The President's Sabbath

[Gus Foster]

In the pre-inaugural program on ABC radio, the commentator, Gil Gross, was reviewing past inaugurals and mentioned that there were at least two that had occurred on Sunday. He mentioned this is saying that the speeches and ceremonies were truncated in reverence to the 'sabbath', and further, that one president just went to church on that 'sabbath' and then to his quarters.

I remember 'Teddy' Roosevelt had a policy referred to as 'speak softly and carry and big stick', which was somewhat in an isolationist era, as contrasted to today's President who has offered to protect any freedom in all the world. One would wonder if the Sudan had a large supply of oil if the USA would have already have intervened in that chaos. As we observe the disasters and wars around our planet, we can see great financial needs surpassing our ability to comply.

Any crisis, any disaster, any major earthquake, and displacement of a 'dirty bomb', a tsunami (an Atlantic tidal wave), a plague, any extreme weather change or variance and even manufacturing disasters could cause great hardship, creating demand way past any possible solution, could instantly create havoc, causing a flurry of rulings which would include submission to a Sunday sabbath, negating true worship of the true Sabbath.

How soon will the President's 'sabbath' be a required time of worship? I believe that all the right ingredients are in place, (the man, the laws, and the temperament) and the reoccurrence of the church-state rule in any crisis ahead, at any moment, even at the door. As our Lord said; "look up, for our redemption draws near".

[Dr. Shane]

I do not want to be the sterotypical, paranoid Seventh-day Adventist that points at each gust of wind as a sign the Sunday law is nearer. However I think 9/11 was a significant fulfillment of prophecy which is one of many small steps that move us closer to the Sunday laws.

I didn't hear all of Bush's speech so I don't want to be unfair to him. I really don't believe Bush will push for the Sunday law unless the devil shows up as an angel of light and fools many but even then I am not sure he would fool Bush. Bush just doesn't believe the government should give perferencial treatment to Christians and he has demonstrated his unwillingness to do so many times.

I do however see Bush laying out a vision that a future President could use to take us to the Sunday laws. Those that know their history know how Teddy Roosevelt had a vision that Taft followed but not to where Roosevelt intended. I can see the same happening with Bush's vision.

Yet we should not make decisions based on fear of what might happen someday under speculative circumstances. Focusing on today, Bush's vision is not objectionable. I find it hard to understand how we (and the rest of the world) can do so little about Sudan. Sad to say, if they had oil it would only make a difference if the world market was affected by the genocide. In light of what Clinton let happen in Rwanda, I really wish Bush would somehow redeem the US by acting in Sudan.

[bevin]

That's right Shane = you can't resist defending GWB even when he is the biggest threat to religious freedom that the whole world has seen in 50 years.

/Bevin

[Dr. Shane]

So you think he is a bigger threat than Castro or Ossama? Wow! If he was such a big threat to religious freedom why haven't we seen any effort to restrain religious freedom?

If you read a biography about him you will see how he came to be a Christian. You will see that he has never been impressed by the Religious Right. (In fact, he has scoffed at Oral Roberts.) The clergy that have most impressed him have been from the mainstream like Billy Graham, Oswald Chambers, Kirbyjon Caldwell, James Robison and Micheal W. Smith. (Google search will help if you don't know who they are)

In 1998 he wrote this letter to the Anti-Defamation League which was upset about his public profession of faith.

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I never intended to make judgments about the faith of others. Judgments about heaven do not belong in the realm of politics or this world; they belong to a Higher Authority. In discussing my own personal faith as a Christian, I in no way meant to imply any disrespect or to denigrate any other religion. During my four years as governor, I have set a positive tone that indicates my respect for individuals from all faiths, all backgrounds and all walks of life.

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That doesn't sound like a guy ready to pass a Sunday law, does it?

[Gus Foster]

The issue is not this President's record on his convrsion or standard beliefs; it is in fact that #1, he beleives in a Sunday 'sabbath'; #2, he subscribes to the fate of Jerusalem as to the course of world history; #3, he over-reacts to crisis, and I think most important #4, he would enforce his 'mis-beliefs' in a world crisis or multi-crisis situation.

[Dr. Shane]

I have read quite a lot about this President. I would like to see your support for you points.

1. I do not know that he believes Sunday is the Sabbath. Many Sunday-keepers believe Saturday is the Sabbath but was only for the Jews. Many Sunday-keepers are well aware of the pagan orgins of keeping Sunday and have no greater problem with it than celebrating Easter, Holloween or Christmas.

2. He may believe falsly that the Jews are still God's choosen along with the entire secret rapture theology. I know his parents are Presbyterian and they don't believe that way. The President is Methodist and they don't believe that way either (UMC Rapture Position) I have not seen any statements from him that indicate he does believe in the rapture and all the doctrine that goes along with it.

3. The idea that he over reacts to crisis is simply a matter of opinion. If you ask those in Sudan they might say he under reacts. History and God will judge him on that point.

4. Again I would like to see what basis you have to claim the President would force his mistaken religious beliefs on anyone else during a crisis. His behavior after 9/11 seems to be to the contrary. There he faced a crisis and went out of his way to persuade people not to target Muslems with hatred.

[Gus Foster]

I am not picking on this particular president personally, and whatever you believe about him is not a focus here; what is in focus is that this is the end time, and although many Christians do not want to see prophecy fulfilled in their lifetime, and claim that all the bad stuff will happen to someone else, sometime in another life, it IS happening now; prophecy is being fulfilled now, and the end time is upon us. It is not comfortable, easy, convenient, especially when many will be 'as the cross all around the world' in terrible persecution and martyrdom.

As a footnote, I see this president perfectly capable of forming the image to the beast, which I believe has its fulfillmnent within a short time.

[Dr. Shane]

So I guess that means you cannot support any of the positions that you stated earlier?

I don't know who the Christians are that don't want to see prophecy fulfilled in our lifetime. The Bible calls it the blessed hope. Yes, come Lord Jesus, come.

[bevin]

Quote:

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So you think he is a bigger threat than Castro or Ossama? Wow!

---

Of course he his.

Castro barely controls the small island of Cuba.

Osama barely controls a small cave in Afghanistan.

GWB controls an organization that is installing secret detention centers around the world, is deporting people without trial, is ordering the indefinite detention of people without trial, is invading countries just because he doesn't like them, and is using lying and false appeals morality to justify large scale looting of the US economy.

/Bevin

[Gus Foster]

Quote:

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So I guess that means you cannot support any of the positions that you stated earlier?

I don't know who the Christians are that don't want to see prophecy fulfilled in our lifetime. The Bible calls it the blessed hope. Yes, come Lord Jesus, come.

---

Nothing I said in the first post is denied in the second---again let me irriterate, I am not attacking this President, but am merely voiceing my opinion of the situation. There are a lot of underground type statements on the internet and I didn't mean to join in that discord. I was simply amazed at his blazenness of stating that the US would defend any cause anywhere in the world, when all around us unjust type of causes are left afield. If he followed up on his talk he would have problems with many governments that are tauted to be our 'allies'. But the essence of this thread is to suggest that with a combination of events this man could and would impose hard and fast religious regulations which would agree with his understanding of Scripture, which is of course, incorrect, and would thus bring about the second half of Rev 13 and our extreme persecution.

Further, almost every one I come in contact with state that this will happen, but waaaay down the road. And I say no, it has already started to happen and many have not seen this or simply do not agree. So be it--and as you have said, Come Lord Jesus-----amen, please come.

[_david]

Is something wrong with my browser but after every post there is a picture of Shane's icon?

right after the "email me" icon" at the bottom of each post.

strange.

confused

[Dr. Shane]

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this man could and would impose hard and fast religious regulations which would agree with his understanding of Scripture

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This is where it seems you express your opinion or fear. There simply is no evidence to support this idea. This President has displayed an unwillness to let his religion (Christianity) be given any preferencial treatment.

I believe the devil has been steering the USA toward its prophetic destiny since the nation began. Step by step the federal government gained more power, Catholism and eastern religions gained more acceptance, the US gained world promenance, trade barriors have come done, the UN was formed, the US is invited to defend other nations, etc.