Forgive Them, for They Know Not What They Do

Quite the night for Gov Huckabee last night in Iowa. With around 34% of the caucus vote, he did even better than predicted and really crushed the competition, especially squelching the hopes of Gov Romney.

If you watched some of the shows last night and even this morning, you will see that there are really two reasons Gov Huckabee did so well in Iowa. One is his ability to communicate. The man admittedly is very witty and can tell a joke with the best of them. But not just with a joke, but with the ability to empathize, to convey the idea that he understands what the hearer is feeling. As with his democratic counterpart, Gov Huckabee preaches something positive, something hopeful, something great.

The other reason Gov Huckabee did so well was his support among evangelical Christians. The "moral majority" kicked it into high gear and voted for Huckabee two to one over Romney and even to a greater degree than the rest. It was with these type of folks that Gov Huckabee learned his craft of "preaching" and communicating. It was with evangelicals that the then Pastor Huckabee would maneuver through all sorts of doubts, sins, and pride to persuade one of the lost sheep to rejoin the fold. The man can connect with evangelicals first, but then to the rest as well.

The one thing noticeably missing from the reasons Gov Huckabee winning was sort of odd, if you think about it. What was missing? Just something little like issues and policy.

That is not to say Gov Huckabee does not have views on issues or policy ideas. Evangelicals love him for his consistent defense of the life of the unborn, the insistence of marriage being between one man and one woman(even to the point of having the federal govt intrude on what has always been in the realm of the state governement.) But it is clear that many of the voters did not consider the issues as much as they thought about Huckabee a "Christian leader," "someone that will be talking to you in your living room over the next four years," "a great communicator," etc.

Is there a problem with this? Is there something wrong with voting for and supporting someone on such basis? Watch the videos of both Gov Huckabee and Sen Obama and you will, according to the pundits, be filled with inspiration as if listening to Lincoln, MLK Jr, or Robert Kennedy. You will sit mesmerized by such an incredible cadence and ability to connect with a crowd. Indeed, you will have an incredible amount of optimism and faith in America! But one thing you won't see in these speeches or others by these men are the issues at hand. There might be allusion to an issue a time or two, but overwhelmingly the speeches are filled with stories, jokes, one liners, and well practiced and well timed vague phrases meant to leave one with awe and wonder, while simultaneously numbing that one's intellect.

I think there is a problem with this. How else can a GOP electorate so enraged with illegal immigration and even the idea of amnesty be enamored with Gov Huckabee when he continues to this day to preach a "pathway to citizenship" (notice the word "amnesty" is absent) and scholarships for illegals? How else can the GOP as a whole be disgusted with the out of control spending of the past seven years of a Bush presidency yet rally behind someone in Huckabee who criticizes the President for vetoing further spending and is the most avid supporter among the candidates for very big programs republicans have been upset about?

I hate to say this but many of those with whom I have associated my whole life, the evangelical Christians (of whom I am one) have been deceived. They have been carried away by a pied piper preacher playing a plentitude of platitudes that, when looked at more closely, is nothing more than a progressive big government liberal who happens to be prolife, progun, and an amazing communicator. Gov Huckabee is no conservative. He is no Jeffersonian that he claims to be. He is not a defender of the constitution. In fact, when his policies and stances are seen for what they are, they absolutely fly in the face of the ideals of small govt, true federalism, conservatism, low taxes, and true constitutionalism. As such, Gov Huckabee is NOT to be trusted when he says his primary job will be to defend the constitution. He is a dishonest man if he ever takes such a vow.

I do not blame the evangelicals per se. They have been slowly fed a bill of goods over many years to believe that there are certain things you have to look at to determine who can be supported and who can't. As such, they tend to forget the constitution as much as the leaders they support; and this is a travesty in liberty.

As I see many deceived, I think back to the prayer of Christ some 2000 years ago as he hung on the cross. Praying for those who were his sheep who had gotten involved in the physical crucifixion of the savior of the world, He asked God to forgive them, for they knew not what they had done. Thus, as so many were doing something they thought was so moral, so right, so within the will of God, and yet so mistaken, I saddened within myself and asked my Father to do the same for those who are is. To forgive them the sin of standing up for and defending someone so dishonest to say he defends the constitution and yet truly opposes it with nearly every policy and issue he puts forth. I pray He forgives me for being part of such in my life.