Active Adventism

Can an Adventist be President?

2008-04-23T22:14:00.000-07:00

As a life long Adventist I have often wondered what life would be like if we had an Adventist President of the United States of America. The most obvious question, "How would one observe the Sabbath?" is far down the totem pole of my concerns. More important to me would be how can one withstand the criticism from the, separation of Church and State camp, within the church and maintain a positive connection to the church? The Adventist Church socially and culturally has long taught us to remain neutral and abstain from the issues of the world.

I don't know the solution but I do know that recently there is a renewed interest doing Kingdom Good by engaging in the concerns of our world. I don't know how far our involvement will go but could an Adventist become President of these United States?

Here's an interesting article from the January 26, 2006 Adventist Review Anchor Point magazine by Bill Knott entitled, "The Nearly Adventist President."

WHETHER WARREN G. HARDING WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY as a great President will depend, first, upon appreciation of the homelier virtues,” urged Review and Herald associate editor C. A. Holt in a column three weeks after the Republican president’s sudden death in August 1923, “and second, upon the ability of men who write the record to estimate the times and their needs.”¹

If Holt’s lines sounded defensive of a U.S. president now routinely ranked as the worst in the country’s history, they were.² For the previous three years Review and Herald columns had offered glowing praise of the personal and professional characteristics of the only U.S. president to have close Seventh-day Adventist ties and relatives. Holt and his fellow editors--all keen observers of both American and international politics--had undoubtedly begun to hear the chorus of reassessment and revision that seemed to follow the dead president’s funeral cortege to his final resting place.

Adventist leaders already had reason to be dismayed at what was happening to the Harding legacy about which they had said so much, and to fear the assessment of future historians. Presidential appointee Charles R. Forbes, head of the Veterans Bureau, had resigned his post in February of that year and fled to Europe when details of his corrupt dealings with government contractors came to light and a primary attorney in his agency committed suicide. His public friendship with the president’s Adventist sister, Carolyn, and her minister husband, Heber, had occasioned much criticism in the popular press.³ Interior secretary’s Albert B. Fall’s leasing of government oil reserves to large oil corporations was already under investigation by a Senate committee.⁴ Attorney general Harry Daugherty’s questionable connections to both government contractors and bootleggers were prompting calls for congressional investigations.⁵

Holt could write safely only of Harding’s “homelier virtues,” memorialized one week earlier in a black-bordered column on the masthead page of the Review. There the dead president had been lauded for his “honesty and integrity,” his “loyalty of purpose and sincerity of endeavor.” According to the unsigned column, Harding “sought faithfully and conscientiously to discharge the duties of his high office.” He was “a man of noble, generous impulses.” He had, the column continued, a “kindly, courteous bearing” that “endeared him to all classes.” “In marked contrast to the tinsel and show, the hypocrisy and cant, of much of present-day living,” Harding had clung to “simplicity of life.”⁶

Choosing to discount the persistent stories of extramarital affairs that had dogged Harding’s political career for more than 20 years, the Review had proclaimed him “a loving husband, a kind neighbor, a wise counselor.”⁷

In a highly unusual tribute to the deceased leader, the Review editors placed a picture of Harding surrounded by funereal emblems on the front cover of the August 16, 1923, edition of the church’s general paper with the headline “A Nation Mourns Its Fallen Chief.” Never before--and never since--have any of the seven other American presidents who died in office been so honored.

All in the Family
On one level, the effusive praise for President Harding was the understandable reaction of an editorial team that, like the rest of the nation, was shocked at the news of the leader’s sudden death in San Francisco on August 2. But Review editors had dealt with very bad news for the nation at other moments in the journal’s 74-year history. The other American presidents--Republicans all--who had died in office since the founding of the magazine [Lincoln (1865), Garfield (1881), and McKinley (1901)] had all been victims of assassination, unquestionably a more devastating blow to the national psyche. Harding’s health problems, moreover, had been a matter of some concern for months to his physicians and family members, with high blood pressure and cardiac strain topping the list.⁸

It was the dead president’s close family ties to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, both in his native Midwest and in the nation’s capital, however, that made the loss seem doubly dear, for the church’s informal access to the seat of American political power would inevitably now be greatly diminished. At the time of his death the president’s younger sister, Carolyn Harding Votaw, ran a police program for unwed mothers in the District of Columbia, a job that she had gotten as a direct result of her brother’s intervention when he was a U.S. senator. Carolyn’s husband, Heber H. Votaw, an Adventist minister who had served with her in mission work in Burma from 1905 to 1914, was currently serving as director of the Federal Prison System, though he had no professional training or experience in such work. He had originally left church employ in 1917 to serve as his brother-in-law’s primary Senate office clerk. The president’s brother, George, Jr., had followed in his parents’ professional footsteps as a physician and was now a prominent Adventist doctor operating a mental health sanitarium in suburban Columbus, Ohio. Presidential nephews George III and Charles attended nearby Washington Missionary College in Takoma Park, Maryland, just one mile from the church’s world headquarters on Eastern Avenue. President Harding and his wife, Florence, had attended nephew George’s graduation at the college on May 20, 1923, a visit duly noted and lauded in the Review.

click here for the full article

A political phenomena

2008-03-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

I have debated long and hard whether or not to link Barack Obama's "A more perfect union" speech because it is the goal of Active Adventism to remain nonpartisan. However, nonpartisan does not mean that we ignore a political and cultural phenomena. With over 3 million views in one week it is the #1 viewed video on Youtube. As of today, it has over 400,000 more views than the next closest video on Youtube. The questions surrounding racism are beyond Red and Blue politics. So in the spirit of cultural and political awareness, we share with you the speech.

March 11, Primary in Mississippi

2008-03-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

With the presumptive candidate in the Republican party already in place the Democrats are still fighting for each State. Today the residents of Mississippi are being called upon to be Active and engage in the conversations of our world. From many accounts one of the pressing issues in Mississippi is the rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

Dems: 40 delegates
Reps: 39 delegates

Some of the Campaign Issues

2008-03-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

The GOP (Grand Ole Party aka Republican) candidate is all but confirmed but today is a big day in the Democratic party because two huge states, Texas and Ohio are holding their primaries/caucuses today. In light of the importance of these states between Hillary and Barack. Here is a quick video sharing some of the campaign issues many are struggling with.

Texas Could Spell Double Trouble

2008-03-02T01:12:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to feel important? Well if you are a Texas,you just might on March 4. Texans will have two chances to support their candidate. Texas is the only state in the union where an individual can vote twice legally on the same day, once in a primary, and once in a caucus. The primary results will determine which candidate wins the districts. The caucus will influence the at large votes and party officials. So there's your scoop on Texas. What do you think about their system? Would you even want to vote twice in a day?

Make or Break for Senator Hillary?

2008-03-02T00:46:00.000-08:00

Many pundits have shared that Hillary Clinton must win in Texas and Ohio on Tuesday to be able to win the Democratic nomination. More importantly some are even stating that Texas and Ohio are must wins for her. Former President Bill Clinton reiterates this point. If you are a young adult in Texas,Ohio, Vermont, or Rhode Island, now is your chance to engage in Active Adventism and participate in the process.

Young Adult Democratic SuperDelegate

2008-02-19T18:02:00.000-08:00

Jason Rae is one of the youngest party officials and superdelegates. In fact this young adult was part of the DNC even before he was old enough to vote. Now as a college student and a superdelegate his one vote will count for thousands and may be a key vote in the democratic race between clinton and obama.

you can also see a video of jason on AC360.

Standish Testimony Before Congress

2008-02-18T23:13:00.000-08:00

American workers can unswervingly follow their consciences and fulfill job requirements under newly proposed workplace freedom legislation, said James D. Standish, Esq., Legislative Affairs representative for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, during testimony before a United States Congressional hearing.

"Enough American workers have been humiliated and marginalized for no crime other than remaining faithful to their understanding of God's requirements," said Standish, who joined five other witnesses for the February 12 hearing on the reintroduced Workplace Religious Freedom Act. "Our national values and our common humanity dictate that we provide the modest, commonsense protection [under WRFA], and that we delay no longer."

Click here to read complete article from ANN

February 14, 2008 Washington, D.C., United States
Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN photo: David E. Hittle

Jan Paulsen: Let's Talk, Talks Politics

2008-02-18T23:05:00.000-08:00

'Don't be a bystander,' Adventist leader advises young people

First 'Let's Talk' programs broadcast from Asia; Paulsen says local involvement key to global impact

Several questions surrounded appropriate activities for Adventists. Should Adventists campaign for politicians, run for office, associate with other denominations, play sports? Paulsen's "Yes" to each question was tempered by a warning -- don't let anything elbow out your commitment to Christ. If you seek election one day, he told the students, "don't confuse the agenda of the state with the mission of the church."

"Know who you are and don't compromise your identity," Paulsen said, advising the students not to cloister themselves away in a solely Adventist community. "Christ said, 'Let's go down and meet those people.' So don't be a bystander -- go with conviction, the assurance of who you are and the value of what you offer," he said.

February 12, 2008 Hong Kong,
Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN
click here to read complete story

James Standish Testifies Before Congress

2008-02-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

James Standish, Director of Legislative Affairs
Public Affairs and Religious Liberty at the General Conference of SDA.

Seventh-day Adventist Church representative for Legislative Affairs, James D. Standish, Esq., will join other witnesses in testifying before a U.S. Congressional hearing February 12, urging legislators to sponsor the lately reintroduced Workplace Religious Freedom Act.

"Americans don't accept bigotry in our media, in our schools, or in our government, and we certainly shouldn't accept bigotry against people of faith in our workplaces," Standish wrote in a letter that concerned U.S. citizens can send to their congressional representatives.

read complete article at ANN

Potomac Primary: Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.

2008-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

Tuesday February 12 will mark the Potomac Primary. This is will be a test for the Obama campaign to see if he can continue his winning ways. Huckabee continues to legitimize his candidacy even though he is far behind in delegates.

Obama sweeps, Huckabee weeps

2008-02-11T14:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, not really, maybe complains is a better word.

DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press
February 9, 2008 at 11:01 PM EST
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama swept the Louisiana primary and caucuses in Nebraska and Washington state Saturday night, slicing into Hillary Clinton's slender delegate lead in their historic race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Illinois senator also won caucuses in the Virgin Islands, completing his best night of the campaign.

by FOXNews.com

Saturday, February 9, 2008
Mike Huckabee also had a good day Saturday, pulling out a strong win, 60 to 24 percent, over John McCain in the Kansas Republican caucuses earlier in the day and then taking Louisiana in a sqeaker. Huckabee was at 44 percent to 42 percent for McCain in Louisiana. However, Huckabee did not get to the 50 percent threshold needed to gain the delegates up for grabs from the state, and they will remain uncommitted going into the national convention in September.

After weeks of lagging campaign donations and being swept on Saturday, Hillary Clinton's campaign manager steps down...Huckabee files an official complaint in Washington State and is looking into legal options based on an "early" call for McCain in caucus state.

Select a Candidate

2008-02-08T21:59:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered which candidate for President was best suited to your beliefs? Wait no more. Let me introduce you to Select a Candidate There are several of these quizzes out there but here is a fairly simple one (only 14 questions). It states that it will match you to the candidate that best fits your ideology.

If you would like to find out where you stand ideologically, try the World's Smallest Political Quiz

And then there were 2, kinda

2008-02-07T11:24:00.001-08:00

image: www.foxnews.com
Romney who has spent more than $35mil of his own money in his bid for the GOP (Grand ole party/ republican) nomination has suspended his campaign.
This means that there are really only two viable candidates on the republican side, McCain and Huckabee. The third is Ron Paul, who is a Congressman from Texas. Surprisingly, Paul is often the one considered to have "won" the debates but that hasn't translated into votes at the polls.

Super Tuesday Recap

2008-02-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Voter turnout was at record highs in many States and the results were anything but predictable. On the Democratic side it was Obama's goal to be within 100 delegates of Clinton. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney was disappointed by his support while McCain built on his delegate lead and Huckabee showed very strong in the South.

Republicans:
McCain: AZ, CT, DE, IL, OK, NJ, NY, CA, MO
Romney: MA, MN, ND, UT, MT
Huckabee: AL, AR, GA, WV

Democrats:
Hillary Clinton: AR, OK, TN, MA, NY, NJ, AZ, CA
Barack Obama: IL, GA, DE, AL, ND, KS, CT, MN, ID, CO, ID

How you voted: Track Delegates

2008-02-07T11:03:00.001-08:00

How have they voted?

2008-02-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a resource where you can easily find out how your representative and/or candidate has voted in the past, this is your site. Take some time to explore what issues are important to you as a Christian Young Adult. This site will also allow you to find out who represents you by zip code.

Want to Get Involved: Look at RESULTS

2008-02-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

I hear many times from young adults that they do not know how to get involved in the political system in a meaningful way. Many seem to be disgruntled in the voting process because they have this notion that their votes don't count...Allow me to introduce you to www.Results.org The mission of RESULTS has two parts: to create the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty, and: to empower individuals in exercising their personal and political power. This organization will walk you through the process of being an advocate in your area for the hungry and poor.

Super Tuesday Primary and Caucuses in 24 States and American Samoa

2008-02-04T20:38:00.000-08:00

click on map to view interactive map at www.cnn.com
Tuesday 2.5.08 marks the largest single primary and caucus day in the 2008 Presidential Elections. The blue states mark democrat only states, red states are republican only states, and the purple states are states where everyone participates on 2.5.08. Click on the map and you will be linked to cnn.com and where they have a fully interactive map of the states delegate count.
*map courtesy of wikipedia

President Paulsen Speaks about SDAs & Politics

2008-02-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I admire about General Conference President Jan Paulsen is the fact that he is willing to engage young adults in conversations (Q&A format) with forums known as "Let Talk". Here is a question that was apparently asked in Jamaica on October 27, 2007.

Should Adventists be involved in politics? Do Adventists have anything to contribute to public life?

In many parts of the world Adventists are very much involved in politics. In Papua New Guinea, for instance, a number of politicians are Adventists including one who has served as acting Prime Minister. Another was Governor General for the five-year term ending in 2003. Throughout the world there are Adventists who are judges, ambassadors, and parliamentarians. They follow in the footsteps of the prophet Daniel who held high office in the government of Babylon and yet also remained true to God.

If it is possible without compromising their beliefs, Adventists should be involved in public life at a variety of levels. Someone who has an understanding of the great conflict between God and Satan; who supports religious liberty; who knows that people are more important than things; who has a deep respect for God's creation; who practices wholistic living; and who places God first in their lives definitely has something to contribute to public life! And this is a description of most Adventists. Of course, there may be times of tension between their life of faith and their public office, but these happen in many other work places as well.

Click here for full transcripts

Jim Wallis author of God's Politics on Daily Show with Jon Stewart

2008-02-01T23:24:00.000-08:00

Jim Wallis a Christian political activist shares his views. I've read a few of his books, they are very thought provoking and challenging. He has a new book just released "The Great Awakening" .

In the video Jim states,
"The two great hungers in our world today are the hunger for spirituality and the hunger for social justice. And the connection between the two is the one that a new generation is waiting for."

As Adventist, where do you see Spirituality and Social Justice intersecting?

Is God Silent?

2008-02-01T23:14:00.001-08:00

ICTURE THIS: A candidate for the office of President of the United States stands up  in a South Carolina megachurch one Sunday morning and declares: “We’re going to keep on praising together. I am confident that we can create a kingdom right here on earth.”¹

Or this: Another candidate advertises their faith-based outreach in a state’s churches by quoting Esther 4:14, which reads in part: “. . . who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”²

And how about this one? A third contender says they believe the Bible is the Word of God, but “I don’t believe every single thing in the literal sense of Jonah being in the belly of the whale.”³

All three items took place in the fall of 2007 as candidates for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations barnstormed the early primary and caucus states. Interestingly, however, it was two Democrats—Senators Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.)—who, separately, invoked the “kingdom” and quoted Esther’s uncle Mordecai, while it was a GOP contender, former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who expressed doubts about Jonah’s story.

click here for the complete article

*Source: Adventist Review Online.

Measure God's Impact on a Campaign?

2008-02-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

Part fun, Part useful tool. Welcome to God-o-Meter...this is not a joke. It's actually a indicator from a reputable journalist of the number of times a presidential candidate has used or referenced God in their campaigns. Check it out!

UPCOMING PRIMARY AND CAUCUS DATES

2008-02-01T00:03:00.002-08:00

FEBRUARY 2008 •
February 9: Louisiana, Washington (caucus), Kansas (R) , Nebraska (D)
February 10: Maine (D) 
February 12: District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia 
February 19: Hawaii (D)*, Washington (primary), Wisconsin
MARCH 2008 
March 4: Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont 
March 8: Wyoming (D) 
March 11: Mississippi
APRIL 2008 
April 22: Pennsylvania
MAY 2008 
May 6: Indiana, North Carolina 
May 13: West Virginia 
May 20: Kentucky, Oregon 
May 27: Idaho (R)
JUNE 2008 
June 3: Montana, New Mexico (R), South Dakota

Previous
JANUARY 2008 
January 3: Iowa 
January 5: Wyoming (R) 
January 8: New Hampshire 
January 15: Michigan 
January 19: Nevada, South Carolina (R) 
January 26: South Carolina (D) 
January 29: Florida

February 2: Maine (R) 
February 5 (SUPER TUESDAY): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho (D), Illinois, Kansas (D), Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico (D), New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah 

*source Rock the Vote.com

We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For

2008-02-01T00:03:00.001-08:00

Early Advent believers were active participants in the fight against slavery, a major social and political issue in their day. During the past 150 years since the early days of our church we have shyed from being active participants. I'm not too sure why this shift has occurred but one prominent reason seems to be the belief in the imminent Advent of Christ.

Our generation of young adults (similar in age to many of the ideological pioneers of our Adventist Church) recognizes the disconnect between being a follower of Christ and a citizen of these United States of America. Reading of Holy Scriptures, seems to clearly indicate that social responsibility, defense of the oppressed, compassion for the poor, and care for the sick are all ideals that Jesus clearly taught and expected from His followers.

Because I am a Christian I need to be engaged in the world, so that I can understand the dynamics of our system and the issues related to the needs of our families and our communities. All the while I am reminded over and over again to consistently focus attention not on me, but externally, on the needs of "the other". Focusing on "the Other" reminds me of the sacrificial love of Jesus and is a life principle of gratitude, peace, and grace.

So as I at look the social and political landscape of our nation I recognize how I have neglected the teaching of Christ and not enhanced Kingdom good in my world. I hear the urgency of our generation and think that our self appointed mandate is clear. We are the ones we've been waiting for as Jim Wallis so eloquently states. We cannot afford to wait any longer for someone else to tell us how to love each other, promote peace, and share kindness. I invite you to embrace that, "We are the ones we've been waiting for".

I hope that this blog will help you formulate understanding of the issues impacting our nation and world, through the lens of Kingdom values.

God Peace to you all.