Politics...

I hope you've been following the speeches on TV from our political candidates over the last few weeks. Now that the candidates have officially been nominated, attention turns to the first Tuesday of November.

I haven't decided who I'll vote for yet (and I won't post it when I do decide - that's my prerogative). I'm registered Republican, simply for the fact that the state of Georgia won't let you register independent. I'm a firm believer in voting on issues and NOT on a party line. You've got a brain, USE IT!

I've been frustrated with the people who have publicly announced that they would or would not vote for Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or Sarah Palin simply on account of gender, race, or lineage. C'mon people, we're better than that! Are you really not going to vote for Obama because he's part black? Are you really going to vote for Clinton or Palin because they're women? Are you really not going to vote for McCain because he's older than the rest?

Listen to the things they all have to say. Please.

Look beyond their professions of faith, beyond their "God bless America"'s, beyond their tear-jerking stories. Stop being concerned with what they wear or don't wear and how they travel and how perfect their families are. Both sides are claiming to have God on their side and to be the best for America - go figure. I would encourage you to look for them to set the example.

I've been harping on church leadership for weeks and months now. It's important to realize that problems in the church almost always stem from problems in leadership. It's important to realize that the same is true with our nation.

Rudy Giuliani spoke before Sarah Palin last night. He started down a road of wise advice before steering the speech into a political ditch. He asked that his listeners look at the impending elections as if we were an employer looking at hiring a new employee. Smart. What qualities would you look for in hiring the person to do the best work for you? Would it be race, gender, age, or some other superficial characteristic? Or would you look at experience, optimism, the ability to play well with others, the vision for leadership, and the ability to inspire?

Would you hire someone with big dreams that can't tell you how they'll accomplish it?
Would you hire someone that sat in your office and bashed your other applicants?
Would you hire someone that was arrogant enough to tell you they could solve all the world's problems?
Would you hire someone that wanted to eliminate violence through violence?
Would you hire someone that professed to be godly and spoke as if he or she had never met Christ or read anything Jesus taught?

I'm not happy with our candidates right now, even though the ones nominated are likely the best in their primaries. My concerns fall on both sides of the aisle and also amongst those of us who will vote without using our brains. Maybe McCain can change that for me tonight - I'm not holding my breath though.