On this episode of Witness Radio, we discuss what to look for in a presidential candidate!
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Show Notes
- Welcome to the only show that doesn't care about ratings. Our sole purpose is to save souls... on purpose. Go to WitnessTalkRadio.org for more episodes and syndication options. Connect with the show on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Periscope, or by calling 513-900-8070.
- Well its 2016 which means we've got a presidential election coming up. As with any presidential election, we have to ask ourselves a ton of questions: Who is the best candidate? Who should you vote for? Should you treat the presidential election like a popularity contest? What about voting for the lesser of two evils so that the other party doesn't win? Of course the most important question we must ask ourselves during this political season... How can we transition from the political arena into a gospel conversation? I'll try to answer some of these questions for you today!
- BUMPER (Lydia)
- So let's start with some of the easier to answer questions regarding the 2016 presidential race. Should we treat this just like a popularity contest? Is it the best idea to just vote for the candidate that you like best? I mean sure he knows nothing about politics or running a country but at least he's got a full head of hair and he looks good on a magazine, right? The truth is I think most people look at the presidential race in this fashion and then are upset when there candidate get elected and then lets them down.
- What about the people that think it best to vote for their specified party candidate regardless of whether or not they feel that person would do well as the president of this nation? Many times they say that they are voting for the lesser of two evils. The problem with this mentality is that you are: A-admitting that you're candidate is evil and B-you are still willing to vote for an evil candidate.
- The people that have these mindsets when going to the voting booth should not be allowed to vote in my opinion. The purpose of electing a president is not seen in either of these ideologies. When electing someone for the role of President aka ruler of this free country, we should be looking for someone who we feel will do the job well. That means look outside your preconceived notions for the most qualified person for the job regardless of popularity, party affiliation, or evil scale... Well, that last one might actually be somewhat useful. I'll talk about that after the break. You’re listening to Witness Radio.
- COMMERCIAL (Ohio Fire – http://www.OhioFire.org)
- CLIP (Wye Yu)
- Welcome back to Witness Radio. We're talking about the presidential elections coming up at the end of the year and I really have a problem with people that do not educate themselves on the candidates and the issues before they vote. I also don't like the fact that most people field that the elections are nothing more than Republicans vs Democrats. There are other options! Sure, voting for an independent party usually means your candidate of choice will lose, but every vote towards the independent arena sends a message to the Republican and Democratic committees. That message is: I don't like what you have to offer and I refuse to accept what you have offered me. If you want my vote in the future, present me with a candidate worth voting for. Now, with that being said, should you only vote independent? No, of course not. You would be falling into the same trap as most Americans with the Republican or democratic parties. I cannot stress enough the necessity to do your homework in regards to the presidential candidates in every party. Are you more liberal? Then you'll probably lean more towards the Democratic Party. Do you have a more conservative worldview? Then you would most likely fall into the Republican Party. Are you not a fan of what those two parties are offering to you? Then you look at the independent realm. The point is that you want to find the candidate that you feel would do the best job at running this country. It is because of the other methods listed previously that made our nation the way it is today.
- Now there is one other thing you must remember regarding the leaders of the United States of America… all of them, past, present, and future, have been put in place by God.
- The Bible says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resist what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:1-2)
- So, if God is in control of who’s in control, why bother voting at all? Why should we vote? Well, according to one of the foreign exchange students I talked to today on the show, it’s a privilege to choose who leads you. Even though God sets them up before time began, it is our privilege and duty as citizens of this great country. So get out there and vote, because soon enough, that privilege will be taken away and we won’t have that option ever again. Get out there and vote! Vote for the person who could do the job the best… and by that, I mean vote for the person that would exude and exalt Christ the most!
- COMMERCIAL (Christian Collegian Network - http://www.ChangeYourCampus.com)
- COMMERCIAL (Witness Radio - http://www.WitnessTalkRadio.org)
- CLIP (Ogai)
- This Saturday, you’ll get to hear the very first episode of the Faith & Family Radio Show with me and my lovely wife. Go to FaithFamilyRadio.com to hear the show and get more information about the show. We hope you enjoy it and if you do enjoy it, please share it with others. Make sure you check out the Faith & Family Radio Show this Saturday at FaithFamilyRadio.com.
- With all of the talk regarding how to pick a candidate, I thought it would be a good idea if we actually looked at some of the current candidate being offered by the two main parties. I've decided not to talk about independent candidates at this time because there is such a wide assortment out there right now. However, I do encourage you to look into them if none of the Republican or Democratic candidates are right for you. In fact, I've voted independent for every presidential election since I've started voting.
- One of the main factors that I look at when deciding upon a presidential candidate is there religious worldview. If they are not a born again Christian, I do not feel they would lead this country in a way that is consistent with the Biblical foundations set up by our forefathers. So, with that being said, let's take a look first at the Democrats. Sanders is Jewish and Clinton professes to be a Christian, specifically a Methodist. Therefore, only one Democratic candidate would pass my first qualification for presidential candidate. Of course, I would not simply take the candidates at their word when they profess to be Christian. I would examine many of their other views to see whether or not there fruit is consistent with the Bible. For example, seeing how Hillary has a track record of deceiving the American public and breaking numerous laws, I would not feel she is walking in a Christ-like manner and would scratch her off my list of possible candidates.
- Candidate Religions:
- Democrats
- Clinton - Christian (Methodist)
- Sanders (Judaism)
- Republicans
- Cruz - Christian (Southern Baptist)
- Fiorina - Christian (Unspecified)
- Kasich - Christian (Anglican)
- Trump - Christian (Presbyterian)
- Rubio - Catholic
- Christie - Catholic
- Bush - Catholic
- Carson - 7th Day Adventist
- Moving on now to the Republican candidates, out of the 8 people that are still running, three of them are Roman Catholics and one of them is a Seventh-day Adventist. Those 4 people are immediately ruled out in my opinion because they all adhere to a false view of Jesus Christ and the Christian worldview. The remaining four all profess to be Christian. This is where the examination process can become treacherous. Thankfully, there are many wonderful web sites out there that provide you with comparison charts and list all of the candidates viewpoints regarding major issues to assist you in the decision making process. Two websites that I've used are conservativereview.com and presidentialcandidates.Insidegov.com. Look for the show notes of this episode at WitnessTalkRadio.org for links to these and other helpful political websites.
- Political Websites:
- https://www.conservativereview.com/2016-presidential-candidates
- http://presidential-candidates.insidegov.com/
- http://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president
- https://www.crowdpac.com/elections/2016-presidential-election
- COMMERCIAL (Striving for Eternity Academy – http://strivingforeternity.org/striving-for-eternity-academy/)
- CLIP (Michelle)
- BUMPER (Sarah)
- So now the most important question... How could you transition from the 2016 presidential election into a gospel conversation? Well, one way to do it would be too discuss the various issues and ask them why they feel the way they do regarding those issues. That opens the door for you to explain why you hold to certain views about the issues, allowing you to bring up your faith in Christ. Another way that you can transition into a gospel conversation from the presidential election is to talk about the religious views of the various candidates. A third option would be to hand a person a million dollar bill gospel tract and ask which candidate would you most like to see on the front. The transitions are limited only by your imagination, but even if you can't think of one, don't let that stop you from sharing the gospel. Remember, no presidential candidate will save this world, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords has already saved this world through his shed blood on the cross.
- Before I go, I wanted to share with you about a special holiday. I'm not sure if any of you are aware but this Friday is Charles Darwin's birthday. Many atheists and evolutionists have essentially made this a holiday to celebrate the lie of evolution. Well Christians have decided to start their own special day called Question Evolution Day and to kick things off, on the day before Question Evolution Day, Eric Hovind and Mark Spence will be hosting a free live webinar. They want to equip and encourage you how to share and defend the Christian faith. Go to CreationToday.org to find out more information about Question Evolution Day and to register for the free webinar on February 11th, 2016.
- If you enjoyed this episode of Witness Radio, please rate it and share the show with others. Until next time, the fields are ripe for the harvest, so what are you waiting for? Get out there and share the Gospel! May God bless you!
