• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1988-11-03_Vol54_No12_07

The Western Carolinian Page 7 Thursday .November 3, 1988 Christianity Today Heading to The Polls: Will Dukakis Pull the Harry Truman Comeback by Curtis Pate STAFF WRITER by Colin Burch STAFF WRITER Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggert. Television ministers with acres of expensive automobiles. Sex scandals. Tammy Baker's cosmetic encased face. Homosexuals becoming ordained ministers. These hypocritical instances of people claiming to be Christians publicized by the media seem to be turning out this concept of Christianity; it's all "bull". Unfaithful married men and men that use the spreading of the Gospel for personal gain have dimmed the true spirit of Christianity. It's many positive spiritual, practical, and humanitarian truths are being lost thanks to careless, hypocritical men. Many people seem to think something similar to what Bruce Hornsby wrote in one of his songs, something like: "If these are the good guys, I don't wanna know the bad." But true Christianity still exists, and for those of you who were beginning to wonder just what a church really is, let me assure you: true Christians aren't money hungry, power hungry, nor do they cheat on their spouses. For thousands of years tyrants have tried to abolish the Christian faith through Bible- burning and torture and public, grotesque executions. Still, it survived through the centuries to the point in history where some Protestants brought it to this Land of Freedom. Here there was established an undeniable right to worship however the individual wanted. Comparatively speaking, it is easy to be a Christian in this country. Maybe to easy. I am reminded of a point in history where a new Roman leader changed the Roman laws from making Christianity illegal to making it the "in style", so to speak, thing to do. So everybody was a "Christian", while true Christianity was scarce. Could this be similar to what is happening today in America? My father is involved with mission outreaches to countries where Christianity is illegal, and I know for a fact that Christianity is illegal, and I know for a fact that Christians behind the Iron Curtain are honest, clean, and decent people, unlike the "Christians" we see in the news these days. Could it be that some people are abusing freedoms? Well, this nation is the Land of Opportunity, too, so what's to stop someone from trying to make a buck? It's been happening for years, actually: the use of the fearof Hell and the anticipation of Heaven to bring in cash. It was a popular thing to do in the Middle Ages before the Protestant Reformation as clergymen in many churches would make people believe they needed to pay to receive forgiveness for sins. Today many evangelists are crooked, obviously, and the way they get so rich is to hoodwink people into believing that Government Books & More! Send for your free catalog Free Catalog Box i roon Washington DC 20013-7000 they are helping brothers and sisters in Christ to, for instance, reach otherpeople. But deception of people and the hoarding of money is not part of true Christianity. Along the lines of deception, the Bible often calls Satan, the enemy of Christianity, "the Deceiver". It is obvious that hoarding money is not part of Christianity in the Bible where Jesus throws vendors out of the temple. The vendors were using the needs of the people to bring personal gain. For instance, some of the vendors may have been selling animals for sacrifice, which was a common practice as it was a key part for asking God for forgiveness of sins. One of the keys of Christianity is unselfishness. It's purpose is to serve— it is not to see how much one can get out of it materialisticly. But materialism seems to be the common interest in some American Christian and so-called Christian circles today. The Bible clearly says to "lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven," and not to be concerned with material wealth. This is not what you see in the media, but such ill-gotten gain is not an element of what I think is Christianity. My definition of a true Christian, loosely, would be one who believes that Jesus Christ died to redeem the sins of the earth, one who tries to love his neighbor as his self, and one who tries to live the way the Holy Bible prescribes its believers to live. Those of you who know me well know I'm no angel. I'm far from it, actually, and I'll be the firsttosayit. Yet I was brought up with true Christian principles, and I'm sick of seeing some of the most disgusting news stories today get a "Christian" label. I feel that the masses are being turned off to something that is very positive by the publicity of a few hypocrites and that the American institution known as the Church could use some defending based on what it really is, not what it is appearing to be on World News Tonight. I'm not Judge and Jury, but I feel that there are people who will pay dearly for blemishing something honest, good, and necessary to our nation. Next week those few of us who have registered to vote will be going to the polls to put in our two cents about who will be the next president of the United States. As I write this, on October 27th, the latest polls say that the president will be George Bush, but Bush isn't breaking out the champagne yet because he knows this one is going to be close. I would like to take this opportunity to give the reasons I hope that Mike Dukakis will pull the Harry Truman comeback that he's been reduced to talking about in the last few weeks. Bush has been running for the most part as the sequel to the Ronald Reagan presidency, and it works pretty well. Reagan is easily the most popular president since John Kennedy, and even when plagued with seemingly constant scandal he has managed to come out unscathed. Somehow Bush has been able to convince the conservative voters of America that he is the heir apparent to Reagan, but is he really? In 1980 Bush was campaigning against Reagan and claimed that his opponent was too far to the right to be allowed to lead the country. Reagan picked him as a second choice for ideological balance and Bush became Reagan's strongest supporter, becoming a conservative overnight. You wouldn't know it to hear him talk today, but there was a time when Bush was a moderate who was for the ERA, pro-choice on abortion, and pro-gun control. Unlike the conservatives who remain skeptical of Bush, my argument with him is not that he thought this way, or even so much that he now takes positions contrary to my own. The problem is that he seems to have made these choices for his own political advantage, which demonstrates why he was known for so long as a "wimp". It's not a matter of his personal courage, anybody who performs as he did in battle is not a wimp. However, we're electing a president, not a fighter pilot. There are different kinds of courage, one of which is the courage to stand up for what you believe in. This is the dind of courage we need in a leader, and the kind which Bush seems to lack. Bush also claims that Dukakis is not qualified to lead the country. What job can you hold that qualifies you for the from winning? No, it's just the presidency? No job in the world best one. Where bush has been can prepare a man to be the leader talking about tax breaks and of the free world, it requires a "points of light", Dukakis has variety of skills that are almost been proposing good programs to play such a stupid game very well speaks volumes for him to me. After eight years of style over substance, of image over meaning, wouldn't it be nice to have a impossible to conceive of some- help those who the Reagan era has leader instead of an entertainer? one gaining during his lifetime, left behind. The environment is in Dukakis won't be as substantial Dukakis has no experience with a terrible state and this issue must as leaders of the past, in today's foreign relations, true, but Bush be addressed, yet Bush comes to politics that is probably impos- has no experience being a chief this issue only when it is time for sible, but he could hardly be executive. What experience has campaigning, while Dukakis has worse than Reagan. Bush had? Two terms in Con- been endorsed by every major ■"^^l^^"""B^^*™^^^— gress, ambassador to China, head environmental group. Under of CIA, UN ambassador and Reagan the deficit has grown to Vice-President. That's an im- unheard of levels, and bush pro- pressive resume, except when poses to continue his "voodoo you consider that he hasn't really economics" policy. Dukakis is done anything memorable with it. prepared to make the tough He was appointed to most of his choices necessary to resolve the jobs, served for a while, and left, deficit, even raising taxes if nee- There is no evidence that he used essary, as opposed to Bush who his supposed foreign relations still lives in the fantasy that you skills to advise the president ex- can solve such a deficit pain- cept Reagan's assurance that lessly. Dukakis is also committed Bush has been with him all the to reducing nuclear weapons and way, and even Reagan doesn't strengthening our conventional really give him that much credit, defenses, while Bush would Finally, there is the cam- blindly buy every weapons sys- paign Bush has run, one of the tern that is developed. When dirtiest in history. Dukakis is no Reagan made the INF treaty, the angel, but compared to Bush he greatest triumph of his career, the has been pathologically clean, conservative wing of his party Where Ted Kennedy asked acted as though the world had "Where was George?", Bush ended. But Reagan was too popu- askedwhyDukakisdidn'tlikethe lar and had no elections left, so he transportation to and from the pledge of allegiance. Dukakis got away with it. Given the polls. If anyone would like a nde said that a fish rots from the head amount of political conviction ' down in reference to the Reagan Bush has shown so far how likely administration's record of sleaze, it is that he will move into mean- Bush claimed Dukakis was a ingful negotiations with the Rus- friend to criminals because of a sians and offend the people whose furlough program that was in support he so desperately needs? place when Dukakis became He has already bowed to the ex- governor and that most states treme right enough that he picked have. Like Reagan before him, a complete unknown with ques- Bush managed to avoid backlash tionable qualifications as a run- from these unfair attacks by ning mate, why would he risk adopting a nice guy image, pass- offending them as president? Social Work Club to Provide Rides to the Polls by Buck Zeller On November 8, the Social Work Club will offer free have a car or they are not sure where the polls are, they will be able to call 227-7112 on November 8 and request the free transportation. A car will then come and pick them up and take them to the polls. Wait for them to vote and then drop them off wherever they were picked up. We are doing this because we feel a need to get everyone to the ing\he~buck to" the media* and Dukakis lends to be something of polls to vote. Now, you won't be pretending to be addressing the a slow, deliberate and methodical issues and exposing his oppo- man, just the type of man who nents liberalism. In addition, the could keep a careful watch on Republicans have continued their events in Russia and assess our old tactics of painting liberals as position while making a firm one step from communists. If you commitment to arms reduction, knew nothing about American Bush's portrait of him as a native politics and watched the Republi- child giving away the game in the can convention you would con- first inning just doesn't ring true, elude that liberals were creatures Dukakis the technocrat may be from another planet. Finally, dull but no one ever accused him Bush's hypocrisy is clear when he of being stupid. Finally, the rea- claims to be an environmentalist son Dukakis is behind in the polls despite his support of James Watt is that he has not been a carefully and Anne Gorsuch, calls for sup- manufactured media personality port from mythical "points of with an arsenal of sound bites and light" to solve problems that the meaningless images. His at- administration he supports has tempts at such artifices, necessi- ignored for eight years, and has tated by the realities of today's complained about he media not politics, have been embarrassing reporting hard news while duck- and ineffective because he obvi- ing issues like bullets. ously felt the whole thing was So is the only reason to rather silly and he didn't want to vote for Dukakis to keep Bush be there. The fact that he doesn't able to use this excuse to not vote. Remember, if you need a ride call 227-7112 and request one on November 8 (this will be the only day of the free transportation offered by the Social Work Club). Remember, voting is a right and a privilege. We strongly encourage everyone to exercise that right and VOTE on November 8. The polls will be open from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm and free transportation will be available from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm at 227-7112, courtesy of the Social Work Club. ' If you or anyone you know wants a ride to the polls on November 8, 1988, call 227- 7112 between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm. Please remember to call only on November 8, because this phone will not be answered on any other date. Thank you. T>ed'ic&±-eA -to aJI -Hiotf jj W^W-.S«-*.<> ouriyeiv.+ur«rs| <tom- Jrucfv K*ol »^luc «iJJAiyi 0]?E:Cher,e$5t^

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1988-11-03
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-05
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 14 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1988-11-03_Vol54_No12
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library