Free In Idaho!

Last night our small Bible study group was discussing Titus, particularly about the idea of leadership.  Our discussion was mostly concerned with the church, and the family, because that is Paul’s focus in the passage.  But on the way home, my sweetie and I had a great discussion about the idea of leadership and the current pitiful state of the candidates (and incumbents) we have now.  She said something that is so very on the mark, yet not many are talking about it… “there are no leaders, only players”.

The first thing we talked about was how woefully lacking Fred Thompson appears right now.  After the months of tease before he announced, we can detect no real change.  Who is he, what does he stand for, what does he want to do?  Is he a leader?  I don’t think so today.  It isn’t enough to say you’re a conservative, or that some of the press hypes you as the “closest to Reagan”… that means nothing.  And frankly, standing up to James Dobson isn’t such a big deal no matter how tittery it makes the mainstream media.  Lead, Fred.  This isn’t a beauty contest.

I would guess that Rudy comes across as a leader.  It’s certainly true that a lot of people want to give him credit for his job as mayor.  But he’s not a conservative, or even a Republican by old time standards, except in New York, except out of convenience, and by comparison to Hillary Clinton or Mayor Bloomberg.  In Idaho, he’d probably not get elected, except as a Rep for some of the blue districts in Boise.  And if you want to look at some of what Paul wrote to Titus about  qualifications for a leader, he comes up short.  Rudy is not “above reproach”, especially when it comes to his personal and family life.  Frankly, he’s not a lot higher on that scale than ol’ Bubba was, in my opinion.  Honesty and character count, at least to some of us.  The idea of “settling” for a man like Rudy is difficult for me… I’m not sure I can.

Mitt Romney is interesting in some ways, as a leader, having both political and business leadership experience.  And I can’t bring anything to mind that would make me question him on a personal and family level (we all know the importance the LDS places on personal integrity and family values).  Unlike some, I have no problem with his being LDS, so that isn’t an issue for my vote.  I’ve got questions about his conservative credentials though, and I think many others do.  And I’m curious about how he views some of the big government type solutions that many are talking about, especially health care and energy.  Here would be a great place for him to show leadership, by finding a way to dispel those hesitations and questions. 

One of the interesting things about the discussion we had was the observation my wife made that Hillary is doing so well on the Democrat side because she is stepping into a position that the men in her party have pretty much left vacant.  There are no men with leadership ability in the top tier of the Democrat party right now.  Obama might, someday, but right now he’s doing well because he is new, and because he is black.  But he’s not a leader.  John Edwards?  Silky’s wife will tell you who the leader isn’t.  Algore and Kerry?  Multiple losers, and pompous.  Leadership is not about talking down to the little people.  So Hillary has a pretty clear shot at it based on her gender, the idea that has been spun over the last 8 or 10 years that this is her turn, her willingness to promise the moon in order to enlist people for her socialist dreams, and the fact that she’s the only one sounding a bit “leaderish”.  She is a socialist, and an idealog, and the public face of one of the most ruthless and successful political machines of modern times.  Scary.  And quite possibly our next President, unless the Lord relents.

It would be a wonderful gift if we could find a man who believed in the core ideals of conservative thought.  Honesty.  Character.  Small, limited but efficient government.  Strong, well equipped defense.  Freedom and liberty for all law abiding folks.  Honest judges who will apply the law, not reinterpret it.  Someone who believed in the potential  greatness of the citizens rather than their perceived helplessness, and who would pursue a government that fascilitated, no, stayed out of the way of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.  And it would truly be a blessing to find a man who was also a leader, honest and above reproach, in all that those words imply.  So far, that man hasn’t appeared.  Of course, the GOP isn’t that party, either.  I’m sometimes afraid that the culture and the political game are too stacked against men like that.  Witness the attacks on General Petraeus.

Beck made a comment this morning about wondering what the Founding Fathers would think of the mess their dream has become… I wonder too.  An amoral culture which isn’t sure it believes in God, but regardless of that, no longer cares about honesty, character, or personal responsibility, is not a culture the Founders foresaw.

John Adams in a speech to the military in 1798 warned his fellow countrymen stating, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams is a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and our second President.

The story of the Chicago area school district that is wrestling with Halloween, Christmas, and their Muslim residents has hit the national media, at least a in a few places.  I wonder if anyone is paying attention, or if it is just one of those seasonal stories that will ultimately make no difference at all?  How about a story that better illustrates what true believers of Islam ought to believe and strive for?  From Canada we get this story about a Toronto mosque and its website

TORONTO - A Toronto mosque is telling Muslims not to say “Happy Thanksgiving” or invite friends into their homes for turkey dinner on the holiday weekend.

The Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque says to “avoid participating” in dinners, parties or greetings on Thanksgiving because it is a kuffaar, or non-Muslim, celebration.

Remember, this is just across the line, in Canada.  This goes a little farther than suggesting they avoid bikini bars and casinos.  Included in the ban are birthdays, anniversaries, and even Earth Day.

Muslims who participate in the holidays are termed ignorant and hypocritical.

While not all are religious holidays, the Internet site says Muslims are required to be different from non-Muslims “in matters which are representative of them or are characteristic of their identity.”

Also banned, it says, are: watching sports or soap operas, walking dogs, family photos, wedding bands, Western hats, mingling and shaking hands with the opposite sex.

“Allah and his messenger have warned us against following or imitating non-Muslims in things which are characteristic of their religion or beliefs. This is more emphasized in the case of their eids [festivals] or occasions, which always hold some religious or ideological non-Islamic meanings, and on which the kuffaar indulge in many evil practices.”

Speaking of which, Allah and his messenger also told believers not to have friends who are Jews or Christians.  “Assimilation” is not in the Koran.  So, what else is the mosque telling Muslims to do?  How about getting involved in politics?

The Web site also has a question-and-answer section, which advises that Muslims can join political parties only if they are “able to exert some influence on the direction of the party so that it will take an Islamic direction.”

Elsewhere in the Q&A section, it says that, “with strong determination and patience, the world will God-willing be under the Muslims’ control.”

And people think John McCain and Bill Sali are wrong to mention that Islam isn’t compatable with the American system of government.  It would be good if folks would drop the political partisanship and the politically correct nonsense long enough to actually listen to what leaders of Islam are saying.  It’s out there for all to see.