The election is over. The people have spoken. Barack Obama has been re-elected as president of the United States. As I promised in my post yesterday, I will pray for President Obama. He is the leader of this nation, and thus he is my leader. Post-election analyses will be abundant; I doubt I will add anything new to the conversation. Allow me just a few observations as we move into four more years of an Obama administration. We are a deeply divided nation. The U. S. Senate is a majority Democrat. The House of Representatives is majority Republican. And of Read the full article…
06
Nov 2012
An Open Letter to the Next President of the United States
November 6, 2012 2 Comments
Dear President Obama or President-elect Romney: One of you men will soon be elected to lead our nation for the next four years. I realize that I am but one of tens of millions of voters and citizens. My words have little influence or impact. But, thanks to the freedoms we have in this nation, I can speak my voice just like anyone else. First, I plead with you to be a unifying force in our country. We are so divided, and the conversations have become so acerbic and bitter. I realize you and your party have a distinctively different Read the full article…
04
Jul 2012
I love my country. No, I am not blind to the problems and struggles of our nation. Indeed, I have seen some of the blights of our country up close. I am a child of the deep South racism that scarred our nation for most of its history. I was also impacted by the segregationist cries of George Wallace and a bungled burglary called Watergate. I could continue to name many more blights upon our nation, but the exercise would not be helpful. To the contrary, most reasonable persons will quickly see that the blessings of America far outweigh the weaknesses. I have taken the opportunity Read the full article…
28
May 2012
Five Reasons to Take Memorial Day Seriously
May 28, 2012 3 Comments
Most historians point to a memorial service held in Charleston, South Carolina on May 1, 1865, as the beginning of Memorial Day as we know it today. The service followed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by just a few days. As our nation began to see greater value and more reasons in remembering our soldiers killed in battle, the day became an unofficial observance across our country. For most of its early history, the day was known as Decoration Day, since many services were held in cemeteries while the graves of those killed in war were decorated with flowers. By Read the full article…
04
Jul 2011
Five Reasons Christians Should be Patriotic
July 4, 2011 14 Comments
Perhaps my view is a bit biased. After all, my family includes many veterans who sacrificed much for their county. My uncle, Charles Spurgeon Keller, gave his life in World War II when he stepped on a landmine at age nineteen. My father, Sam Rainer, was likewise a World War II hero with a number of medals, including the Purple Heart. The bias may be there, but I believe that Christians should be loyal to their country, that patriotism should be the default for those who follow Jesus. I know that God is always first, even over country. And I Read the full article…
