Comments on: so, the ys obama book?

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:57:30 +0000

I would never say they don’t count! Only clarifying the difference between someone who’s counted the cost and committed to serve versus babies who are having the cost counted for them (and being counted worthless, or too high a cost for their parents). War casualties are terrible, too.

As much as I want to like Obama, what bothers me most about this election and the liberal left is that on several issues they’re fighting so hard for zero moral accountability, because it’s ‘freedom’ in their eyes. If Christians could spiritually grow up and communicate FREEDOM IN CHRIST to our communities and nation, we wouldn’t seem as stuck on ourselves and our morals.

By: michball

michball — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:05:10 +0000

I seem to keep coming back to this.

Jonathan – What about the children on the other side? The innocent children? What about the innocent mothers and fathers who have lost children to the war?

I have worked with immigrant children who have lost their families to war. It is heartbreaking. And I find it heartbreaking that they don’t count.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:01:17 +0000

As for the Obama book, my pastor recently made an interesting suggestion: he believes the ‘George W. Bush bashing’ of the past four to eight years is backlash (or FRUIT, if you will) of the way we Christians demonized Bill Clinton (like boycotting when he was invited to speak at the Willow Creek leadership conference).
The call to honor and uphold the leadership God set in place was made by Paul during the reign of the ROMANS, and made in the OT during the reign of the BABYLONIANS… these governments did far worse to believers and citizens than any lying politician has to-date. Keep things in perspective… Pray for our president this time around, even (and especially) if you didn’t vote for him.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:53:52 +0000

To Joe T.-
I agree with your comment that we overlook the bigger picture of political sins. And excellent point that there’s more work to be done within the church to guard marriage. But in your first comment up top, I strongly disagree with the comparison of war casualties to abortions. Regardless of how the commander in chief deploys troups, those men and women have committed their lives to the country with the risk of death. As tragic as that is, it doesn’t make them as ‘innocent’ as pre-born babies.

By: tom

tom — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:40:22 +0000

thanks for the good work. i’m reviewing another book by another publisher on obama. i look forward to reading this one. i would encourage you to continue on with the book on palin. she’s an interesting and new face the national political stage. my 16 yr old daughter says she’d be interested in learning more. i also think it would be well received.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:36:43 +0000

Nice Joe… well stated.

By: Kent

Kent — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:39:31 +0000

Amen and Amen, Bro: you have at least partially restored my faith in the ability of my fellow Christians to use the brains our Father gave us and to exhibit the heart our Lord did!

By: joe t

joe t — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:01:32 +0000

i think we need to realize that we can have moral, biblical convictions, but we dont lord it over people. look at california. is the church being persecuted for their stance against gay marriage, or the way we lord those convictions over them (matt 20)?
we judge a man for 2 sins while ignoring the many others out there as well. war, shading dealings with 3rd world countries that oppress people in those countries, broken justice system, broken system that can keep people in poverty in our own nation. these are all sins that our president has a say in, yet they dont seem to hold as much weight.
scripture has about 2000 references to the poor. scripture is full of matters of justice and how we treat them, the oppressed, the alien.
but since james dobson didnt bring those up, i guess they dont count as much.
if we truly cared about the sanctity of marriage the way we say we do, wouldnt we pass laws banning divorce and remarriage? we have a huge plank in our eye. we may want to deal with that first.
blessed is the nation that follows after god, but not because it is on a coin or in our laws, but because it is written on the hearts of people.

By: David

David — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:59:57 +0000

I too, stand with YS on having the courage to publish this book. In the spirit of full disclosure, part of it is because one of the authors is my dear friend, and the other is my eldest daughter. But that being said, as I’ve read the full spectrum of responses on the blog, I have another reason that has to do with my own experience with the history and ministry of Youth Specialties down through the years. I spent 35 years in local church youth ministry and three years ago became the co-pastor of a church plant, but still oversee our volunteer youth minister. Most of those years was as a staff member at conservative Southern Baptist churches. My first NYWC was in 1976 and it blew my mind…in a good way, because I had this narrow, naive mistaken view that the only people doing “real” youth ministry were the people in my denomination. I met cool volunteer and professional (there were way more of the former than the latter in those days) who came from denominations and para-church groups that I had no knowlege of. Some came from countries outside of the US and some were dressed in Salvation Army uniforms, but I came to love and appresite and cherish the passion that all of these folks had for the two things that I loved as well…kids and Jesus. Then when the general sessions rolled around I was introduced to speakers from across the theological, ideological and political spectrum, like Tony Campolo, Jim Wallis, and Jerry Falwell, all on the same stage. It not only prepared me for a career of ministry of encountering youth as a part of their culture, but allowed me to be a part of a diverse community of ministers giving their lives in service to God and young people. So in my small world, I am grateful for Marko, and a long tradition at YS of inspiring, stretching, and encouraging those of us ministering to young men and women all across the world over the last 4 decades.

By: Pete Waugh

Pete Waugh — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:39:54 +0000

Brilliant Marko

As a youth pastor working and ministering in my home country of Northern Ireland I find it horrifying that people would shy away from embracing any commentary on politics, no matter if it rubs them up the wrong way. Young people are more informed than ever before and their opinion is shaping the present and the future. Im glad that you guys have got Obama, God has always worked through the underdog so as a curious outsider I am intrigued to see how he develops your country. To all Americans, suck it up – at least your two sides are talking to each other unlike the loopers we have over here in Northern Ireland’s government. Pray for us, be thankful for what you have. Pete