Chuck, I hope you checked back in to read my response here – sorry it took so long! I really appreciate both your willingness to take the time and your apparent sincere love for your country.

Allow me to begin by saying that I respect you and your opinion. I truly don't believe that we'll ever get anything done to lower abortion rates or effect the "moral compass" of our country by convincing one that the other is "right." I don't know anything Chuck. The more I read my bible, the more I study church history as well as world history, the less I know. I know Jesus. I love Him. I belong to Him and I want to see His Kingdom come, not just in America, but in Iraq and Sudan and all over.

So I offer my opinion here with great sadness knowing that only His love can bring about true change.

Let me be clear that I share your concern for the "moral compass" of this country. I also believe that the moral failures of the Bush administration speak for themselves, if we have what Revelations refers to as "ears to hear." I believe that the issue of abortion is a vital one. I also believe, along with fine Christian folks like Frank Schaeffer (Francis' son) that this one issue was used by many in the Bush administration to manipulate "the base" to win their vote. It's a fact.

The issue of abortion (which is normally what many conservatives are referring to when they use terms like "morals") is far too nuanced and complex to swipe with a broad brush, and frankly the other issues which defined that administration such as torture, neglect of the poor (Katrina, etc.), croneyism and shear arrogance, cry out to God with as much force as abortion – read carefully the account of why God judged Sodom and Gomorrah and you'll see a lot about justice towards the poor and weak.

Further, I believe that many of us who are Christians but who do not take such a "black and white" stance on issues such as abortion and gay rights (allowing for God to actually be the Judge), voted for Barack Obama because, while he supports abortion rights, has said repeatedly that neither he nor his wife are "for" abortion (only a very confused or just evil person would be "for" killing babies) but is convinced that the old tactics for dealing with this heartbreaking issue HAVE NOT BROUGHT THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS DOWN. In other words, I am very clear-headed about my vote. I am against AGAINST abortion. But I am also against allowing the abortion rates to remain at a standstill because many are not willing to try listening for a change (instead of wagging our proverbial finger in peoples' faces).

But I also believe that if we can manage to inspire some consensus across party and ideological lines, we may actually be able (as President Obama suggests) to bring the number of abortions in this country down. Would that not be a good thing?

Now, that having been said, can we please talk about some of the other issues that I believe we have swept under the rug for the last 8 years as we held ONE ISSUE up to the light as the (in the words of another contributer here) "litmus test" for morality? Abortion is terrible. But it is not the only test. God's precious children (many of them babies) who suffered and died in Louisiana and Mississippi (Katrina) as well as in Iraq also deserve our righteous indignation.

Can someone admit that our motives for invading those peoples' land were IMMORAL?

And finally I direct my appreciation and admiration towards you Chuck and my precious few friends, like George, who faithfully follow this podcast and lend to folks like me your ideas, so that we might learn from each other. Ultimately Jesus Himself will straighten out our wrinkles when He returns. In the meantime, may there be one less woman today who, because of the prayers and attention (not arguments) of some caring person, Christian or not, choose life; and may some culturally insulated Christian reach out to listen and understand, rather than wag their finger.

Respectfully,
Kirk