Barack Obama visited South Bend last night! Mayor Steve Lueke has endorsed him (is that helpful?). In light of his visit I thought I would share a REAL letter I got here at the church:
Dear Pastor:
We write again (I don’t recall the first time)with ever deepening concern over the events of the past few weeks. Why has a man who has been publicly praised by the leader of the Nation of Islam, and whose spiritual mentor is a heralder of hate, been able to sway thousands with his false sermon of hope and siren-call for change? In Cleveland, when confronted face-to-face with those questionable associations, the orator’s shifting eyes and faltering tongue bore little resemblance to his normal lofty rhetoric among the crowds. Since then his silver tongue has tarnished the Sermon on the Mount, insulted the Apostle Paul, and cheapened the atoning work of our Savior (wow!!) What hopes does this close-up picture convey? What change for the better will this bring about? What assurance does this give us that all will be well? Is this, indeed, the “bramble” of Judges 9:15? “And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, [then] come [and] put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.” (what?!) To paraphrase the language of that campaign: this is our time; this is our moment – we cannot wait! Dear fellow-carer for men’s souls, join us in spreading the warning abroad, as Jotham did from Mount Gerizim, and let us count on divine intervention to hinder the momentum of those who temporize with the enemies of Christianity (did they just say ‘enemies?’ – wow!)
With sincerity,
From Concerned Christians
MY RESPONSE:
1. Dear “Concerned Christians” – you’re an idiot!
2. I never give credibility to anything that is anonymous.
3. This letter is a classic illustration of what causes many people to get a rash when it comes to Christianity.
4. Is this Mike Gallagher? (OK…I threw that in for Miranda 
)
5. Stop writing me…it is wasting trees…and if all the trees are gone…who will the “bramble” talk to?
This sounds made up, but I am a Catholic, so what do I know?
Is Sunny Italy still open in South Bend? I used to work there as a waitress. Good food. Nasty owner/boss, but she’s probably long gone.
Couldabeen: it looks like Sunny Italy is still open. Their website is under construction but here is the link.
http://sunnyitalycafe.com/
I say, if you’re going to do the anonymous thing, and invoke the Bible to try to sway people to your side, BE MORE SPECIFIC! What’s the goal here?
1) To get people to vote for McCain? (“enemy” of Democrats)
2) To get people to vote for Clinton? (“enemy” of Obama)
3) To get people not to vote at all? (Are these guys world-renouncers?)
Sheesh. Don’t waste people’s time if you don’t give them a clear next step.
Wary not, lest ye forget the warnings of Isaiah: “For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.”
Thanks, Sam. I appreciate the “shout-out!” Mike Gallagher for President!!!
That letter was creepy. I bet their church handles snakes during their service.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I am almost fed up with the hatred that politics seems to stir up in people, especially “concerned Christians.” I think Sam should run for president.
Okay. People like that shouldn’t besmirch the good and faithful name of anonymous…
Someone please help me figure who who or whom not to vote for. I have thoughts but…..
not sure who to vote for: they’re all a bunch of yahoos.
Miranda, I have to agree with you.
Tina, thank you for the website for Sunny Italy. Somehow I never imagined it going cyber!
As for the candidates, I have been back and forth, but I made my decision on this:
I read Hillary Clinton’s book and Obama’s 2 books. I looked at their websites (and McCain’s) and I signed up for email alerts from all three of them. I like Clinton the best b/c
1) I found Obama to not patriotic enough. I am not big on flag waving, etc. but I think the president has got to be pretty patriotic. I saw that in Clinton and McCain. They really love America. Clinton is honest about the problems, which McCain seems blind to, but I don’t question that both care about the country as a nation. I don’t know that I am saying this very well, but Obama seems more like a local politician, good with people, but not the big picture. And he seems to kind of hate that he is biracial, which I found odd.
2) Clinton sends me the least email. McCain sends me tons. It’s overkill, but I learn a lot. The problem is, I don’t like what I read.
So I would like to see Clinton run against McCain, but from there I don’t know. Probably Clinton, but I like to keep an opened mind.
God has blessed us all with a nation that gives us the freedom to worship Him without fear of reprisals. God is still in control and I think He’s wanting us to show our appreciation for what he’s given us by holding our noses and vote for the one yahoo that we think will be less likely to sell our freedom down the river. I voted once for a slick talker that told the people what they wanted to hear and I almost lost the respect of my sons. Never, again. I’m going for the one that stumbles over his rhetoric, then leave it up to God.
One of the annoying things about serving as a minister on a church staff is all the annoying and rediculous mail that is constantly received.
Rex
Miranda, I agree with them all being yahoos. That’s why I asked. I have rread all the books to and I still can’t figure it out. Istead of school board and mayor of South Bend, maybe Sam should run for Pres. Memaw, You are wonderful. I think you may be right.
The truth of the matter is that all human governments eventually become thoroughly corrupt and collapse. That is why Christians are citizens of a kingdom, and not a republic or democracy. We serve the one king of history who is incorruptible and always victorious in the end. These “yahoos” (an apt and polite description) will either do damage or give benefits, but both will be temporary.
The “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” myth made for a nice Jimmy Stewart movie, but the reality for the last 100 years (and especially the last 50) is that there is a ruling elite who will scam the American sheep as long as we view the government as the primary giver of all our blessings. Citizen-legislators don’t go to Washington and stay for 30+ years. Corruption reigns throughout all political groups.
Memaw has more than atoned for her ill-advised vote in 1992. Subsequent to that election, I drove her and Pepaw to Arkansas to visit their grandson in college at the time (yes, it was Sam I Am) and played 12 straight hours of recorded Rush Limbaugh where they couldn’t jump out of the car. So, she has been thoroughly purged of guilt. (Besides, the boys would still have respected her, just chuckled a little.)
In closing, let me say that as Christians, we must be even more passionate about our King and His kingdom than we are about these “yahoos” running (ruining) our country. If we get that kind of passion going, we’ll be getting behind a leader who really can make a change for the better.
Aww, Memaw, you are too cute! Mr. Clinton was a smooth talker. Lots of people were duped.
I’m going to write in The Bishop for President. At least that way, I’d be voting…
This is only my third Presidential election, and I’ve always had a candidate that I respect. This time I don’t, so I’m not sure what to do!
I can not imagine a trangression serious enough to justify being punished with 12 hours of Rush Limbaugh. Don’t the Geneva Conventions ban such things?
12 hours of Rush Limbaugh… I thought there were laws against cruel and inhumane punishments:-).
Rex
[...] last week an anonymous letter I received from “Concerned Christians.” You can read it here. This week I have received another. I thought I would share with you the Barack [...]