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 Evangelicals are expected to account for about 40% of the Republican vote on Tuesday's primary in Florida.
January 28th, 2012
02:00 AM ET
Florida Evangelicals a different breed of voter than brethren in Iowa, South CarolinaBy John Sepulvado, CNN (CNN) - Conservative Christian activist Ralph Reed has called the Bible Belt home for decades, but he grew up in Miami in the 1970s, when the city was emerging as a diverse megalopolis. Among his middle school friends were Jews, Catholics and Methodists. Then, at age 15, Reed's family relocated to the sleepy mountain town of Toccoa, Georgia, so his dad, a doctor, could take a better-paying job. “It was very conservative,” says Reed, who now lives outside Atlanta. “At first – as would be true of any 15-year-old – I didn’t like it. I think it was a culture shock.” Ultimately, the mostly evangelical residents of Toccoa shaped Reed’s faith, helping lead him to Jesus in his 20s. But in terms of his faith-based organizing, the well-known activist drew more on his experiences in hyper-diverse Miami. "Later on in life, when I became a leader in the Christian Coalition, I had a greater appreciation [for] ethnic and religious diversification,” Reed says. That could be good news for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor is looking to regain momentum from chief rival Newt Gingrich, after the former speaker’s upset in South Carolina, in Florida’s Tuesday primary. There are signs that Florida’s evangelical voters may be more forgiving of Romney’s past social liberalism than their Iowa and South Carolina brethren – and more willing to support a Mormon candidate. “I think Romney could do well in Florida,” Reed says. A more centrist evangelicalism As a percentage of GOP voters, there are fewer evangelicals in Florida compared to South Carolina and Iowa, where Rick Santorum won the presidential caucuses, according to CNN exit polls from 2008. In that year, evangelicals accounted for 40% of Republican primary voters in Florida, compared to 60% in the Iowa caucuses and South Carolina primaries. And compared to those other early primary states, Florida is much more religiously diverse. In the 2008 primary there, Catholics were nearly a third of the Republican vote, with other kinds of Christians, Jews and those with no religious affiliation each claiming a chunk of the vote. Still, evangelical Christians claim a bigger share of the Florida Republican vote than any other religious tradition. There also are signs they may be more tolerant of a Mormon candidate than born-again Christians in the Bible Belt and Midwest. In the South Carolina primary, Romney claimed 22% of the evangelical vote, compared to 44% for Gingrich, according to CNN exit polls. Florida’s evangelicals are “more open” to the idea of a Mormon in the White House, according to Orlando area pastor Joel C. Hunter. “Our nature, of being a fairly mobile state, with a lot of tourism and a lot of transcultural and transnational interaction really makes us boundary spanning, rather than sticking to our own affinity groups,” Hunter says. He leads a congregation of 15,000 at Northland, a Church Distributed, a nondenominational megachurch of the kind that are more popular in Florida than in Iowa or South Carolina. “For any independent church, you’re going to be open – necessarily open – to non-ready made boundaries, open to other religious groups,” Hunter says. “You’ll be more likely to partner with groups that aren’t necessarily like your own.” The pastor cites his church’s partnerships with local synagogues and mosques to help local homeless children. For Hunter, teaming up with different religious traditions follows the example of Jesus. “Jesus talked to the people, the religious leaders others wouldn’t talk to,” he says. “As an evangelical, I should be ready to talk to a lot of people that aren’t like myself, because that’s what I see in the life of Christ, and I’m looking to build relationships.” Mark I. Pinsky, the Florida-based author of "A Jew Among Evangelicals," says there are other key differences between evangelicals in Florida and those in Iowa and South Carolina. “In Iowa,” Pinsky says, “they tend to be rural and older. In South Carolina, they tend to be more fundamentalist, and more likely to be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention,” a denomination that isn’t shy about pointing out theological differences with Mormonism. Pinsky says Florida evangelicals, especially in the central part of the state, are more likely to have Mormons as neighbors, compared to their brethren in South Carolina and Iowa. “Nondenominational evangelicals are less likely to demonize someone who is a real person,” Pinsky says. Less Preaching, More Teaching Even in smaller Baptist churches in Florida’s Panhandle, there are “notable differences” with Christians in more historically evangelical parts of the country, according to pastor Curtis Clark. “There’s still a lot of yelling from the pulpit in South Carolina,” says Clark, who leads a congregation of 2,500 at Thomasville Road Baptist Church in Tallahassee. Clark says his congregation is split between Republicans and Democrats, that almost all the adults have college degrees and that the parishioners want to be led, not yelled at. “I try and teach, try and encourage,” Clark says. “Florida evangelicals are a little bit more educated, and have a broader experience.” Census figures from 2010 show Florida has a slightly greater share of college graduates than South Carolina. Both the Romney and Gingrich campaigns are reaching out to evangelicals to quell concerns about their candidacies. Both campaigns held conference calls with influential conservative religious leaders last week, discussing religion, personal and policy decisions. Many evangelicals have expressed concern about Romney’s past support for abortion rights and gay rights and over Gingrich’s failed marriages. But Romney doesn’t need to win big among evangelicals to take Florida, Reed says. Because evangelicals make up a smaller portion of Republican voters, Reed says Romney only needs to win a sizeable share of their support. “If Romney gets a third of evangelical voters” Reed says, “he wins the primary.” While Romney skipped meeting with some evangelical leaders in South Carolina, including officials at Bob Jones University, his campaign has started more aggressively courting pastors and religious community networks in Florida. The campaign has participated in multiple conference calls with religious leaders and activists. “In part, I think [the Romney campaign is] more open to outreach by virtue of the Florida demographic,” Reed says. That suggests the Romney camp suspects Florida’s evangelicals will be more open to his candidacy than other evangelicals in the primary states so far.
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Prayer changes things
A good man prays
A great man acts on prayer
...here I am to save the day !!!
mighty mouse is that you?
Yes... I'm here to save the bloggers from the incessannt prayers cut-and-pasted into this here blog. Please join me in my crusade (ooops, excuse the term).
All encouragements to prayer are original and heart felt, nothing is cut and pasted
@just sayin
Wait a minute:
Are you wisdom4u2. Are you also Atheism is not healthy for children and other living things?
How else would you know?
I've got a beat on you. Better not leave the country. The airports are being watched.
i read the posts before commenting
So did I (well, not that real long one. That was just obnoxiously long). But I didn't claim they were heartfelt. They look like cut-and-paste to me. Only the REAL author would make that claim. (learned that on CSI).
You've been uncovered.
You are nearly in my grasp.
Don't try to run, it will only make things worse for you.
personal interpretation based on days of reading and commenting on multiple stories, Atheism is not healthy posts are not the same therefore cannot be copy paste, watch more CSI Sherlock.
Schools are more valuable than churches
In some cases, your Christian may be in the "Red Zone" and these cases can be very difficult. I have personally succeeded in curing many Red Zone cases, but a few have proven very difficult. One example is “George”. He still does not believe in the separation of church and state. I know, hard to believe but it is true.
The most important thing that we have to provide every day is that we are the pack leader, that we set the rules, the boundaries and the limitations, and then we tolerate Christians. Most of the Atheists, they go to get a Christian because they need somebody to care for old people. So they are going after what they need, not what the Christian needs. And that, to me, creates instability immediately, and the Christian sees the Atheist as a soft energy. So they don't follow the lovable leader or a spiritual leader; they follow a dominant one.
A Red Zone case like George needs a strong pack leader, or he may have to be put down.
George is a utility Christian, a trained attack Christian – he's like a crotch dog. You need him to go in first, then the rest of your Christians can bring down the perp.
Perfect example of atheist morality here.
Ok, do not pay attention to the Christian. DON'T look at George. He must understand that he is subordinate to the Athiest. Just go about your business as if he wasn't even there. He must wait until YOU are ready to play with him. Which may be a very long time indeed.
Education will make the change from a religious society to a secular fellowship for all of mankind. Education is key. For the entire world.
Hmm... Some of us were well-educated by the time we became Christian. What went wrong?
PHD,
please tell us.
As I have mentioned several times today, secularism is the biggest evil that we are facing in American society. Secularism has brought forth all sorts of immorality in the past 50 years or so.
Secular states are rather 20th century don't you think. Started going out when the Berlin wall went down. Now, we can dig our heals in and let the Islamists take over, or we can dig deep with our Christian roots and establish ourselves in the world. Secularists just don't have the fort*itude to survive in this century.
George, I know your with me on this. I read your stuff on the Christian Amendment. It's really time for the gloves to come off. This is the Belief Blog, not the Unbelief Blog. There's too much thin stuff running out of these godless secularists. How can we get them primed to do what is right for themselves and this country?
Sorry – you're
Observer,
The first thing that we must do is to elect Christians and people sympathetic to Christians. Remember our elected officials appoint and confirm people to the Supreme Court, the source of much secularism (together with Hollywood). Also, we must remember that atheists are a small portion of society so don't be upset simply because there seems to be many here. In actuality, they are im.potent if the Christian majority stands up and says that we won't take this any more.
George and Observer,
Why don't you trade phone numbers.
The FBI watches this site.
I agree, George. I don't think they're the majority even here. They just post over and over again using several handles and it's just the same stuff. We just need to stay on it and tell them how it should be, and how it's going to be even if they want to stand in the way.
@omg
Sorry you think that exercising one's vote is a matter for the FBI.
I think omg thinks law enforcement should be a tool of the secular state. He needs to meet a few from the real FBI.
@Observer
We must get involved and not just give lip service. This is why I have become a political organizer for my church and our regional churches.
omg thinks the two of you could be planning the next Oklahoma bombing.
Now that's just strange, omg. You're typical of what I've been seeing here. You hear something that's just not what you want to hear and then it's all "you're full of hate!" and "you want to blow us up!" Buck up, omg. Stand on your hind legs and be whole for a change.
@omg
No, Christians believe in our democratic republic. We have just been lazy and beguiled by secularists. It's time to stand up and elect Christians and people sympathetic to Christians. We've had enough secularism to last us forever. We need to get this country back to God.
No, please dont take offense. I'm sorry... Just.. please..just put the gun down...
Anyway, you're right George. Churches should be politically active. It used to be called being responsible.
But now it's known as being 1st millenial.
go4It, you've had time to get educated. If you want to be the cleverest among pinheads that's just fine. Be real, be whole, get up on your hind legs for a change and walk with the rest of us. Christ is waiting for you.
You know, omg, you're right. First Millennium – back when the peoples of Europe organized into Christian Kingdoms that went on to reshape and master the world. Your civilization came from that, omg, and everything about you.
I have this feeling there are maybe 6 people in George's 'church', and it's held in his basement when his mom is not home. Last week he was treasurer, but that wasn't glorious enough, so now he's political motivator or whatever, and that job consists of....that's right. Posting here.
Observer, this isn't the regular stuff we get from you. Is the real Observer on vacation this week? Is George borrowing the moniker? Because it looks like George is using it to hold a 'conversation' with himself.
PhD,
If that degree is not in Ancient Near Eastern comparative mythology, archaeology, biblical form criticism, or textual criticism, you know nothing about religion. You THINK you do, but you don't. No rational person, knowing the history of the "god of the armies", only one of the Hebrew gods, (Yahweh Saabaoth), could possibly take it seriously as THE god. It was only one of many of their gods. Google monolatarist polytheism. The "covenant" was not that they BELIEVED in one god, but the agreed to only worship this one.
@George:”As I have mentioned several times today, secularism is the biggest evil that we are facing in American society.”
Typical dim bulb Christian. Do you honestly believe secularism is worse than organized crime, corrupt politicians, the recession, nuclear weapons, Muslim terrorists or cancer?
@Sam
Show me where I ever said that I was treasurer for my church. Why do you lie? And I am not a political motivator, but a political organizer for my church and regional Evangelical churches.
For your information, we have over 112 people in my church.
“Jesus talked to the people, the religious leaders others wouldn’t talk to,”
If Jesus is talking to you in your head, seek professional help. This is not joke. You are probably suffering from a form of schizophrenia and science has made great strides in treating this disorder in people. You too can live a full, sane life.
Speaking as a person with an advanced degree in psychology I can say that is it my opinion and the opinion of the APA that religious belief has nothing to do with psychosis. Religious belief is adaptive and helpful to the person who believes.
If you do not have a dialog in your mind then you might consider removing the aluminum foil that you think is protecting you from aliens. Your brain needs to breath.
Ashraky
Please do not worry, I heard Annie say that too, you are ok, breath deep.
So what you are saying is, religion in brain-washing and we don't care if it helps or hurts the individual AND it is impossible to measure once the damage is done, correct? Alll that matters is that people are indoctrinated and their money ends up in church bank accounts.
I agree with your statement Annie, but it doesn't make religious teachings of a supernatural world anymore real than a psychological construct. It's also a carefully crafted position as not to offend the powerfull religion industry.
Annie,
Is you opinion in any way effected by the numbers of believers out there? In other words, if, say, only 1 person out there believed Elvis was still around, would he no longer be considered insane if suddenly there were a couple billion of them?
@Annie
ScienceDaily (Dec. 11, 2007) — Although psychiatrists are among the least religious physicians, they seem to be the most interested in the religious and spiritual dimensions of their patients, according to survey data published in the December issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Ever since Freud described religious faith as an illusion and a neurosis there has been tension and at times hostility between religion and psychiatry. Psychiatrists are less religious on average than other physicians, according to previously published data from the same survey, and non-psychiatrist physicians who are religious are less willing to refer their patients to psychiatrists.
Just sayin' for the record
bff
It is called being normal. The vast majority of normal people sense something exists outside of this lifetime. Those who do not spend as much time digging up scientific evidence and such to prove they are not crazy as say Christians do simply worshiping God. Take a break to to church tomorrow and stop worring about it.
Having an internal dialogue is not the same thing as believing that Jesus is talking to you.
Hey Fred,
It was a question for Annie, the psychologist.
fred, did you just define normal for us? wow.
freddy,
The vast majority once thought the world was flat, and that the earth was the center of the universe. Ever hear of logic ? (Argumentum ad populum). The majority of American's do not believe in the Theory of Evolution. The vast majority of Europeans do. The Europeans have a much better education system than the US. The US is becoming a Third World country.
“It is called being normal. The vast majority of normal people sense something exists outside of this lifetime.” Sorry, this is not Argumentum ad populum as it is not an appeal based on the numbers rather it is a simple statement of terms. Normal means typical which relates to proportions not extrapolation based upon consensus.
Then why say "the vast majority" ? Your implication is that you can BE normal, AND not bla bla bla. NOW you are saying, "normal people do bla bla bla". Are you a 5 year old ?
Timmy
Quacks like duck, walks like a duck, looks like a duck it is normally a duck. Quack quack
wisdom4u2
YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR VIOLATING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE CNN BELIEF BLOG. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM FURTHER VIOLATIONS OR YOUR IP ADDRESS WILL BE BLOCKED. HAVE A NICE DAY.
Care to be specific about what terms are being violated so we won't make the same mistake?
The terms listed in the terms of service which means you can't say #$@! $%#$% and mother@#$%%, and as you can see just about anyone can pretend to be "CNN" and they aren't going to block an IP address on a comments section. The previous post is Troll or worse yet an internet tough guy trying to assert his control over the gullible.
Hey !!! That's my job! 😦
WE SAID HAVE A NICE DAY GOD DAMMIT!!
Yeah, suspected a troll so decided to call him out.
ashrakay can handle things. He's not.....like dumb like everybody says. He's smart! And he wants respect!
Nothing is to happen to ashrakay while our mother is alive
Hey, p huck you, troll!!! We know who you are....we've got your MAC address....duhhhh!
LOL
@The Deist
Lakers fan? "No harm, no foul" is a Chicky Baby-ism.
When a person takes a look at history it becomes clear that religion is a human construct. Most likely it's a natural side effect of psychological evolution, specifically the ability for abstract thought. I'm not saying religion isn't real, but it's only as real as an emotion.
Gotta dissagreee ICE
Emotions – real
Religion – real
God – not real
Don't know what you're disagreeing with .. I didn't say God was real.
I agree with everything you posted. Thank you for your support 😉
It is as real as your perspective on life which transforms everything about you inside and out. When you see the world through the lens of God holiness and love become a driving force that makes you Christlike. The world though the lens of man cannot see the things of God and considers life but a mix of chemical reactions in the brain that ends in nothingness.
fred
A) please get a name
B) I am already Christlike, so I guess I don't need God, right?
Fred, nice self reinforcing delusion, and very convenient. Life IS a mix of chemical reactions .. some of those reactions created & perpetuates the concept of deities.
IceT
Ever wonder why even the Neanderthal knew there was more to life than what could be seen. They made provisions for those who died that brought them and their loved ones comfort. I suggest you prepare as well
Seriously Fred, Neanderthals had the basis for abstract thought & did not "know" there was something else lol. They likely used a form of religion, as some do now, to explain what they didn't/don't understand. It really is a very simple concept.
Staring Horse
Well if you love your neighbor as yourself that is great. To love God is the other part. That is needed so you have the right view of yourself. You need only know how God sees you then your good to go.
Also Fred .. why do you thing we know what Neanderthals did? Because those provisions were still there, unused by the deceased helping only those left behind for their psychological well being ... it's just in the mind, no where else.
Ice T
We don't know why they buried stuff with their dead just as we don't know why 96% of humans think there is something outside of self. The brain will rationalize as it must and God is great. Even gods will do any of the non god spiritual stuff so long as that void is filled. Like a person with a blind spot the mind fills the space so that person is not even aware their is a vision imparement. It is the way we are wired.
The Bible says God put that longing in man, or it is part of the image of God so that we seek our creator.
Fred, you don't seem to be realizing that everthing you've posted as a response just reinforces my original & subsequent statements .. it's purely psychological.
That is why the apostle Paul said we must transform the att-itude of our mind. It is not the knowledge it is our atti-tude that counts. Yes in short your right
@fred
You said: "The Bible says God put that longing in man, or it is part of the image of God so that we seek our creator."
While man does have a penchant for creating gods, he does not have an inclination toward any one god.
Babies are born atheist. Parents start to program the stupid into them, almost from birth.
Your parent's religion and where you grew up, has the most influence on what you believe.
You should listen to Ice T. He is giving you some good information.
Cheers!
fred, Great! When can I expect God to tell me how He sees me. Standing by....this is gonna be great!
Staring Horse
Is God looking at you from the front or the back?
How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me
All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you
You're doing much better. This one is way shorter.
To "The Deist" that posted a comment is response to mine...
Actually, I am a Mormon. The name of our church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I realize that no matter what I say, you will still think what you think and that is fine. =) But at least know the TRUTH about what we believe. We believe that Jesus Christ is our personal Savior and Redeemer and that it is through His atoning sacrifice that we receive salvation. Yes, we revere our prophet, Joseph Smith as an inspired man, but we worship ONLY Jesus Christ. He is our Savior. I have read both the Bible and Book of Mormon and both have helped me gain a deeper understanding of Christ and His teachings. I know that Jesus Christ teaches that it is through Him and His sacrifice and grace that we are saved. I know that when I die I will see Him again. I know that He was resurrected the third day, following his sacrifice, and I know that He offers me and all people hope and salvation. This salvation is offered to all and is denied to no one. He loves you and me and all people perfectly. We may never agree, but Christ loves us both and wants us both, and every single human being, to accept Him and love Him and return to Him. =)
Melissa,
Have you thought that your religion might not be true?
Even when I was 7 years old and being confirmed by my Monsignor, the first question I asked him was how we knew it was true since there were so many religions. Even at 7 I could see serious problems.
Have you ever thought about this possibility?
Melissa,
Have you ever thought that you are an idiot? That any one with any common sense would see that relgion was the root of all evil, but the Mormons were just plain looney?
Melissa has left the building. I hope she is not going to shoot herself.
@Melissa
Jesus was an urban legend. There is no evidence for an afterlife.
Cheers!
Melissa,
You really have not studied the bible. All that "salvation" crap, Jesus NEVER said anything about. If you took even one objective course in biblical history, and archaeology, you would know the "salvation" paradigm was introduced by Paul, (Saul of Tarsus). No one in the early Christian communities, (eg the early Jerusalem community, headed by James, the bro of Jesus), said a word about salvation, or "sacrifice" until Paul invented it. Sorry to burst the bubble. You're living a delusion, because you have no education.
Timmy
What? Paul picked up on the salvation line from Jesus (or some say the Holy Spirit) when he went away in the desert after seeing the light. In addition Peter was already preaching salvation through Christ. In Genesis we have God himself making the first sacrifice and the shadow of perfect sacrifice / atonement in all the Old Testament ceremony.
Timmy
When Jesus said "it is finished" what was he talking about?
How about "the lamb of God who comes to take away the sins of the world"?
No freddy. That's what they programmed you to think. That's not what the literary evidence shows.
The "story" of Saul's conversion, was just that...a story. Paul had HUGE fights with the Jerusalem community, (doc'umented in Acts), about many things. Paul changed EVERYTHING. It should be called Paulianity. The eye witnesses in Jerusalem just wanted to continue to be good Jews. Peter was NOT preaching that, before Paul. THAT's what they were fighting over. "god making sacrifice".... hahahahaha. God NEVER "made" a sacrifice. (Maybe they offered sacrifices to her, but she never "made" one, (to herself?)' OMG. Now THERE's a new one. The "angry gods" paradigm was rampant in Ancient Near Eastern mythology. It's now time for humanity to give up that ancient nonsense. What are you gonna do when "imperfect" aliens are found ? Did you god send her other daughters to die for all of them ?
fred,
Check out the "Jesus Seminar". 150 PhD scripture scholars agree he never said either one of those things. It was a "literary device". They were "placed" in his mouth by editors. The editors of the synoptics, (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), each had a at least two sources : the "Q" doc'ument, and one of a few "books of sayings". How is it Christians actually know SO little about their own actual history.
Timmy your belief rests on finding "imperfect aliens" and my belief rests on personal experience and real events.
As to the Jesus Seminars even wiki sounds negative. Go to the botom of this wiki and see if you do not find the critics right on the mark "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Seminar"
That’s My King
The Bible says
He’s the King of the Jews
He’s the King of Israel
He’s the King of Righteousness
He’s the King of the Ages
He’s the King of Heaven
He’s the King of Glory
He’s the King of Kings
and He is the Lord of Lords
Now that’s my King!
David says
The Heavens declare the glory of God
And the firmament showeth His handiwork
No means of measure can define His limitless love
No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply
No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing
He’s enduringly strong
He’s entirely sincere
He’s eternally steadfast
He’s immortally graceful
He’s imperially powerful
He’s impartially merciful
That’s my King!
He’s God’s Son
He’s the sinners’ Saviour
He’s the centrepiece of civilisation
He stands alone in Himself
He’s august
He’s unique
He’s unparalleled
He’s unprecedented
He’s supreme
He’s pre-eminent
He’s the loftiest idea in literature
He’s the highest personality in philosophy
He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism
He’s the fundamental doctrine in true theology
He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion
That’s my King!
He’s the miracle of the age
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him
He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously
He supplies strength for the weak
He’s available for the tempted and the tried
He sympathises and He saves
He guards and He guides
He heals the sick
He cleansed the lepers
He forgives sinners
He discharges debtors
He delivers the captives
He defends the feeble
He blesses the young
He serves the unfortunate
He regards the aged
He rewards the diligent
And He beautifies the meek
Do you know Him?
My King is the key of knowledge
He’s the wellspring of wisdom
He’s the doorway of deliverance
He’s the pathway of peace
He’s the roadway of righteousness
He’s the highway of holiness
He’s the gateway of glory
He’s the master of the mighty
He’s the captain of the conquerors
He’s the head of the heroes
He’s the leader of the legislators
He’s the overseer of the overcomers
He’s the governor of governors
He’s the prince of princes
He’s the King of Kings
And He’s the Lord of Lords
That’s my King
That’s my King!
My King
His office is manifold
His promise is sure
His life is matchless
His goodness is limitless
His mercy is everlasting
His love never changes
His word is enough
His grace is sufficient
His reign is righteous
His yoke is easy
and His burden is light
I wish I could describe Him to you
He’s indescribable
He’s indescribable
He’s incomprehensible
He’s invincible
He’s irresistible
I’m trying to tell you
The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him
Let alone a man explain Him
You can’t get Him out of your mind
You can’t get Him off of your hands
You can’t outlive Him
And you can’t live without Him
The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him
but they found out they couldn’t stop Him
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree
And Herod couldn’t kill Him
Death couldn’t handle Him
And the grave couldn’t hold Him
That’s my King!
He always has been
And He always will be
I’m talking about
He had no predecessor
and He’ll have no successor
There was nobody before Him
and there’ll be nobody after Him
You can’t impeach Him
and He’s not going to resign
That’s my King!
Praise the Lord
That’s my King
Thine is the Kingdom
And the power
And the glory
The glory is all His
Thine is the Kingdom
And the power
And the glory
For ever
And ever
And ever
And when you get through with all of the forevers
Then
Amen
You have been reported for abuse. Your post is toooooooooooooo long.
maybe....but someone, other than you, have been blessed by it!!!
How do you know that? Do you also have special powers?
wisdom4u2- Do more and do it often. Atheism is not healthy for children and other living things is with you!
Yes, I do...."So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Says the Lord.
I'm still waiting...
I don't want to waste my time reading your long prayers unless I know that they work. Please tell me how you know they work. I'm reeeeeealy interested (really!).
@wisdom4u2
There was a young lady from France...
Cheers!
Any post that starts with "the bible says" is bypassed automatically.
EVERY single one of your HUMAN attributes, are anthropomorphic projections, kings, sons, (and why not daughters...you prejudiced person, you?) Why is your god not a "queen". If god exists, she is s'exless. You are TOTALLY FULL of unexamined cultural overlay. Why does your god not have EVEN one non-human trait, or something which could NOT be the product of a human imagination ? NOT ONE. You made all that up. Your "eternal" god necessarily exists within the dimension of "time", (it creature??). Without spacetime, it cannot "exist, (another human concept), dependant on ONLY human experience, projected onto your deity. Jesus is my princess.
If "he heals the sick" how come christians need doctors?
Jesus, bright as the morning star
Jesus, how can I tell You
How beautiful You are to me
Jesus, song that the angels sing
Jesus, dearer to my heart than anything
Sweeter than spring time
Purer than sunshine
Ever my song will be
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Jesus, bright as the morning star
Jesus, how can I tell You
How beautiful You are to me
Jesus, song that the angels sing
Jesus, dearer to my heart than anything
Sweeter than spring time
Purer than sunshine
Ever my song will be
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Oh Lord You are so beautiful
Oh, beautiful
So, beautiful
So, beautiful
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Wonderful, Heavenly, beautiful
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Morning star
Lord You are
Beautiful
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Oh...
oh...
oh...
So, beautiful
Sweeter than spring time
Purer than sunshine
Ever my song will be
Jesus, You're beautiful to me
Jesus was gay, so either you make him very happy with that, or .... very indifferent.
Well, I consider myself an Evangelical Christian who attending a Southern Baptist church in Florida. If I have to make a decision betwen trhese two non Christian candidates as are Mr Romney Mr. Gingruich. I'll vote for Mr Romney. it is obvious that he wants to work for this country.
What's a "Gingruich" ?
Answer
"Maybe you see them like that because of your prejudices."
Well made point George – apparently you don't see yourself in that phrase.
Where does it appear that George doesn't see himself in that phrase?
All of the christian holidays were stolen from pagans, all of their bible is a mish mash of greek and pre-greek folk stories. Scientists have proven that the earth has been around a lot longer than the bible claims, Their bible has been altered at least 20 times and entire chapters removed and they are the bigoted most hateful people on earth. My point is we do not give a fuk about christians or what they have to say. When they want something and they don't get it, it is discrimination. When another group wants something it is against their religious beliefs and should be banned.This is why the rest of the world hates the U.S. Even in the ten commandments their god says " thou shalt put no other gods before me." So even their god acknowledges that there are more than one deity. These people are ignorant sheep that have been taken by one of the oldest scams in history. Give me 10% of everything you own and I will ensure you a seat in "heaven". What a bunch of morons.
crappy, it's obvious that you've never figured out God's truth in 2 Peter 3 which is the destruction of the first earth age, having absolutely nothing to do with Noah's flood which was regional, not global. God's truth makes your argument null and void for the age of the world.
It's back to the drawing board to figure out new insults about Jesus' truth ... without going to your outdated atheist rag sites that never learned how to cross reference the books of the Bible nor comprehend or apply His righteous lessons to your lives.
Amen.
I read a novel about a guy who got shot. I guess that means that all the murders that were reported yesterday never really happened. Someone just read the story and made them up. See how your logic fails you?
C'mon Annie, for someone who "claims" an advanced degree in psychology you don't seem to understand the difference between fiction & non-fiction, history & fairy tales. Now yours is truly failed logic & just a very poor counterpoint.
@HeavenSent
Hon, I love you like a 1st cousin. But really, you have some of the weirdest beliefs I have ever encountered.
Still, I find it hard to not like you.
Cheers!
Noah's flood was global, HS. Bible fail, again. 😦
The flood myth was ripped off from the Epic of Gilgamesh, just as Genesis was from the "Marduk slaying the Dragon" myth. There were many many flood myths in the Ancient Near East.
@HeavenSent:”crappy, it's obvious that you've never figured out God's truth in 2 Peter 3 which is the destruction of the first earth age, having absolutely nothing to do with Noah's flood which was regional, “
It obvious your delusional; but, know you’re rewriting the bible. As I recall, the story of Noha leaves no doubt that it is referring to a world (not retinal) event. Or are you saying that some parts of your bible prove other parts are wrong? I thought only Muslims got to that with the Koran
... enough with the religio-freaks. it's time to move toward secularism. just look at the wars... it's all about religion.
pathetic hypocrites!
Fat chance anyone would let the whinny atheists rule supreme.
Amen.
Mayby not whinny atheists, but I'd vote for a non whinny one. 🙂
Atheists are really good at wars and murdering their owwn people..study Stalin, Mao and of the athiest murderers. The fact is that humans are butchers. Many religions including Christianity buffer humans from their murderous impulses. Unfortunately atheism has no such rules...only survival of the fittest.
Secularism is the biggest evil that we are afflicted with in this country. We must work to roll back secularism and get America back to God. Secularism has given us abortion rights, hom.os.exual rights, por.no.graphy, all kinds of s.ex.ual per.version, crimes of all natures, and a general dishonesty and callousness in society.
Annie,
Those people didn't murder because of their non-belief in God. If that were true you wouldn't be able to tell if it was because of their non-belief in god or their non-belief in the tooth fairy.
bff,
"Without God all is permitted." – Dostoevsky
Oh, well then George .. if Dostoevsky said it .. it MUST be true LOL!!
@George,
Only if it is sanctioned by the rest of socety and your own conscience. That's why we have laws and jails etc... These came not from God but from a mutual understanding that our society could not exist without cooperation. We are a social species, you know.
George, as far as I know, there is no political jurisdiction or government body (legislature, executive or judiciary) that is not dominated by believers. This means that numerous believers at many levels voted for secular laws. You should be blaming (crediting positively actually, in my opinion) your fellow believers for the evolution away from religious dominated laws to much more fairer secular laws. Given the direction laws are going, how can you really expect to pass a christian const!tutional amendment? You may have a lot of delusional believers, with Newt "The Christian Fornicator" most recently making the most noise, but you'll never get the votes for such an amendment (which most people will see as the first serious step towards the USA becoming a theocracy), but then, you have often demonstrated the deep depths of your delusional mind so I really should not be surprised you think you can put your god at the head of the US goverment.
@Annie
Not true of all atheists. I and many of my fellow atheists are Humanists and subscribe to the golden rule.
Cheers!
@George, That must mean that without god, world peace is also possible, yeah?
HS, only horses whinny. The word you were looking for was 'whiny'. Are you just typing too fast out of a desperate need to post quickly today?
George,
You must be one hell of a bore in bed. Too bad for your boyfriend.
@Annie:”Atheists are really good at wars and murdering their owwn people..study Stalin, Mao and of the athiest murderers”
Atheist dictators – Marx, Lenin and Trotsky were Jews. Hitler, Mussolini and Franco were catholic. Stalin was eastern orthodox Christian
Mao and Lenin ended up as mummies in shrines being worshiped by followers.
BUT, the NEWT is a hypocrite....he aint no Conservative with family values!!!! He is on his Third Marriage, and wanted an open marriage. HE IS ALSO A CROOK, and has been run out of Washington on ETHICS violations....THIS GUY IS NOT PRESIDENTIAL material! Im sorry if you support him because he claims to be conservative!! HE IS A LIAR SACK OF SHIP!!
Yea, and he said that he never did any lobbying (claimin also that he is a Washington outsider, ha ha) while collecting $35,000/month from Fanny Mae and reporting directly to, guess who, their top lobbiest!
He is a master of going right up to the line without crossing it, and then claiming the same virtues as someone who stayed a mile away.
Sorry to say but you are correct.
Ken
Why do Christians claim to be "Christian" if they demonize Mormons and other faiths and those that do not belong to a faith. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ talked with and walked with and LOVED all people. The Southern Baptists and Evangelicals that profess to follow the teachings of Jesus need to re-read the New Testament if they believe that hating others for their religious beliefs is truly Christian. If you want the TRUTH about Mormons (aka The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), then go to the source: lds.org or mormon.org. If you want to know what they believe and practice, then ask them. Those that demonize and hate them will say anything negative about them. Seek to understand, not hate.
I think it is enough to know you are all nut bags based solely on Joseph Smith Jr.
To Staring Horse with Tongue Sticking Out- How dare you say something like that. Don't you remember what you learned in Kindergarten??? That man is someone millions, yes, millions of people love and adore. Don't be rude! Don't be hurtful!
Jesus offered all people the chance to be saved...through Him. HE said there is no other way. It is not something Christians just made up. John 3:16
The LDS Church is built apon Joseph Smiths Golden Tablets. Which they believe restores the corrupted Bible of today.
I have hope for all Mormons to find the truth because they are people just as worthy of Salvation as you and i are. It is the Demon controlled LDS Congregation i am against. Which needs to be abolished and removed for its perversion of the truth.
ps.
Dear Atheists/Trolls/Faceless/Agnostic/Possessed,
Seek Truth, abandon your bondage to resentment.
Ok Melissa, I'll bite. Have you sat with a Mormom and really asked them? I have. I used to host a couple of missionaries for lunch after they came home from church (they never seemed to have enough food in their apartment). The religion was "founded", if you can call it that, either by a schizophrenic or a con artist. I haven't figured out which. Their rituals are beyond bizarre, their beliefs border on insanity. I have read the Book of Mormon from front to back, twice. I never say no to anything unless I completely understand what I'm saying no to and besides, the book is free.
Now, that being said. Mormons are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They will give you the shirt off your back and the food from their own plates if they knew you needed it worse than they did. They will, usually but not always, back off when you tell them no. Even so, when they don't back off, they're usually pushy in a gentle way if you know what I mean. Their hearts are in the right place, but I'm afraid I'd have to decline joining their reindeer games.
@Leslie,
I'm not sure, but I think, maybe, you are being... sarcastic?
Joseph Smith was proven to be a con man, on two separate occasions. There is no problem with millions of people adoring him, but this adoration should be tempered with some dose of reality as well.
Look up his two fraudulent claims about translating ancient texts, both of which were proven to be lies. Then if you still wish to adore him, that's certainly up to you.
I still am puzzled as to where all these mean Christians are? Perhaps they just show up on T.V. You are correct, Christ did say we are to love our neighbor AND our enemy. Christ also warned His followers to beware of false prophets that will come in his name. The mainstream Christian believes that Mormonism is just such an issue, that Joseph Smith was a false prophet as Christ warned. That is a very legitimate concern for any Christian as the Bible warns. IF one's religion is not of concern to you, then people should not worry about Roney's faith. But, if one's faith is very important, that it is fair to have concerns. Mormon's are not Christian by any account as their beliefs are VERY different than the message Christ conveyed. God is not one of many gods. The bible is very clear on this. Mormons do believe that all Mormons will one day be a god. The Mormon faith does state that the Israelites went to the America's and their decedents are the native American Indian. This is clearly proven to be false as all the dnA evidence clearly chows that the native American Indian has Asian decent. This, along with many other facts is why the Christian community see Mormonism as a cult. There are many groups and faiths that promote and display very good family values, wholesomeness and behavior, but this is not what Christ came for. It has nothing to do with our "works", but only about forgiveness and grace. Otherwise, Christ's death on the cross was in vain.
You are right Leslie. Melissa, I am sorry you believe in:
1. The charlatan and liar
2. The tablets and hat and the seer stone
3. historical revisionism
4. h.o.m.ophobia
5. racism
6. s.e.xist policies
7. inadequate financial disclosure
8. Men getting their own planets when the die and becoming Gods
Annie, EVERYTHING about Christianity is JUST MADE UP.
As a Christian we are suppose to point out man made false teachings hiding behind Jesus' truth. This isn't hateful, this is ensuring Jesus truth and only His truth is taught and rid the churches of man made agendas.
Amen.
Didn't JS kinda set the mormon standard for respect and toleracne in his 6th or 7th account of the first vision? He probably should have stuck with his first account.
I'm really amused by both "sides" on this forum. So the only answer is that you're all in or all out? You all are silly.
I always look like that when I take the Tram ride at Universal Studios. I hate the Mummy spinning thing!
Oops that was for aaron. Sorry. I'm just a dumb 'ol horse afterall.
lmao!! No harm, no foul. Of course if you re-read my post and apply yours it's rather amusing.
Well Logic tells us that it is a an either or proposition. There can't be a God and not a God.
Annie is right, there can't be a God and not a God. If one faith is right, then by fact alone, the others must be wrong. Whose is right and whose is wrong is a discussion we all have, yet to some who justify criticizing ones statement that another "religion" is false and when they believe theirs is right is all to justified. Otherwise, they are on the fence. Now listening with an open mind is another issue. We should listen, just as we wish others to listen to us. If one is shown to have been mislead in their beliefs, then anyone has the right to change ones faith. Yet, we must do so with some form of truth, not just "faith". In the Bible, even Christ performed miracles so that "we" might believe. Still we need to have faith as well, just not blind faith.
As a Christian, I know that false religions have 95% of Jesus' truth to guide their souls. I can't say that for the atheists who have absolutely nothing but fluff ... huff and puff and the atheists will follow satan's lies hook, line and sinker due to one stroke of the ego. (LOL).
Amen.
We aren't talking about God, we are talking about religion. So does that mean that God and religion are mutually exclusive? Not in the slightest. I firmly believe in God, I do not need an apple cart full of doctrine or rituals, I don't need a book, I don't need guidance, and I don't need a church to know God. Preachers, priests, pastors, and deacons do not hold the monopoly on God. Only those who don't have the foresight to think for themselves need another fallible human being or a 1300 year old book to show them to God. Talk about the blind leading the blind.
HS is the Dr Seuss of crackpots, today. N'aww!
oh sure, the guy in the picture looks SO different than the rest of the religous nutjobs.
I always look like that when I take the Tram ride at Universal Studios. I hate the Mummy spinning thing.
Rick Santorum did not win any 2008 primaries
Read it again, genius:
As a percentage of GOP voters, there are fewer evangelicals in Florida compared to South Carolina and Iowa, where Rick Santorum won the presidential CAUCUSES, according to CNN exit polls from 2008.
A caucus: a private meeting of members of a political party to plan action or to select delegates for a nominating convention.
A primary: an election held to nominate a candidate for a particular party at a forthcoming election for public office.
There is a difference. Don't argue politics or religion if you don't the terminology. g'bye now.