, this is not a matter of which political party you belong to, nor does it matter for whom you have voted.
This is a spiritual commentary.
This is a spiritual struggle.
To quote one of the President's trusted advisors - James Carville, who spoke of the public relations battle to clear the President - "this is war!"
We must not forget that!
We are engaged in a heavy conflict. In this war, we are both the soldiers, and the battle prize. Whoever wins - God or Satan - gets us. We're the "spoils of war" - at least, we're the spoils of this war.
Satan will do whatever it takes to come between us and our God. Including, making us believe that morality doesn't count any more. That integrity is not important.
To paraphrase Mr. Carville's well-publicized campaign slogan of 1992 about the economy -
I'm appalled at the results of polls early in the scandal in the White House, which show that more than 75% of Americans (who were polled) believe that the President's morality is none of our business. And a similar number who believe that Mr. Clinton can continue to do his job as President even if he is guilty of sexual misconduct.
Someone has either been tampering with the polling procedures, or there is something drastically wrong in this country.
Hey, in this country, this is our land. This is our nation.
Remember? "WE - the people of the United States of America . . ."
We, The People of the United States of America built this country. We, The People of the United States of America select - through our election process - those who will serve us in representative positions. We, The People of the United States of America pay them to do these jobs for us. They are the employees of Us, The People of the United States of America. As their employers, we have the right both to expect and to demand whatever moral code of behavior we choose.
Remember? We are the ones "endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights . . ." Not only is it "our business" how our employees behave, it is our responsibility and right to remove them when they don't.
Please consider Romans 13:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for . The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. . But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; . Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
We must remember that God ordained government. God gave our governmental leaders the authority they have over us. We must obey them. That is our responsibility.
God teaches us that government has two principal functions:
- reward the good people;
- punish the lawbreakers, and those who do evil.
That's it.
Those who offer themselves as our governmental servants, themselves serve God. Their responsibility before God is even greater than our own.(1) Therefore, they should be our examples: both our heros and our role models. They are to set the kind of examples that we can both honor and respect. When they fail in those roles, they fail as officeholders and should be removed. If we don't remove them or demand that they change, then God himself will remove them. He has done it many times before.
Another thing that has dismayed me lately is that we are hearing almost exclusively the strident voices of those who agree with Mr. Clinton's stated "theology" that some forms of sexual activity between a man and a woman not married to each other are not adultery!
He doesn't get that from a page in God's book. He gets it from a page in Satan's book.
Remember when Satan taunted Eve by asking, "Has God told you that you can eat of every tree in the garden?"
And Eve replied that God had forbidden them to eat of the tree in the middle of the Garden, because if they ate of the fruit from that tree we "will surely die."
Satan twisted that instruction God had given Adam and Eve, but just slightly. He said, "If you eat the fruit from that tree, you will not surely die! God just doesn't want you to be come wise like he is."
It's becoming painfully obvious that Satan's same old lie still works. It still works even in the same form! Only, our man has changed it from "this is adultery", to "this is not adultery"!
God said that sexual relations between people not married to each other is adultery. Bill Clinton says it is not adultery.
Who do you believe?
We had better believe that it is adultery. And we had better be concerned about several things.
You need to make your voice heard. This nation needs to hear the voices of God's people speaking out, condemning sin, whether adultery or lying. Whether Bill Clinton is guilty of these things or not will become known - sooner or later. At the time this is written, those things are "alleged", and not yet proven.
His guilt or innocence will be decided by the courts which have jurisdiction. But you and I need to let our voices be heard about God's morality. We need to let those in authority know how we feel about adultery, lying, and integrity. If they don't hear from us, they just might assume that either 1) we agree with those vocal few who are saying that adultery and lying are OK, or 2) we don't have an opinion, or 3) that it doesn't matter to us.
I'm asking you to do two things:
- Get on your knees. Pray from this country and for our leadership - regardless of their political affiliations.
Through Jesus' apostle, Paul, he urged us to pray for our government, and for those who administer our government. We need to be doing that regularly. Pray for God to touch the hearts of each person in government, and to cause them to turn to him. To live for him. To be his children. Pray particularly for the Clinton family.
- Write to your representatives. Form letters are simply counted, they are not read. In fact, most mail to the White House is not read at all by the President or First Lady. Very few get onto the desk in the Oval Office. But, your letters are read by others in government - especially if you communicate your views clearly, reasonably, and briefly.
So, we urge your to write to all your representatives. Let your views be heard. Give them the benefit of the spiritual side of these issues. Tell them that the issue is integrity. Tell them that moral leadership and being moral role models is important.
Urge your Christian friends to write also. Encourage your friends who share your moral values, whether they are Christians or not, to write also. We have many Jewish friends who are not Christians, but whose moral code is the same as ours.
Send e-mail. Send "snail-mail". Share these addresses with your friends, acquaintances, e-mail correspondents, discussion groups, your church, your PTA - any organization to which you belong.
A few days ago, I was surprised and shocked. I went into a store and while shopping, began discussing this subject with a thirty-something woman assistant store manager. This is the "buckle of the bible belt" around here. I mistakenly assumed that the young lady shared views similar to mine. I won't make that mistake again, I hope.
In response to my remark that we should expect our elected leadership to be moral role-models of us, she responded that if President Clinton is guilty of these charges, then if Hillary doesn't care, then it is certainly not our business.
Of course, I disagreed. I do believe that the behavior of the people we elect is our business. Their private activities reflect the values by which they govern. We should expect and demand the highest principles from those in highest office.
But, more and more people are going to continue to believe as this young woman believes, unless we speak up. We have failed this generation by failing to demand right behavior. If we say, "It's really none of my business," often enough to enough people, they're going to believe it.
So let's begin saying the right things to others. Tell them that private behavior of public officials is our business. We need to hold each other accountable for following God's code of morality. We need to hold our own selves responsible, likewise. We need to "clean up our own acts" first, perhaps, then communicate to others that we expect the same behavior from them as well.
Tell your friends and your children what moral values are. Tell them what your moral values are. Tell them that you expect to live by them, and that you expect them to live by them, as well.
Write right now. Just click on the appropriate links below.
To write (or e-mail) your U.S. Senator go to http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html. On this site, you will find a listing of U.S. Senators by state (just in case you can't remember the two who represent you), and "click-able" e-mail addresses of those of them who have e-mail. You will also find their "snail-mail" addresses to share with your non-computerized friends.
Write your Congressman at http://www.house.gov/writerep/. Whether you can remember the name of your Congressman (or Congresswoman) or not (for shame), this is where you can reach him or her. All you need is your ZIP Code to find your representative and send e-mail. Each member of Congress also has a "snail mail" address included on their respective home pages.
To send your e-mail to President Bill Clinton, use http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_President.html.
You may also want to e-mail to Hillary Clinton at http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_First_Lady.html.
To find the Governor of your state or U.S. Territory, try http://www.nga.org/subtocgov.htm. This address connects you to the home page of The National Association of Governors. There, you select your state. You will be linked to the home page of the governor of your state where you can drop e-mail. While there, also secure the address for you or your friends to send "snail-mail."
Through your Governor's page, you can also link to your state legislators. Write them, too. Many of your state legislators are not yet on the Internet, but their U.S. Postal Service addresses are generally listed. I haven't checked out all 50 states and our territories. I just spot checked several.
If you live in an area where that information is not yet available on the Internet, don't give up easily. Get out your telephone book. Most list both phone numbers and addresses of your state officials. If not, dial directory assistance and ask until you get through to some who can give you their addresses.
Remember, this is spiritual war. You're in it, whether you like it or not. If you're not fighting, then double check your spiritual pulse, you may have already become a casualty.
And remind them:
1. James 3:1