Huckabee in GOP top tier

[Soldier4Christ]

Huckabee stands by 1988 Jesus comment 
'I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ'

Mike Huckabee, a Republican relying on support from religious conservatives in Thursday's hard-fought presidential caucuses, on Sunday stood by a decade-old comment in which he said, "I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ."

In a television interview, the ordained Southern Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor made no apologies for the 1998 comment made at a Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Salt Lake City.

"It was a speech made to a Christian gathering, and, and certainly that would be appropriate to be said to a gathering of Southern Baptists," Huckabee said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

He gave the speech the same year he endorsed the Baptist convention's statement of beliefs on marriage that "a wife is to submit graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ." Huckabee and his wife, Janet, signed a full-page ad in USA Today in support of the statement with 129 other evangelical leaders.

The former governor, who rallied Christian evangelicals to make him a surprise force in Iowa, has put his faith front and center in his campaign. His stump speech sounds like a pastor's pitch from a pulpit. Campaign ads emphasize faith and call him a Christian leader. He frequently quotes Bible verses.

As his fortunes have improved, Huckabee has faced a drumbeat of questions and criticism about his gubernatorial record and the role of faith in his administration. He also has made some missteps while trying to fend off a challenge—and critical TV ads—from Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and Mormon whose faith unsettles some religious conservatives.

Four days before the caucuses Thursday, a new poll found Huckabee's surge may have stalled; his once double-digit lead over Romney has evaporated. Private polling shows the two in a dead heat.

The television interview was Huckabee's only campaign appearance Sunday.

With the media throng following him having grown immensely, Huckabee scrapped a public event at a church in favor of attending a private service closed to reporters. Instead of courting voters, he hunkered down to film new TV ads, perhaps spots responding to Romney's barrage of critical commercials.

As recently as Friday, Huckabee insisted he wanted to run a positive campaign. He also reserved the right to respond aggressively.

"Hopefully we'll just be talking about issues," Romney told reporters Sunday. In contrast to Huckabee, Romney had a full slate of events on a bus tour of eastern Iowa.

In the NBC interview, Huckabee argued that his emphasis on his Christian beliefs does not mean he's alienating atheists. He said, if elected, he would have no problem appointing atheists to government posts.

"The key issue of real faith is that it never can be forced on someone. And never would I want to use the government institutions to impose mine or anybody else's faith or to restrict," Huckabee said.

Those skeptical of the role of faith in his presidency, he said, should look at his record in Arkansas.

"I didn't ever propose a bill that we would remove the Capitol dome of Arkansas and replace it with a steeple," he said. "You know, we didn't do tent revivals on the grounds of the capitol."

[Soldier4Christ]

    With 40 percent of Iowa’s Republican caucus voters expected to come from the ranks of conservative Christians, peace activists appeared at Mike Huckabee’s campaign headquarters in Iowa’s capital city today with signs asking the former Baptist minister, “Who Would Jesus Bomb?”

    Eight members of the Iowa Occupation Project and Voices for Creative Nonviolence arrived at Huckabee’s Locust St. campaign office early Monday afternoon, waiting for the former Arkansas governor’s reply to a letter delivered two months ago that sought his pledge to completely withdraw from Iraq within 100 days of assuming office; halt all military actions against Iraq and Iran; fund the rebuilding of Iraq as well as health, education and infrastructure needs in the U.S.; and “…the highest quality health care, education and jobs training benefits for veterans of our country’s Armed Services.”

    Brian Terrell, director of the Catholic Peace Ministry in Des Moines, said approximately 35 reporters, including a number of international journalists, were at Huckabee’s office during the protest.

    Terrell said in addition to the “Who Would Jesus Bomb?” banner, the eight protesters held signs that read, “End Iraq War” and “No War with Iran,” sang the refrain from “Auld Lang Syne,” chanted ‘Who Would Jesus Bomb?’ and then read names of Iraqis and U.S. soldiers killed in the war.

[Soldier4Christ]

“Who Would Jesus Bomb?”

Rev 9:18  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

[nChrist]

    With 40 percent of Iowa’s Republican caucus voters expected to come from the ranks of conservative Christians, peace activists appeared at Mike Huckabee’s campaign headquarters in Iowa’s capital city today with signs asking the former Baptist minister, “Who Would Jesus Bomb?”

    Eight members of the Iowa Occupation Project and Voices for Creative Nonviolence arrived at Huckabee’s Locust St. campaign office early Monday afternoon, waiting for the former Arkansas governor’s reply to a letter delivered two months ago that sought his pledge to completely withdraw from Iraq within 100 days of assuming office; halt all military actions against Iraq and Iran; fund the rebuilding of Iraq as well as health, education and infrastructure needs in the U.S.; and “…the highest quality health care, education and jobs training benefits for veterans of our country’s Armed Services.”

    Brian Terrell, director of the Catholic Peace Ministry in Des Moines, said approximately 35 reporters, including a number of international journalists, were at Huckabee’s office during the protest.

    Terrell said in addition to the “Who Would Jesus Bomb?” banner, the eight protesters held signs that read, “End Iraq War” and “No War with Iran,” sang the refrain from “Auld Lang Syne,” chanted ‘Who Would Jesus Bomb?’ and then read names of Iraqis and U.S. soldiers killed in the war.

Brother, it makes me angry that these mental cases toss the Precious Name of JESUS around in such a flippant manner. They wouldn't be so casual about the improper use of HIS NAME if they knew anything about THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST! As we both know, it will be in HIS HOLY WRATH against evil, and HE will kill great millions.

These clowns need to learn some respect for GOD and leave HIS NAME out of their cheap political agendas. Their time will come soon enough to find out what JESUS CHRIST will do with evil men! There won't be any evil men left to read the names after CHRIST is finished, but it would take years to read the names anyway! They could start with over 200 million from one battle. GOD is NOT a NAME to banter about by a bunch of idiots. Every knee that is left will bow to HIM one day SOON! Let them see if they can laugh about JUST ONE of many portions of Scripture that will be fulfilled soon:

Ezekiel 38:14-23 NASB
"Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? "You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; and you will come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog." 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days through My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them? "It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," declares the Lord GOD, "that My fury will mount up in My anger. "In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. "The fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all the creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the face of the earth will shake at My presence; the mountains also will be thrown down, the steep pathways will collapse and every wall will fall to the ground. "I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains," declares the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be against his brother. "With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone. "I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD."'

[Soldier4Christ]

Huckabee nets endorsement from prominent black conservatives

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has gained the endorsement of a large coalition of black conservative leaders who say he's the candidate who can best "repair" the nation's public school system and "advocate policies conducive to strengthening families."

In 2002, when running for reelection, Huckabee garnered 47 percent of the black vote in Arkansas. Now, as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination, it appears he is being rewarded for his track record with the African-American community. A group of more than 50 black conservative leaders, including some veteran Republican Party activists and state lawmakers, has announced its support for Huckabee.

One of those backers is Dean Nelson, an ordained Baptist minister who heads the Network of Politically Active Christians. According to Nelson, many conservative black leaders decided to rally around Huckabee in September following his performance in the Republican presidential debate at Morgan State University.

"Since that time, with his rise in the polls, I think more and more African-American conservatives have looked at Governor Huckabee and his credentials and have decided to get behind him largely because he's the only frontrunner who spoke at that event," he says. "As well as the fact that he has so much African-American support from his home state in Arkansas."

Nelson says that support played a big role in his decision to endorse Huckabee. "It was really easy for me to get behind a candidate [who] not only ... has the values or possesses those traditional values like marriage as well as being opposed to abortion, but also ... is able to articulate those values in an authentic way where African-Americans can embrace," says the pastor.

The coalition applauds Huckabee for making 300 "appointments of African-Americans to state boards, commissions and key executive level positions within the Arkansas state government." Among the African-American leaders endorsing Huckabee -- Star Parker of the Council on Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), and the president and vice president of Republicans for Black Empowerment, Donald Scoggins and Lorin Crenshaw.

[Soldier4Christ]

Huckabee criticized for second 'covert Christian' ad

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is once again under fire from liberal media organizations for his association with Christianity.



According to CNN's website, "for the second time in two weeks … Huckabee has aired a commercial in which a Christian symbol appears in the background." The CNN article refers to a Huckabee campaign ad featuring the logo of the group Huckabee was addressing -- the Iowa Christian Alliance (ICA). ICA's logo is the Ichthys -- the "fish" symbol used by early Christians to identify themselves to fellow believers without provoking persecution.

Robert Knight of the Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute says Huckabee's critics are just showing their anti-Christian bias. "In past generations, candidates have been very open about their Christian faith, and recently [Connecticut Senator] Joe Lieberman was open about his Jewish faith," observes Knight. "But people didn't jump all over him, accusing him of wanting to impose his values on the whole nation -- and yet they're doing that to Huckabee now."

The first supposed controversial ad -- Huckabee's Christmas message to voters -- was criticized for displaying a so-called "floating cross" in the background. The cross was actually a bookshelf. Knight says he understands, at least to some degree, why other candidates are complaining about Huckabee.

"I think what's happened is that a lot of people are jealous that he doesn't seem to mind being shown speaking to Christian groups," Knight added. "Some of the liberals speak to groups that don't share mainstream values and they don't want to show the symbols of their groups -- such as Hillary Clinton speaking before the radical homosexual activist group, the Human Rights Campaign. I bet she doesn't use that in an ad in Iowa."

Knight says it is preposterous to think that someone who has been so open about his faith would be sending hidden messages to voters about his Christianity.

[Brother Jerry]

LOL that is sorta funny.  "I am a Christian....let me hide a symbol in an ad to see if you can find it"

[Soldier4Christ]

Huckabee Supporters Get Warning Letters
Ministers Who Support Huckabee Receive Anonymous Warning Letters

Iowa pastors who support Republican Mike Huckabee for president have received letters warning them that getting involved in politics could endanger the tax-exempt status of their churches.

Several pastors who have publicly backed Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister who has support from many evangelicals, said they have received the letters, which have no return address. They have arrived in the weeks leading to Thursday's precinct caucuses.

Two letters were sent to the Rev. Brad Sherman, of Solid Rock Christian Church in Coralville. The first arrived a couple weeks ago and warned that he could be prosecuted for his support of Huckabee.

"I just laughed. No one lands in jail for this," Sherman said. "Somebody is trying to intimidate Christians from getting involved."

A second letter came Wednesday. It alleged that the Internal Revenue Service is looking for churches that back candidates in violation of tax rules and mentioned Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, a Republican who has sought information about spending by high-profile ministries.

The Rev. Kevin Hollinger, of First Baptist Church in Algona, has received three similar letters. Although Hollinger has endorsed Huckabee, he hasn't urged his congregation to support a particular candidate.

"I just encourage people to get out and vote and use their biblical principles," Hollinger said. "I don't tell people who to vote for."

Hollinger said he doubted the letters would intimidate anyone.

The Rev. Rex Deckard has received nine letters, including three on Wednesday.

Deckard, of Calvary Apostolic Church in Des Moines, said he wondered about the motive of the letter writers and assumed they must think pastors are ignorant of the rules regarding church involvement in politics. Regardless, he said the letters won't change his intention of caucusing for Huckabee.

"I'm very impressed with him as a person and I think he's a tremendous individual," Deckard said.

Jim Harris, a Huckabee spokesman in Little Rock, Ark., said the campaign was aware of the letters but did not know how many pastors have received them or whether they were just being sent in Iowa.

"We are gathering more information even as we speak," Harris said. "I would not rule out that we would ask for a criminal investigation, and people who would send such threatening letters to ministers for purely political purposes are cowardly and reek of desperation."

[HisDaughter]

Just amazing.  What else can you say.  As everyone else as already stated all over this forum, these are just a "sign of the times".  It's amazing to see it all actually happen and never fails to make my jaw drop.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

I'm beginning to think that it's time for churches to forget about tax exemption and kick the IRS out of the church. First, I would say that I think this is terribly wrong, Unconstitutional, and a horrible abuse of power by the IRS. Taxes have already been paid on money given to the LORD'S Work, but the government - IRS - should have NO business trying to dictate what a pastor can say or not say unless the pastor is advocating overthrow of the government of some sort of other violent example.

So, I would say that it's either time for the courts to get the IRS out of the churches or the churches to utilize other means to regain freedoms that churches have always enjoyed. The modern use of the IRS to restrict freedoms in churches is ILLEGAL. Their means to use strong-arm tactics against churches has been MANUFACTURED and DOES NOT EXIST under the Constitution. However, this appears to be a handy time for the devil to use the IRS. After all, some way must be found to shut up those pesky Christians. Things are headed toward freedom of thought and speech being REMOVED FOR CHRISTIANS! THE ANSWER IS NO! - WE WON'T TOLERATE THIS! WE WILL NOT! SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!

[Shammu]

Brothers and Sisters,

I'm beginning to think that it's time for churches to forget about tax exemption and kick the IRS out of the church. First, I would say that I think this is terribly wrong, Unconstitutional, and a horrible abuse of power by the IRS. Taxes have already been paid on money given to the LORD'S Work, but the government - IRS - should have NO business trying to dictate what a pastor can say or not say unless the pastor is advocating overthrow of the government of some sort of other violent example.

So, I would say that it's either time for the courts to get the IRS out of the churches or the churches to utilize other means to regain freedoms that churches have always enjoyed. The modern use of the IRS to restrict freedoms in churches is ILLEGAL. Their means to use strong-arm tactics against churches has been MANUFACTURED and DOES NOT EXIST under the Constitution. However, this appears to be a handy time for the devil to use the IRS. After all, some way must be found to shut up those pesky Christians. Things are headed toward freedom of thought and speech being REMOVED FOR CHRISTIANS! THE ANSWER IS NO! - WE WON'T TOLERATE THIS! WE WILL NOT! SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!

If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep.  ~ Will Rogers

Brother, when tithes are given they are given freely. As you know, I pay taxes so the IRS can't say a word how I deliver a sermon. Time is coming where Christians/Churches will be attacked for any word about Christ. We are already seeing the beginnings of this happening through the IRS, on some Churches.

My only question is, who watches the watchers...... In this case the IRS? I think it would be a wonderful time for the people to request an audit of the IRS. 

Have you ever notice that when you put the words "The" and "IRS" together, it spells "THEIRS?"

[Soldier4Christ]

The supposed "tax exempt" status of some churches are still not tax exempt. Churches are still required to with hold and submit with holding taxes for any employee. Even when a church does not use the tax exempt status, paying taxes on all monies and with holds/submits employee taxes, the IRS still goes for churches that get politically involved under a little known law that is in regards to being a grass roots organization instead of a church.

Yes, it is in odds with the Constitution. It is however being done and it is nothing more than an effort to silence the churches.

[nChrist]

Brothers,

All I can say is that things are getting more ridiculous by the minute. I firmly believe that the time must come when many Christians MUST stand up and say NO! I'm not talking about wasting time and effort on something small, rather something large and significant. They might try to put us all in jail, and that would be fine also if the issue was large enough.

I don't think that Christians will be here to accept or deny the mark of the beast, but let's assume that we are still here. I will not take the mark of the beast. I would die first. When that time comes, it will be very plain what is being done. In other words, it won't be a big secret that something evil and anti-CHRIST is being done. Further, I will never be ashamed of the GOSPEL! I have had free speech and freedom to worship for all of my life, and I will practice THE SAME for the remainder of my life. I hope that everyone understands what I mean by saying NO! to a large and worthy issue - not nit-picking. If they make a law that a Bible can't be carried into a public building, that isn't worthy of dying for - even though that would be an illegal and Unconstitutional Law.

There might be a time soon for Christians to stand up and say NO! Each individual Christian might have different ideas about what circumstances should lead to saying NO! NOW - I'll go back and say that I don't think that we'll be here that much longer anyway. There is nothing Biblically left to happen before CHRIST can Rapture HIS CHURCH HOME to GLORY! The RAPTURE could be tonight, and I hope it is. If my beliefs about the RAPTURE are wrong, my time for saying NO! would come pretty quickly, and I would NOT submit to anything approaching denial of CHRIST or significant removal of freedoms to worship. The arguments about rendering unto Caesar would NOT apply to the circumstances I'm thinking about. An appropriate  rendering unto GOD COMES FIRST!, and I will do just that until I physically die.

Love In Christ,
Tom

 

[Soldier4Christ]

Huckabee denies anchor-baby challenge
Says he would not press for amendment to deny birthright citizenship

Gov. Mike Huckabee issued a statement today denying a report that he wants to amend the Constitution to prevent children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens from automatically becoming American citizens.

A Washington Times story cited his top immigration adviser, Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist, saying Huckabee promised him he would force a test case to the Supreme Court to challenge birthright citizenship and would press Congress to pass an amendment.

But Huckabee denied it.

"I do not support an amendment to the Constitution that would prevent children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens from automatically becoming American citizens," the former Arkansas governor said. "I have no intention of supporting a constitutional amendment to deny birthright citizenship."

The Time said Gilchrist also received a promise from Huckabee that his first act as president would be to pardon imprisoned Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who are serving 11- and 12-year sentences for shooting a fleeing drug smuggler at the Mexican border.

Gilchrist said Huckabee explained his positions in a half-hour conversation last week while campaigning in Iowa.

"I read back my notes to him twice, and I told him I did not want to put words in his mouth," Gilchrist told the Times. "The guy looked me right in the eye."

Campaign spokeswoman Kirsten Fedewa affirmed Huckabee intended to review the Ramos and Compean case as one of his first acts as president. The paper said she did not dispute Gilchrist's quotes as provided by the paper.

Fedewa said Huckabee and Gilchrist are "united by a mutual desire to end illegal immigration and are political allies toward that end."

But the Times noted that as governor, Huckabee "pressed for illegal aliens to gain college tuition benefits, complained about federal immigration raids in his state and declined to have state police enforce immigration laws, although the state legislature gave him the authority to do so."

Gilchrist has been campaigning with Huckabee since endorsing him last month, sparking controversy among border security organization leaders and Minuteman activists who oppose the candidate's policies as governor.

Huckabee has adopted a stricter immigration platform that apparently satisfied Gilchrist, proposing illegals return home and apply for immigration through legal channels.

Gilchrist told WND in an interview last month, "Nothing I can find in Huckabee's plan indicates he is going to let the illegal immigrants back into the country the next day after they go home.

"The illegal aliens, once they are back home, will have to stand in line with everybody else and apply for legal entry at the end of the line," Gilchrist insisted.

But Gilchrist was unaware of a Dec. 9 interview with CNN's Larry King in which Huckabee said his Secure America Plan would allow illegal aliens who repatriated to their homelands to return to the United States in a matter of days.

[Soldier4Christ]

Huckabee responds well to survey of views on military social issues, says activist

Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, says former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee responded well to a military survey sent to all the presidential candidates.

The survey covered a variety of social issues that affect the troops, and while the Center for Military Readiness will not endorse a presidential candidate, she did comment on Huckabee's response. "Governor Huckabee did provide very good answers to the questions that we asked," says Donnelly, who heads the military watchdog group. "Everything from women in combat, gays in the military, the CEDAW treaty, women on submarines. These are very important military social issues."

But Donnelly did find some contradictions in Huckabee's stance concerning homosexuals serving in the military. "A statement made to the Associated Press in April 2007 ... indicated that well ... [Huckabee's] not sure that being a homosexual should automatically disqualify [someone] from the military," she points out. "His campaign, however, said that he supports the law regarding homosexuals in the military."

Donnelly says the campaigns for both Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney did not answer surveys. As for Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) -- he sent a copy of a letter; and Fred Thompson responded to the question of homosexuals serving in the military with a statement, says Donnelly. However, she notes none of the Democratic candidates responded to her survey.