Voting for a Mormon?

With Mitt Romney leading in the polls, a lot of people, especially in Evangelical circles, are asking the question, "Can I vote for a Mormon?" The question I have to ask is, "Why not?"

First off, I know what you're thinking. Before I even get started, you're wondering if I've gone off the deep end. I know more than enough about Mormon doctrine to know not to endorse their real teachings. I'm not a victim of their well financed and slick PR campaign that has been undertaken to remove the stigma of their doctrines and history. I am not going to advocate a Gospel other than the one in the actual Bible that requires no separate book to figure out.

I also want to go on record that I am not endorsing any presidential candidate including Mitt Romney. Even when I was more embroiled in politics in my broadcasts, I didn't endorse anyone. In fact, I find it unlikely that I ever will. The question at hand is that IF Romney is the nominee, can a follower of Christ vote for him in good conscience?

Let's examine this carefully. In the past, we've had no qualms with voting for an agnostic, a Catholic (gasp, gulp! pardon the absurdity), or any other of a long string of pretenders to faith that made a show of believing but the fruit wasn't on the tree. Why should a Mormon be any different?

Yes, their actual beliefs are not in line with orthodox Christian beliefs despite their claims to the contrary. Morally, however, the teachings are close enough that they do line up with most evangelicals. They are supposed to be prolife, hold to a traditional view of marriage (at least since 1895) as being between a man a woman, and in personal responsibility. Whether Romney actually would govern that way is entirely dependent on him not on his faith. Many presidents have claimed a faith but it didn't influence their administrations or policies.

Please keep in mind that one of the most popular talk show hosts, Glenn Beck, is a professing Mormon and many of you listen to him every day. You trust him to give you information, right? His beliefs don't seem to bother you much when you're listening to him, do they? Interesting.

So, vote for Romney or don't. Base it on his positions, policies, and record. Yes, filter everything through the Word but no more or less so than with any of the other candidates. Frankly, I'm more concerned about voting for someone steeped in liberation theology, a mix of Marxism and the Bible to create a socialist doctrine, than I am about voting for a Mormon. I know what a socialist doctrine leads to when its proponents govern and it's far from actually leading in a Christlike manner.

Again, I'm not endorsing Romney or his belief system nor am I endorsing any of his primary opponents. I don't endorse candidates. All I'm saying is that voting for a Mormon is no more or less dangerous to our country than voting for a candidate of almost any other religion. Don't let it be the main factor in your vote.

Real Men Creed

Keeping in line with today's episode, Real Men and Yoga Pants, here is the Real Man Creed in its entirety. For more, listen to today's program.

Real Man Creed

I am a Real Man

I do not have a feminine side

I do not whine

I do not flinch from pain

I do not do crochet

I do not get manicures

I do not lie

I do not cheat

I do not give up

I enjoy watching stuff explode

I have manly hobbies

I have honor

I have integrity

I love my wife

I protect my family

I raise my sons to be Real Men

I guard the virtue of my daughters

I use my tools to keep my house in order

Whatever I put my hand to I do with all my might

I don't complain or grumble

I honor God in all I do

Why? ‘Cause I'm a Real Man

Launch Delayed for 24 Hours

I'm sorry to say that I have to delay the launch for 24 hours. We had some very serious illness in the Outsider household that culminated last night with hospital visits and an all-nighter. I guess if I were a big time radio host I would have a back-up plan.

Things are starting to settle today so the show should be ready to go tomorrow. Thanks for your patience and prayers.

The Beginning!

The time is upon us! Tomorrow morning, very early, Jesus' Outsider hits the web. I really can't express just how excited I am about getting on the air.

When I shut down A Madman in CrazyTown, my original plan was to start within a couple of weeks. However, as we all know, things change. As always, I needed to learn that things happen in God's time and not mine. I would like to say it was just life happening but that wouldn't be entirely accurate. To be certain, circumstances did dictate a delay due to a difficult schedule but I am inclined to believe that it was merely a tool to give me time to reflect and pray more about the content and direction of the program. Never argue when God gives you more time to prepare for what He is having you do. He especially focused on why I'm going this program when I could do just about any kind of show and have fun and some impact with it.

As I prayed and enlisted others to do likewise, I heard the still, small voice of the Lord whispering into my ear about how I need to bring glory to His Name and help others do likewise. In my years in Christ both in and out of active ministry, I have been privileged to see the best the Church of Jesus Christ has to offer. I've seen the Good News preached to the poor as they've been fed and clothed, churches turn to prayer not only in times of crisis but at the specific direction of the Lord. I've been a part, albeit a very small one, of ministries that have made huge strides in unifying the church across racial, ethnic, and denominational lines. The sick have been prayed for and their families loved on as their needs were met. I have even seen couples brought back from the brink of divorce. I have been allowed to see or be a part of the glory and love of God made manifest in remarkable and profoundly simple ways.

Yet, during those times, I have also seen some of the worst the church has to offer as well. For each of those things listed above, I have seen the converse as well. I have seen couples divorce after receiving little or no help or even bad help from their church. While I've seen the hurting healed and restored, I have also seen them rejected and cast aside. For all the work on unity, I have still seen rejection of people based on their appearance or even a minor (in the eternal scheme of things) doctrinal dispute. Just as with the positives, I could keep going with the pain and hurt caused not by God but by often sincere followers allegedly done in His Name.

My prayer, and I hope yours as well, is that God will use me, any future guests, and my listeners to bring honor to the church and, more importantly, to the God and His Son we represent. I hope to break down walls that divide us, call out sin when necessary, and lift up the situations and people who God uses well. There will be hard teachings and commentary. We will talk about responding to our shifting culture and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ fits into it. At some point, I may even offend you but if I do, I hope the love I intend to convey is still felt in the offense.

I hope you will join me on this journey.