Politics- Fiorina v Trump

Background: So I am an amateur when it comes to politics, but over the past 3 years it has increasingly become all that I think about in my spare time. Over the past 2 months I have been following political leaders (particularly GOP presidential candidates) very closely. I spent a good two weeks in September researching each candidate on their policies. I want to be someone who votes on the issues, but I understand that there is more to picking the President than what a candidate says and believes.
There has been a lot of hoopla surrounding the candidacy of Donald J Trump. He tends to get people excited (either for him or against him). I see some of the things that his supporters like about him, but I'm not quite a fan. To be fair, Donald Trump comes in a solid 7^th on my personal list, at the bottom of the first half. I have no plans to vote for him in the primary, but I am not opposed to voting for him in the general election. I just think that there are plenty of candidates who offer great alternatives to Trump. There are several candidates who are far better than him in multiple ways. I am writing this post to draw attention to one of my favorites.

My Premise: Many candidates offer good alternatives to Trump. Fiorina is all the things that make Trump great, plus some.

First let's look at some similarities.

Both:

• Are outsiders- this seems to be the buzzword this election season. People really want someone who is not in the "political class". So much so that even political insiders like Sanders and Clinton must pretend that they are actually outsiders. Some say it's important to inject fresh blood into the political system, or rather have a total blood transfusion. Others would say that "outsider" is Latin for "inexperienced".
  I certainly believe that we should inject fresh blood into the system, but maybe they should be more tried before they run for politics. However, if we are going to pick an outsider, these two look like the best to me.
• Business leaders (with debatable success)- during the second debate Fiorina and Trump had a little contest over who was the best business leader. The jury is still out for me on who is better. Let's debate that in the comments! Their experience in business leadership are what make them the most viable outsider candidates.
• Excellent communicators- as someone who wants to make a career in public discourse, I have studied both of them, and admired their skill in communication. They have differences, which I will highlight later. Trump has his background in reality TV, and Fiorina in technology (the most important industry in our age). However, both have exhibited excellent skill in communicating their thoughts, and inspiring others.
• Think on their feet- I admire both of them and their ability to think on their feet. Trump is famous for boasting of not using a teleprompter, but Fiorina does the same thing: candid, "any question goes" interviews. My first exposure to Fiorina was on one such interview.
• Policies- When I look at my notes on their positions, I often find it difficult to find a distinction between them. Especially on the two issues that mean the most to me: abortion and the economy. Both seem to think we should compromise to push forward our pro-life agenda, and both have economic ideas that I agree and disagree with.

Trump does have a few strengths, which are what have put him ahead in the polls.

• He's a household name- Trump was a household name long before this election. If you are not following the election, there is still a chance you might not know about Fiorina, but there is little chance that you don't know Trump.
• Charismatic- Trump is simply a charismatic fellow. He obviously read Dale Carnegie's book. I think that Fiorina is a very charismatic figure, but apparently 30% of GOP voters think that Trump is more so.
• Simple rhetoric- the other thing that makes Trump appealing is his ability to speak the every man's language. Trump has been shown to talk at a third grade level. This does not mean that he has the intellect of a third grader, and isn't a necessarily a bad thing. It means that he can bring things down to the lowest common denominator. This is not a good or bad thing. However, none of these strengths I've listed for Trump are reasons to vote for him. Allow me to propose an alternative candidate.

Fiorina may not have Trump's three strengths, but she has other higher qualities. Here are the things that Fiorina has on Trump:

• Tact- A righteous person knows how to control what they say (James 3:2). This is more than me not liking Trump's personality quirk. He exhibits a lack of control in his speech. Not only can Fiorina think on her feet, talking without cue cards, but she exhibits an excellent amount of tact in doing so.
• Delegator- Both candidates, in fact all candidates, talk about all the things they promise to do. Fiorina, in contrast to Trump, is one of the few candidates that I have heard talk about inspiring others to do great things for our country. Rather than letting politicians do everything, we ought to talk about everyone getting involved. Leaders are supposed to inspire others to get involved in the work they are doing. Encourage everyone to contribute their ideas. Delegate work to others, and not micromanage. This is the exact opposite of what is happening in our political system today.
  This is Fiorina's greatest strength. For instance, she famously proposed using a text-polling system to see which issues were a priority to citizens. She talks more about wanting to inspire others than things she will do. I only hear Trump talk about what he will do.
• Policies- When I looked up their positions on the issues, there didn't seem to be much distinction between these candidates. On paper they both looked like moderate Republicans that were more liberal in the past. However, when you look at their campaign sites, Trump is focused on a few issues, but Fiorina is more well-rounded, tackling several issues. Which do you think is better, being well-rounded or focusing on a few issues. In the CNN debate she emphasized her pro-life stance, which I believe is the most important issue; and in this last debate she emphasized reducing government, which I believe is the second biggest issue. She also has a much better handle on foreign policy, due to her background as an advisor to the CIA (which I recently learned of).
• Finally, She's a Woman- No, really? OK, the gloves are off. Should we vote for Fiorina simply because she is a woman? NO! Just like we shouldn't vote for Hilary because she is a woman. In spite of this, Hilary is set to win, simply on the platform that she is a woman. The most strategic move for us would be to nominate a woman. Believe me, I would not be supporting this strategy if not for the things I said in the above three points.
  Hillary will run on the platform that she wants to be the first woman president. If we run Fiorina, that kind of steals Hillary's thunder. They might actually need to talk about policy. Hillary does not seem to be afraid of Carly, but she should be. Once you bypass the superficial points, Carly beats Hilary. Fiorina isn't the warmest Republican candidate, but she is far warmer than Clinton. She does an excellent job at representing conservatism, and if she can learn to bring it down to a third grade level like Trump, maybe she can do even better. Pitting Fiorina against Hillary is a long shot, a blood-bath even, but at least Hillary will not become President by calling for America to vote for a woman, and crying about how Donald Trump is simply bullying her.

So to recap: Fiorina is like Donald Trump, but with tact. She is more conservative on the issues, and she wants to inspire others to get involved.

What do you think? Who has the better business record? Is Trump better off for focusing on a few issues, or Fiorina for her being well-rounded? Who is your favorite candidate (of the two, or overall)? Comment below or tweet me @frank_perseo with your thoughts.

Movies- Woodlawn

My preliminary thoughts after watching Woodlawn

Now I don't watch a lot of sports movies. I was reluctant to see this one. Many Christians have been accustomed to so-called "Christian films" having terrible quality. I went and saw this movie because the producers are my fellow alumni. I never even watched the trailer (which is rare for me, because I watch trailers for everything).

I am so used to cringing frequently in "Christian film", but ten minutes into the movie I realized that I hadn't cringed once. In fact, it was an interesting movie, which I had become engaged in. I didn't understand everything that was happening at first, but I think that was a personal problem because I can't always hear movies well.

I don't watch football too often, but I enjoy the full-contact action when I do. Football movies are great for that, because they cut out all the boring stuff from the games. However, this movie captivated my interest before the first game, with a compelling story of a city torn by racism and social revolution. This aspect interested me more, as the civil rights movement has been of interest to me lately. The movie also touches a bit on the Jesus Revolution, but only in passing.

If you are not religious, this movie could still be for you, as it is not overtly religious (in my opinion). Certainly not down your throat. It presents the Christian message in a way that is respectful to believers and non-believers alike, and then the rest simply shows how that message applies to the issue of racial healing.

I loved the portrayal of the time and location: certainly not perfect by any means, as Birmingham in 1973 was torn by racial divide. On the other hand, I love southern culture. So many things about it, including their hospitality. Growing up, all of our vacations were in the South, and it was nice to visit again for just two hours. And darn-it, I loved the choice of Seventies music. I still have "Spirit in the Sky" stuck in my head. 

Some critics have stated that the film was a bit formulaic, and too close to Remember the Titans. This could possibly be true, but I wouldn't know, as I don't watch many underdog sports films. I still found it to be a compelling story on it's own. There are many inspiring stories to tell about overcoming racism in the South, and we ought to tell as many as we can. We must remember our country's history, or we will be doomed to repeat it.

Also, after reading this review I would like to respond to a few things. No, I don't believe that Christianity is a "persecuted minority". Yes, a majority of the world identify as Christians. However, there are many flavors of Christianity, and even false Christians. It is not my purpose in this post to talk about what makes someone a genuine Christian, but I will say that the more evangelical, conservative, or fundamental a Christian is the more likely they are to be ridiculed.

The above article ends with "if you only respect the beliefs of other people who believe in the divinity of Jesus, what kind of respect is that?" The movie never disrespects another religion (to my memory). Respect does not mean that I must agree with you and accept what you believe.


But enough of my talking. I encourage you to go see it and form your own opinion. For those of you who have seen it, please tell me what you thought in the comments below.

God Talks- Righteousness

RIGHTEOUSNESS

What does it mean to be righteous?

Righteousness is more than simply not doing bad, it deals with doing good! You could, in theory, never break a law, but if you don't do the things that you know you should then you are not righteous.

(James 4:17) So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Now, let me get one thing straight. Only one is perfectly righteous: God, particularly speaking of Jesus. Personally, I see three types of righteousness. I call them God-righteousness, human-righteousness, and self-righteousness. Each one deals with who sees you as righteous, and by what standard. We are sinners, but when we put our trust in Jesus, God sees us with Jesus’ righteousness. Now that we have Christ’s righteousness living inside of us, we strive by the Holy Spirit to “live it out”. We are called to live like Jesus (1 John 2:6). Righteousness calls us to not only avoid evil, but do the things that we know we should.

Think about it. What are some things that you have been putting off, that you know you should be doing. The things that you say "I'll do it later" or "I've been meaning to do that". Do you have a daily devotional time of prayer and Bible reading? You might argue that it's not explicitly commanded in Scripture, but if you know it's a good thing then why aren't you doing it. Even if it's just a few days a week.

This is one of the many struggles I had when I was 18, and I started to think about this subject of "righteousness". I knew that I needed to get a job, take care of my body, better educate myself. These are just a few of the things I was convicted of. Maybe you are convicted of similar things, or maybe there are other things that you know that you need to do.

Follow your conscience

I call the James 4:17 verse, the principle of conscience. You see, as Christians we believe that God has put in everyone a conscience, a moral compass to guide us between right and wrong. This is mentioned in many verses, including Romans 2:15 "They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them". When we go against our conscience it can become seared (1 Timothy 4:2), but it can also be strengthened and sharpened by the Word of God.

The word of God gives us clear commands, but not on every subject. For instance, God's word doesn't tell you what TV shows and movies to watch. However, by knowing God's word we get a sense for the things that God does and does not like. Based on this, as well as godly wisdom and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can navigate our way through subjects that the Bible doesn't address directly.

One cannot use "well the Bible doesn't talk about it so that makes it ok" as an excuse. Children are the ones who need clear instruction on everything. As adults we learn to read between the lines and to use common sense. As mature Christians we must be able to do the same with God's word. Smoking is a great example of this. You could argue that the Bible doesn't say anything about smoking, and therefore it is ok for you to pick up the habit. However, smoking isn't healthy, it's not good, and there are plenty of verses I could use to advise against it (1 Cor 6:19-20).

Growing in all areas

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52)

This verse outlines four ways that Jesus grew: mind, body, spirit, and reputation (socially). God has created us as multifaceted creatures, with many aspects to human existence. This includes, but is not limited to: spirit, intellect, body, social interactions, occupation, and finances.

Spirit- this is the eternal part of us. Since this will last forever it makes sense to take the best care of it. I believe that our spirit grows in proportion to our relationship with God. Our spirit is fed by God's word (Matt 4:4) So it's important to be in God's word. Again, there are are no clear biblical commands to have a personal Bible study. In Bible times most couldn't read, so they listened to the word through sermons. However, today most people can read, and it's good for them to read the Word of themself, so they ought to do it. (Remember James 4:17?)

We also must pray often (1 Thess 5:17), which is just talking to God. God speaks to us through His Word, we talk to Him through prayer. Through this dialogue, we grow closer to God. We must also do what the Bible says, not just read it (James 1:22).

Intellect- Our intellect works in tandem with our spirit: what we think affects what we believe, and vice versa. The key for our intellect is to "seek knowlege" (Pro 18:15). Always be looking for the truth, and looking to learn new things. By doing that you "exercise" your mind.

Body- bodily exercise does profit, albeit little, compared to spiritual discipline (1 Timothy 4:8). We must be good stewards of the body that God has given us. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19).

Social interactions is pretty self explanatory, and there are too many verses to go into here on how we are to interact with others. Occupation is whatever you do with your time, including your job, hobby, ministry, recreation, and education. Even if you are practicing a sport or an instrument. (See Ecc 9:10 and Col 3:23.) In finances we have been called to be good stewards of all that God has given us (Luke 16:11), and to be generous with our abundance (Luke 3:11, 1 Tim 6:17-18).

There are plenty more areas which I haven't mentioned. Among them are art, politics, family, and entertainment; although many of these will fit inside one or more of the aforementioned areas. Furthermore, each of these areas can include more subcategories that we need to grow in. For instance, intellectually, there are many subjects in academia which we should be familiar with.

Do you see how it is important to for us to grow in all of these areas? We might not excel at everything, but we should seek to grow in all the areas that we can.

Arete- Pursue Perfection

Arete is an ancient Greek word that I learned about last year in Western History class. It was one of the highest virtues in Greek culture: the pursuit of perfection. The Greeks were perfectionists, but I don't think it was to a fault. They simply sought to genuinely make everything the best they could. That's why they invented democracy, to debate and seek out the best form of government. Their statues and art portray physically ideal human beings, because they, as a culture, valued idealism.

Now I'm not saying that this Greek perfectionism is Biblical, but I think it is something that people, especially Christians, could learn to value a bit more. To many Christians (and other people) think “Well, it will never be perfect, so why even try.”

In Phillipians 3:12-14 Paul admits that he is not perfect, but he strives to be. As we should, he seeks to improve his relationship with Jesus, his knowledge of Him, and his walk with Him.

Ecclesiastes 9:10a says "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might"; and Colossians 3:23 is like it "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men". We are to do our best in everything. In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul hopes that through God's grace we might "may abound in every good work". Even if it's something small, we are called to be faithful (obedient). When we are faithful with small things, God will give us greater things, in this life or the next (Luke 16:10).

So what are the things that you know you should be doing? Let me know in the comments. Let's turn this into a conversation so that I can make this into a series. What are the types of things that you know you should be doing, but keep neglecting? What are some of those areas that you need to grow in? Do you know that you need to be taking better care of your body? Do you need to start a personal Bible study and prayer time? Do you need to get involved in your church? Taking your education more seriously? Or maybe start reading books to educate yourself more?