Before he ran for president, Barack Obama made this statement: “Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values.  It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason.”  This is a very thoughtful call to political conversation and action.

The bumper sticker approach to the public square – “God says it, I believe it and that settles it” – is no longer relevant and settles nothing.  When believers present their views, there has to be an understanding of how our ideas, rooted in Scripture as opposed to our culture, benefit those who are different than us along race, class, cultural and religious lines.  Without that understanding and the inevitable debate that comes with it – we will be a clanging symbol on the sidlines.

Interesting to have this discussion on July 4th weekend.  Method in your madness Phil?

I’m not against lefty big media or religious media but it’s important to remember they’re rarely the same. Jesus wasn’t a Democrat or Republican and he never made a big media buy.

Hope those in charge take full advantage of all they have to reaffirm what many of us know…being a Christian is a blessed gift, a product of the sacrifice of Christ and we will live, speak, vote and act in ways that reflect a Jesus-like lifestyle.