Saturday, December 02, 2006
Posted by:
Kevin McCullough
at
8:11 AM
On November 19th, I said this:
Barack Obama is likely to run for president in 2008 and speaking from the pulpit of one of America's most well known evangelical churches is likely to be footage that could be used over and over in trying to dissuade Christians from thinking about moral issues that real Christians truly feel concern for.
It should also be noted that Rick Warren knows better. Both he and his wife Kay have appeared on my broadcast in days gone by. Through some of our combined efforts with World Vision, my radio listeners have raised literally millions of dollars towards the AIDS crisis in Africa. And the truth be told, evangelicals in North America contribute more monies towards the very issue Warren professes worry over than the whole of Barack Obama's liberal friends combined.
There is definitely something for Barack Obama to gain by appearing in Rick Warren's pulpit - the implied endorsement and blessing for the 2008 presidential race. There is definitely something for Rick Warren to gain in promoting Barack Obama and giving him time behind the altar of God's word - power and access to a future heavyweight contender for the highest office in the land.
Today the Chicago Tribune says this:
Sen. Barack Obama, a pro-abortion rights Democrat contemplating a presidential run, on Friday received a warm embrace from one of America's best-known evangelical pastors and an enthusiastic ovation from a national gathering of church leaders not traditionally welcoming of liberal social views.
Obama delivered a speech rich in references to Christian faith, moral imperative and common purpose, urging churches to join with allies among the secular to fight the spread of AIDS and other social ills.
And this:
"My Bible tells me that when God sent his only Son to Earth, it was to heal the sick and comfort the weary," Obama said.
Tim Morgan, deputy managing editor for Christianity Today, who watched the speech, said Obama spoke about his faith with a natural ease that resonated with the audience.
"He almost speaks here like a pastor. The amazing thing is he does it so well," Morgan said. "That's why he gets a standing ovation from an ardently, ardently pro-life audience."
Several church leaders in attendance said they came away with a favorable impression.
"You can tell he has a Christian perspective….Caring for people is the no. 1 thing about being a Christian," said John Smith, senior pastor of Crossroads Church in Loveland, Colo. "It didn't feel like he was politicking. It felt like he was a person of faith, and he felt comfortable talking about that."
This time... I wish I had been wrong... but I wasn't!
Friday, December 01, 2006
Posted by:
Kevin McCullough
at
9:10 PM
It is my sincerest priviledge to be with the Officer Candidate Class 04-07 this weekend. This morning at 5:15 I was invited to join their daily run. Afterwards their drill instructors made them "push" in the sand - purely for the amusement of the family and friends gathered to watch. These young officers have been through 12 weeks of Marine Drill Instructor hell. But they are now prepared to lead those they will be asked to. Today they completed the rigorous Marine Drill Instruction, Academic, and Military training to become the latest class of incredible Naval Officers.
Godspeed and Blessing to you 04-07! We will never forget you, and pray for you always! And a grateful nation says THANK YOU!
Any comments or well wishes you would like to add personally to the comment section here will be forwarded to the 04-07 class.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Posted by:
Kevin McCullough
at
9:00 PM
I am at present celebrating a spectacular weekend with the newest Officer Candidate Graduate class from the U.S. Navy. "04-07" as they have been referred to for the past 12 weeks are now fully commissioned officers ready to take on their new training, jobs, and posts in the U.S. Navy and provide needed moral and honorable leadership for American naval servicemen/servicewomen in the days, weeks, and years to come.
In Pensacola, Florida my internet access has been spotty. Thus the slowing of my posts yesterday and today. Since my brother-in-law is among those who are celebrating their promotion to rank of officer - I haven't made it a high priority to watch what has been happening.
But in the case of Rick Warren and Barack Obama, the day came and went.
Obama spoke today, and offered up - exactly what I predicted he would as his method of fighting AIDS on the African continent: Condoms and Microbicides. Microbicides are topical agents that are applied to condoms that will hopefully kill viruses and bacteria.
In other words, Barack Obama views the people of the African continent as smart enough to change their behavior so as to apply microbicides and condoms before engaging in otherwise risky intercourse, yet he doesn't believe that the people of the African continent are smart enough to be presented with the fact that it is the risky sexual behavior that is endangering their lives. Nor does he trust them enough to be able to decide for themselves that they would rather LIVE than have sex.
His sold out commitment to the idea - that it is more important to compel people to continually have sex, without stopping, all the time, no matter what - contradicts the ONLY MESSAGE that would infact save lives.
See, here's the problem, condoms break, microbicides have not yet proven effective, and the message that in trusting in either will protect you from the deadliest disease to hit in our lifetimes is wicked.
Ah yes... but here's the bigger problem. Rick Warren knew what Obama's message would be. He knew it - and evidently agrees with it. And it is this faulty reasoning that will sentence the African continent to more years of ruinous destruction, as opposed to a message that truly can educate individuals and help them take responsibility for their own healthy future.
Rick Warren knew it, and Rick Warren blew it...
Friday, December 01, 2006
Posted by:
Kevin McCullough
at
8:30 PM
After nailing with such precision two perfect predictions on Rick Warren/Barack Obama. I knew I was having a good day.
But then I read this and go three for three...
Some background:
All the way back on September 3rd, I foretold ALL of Wal-Mart's woes. PRECISELY.
This is one reason why it was so interesting to note that the rest of the economic news for retailers is UP - BIG TIME this Christmas season. Not so with Wal-Mart, and it was I who accurately predicted it...
Friday, December 01, 2006
Posted by:
Kevin McCullough
at
7:15 PM
To borrow Mary Katharine Ham's phrase: On Like Donkey Kong.
At present I've been quoted in some 273 Google News listings on the Obama/Warren issue.
One of the more prominent ones is Time Magazine:
Conservative talk radio host Kevin McCullough wrote on his blog, "Why would Warren marry the moral equivalency of his pulpit — a sacred piece of honor in evangelical traditions — to the inhumane, sick and sinister evil that Obama has worked for as a legislator?"
At least they got my quote right. Then the writer goes on to imply that disagreeing with Warren's decision to have the most radically pro-abortion, and pro-gay Senator on his stage somehow makes us "losers."
If those critics want to hang on a little longer... or for that matter, if they want to prove Kuo wrong both in his assessment and his prediction... or if they'd simply like to live up to the full meaning of their pro-life commitment, they might consider letting Warren host Obama in peace. Otherwise, more broad-minded Christians may eventually demand a different kind of leadership.
I choose to disagree.
In addition, I've fielded phone call interviews over the past 24 hours from CNN (yesterday and today), ABC Nightly News, And radio talk shows from across the nation. Via e-mail I've been alerted to quotes attributed to me also appearing in the Los Angeles Times.
Let me go on record here... I didn't ask for any of this. I simply wished to be a voice of encouragement to help Rick Warren understand the Diabolical character of the man he welcomed to his stage today. And for what it's worth I was exactly correct in predicting what would be the outcome.
As evidenced in the TIME magazine piece, Obama is now being heralded as a " very smart Christian believer." Obama will use this celebrated, albeit false credential from now until 2008.
The invitation works perfectly for Obama. Through his autobiography The Audacity of Hope and his public statements, the Senator had already positioned himself as one of the rare potential Democratic Presidential candidates who can truly talk the Christian talk. Today's speech can only reinforce that impression. Says Collin Hansen, an associate editor at the Evangelical monthly Christianity Today, " I think the Senator's political team, or whoever's making the decision, was smart to associate him with Warren. It suggests that there are Evangelical moderates that they can work with, or reach, or maybe even attract their votes."
In fact in my opinion, Rick Warren may very well have just given Barack Obama the 2008 presidency. Because with the new "Rick Warren/Saddleback Church stamp of approval" and being quoted as so by the likes of Time Magazine, the press will be willing to play up this angle to faith-based voters...
I couldn't have been more right. And if you wake up in November of 2008 and see the headline, "Faith-Based Obama In A Landslide," you can thank "Pastor Rick."
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