Zion, IL
By A.B. Dada
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I find that Christians tend to be the hardest sell on Ron Paul for President — especially Christians of the modern Evangelical, Dispensational variety. I’m adamantly against the modern doctrine of dispensationalism, yet I attend, and work for, mostly dispensational congregations. Why? Because they tend to be the most inclined to trying to live a faithful life, albeit a confused one based on the doctrine I believe in. Personally I am now quiet about my doctrine — I don’t discuss it, bring it up, or try to use it to manipulate others to believing what I believe. My beliefs are readily available on the web, and on the rare occasion that someone asks me about it, I will always tell them that they must discuss things with their pastor first before talking to me further.

At many of the congregations I serve, I’ve been asked about my political beliefs by the leaders I serve directly. It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes for someone Google-ing my name to discover my political beliefs, and usually it is the leaders who contact me (in person, or via e-mail) to inquire as to how my anarcho-capitalist beliefs connect with the Bible. Yet lately, the most consistent question I receive is “Why do you support Ron Paul?” Within an hour discussion, I can usually bring a pastor, youth leader, or other congregational leader to Paul’s side — just by introducing some basic Biblical ideas into the discussion.

I hope that if you’re a church-goer, or active in servitude within a congregation, that you can bring the discussion up if the topic is breached. It isn’t very hard to start the discussion, and I am seeing more and more neoconservative Christians starting to question the top tier candidates, especially with daily news of their darker sides popping up often.

Why is Ron Paul a near perfect candidate for Christians?

Dr. Ron Paul has held his Statement of Faith for many, many years, but he does not involve politics with faith. You can read his entire view here: Ron Paul Statement of Faith. There is no doubt in my mind that Dr. Paul believes in what he says. His marriage, his parenting, his extremely morally-driven life, and his voting record, all prove that he does believe what he states. This doesn’t mean that I necessarily agree with the reasons for his belief, but his consistency in faith is unheard of with any other politician, including those who were pastors or involved in faith agencies.

For one, Dr. Paul is an Evangelical. Most, if not all, Evangelicals believe in upholding Romans 13, which tells Christians to uphold the Rule of Law and not upset it. The Rule of Law for the United States is the Constitution, and those rules require amendments when the People want the Federal government to do something not approved in the Constitution. Ron Paul’s voting record, speech history, and personal comments show that he may be the only Federal politician in 100 years to truly support the Rule of Law. I personally do not believe Romans 13 has anything to do with modern Christians, so I do not believe it pertains to us, but I do approve of Ron Paul’s strict adherence to his beliefs here, both politically and faithfully.

Secondly, Ron Paul has a just understanding of economic policy, based on the Austrian School of Economic theory. It is my belief, strongly, that the Austrian school coincides well with the Evangelical Biblical position. According to Evangelical Dispensational theory, much of the Old Testament and the New Testament is still valid (a position I do not agree with, but accept that many do support this position). The Bible is clear that God intended men to be honest with weights and measures. At the time of Christ, and before, the Roman Empire was quickly destroying the value of their currency through false weights and measures. God, at the time at least, was against this corrupt and immoral devaluation of money. He demanded honest weights and measures. The dollar, as originally defined, meant 1/20th of an ounce of gold. Dollars were not money, they were weight measures. Gold was money. Dr. Paul understands that a truly Godly nation (per the Evangelical doctrine) is one that also has honest weights and measures. The current standard of money is that there is nothing backing the dollar but debt — borrowing from tomorrow to spend today. Looking through most of the Old Testament, debt and usury is un-Godly, and vile. Again, I don’t hold these beliefs to be true myself, but Evangelical Christians must look deeper at their values and beliefs. Dr. Paul is the only politician I have heard speaking about unsound (and un-Godly) money. Money must not be fiat, or backed only by force and debt.

Ron Paul’s view on war coincides well with Augustine’s Just War theory. Augustine adapted the beliefs of Cicero and Aristotle to design a Christian view on war. I vehemently disagree with the Just War theory, but Evangelicals have their basis of belief in Augustine’s doctrinal views. This is a deep topic, but the basics of the Just War theory are: fight defensively, only to repel invades. Fight with the intent to fight quickly. Fight true enemies who have engaged your people on their land. Fight only enemies, not the children or families of enemies.

Ron Paul is the sole politician at the Federal level who supports Augustine, and the Evangelical’s, Just War theory. Look at the voting record for Iraq. Look at the budgets for the military. Paul has voted NO, sometimes as the only person voting against a bill or a movement to war. None of the other politicians are consistent with their supposed Statements of Faith. This is unjust, and to the Evangelical it must equate to more than a sinful nature, but a strong sin against God. Again, this does not coincide with my beliefs or doctrine, but it should be supported by the Evangelical Dispensationalist without much debate.

On taxes, Ron Paul takes a debateable Christian Evangelical position. It has always been the Evangelical’s belief that Christians must do individually what is best for the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. Christ’s position on this is clear from an Evangelical position. Never did Christ say “Go and agree amongst yourselves to tax others and give it to the poor.” Instead He said the individual should support the poor meekly. Never did Christ say “Go and control others to live Christian lives.” Instead He gave instructions in how to deal with immorality, but only within the Christian Body. Non-Christians were NOT to be governed by Christians, and instead Christians should entice non-Christians to cross the line of faith when they see the beacon of love and truth and justice that Christians should live. Modern Evangelical leaders are not these people. They should be excoriated and removed from leadership roles. Many of these men have lied, repeatedly, in a drive to secure more power and wealth over those who are not intellectual enough to find their own basis for faith. Ron Paul has pushed these men away from his life, politically and faithfully. Taxes are unjust, and should be left to the evil ones to wage and collect. Paul’s desire to end the IRS has more Christian-supporting end goals than one would think.

Many Evangelical congregations, if not all, are generally registered not-for-profits with the State and the Federal taxing agencies. Once you are registered this way, you are unable to provide political perspectives or support as a congregation. Your pastor is not allowed to guide you politically. Is this what you want the Church to be? Controlled and licensed to speak by the State and the Fed? With the IRS banished, your pastor would be able to take a true leadership role, providing the flock with insight into more than just moral living, but also political living. Yet most Pastors who are planting churches today are looking at the tax liabilities, and agreeing to become one with the State to offset any tax costs. It is my strong belief that the Whore of Babylon of the Bible is the Nation of Israel — Babylon is Rome, and the Whore is Israel, the State that sleeps with Rome against its true Husband, God. Most Evangelicals don’t believe this, but my deep research leads me to this conclusion time and again. Why would you want to be aligned with the evil kings, when the One True King is ready and willing to lead you? Support of the IRS, and State taxing authorities, is an unbelievable stance for an Evangelical, especially one in office.

Also, ending the IRS will give individual Christians significantly more of their income to use towards their Church or missions. Imagine if your income went up 10%, 20%, even 35%, by ending the IRS. You could give double or triple to your Church, and they could use it to support the eldery, the needy, the disabled. You know in your heart that government does bad for the children, the elderly, the veterans — and yet you support a candidate that wants to take more from you to try to fix what harm it has caused? This is extremely un-Christian, as you are giving up your sovereign duty to support the needy (again, this is the Evangelical view, and I disagree with it!), at a great cost to your church and your community.

Dr. Paul’s views on abortion, prostitution, drug crimes, and policing are also Biblically sound. Christ never told Christians to punish non-Christians for immoral actions, including murder. If you are sin free, cast the first stone. Are you sin free? If not, why are you punishing non-believers for what they want to do? Abortion to the Christian is murder, and murder is not a crime to be defined Federally. This is very important — NO Christian should support amending the Constitution to force Christian beliefs on non-believers. It is un-Godly, and not supported in the Bible anywhere. Why should the Christian judge an adulterer or prostitute-user if the other is a non-Christian? You should be concerned with your flock, your congregation, and your own self and household. It is un-Godly to support any of these laws at the Federal level. Millions of Christians are using prescribed medications where are more harmful than illegal narcotics, and yet they support Federal laws that have done nothing to stop illegal narcotics, but allow for a greater profit for those who break the law to sell them. Yes, you’re afraid for your children. How about parenting your child and teaching them the ill effects of MANY medicines, legal and illegal? I’ve read in many places that MOST teenagers using drugs get those drugs from their parents medicine cabinets, not from a drug dealer in the alley.

Christians have no doctrine to support most of the political forerunners for President, but they do have good reason to support Ron Paul, who has a philosophy of politics that will give back power to the individuals, so they can return it to God based on their beliefs. Every single platform of Paul’s coincides with the Evangelical movement until recently — when the movement has been co-opted by lying, powerful men who want to control more minds and hearts. Visit your Christian bookstore and read any book published before 1990, and see what has changed since then. The neo-Evangelical movement is trying to force a legalistic, Pharisee-like lifestyle on millions, if not billions. It is un-Godly. It is akin to the Whore of Babylon. Malachi 2:3 shows God’s anger towards His People for their lifestyles, which are not unsimiliar to how Evangelicals today vote and live.

Today is a great day to call your Pastor, and confront them directly for their support of tyrants who are against God, against your Church, and against the individual’s ability to choose right from wrong, and learn from individuals who are a beacon of God’s Love and Truth.

Ron Paul conveyed his usual pro-liberty stance at a variety of public appearances in New Hampshire the weekend of February 25th, 2007. The Union Leader (a conservative paper) had some surprisingly proper things to say about him:

Paul - who had been in New Hampshire since Thursday - found himself treated like a rock star at yesterday’s event, and a couple of hundred people were on hand to hear him speak at the Free State Project’s New Hampshire Liberty Forum. About half the 350 people who attended the days-long conference, at the Holiday Inn on North Main Street, were from New Hampshire, organizers said.

They also covered his best quote to date in his career: “The worst thing that could happen to al-Qaeda is for that war to end.” This is so true. The police actions that the US federal government has supported in the Middle East have done more damage to that sector of the world than all the previous invasions combined. I have seen more hatred by common Middle Easterners — including Christians — now than ever before. Under Hussein’s leadership, Christian congregations were allowed to meet without conviction, but today those Christians have fled Iraq because of the U.S.-chosen government. It is a sad state of affairs when things get worse after a “tyrant” is ousted.

The article also covers Paul’s basic platform thoughts: Among other issues, Paul also voiced support for abandoning the war on drugs, allowing gold and silver to serve as legal tender, repealing the Seventeenth Amendment €” which lets voters directly elect U.S. Senators €” and ending the practice of withholding taxes from one’s pay. Instead, taxpayers would have to actually write checks to pay their taxes, a move Paul figured would soon end what he called the present tax-and-spend philosophy of government.

These are so pro-liberty that it still continues to shock me that it comes from a Federal Congressman, who are amongst the most guilty for destroying the values of liberty in the U.S. Liberty can never come from government, the military or force. I don’t support our troops that think they’re fighting for freedom — they just confused and lied to, and in my own group of friends and family in the military, I know that many of them are there because they love the power that their uniform gives them. It scares me to think of the psychos I know that shouldn’t be armed and badged.

Breaking down that short paragraph, we see the following platforms that I do support in terms of reduced government, even though I won’t vote for Ron Paul or any other listed candidate:

Abandoning the War on Drugs — The war on drugs is one of the worst police-state actions the U.S. has suffered under for decades. It has stolen the liberty to ingest or inject what one wants to, and refuses to allow the average citizen the power for self-responsibility and the consequences of not thinking-before-doing. In my opinion, the drug war is contra-Bible and contra-freedom from any vantage point, and I am shocked at how many people still continue to support it. In many prisons more than half the inmates are non-violent drug offenders who only attempted to ingest or inject drugs, not distribute or corrupt others to take drugs.

Allowing gold and silver to be legal tender — Note that Paul merely wants to de-criminalize non-dollar money as legal tender, he isn’t pushing for an only-gold or only-silver money standard. Paul believes that money should be chosen by the public, rather than by force or fiat. This is a great viewpoint, since we are mandated to accept US dollars for any public or private debt — it is illegal to not accept it for debts, even by contract (as I was informed by my lawyers when I wanted to start a gold/silver-only service).

Repealing the 17th Amendment — This is SO important to return “power” back to the local governments (states and villages). The 17th Amendment changed the U.S. from a Republic to a Democracy, and it has given the Federal government significant power over the states. The selection of U.S. Senators by the individual states rather than the majority meant that Senators were more concerned with protecting the individual states’ powers rather than wrangling for position within the Federal power structure.

End withholding taxes — This is my favorite platform position of Ron Paul’s, other than his desire to withdraw from Iraq. Most people ignore their paycheck stubs and really don’t focus on how much they pay to the federal government (which also includes their employer share that the employee actually pays in reduced income). If we get rid of withholding, the average citizen will get a HUGE portion of their paycheck back each week, but be forced to write a check regularly to the IRS. This would show them how terrible the U.S. tax system is. Instead of moving to a flat tax or a VAT tax, I fully support continuing all taxation as it is, but requiring taxpayers to pay them themselves. I’d even like to see ALL retail prices to be mandated to show the price BEFORE all taxes (including gas tax). When people realize how much is stolen from them, they may be more likely to support reductions in taxes rather than ignore the little bit extra that is stolen each year. The downside is that a taxpayer-paid income tax would likely mean that the Federal government would find new ways to hide taxes in regulatory fees and corporate fees rather than direct-from-the-citizen taxes.

Withdrawal from Iraq — I support this 100%. Ron Paul is right — Congress needs to actually declare war before troops should be sent ANYWHERE. There is not defensive posturing without a declaration of war. As Laurence Vance has shown us recently, the U.S. now has troops in 159 regions in the world. 144 countries and 15 territories out of 192 countries, which is 75% of the countries in the world, plus those 15 territories. Empire, indeed.

Again, I won’t vote for Ron Paul because I only vote for myself on every ballot (which is the only true vote for freedom), but I do support this guy fully for those who must vote for someone other than themselves. If he runs, and you won’t vote for true freedom, vote for Paul for less tyranny.

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