November 28th Debate Orchestrated by CNN?

As has been the practice, the "news" network that is directly involved in a debate which involves aspiring presidential candidates always pulls out all the stops when it comes to promoting the event days in advance.

One has to wonder about CNN's involvement regarding the 07/11/28 event. There was a heavy emphasis on questions coming from individuals in a video format -- supposedly these persons came up with the questions and fired them at the competing candidates.

It is most interesting the types of questions that were asked -- unlike anything so far in the way they were asked and with graphic dramatization in some cases!

For instance:

• A guy held a Bible in his hand and asked if the candidates believed every word in the book he was holding -- then a close up view of the book with the title, "Holy Bible," in prominent view. That sparked interesting responses. Who manipulated that guy to ask that question?
  
  
• A guy asked about gun laws, 2nd Amendment rights, etc. For dramatic effect someone who is out of view of the camera tosses a shotgun to him which he catches with one hand and immediately proceeds to "load" by activating the slide action. Again, is this a case of "clever" manipulation or what?
  
  
• Now for the clincher -- the issue of abortion and a question posed that if Congress overturned Roe v. Wade and sent the legislation to the person who was at that time president, would he sign the bill? Again, a real scramble and fancy footwork when it came to responding!
  

Now for the real question on these shenanigans -- will CNN orchestrate an identical format for the Democrats for their next debate -- same questions worded in the very same way plus the drama?

Or maybe Fox News can do it -- you know, that "glamor channel" with dancing graphics, packed full of ads, and a few "news" comments thrown in now and then with a stress on the fact that Fox News is "fair and balanced" -- and, oh yes, a ticker going once in a while until the ads knock it off until they run their course!

As we grind through 2008 we can be assured that these networks that claim to be "news" dispensers will attempt to manipulate their audiences in every way possible to get us to vote for their preferred "candidate!"

The safe way is to view these people with a high level of suspicion whenever you are exposed to them -- it helps immensely to employ that great button on the remote at times -- it says, "MUTE!"

This, by the way, has been written by one who is officially a "Non-affiliated" registered voter.

Chosen Before the Universe Existed and Time Began!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; in Him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. --- Ephesians 1:3-12

Intense debate has focused on the issue of when human life begins. The position a person takes on this matter will be reflected when it comes to one’s support of OR opposition to the intentional mutilation and murder of children while they are still in their mothers’ wombs.

However to attempt to debate the issue of when human life begins is really an exercise in futility for the following reasons:

• The fundamental fact that God gives to all life, breath, and all things. Further, it is in God that we live, move and have our being. (Acts 17:24-28).
  
  
• God’s claim to ownership of this world and all that is within it, including its human population! (Psalm 24:1).
  
  
• God’s explicit claim to being involved in the process of the formation of each human being. (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-17).
  

All this is confirmed by the most mind boggling truth we will ever encounter during this lifetime in the statement, “…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”

Before this universe existed or time began, we were known and fully identified by our Creator! But there is more than identity and “personhood” involved here – being “chosen” means God has a purpose for each human being.

It is God’s passionate desire that we:

• Be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
  
  
• Totally repent of our sins – in fact, this is a specific commandment (Acts 17:30, 31: 2 Peter 3:9)
  
  
• Believe on His Son as Savior and Lord of our lives (1 John 3:23)
  
  
• Be His channels through which He works out His purposes (Philippians 2:12, 13)
  
  
• Do all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory alone (Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)
  
  
• Serve Him in the glory of our resurrection throughout the countless eons of eternity (Revelation 22:3, 4)
  

So then, in light of what God has revealed about the significance of human life and the fact that He knew us and identified us before the universe existed or time began, what is your position – standing with the vast majority (including a number who profess to be “Christian”) which views human life as a commodity of little significant value and to be dispatched efficiently on numerous occasions because it is the “convenient” thing to do when pregnancy brings “distress” to the potential “mother” (term used very loosely) OR with a rather small minority which finds itself in full agreement with our Creator’s statements about human life and its inestimable value in His sight?

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations." --- Jeremiah 1:5