It is answers like this that drive my support of Fred Thompson for president.

A woman asked him if he would “as a Christian, as a conservative” continue President Bush’s programs to combat global AIDS.

“Christ didn’t tell us to go to the government and pass a bill to get some of these social problems dealt with. He told us to do it,” Thompson said.

“The government has its role, but we need to keep firmly in mind the role of the government, and the role of us as individuals and as Christians on the other.”

I fully believe that Christians and others of all religious backgrounds should be engaged in the political process. But as a Christian I have to suggest that Sen. Thompson’s answer is the proper roll for religion in politics.

It doesn’t matter what the question or issue may be, government is very seldom the answer.

How refreshing that Fred Thompson understands that.

(h/t: Hot Air)

Cross posted from The Marblehead Regiment.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28 — New International Version

Other Easter Posts:
Blogs for Bush
Theodore’s World
Freedom Eden
Freedom Folks
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Nancy Astor: “If I were your wife, I would put poison in your coffee.”
Sir Winston Churchill: “And if I were your husband, I would drink it.”

Programming Note: I am heading out to finish a little bit of shopping. Today’s First Cup will actually be an after-the-second-cup-and-I-get-home edition.

DONE!! On with the post —

The Wide Awake Cafe (Laura Lee Donoho) God Will Provide

My prayer is that the Lord of all will shine on this disbelieving, violent world and that the star that rested on Bethlehem will one day illuminate many hard, and harried hearts and show them the way to true Peace. May all the troops in harms way know the very presence of Emmanuel, God with us.

Actually, I think I’ll leave it at that and urge you to read the whole thing.

Today’s First Cup is very simple — He Is Risen!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28 — New International Version

Linked with Resurrection Sunday / Open TrackBacks at basil’s blog.

The story of Abdul Rahman, on trial for his life in Afghanistan, is disturbing to anyone who loves the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. Saturday’s story from Voice of America explains that Rahman is on trial not for becoming a Christian, but for being a “traitor to Islam.” The prosecutor in the case, Abdul Wasi, is seeking a punishment that he says would fit the crime. “Under Islamic law and under the Afghan constitution, he says, the defendant should be executed.”

There are three considerations at play in this case — Societal, Political, and Religious. The three are both intertwined and conflicting.

Looking at the societal aspect I am talking about society as a whole, The Brotherhood of Man if you will. The possibility that Rahman could be executed for his conversion is an abomination to the large portion of the world which believes in religious freedom. True religious freedom, including the right to worship in the way you choose or to not worship at all.

There appears to be a stunned silence from most of the world, a disbelief that someone could loose their life because of the religion they practice. We get rightly outraged at the atrocities committed by radical Islamists, but this event is taking place in court under the umbrella of the laws of a so-called moderate government.

The reaction of much of the world reminds me of own feelings when the shuttle exploded or when the terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center — a conflicting feeling of something so wrong that even the evidence right in front of me could not totally erase the thought that I must be missing something; That something so horrible could not possibly be happening. I believe that a large portion of the world sees this the same way; Something that can’t really be happening in our society.

While the societal aspect is pretty clear cut, the political aspects are more conflicted. On the one hand is the fact that the Afghanistan government is legitimate and has every right to determine their own laws. Our own intervention helped to create the power they now wield.

The United States and all other nations would be offended if Afghanistan attempted to dictate how we should run our affairs. However this does not, and should not, preclude those who see this as an outrageous injustice to speak out against it.

President Bush and Secretary Rice have both made statements saying they are troubled by the implications of this case. Some would argue that being troubled is far to mild, but for the time being I am willing to accept the possibility that additional pressure is being applied behind the scenes. Pressure that puts forward a strong argument against execution and in favor of religious liberty while not undermining the sovereignty of their government.

Finally there is the religious component. Two things strike me in this regard.

First it points out the stark contrast between radical Islam and Christianity. I realize that the Christian religion has it’s own history of atrocities carried out under it’s banner. Not to be glossed over, they are not germane to the current argument.

A highly simplified version of the differences in the two religions can be seen in the way they think about conversion. As a Christian, I see my role in converting others as two pronged. One, to live in such a way as to accurately represent my faith and in doing so to attract others. Secondly, I should be unashamed of my faith and willing to gladly tell others what I believe.

Islam, and the radical elements that control much of it today, follows a violent agenda that seeks to impose their religion on others. All others. The brutality that takes place in the name of Islam is the visible, public face of it’s intolerance. However, the actions of a legitimate government and their court system is, in some ways, scarier than a direct physical assault.

More important than all of this is the life of Abdul Rahman. Via Michelle Malkin come several ideas on how to help.

Write the embassy of Afghanistan:

Ambassador Said T. Jawad
Embassy of Afghanistan
2341 Wyoming Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
info@embassyofafghanistan.org

Contact the State Department:

U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Main Switchboard:
202-647-4000

She also point to a rally being organized for Friday 3/24.

Cam Edwards of OnTap e-mailed me yesterday with an excellent idea–a rally for Abdul Rahman outside the Afghan embassy in Washington, D.C. Thanks to the D.C. Freepers, a permit has been submitted to the D.C. police.

[...]

Please join us if you can (and if you can’t, why not organize an event/prayer service/etc. in your own neighborhood?):

Friday March 24
Noon to 1pm
Outside the Afghan Embassy
2341 Wyoming Ave NW.
Washington DC

Our prayers are with Abdul Rahman as this case moves slowly forward. And with those in power who have the ability to make a positive statement about religious freedom and true tolerance.

Linked with the Picnic at basil’s blog and TMH’s Bacon Bits Bacon Break — Under The Radar.

Stan Guthrie has a great interview with David Limbaugh. He sums up my feelings very well saying,

“As Christians, I think we owe it to Christ to speak the truth and not to cower from it for fear of disapproval by the popular culture. I don’t want to wear it on my sleeve or turn people off by getting in their faces, but I do believe I should boldly proclaim my faith and discuss it in my columns when it is relevant to the topic I’m discussing.”

This is exactly right and it is still a right that hasn’t been taken away, despite what you may have read in the MSM. We have gone from a culture that accepted the Christian Church and it’s ideals to one that tolerates publicly any religion but Christianity. The liberal rant that Christians are trying to turn America into a theocracy are as relentless as they are baseless. Evangelical Christians, in general, don’t want to turn America into a Christian State, but would rather lead individuals to Christ. No written laws can control behavior; they can only prescribe consequences for their violation. A truly changed heart needs no additional laws. Behavior is determined by belief, not fear of consequences.

Are Christians perfect? No. Are all who call themselves Christians really believers? No. Do true Christians always behave correctly? No. Of course not. Yet, all of these are brought up as reasons to keep Christians out of the public discourse. What the left doesn’t seem to grasp is that Christianity is something that becomes, not a part of you but, a reshaping of who you are. We are being asked to check our Christianity at the door. But it can’t be done. It’s not a coat or hat that we wear on special occasions, but it is as much a part of our being as the color of our eyes or the size of our feet.

I encourage you to read the whole interview. David presents a great case for tolerant-intolerance becoming real intolerance becoming persecution. We can not allow it to happen and survive as a nation.