FAIR AND BIASED: RELEVANCE IS SLIPPERY SLOPE!

Monday, April 28, 2014

RELEVANCE IS SLIPPERY SLOPE!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

RELEVANCE IS SLIPPERY SLOPE!

by Steve Fair

Recently the Nevada GOP removed opposition to abortion and gay marriage from their state platform. Supporters of removing the planks said it would allow Republican candidates to focus on economic issues in elections. They cited a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll that said 50% of Americans believe gay people should be able to marry. They believe if the GOP continues to oppose abortion on demand and gay marriage the Grand Ole Party will become ‘irrelevant’ in the political process. Four observations:

First, practicing situational ethics will never give us good government. Situation ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience. Changing the GOP platform or the position on an issue to gain votes is the exact same strategy that has gotten America to where we are today. Few political leaders in America, on both sides of the isle, consistently stand for principle. They are like a weather vane twisting in the wind, polling the masses to insure they remain relevant.

Second, no matter what antinomian anarchists believe, there is absolute truth. It can be found in the word of God. God has clearly stated that marriage is between one man and one woman and that life begins at conception. They can argue God’s viewpoint is unfair, illogical, mean-spirited and outdated, but their argument is with the sovereign creator of the universe and ultimately He will prevail. The only way to remain relevant is to stay on God’s side.

Third, removing these planks will hurt the GOP in future elections. The vast majority of rank and file Republicans support life in the womb and traditional marriage. In fact, those issues are the most important to many evangelicals who are registered Republican. If those planks are removed, a huge block of voters will be alienated/disenfranchised and will make the GOP irrelevant. Evangelicals may not vote for a liberal in an election, but they do stay home and not vote at all like they did in 2008 and 2012.

Fourth, being relevant is overrated and shortsighted. Trying to be relevant is a slippery slope. The GOP could learn from the example of America churches; Forty years ago, American churches began ‘relevance’ campaigns because church attendance was down. Church leaders added contemporary entertaining music in worship services and deemphasized the sermon in order to appeal and be relevant to a younger demographic. In most churches today, attending a worship service is more like attending a concert. Did the ‘relevance’ strategy work and increase attendance? According to a recent poll by the Evangelical Covenant Church less than 20% of Americans now regularly attend church. Compare that to 50% just 50 years ago. What those shortsighted church leaders failed to understand was in their zeal to become relevant, they became irrelevant. They mistakenly believed the source of their power was their skills of persuasion and musical talent. It is God who changes the hearts of men. When pulpits across America abandoned the truth of the gospel for ‘relevance’ they lost the blessing of God.

If the Republican Party abandons truth for relevance, the GOP will cease to be relevant. Every Christian, particularly those who are registered Republican, should be concerned with this latest trend in the Republican Party. These hostile takeovers of the GOP by those who believe in moral relevance should serve as a wake-up call to the unengaged Christian citizen. It’s past time for them to step up and get involved in their government.

Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Monday, April 28, 2014

RELEVANCE IS SLIPPERY SLOPE!

You can reach Steve by email at okgop@aol.com or call him at 580.252.6284.

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PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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