I am sure that I do not need to remind you that we are in the middle of a presidential election here in America. It is during this time that I'm so happy for the freedom to not watch television. Unfortunately there may be an even worse plague starting as folks on both sides of the fence start hurling missiles filled with innuendos and just plain lies about the candidates. Personally I believe that once again we are faced with really poor choices. We can actually listen to what the candidates say that they believe the course of the nation should be then look at their voting record it is hard to see any consistency. Mr. McClain has been ensconced in the Republican political machine for more years than I want to think about. He has been part of every law that has been passed. He voted for our invasion of Iraq. He has voted for tax increases and tax reductions. He has voted for pork barrel legislation to benefit his home state of Arizona. He has not taken a stand on the abortion. He has not taken a stand for the support one man one woman marriage. He may be a great guy to the people who know him. I just have enough unbiased information to know what to think.

Mr. Obama has been labeled a liberal. He actually has been picked as the most liberal member of the US Senate. Some folks think that he is evil. He has said that killing babies should a right for women. He has said there is more than one way to salvation. He does not believe that marriage is the sacred union of one man to one woman. Mr. Obama is a very articulate, smooth, and persuasive speaker. He has very little experience in federal government. He has never served in the armed forces. He has no executive experience. The above statements are based on listening to him speak and various nationally reported news stories. I do not know the truth about Mr. Obama from firsthand knowledge so I cannot really draw any conclusions about his qualifications.

While I am talking about the election I want to discuss what I am sure will happen in the next few months. Our email in boxes will be inundated with hundreds maybe thousands of email messages pointing how one or both of the presidential candidates are behaving. We will be encouraged to forward these emails to all of the people we know stop the perceived threat posed by one or the other of the candidates. As a conservative Christian believer I believe that I have a greater responsibility to share only true reports. Gossip is an insipid ill that plagues our society. There is not a day goes by without an email reporting some dire event or imagined threat to our way of life as believers. Let me be clear I believe that as believers we are fully engaged in spiritual warfare with the forces of Satan. I believe that it is incumbent on me not to pass on any report or information that I cannot personally verify as the truth. How can I expect anyone to believe what I say about the gospel of Jesus Christ if I am sending out lies about people? God’s word is very clear about the dangers of gossip. Please read the following scriptures: Ro 1:29-31, 2 Co 12:20, and 1 Ti 5:13 to hear what God has to say about gossip and those who participate in the practice.  Brothers and sisters in Christ we need a stand against evil and we do it with the truth of God’s word. Even without the Holy Scriptures common sense and experience should show us the dangers of unsubstantiated rumors. Careers, marriages, ministries, and families have been irreparably damaged as a result of gossip. Let us not be any part of unfounded rumor circulation. Please check the facts before sending a message on and if you cannot verify it don’t send the message on. We are responsible to spread the truth about salvation in Jesus Christ the risen Son of God.