Confronting Big Questions about how Christians should prepare for our next President
Host Rita Peters and Co-Host Mark Meckler share their thoughts on Valley Radio This Weekend, Mar 2-3,
or Online HERE Anytime
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Words of Wisdom
What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:9)
God said to Moses. “Thou shalt teach the people ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work they must do. And thou shalt provide them with able men, such as fear God, men of truth, and place them as rulers over thousands of people, and let them judge the people at all seasons in matters great and small.” (Exodus 18:20-22)
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. (George Washington, Farewell Address.)
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Preview: Attached below is a written summary of the program that will be airing on Valley radios this weekend. (See radio schedules at the bottom of this summary.) However, to prepare ourselves for what to expect, host Rita Peters has given us a brief outline of the topics that the program will cover, as follows:
1. For Rick Santorum: From your personal experience, what is it like to run for President?
2. Will the modern-day process result in a different type of President than the ones we had in the early days of our Republic?
3. Does Nikki Haley still have a chance to win the Republican Party’s nomination?
4. Do you expect President Biden to stay in the race, and is he physically strong and mentally fit enough to be our President for another term?
5. Finally, how should we, as Christians, prepare ourselves to vote for who should be our next President?
Introduction:
1. Our Crossroads program this weekend features a timely conversation between host Rita Peters, co-host Mark Meckler, and also with special guest Rick Santorum, as they focus on how to decide who is best qualified to win the party nomination and the national election, and then to serve as our next President.
— But why Rick Santorum? Among many other reasons, Santorum was invited because of his experience as a former member of the U.S. Senate and of the U.S. House of Representatives, and also as a candidate for the Presidency in 2012.
2. First step with Rick Santorum, behind the curtain: We will begin by taking a look behind the campaign curtain with him, asking what it was like for him as a former candidate for the Presidency in 2012?
— His response. Speaking from experience, Santorum recalled that a presidential candidate is in an environment of constant dynamism and tension from being on stage at all times. The stress is inevitable, he said, because you must always keep in mind that, as a candidate, you are vying for one of the most important positions in the world, which is as the leader of one of the most powerful countries of the free world. It is a heavy responsibility.
— Therefore, it means that you are always in the public spotlight for everything you say, everything you do, wherever you go, and how you look. In his words, he said it is like you are under a microscope. And it is a great challenge for learning how to communicate with the people for what you are trying to say, as well as to develop a persona that will connect with them.
3. Comparison of old and new? So how is the modern-day process any different from what our forefathers had in the early days of our Republic?
— Santorum responded that today’s candidates have much more public exposure now than they did then, due in part to the constant presence of today’s media and always being in the public eye.
4. The role of their Christian faith? On another front, Rita asks how one’s Christian faith – or lack thereof — affects the candidates and their campaigns?
— Comments: In one sense, they noted that it is easier for Christian candidates to take a public position on controversial issues if and when they draw on Biblical authority rather on the whims of a changing culture. There is a lot of pressure to do what is right, not just what is popular.
In the same way, a candidate with strong family support also has a good background for how to conduct himself, how to handle responsibilities, and how to make difficult decisions. As indicated above, it is also a challenge to be consistent in what you believe and what you are trying to share in a way that will help build support for you candidacy.
5. Prospects for Nikki Haley? The conversation then turned to Nikki Haley with several questions. In the face of Trump’s current lead, does Haley still have a chance to win the Republican nomination for the presidency? Related to that, how long will she stay in the race and, if she decides to continue, how will that affect the final outcome, not only for herself but also for the other candidates and for the Republican Party itself?
— To answer the question, Santorum responded that yes, he believes that Haley still has a chance, but he wouldn’t bet any money on her prospects for becoming the Republican nominee. That uncertainty is due in part to a number of variables that are still in play, including the outcome of Trump’s various court problems since they could possibly disqualify him from further consideration. In any event, however, she may choose to continue her campaign in hopes of winning more delegates in other primaries, which could give her more influence and leverage within the party for future campaigns or for other causes, or to be in wings if no one else can be elected.
However, Meckler noted that Haley has not been a strong campaigner and, like Santorum, he doesn’t believe she will win the nomination.
6. Prospects for President Biden? On another front, will Biden stay in the race for the Democratic nomination in the face of growing questions about his physical and mental fitness to serve another term – or will he decide to drop out under growing pressure to do so?
— Santorum said that he does not believe Biden is fit to do this job for another term, particularly in the face of growing concerns about the crisis at the southern border, about his mishandling of foreign affairs and, along with the growing concerns about his advancing age and declining health, etc. as noted earlier, he is generally seen, in simple terms, to be old and decrepit, with little hope for improvement.
Taken together, he is also unlikely to be able to overcome perceptions that under his leadership, America has become weaker in its positions abroad, as well in the growing threats to our personal freedoms, to our economy, and to our national security. However, whether all of that will persuade him to drop out of the race is unclear – but not likely at this point.
— Further Comments:
7. A personal challenge comes with the final question about the influence of our own Christian faith: Rita concludes the conversation by asking how we, as Christians, should allow our faith to influence our choice for President, and what criteria should guide us in making that important decision?
— Comment: Santorum notes that the Bible has given us very clear moral guidelines on several critical issues such as the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, and our sexual relationships, just to name a few, and we need to take those guidelines into account when deciding how to vote, both on the issues and on our choice of candidates. We need to keep in mind that we are children of God, and live accordingly.
— They also noted the important role that governments play in our lives at many levels, including, for example, their responsibility to protect human life. Therefore, politicians who do not understand the importance of that and other moral issues are not qualified for public service. As noted earlier, the border issue is also vitally important for securing our individual rights and for protecting our nation.
8. Final comment: With all of this as background, they conclude that we have a critical responsibility to elect leaders who have a strong faith in God and a personal commitment to live according to Biblical teachings, just like our founding fathers did, both in our private lives and our public responsibilities. (Note George Washington’s Farewell Address in the quotes above.)
9. Crossroads: Where Faith and Culture Meet
Please note that, as always, this is just a written summary of this weekend’s radio program, so to hear more about it, I strongly encourage you to tune into the more detailed radio presentation of this in-person conversation between Rita Peters, Mark Meckler, and Rick Santorum with all of their clarity, humor, and compelling information and challenges, as well as their insights into the competing campaigns. Taken together, it will help us better understand the importance of preparing ourselves to vote wisely in the ongoing primaries and for the presidential election in November.
– For radio times and stations. The program will air on the following Valley radio stations: WBTX (1470 AM and 102.1 FM), on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and again on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., followed by WSVA (550 AM and 92.1 FM) at 8:30, ESPN (1360 AM and 106.9 FM) at 9:00, and WNLR (1150) at 11:30.
If you miss the program, or would like to hear it again, you can also listen online by checking out the menu of our Crossroads programs that is available on the home page of our web site at www.valleyfamilyforum.org.
Crossroads is almost entirely listener supported, and we are deeply grateful for your prayers, your encouragement, and for your financial support. If you would like to help, you can do so by check to Crossroads at PO Box 881, Harrisonburg, 22803. All donations are tax-deductible.
We also want to recognize our sponsors, which include Blue Ridge Chimney Services, Blessings Christian Book Store, Sonshine Ministries for Christian Radio, New Beginnings Church and Garbers Church of the Brethren in Harrisonburg, and Wishing Well Florist and Travel Services, also in Harrisonburg.
In addition, we would always welcome your personal comments on this program and on any of our other Crossroads programs, which you can send to us by return email or to the same Post Office address shown above.
So, with appreciation from Dean and on behalf of the Crossroads team and our many guests, and with our very best wishes for a wonderful weekend and for happy, Christ-Centered homes throughout the remainder of this year.
Working and Walking Together, we can make a difference, for God and Country!