Shut it down. Shut it all down. Raise your hand if you think we’d actually be better off continuing down this path of record deficits, printing money we don’t have, and spending ourselves into oblivion. The fact that we’re continuing to run the federal government without a budget is insulting, childish and quite frankly disgraceful. All the political bantering this week about a dreaded shutdown of the government would be laughable if it didn’t highlight how close we are to economic collapse.

The American people would be far better off if the government did shut down..at least for a while…and then began eliminating wasteful, failing and fraudulent programs. (Hello Amtrak, which hasn’t made a profit in 30 years.) Do you realize that one of the motivations behind the founders’ idea to relocate our nation’s capital to the area now known as the District of Columbia was to minimize the amount of time members of Congress spent there? It was originally a swamp! The idea of career politicians who lived off of ever expanding government bureaucracy was completely contradictory to the original plan and vision for a small, limited government with enumerated powers.

If anything, shutting the government down might give enough pause for members of Congress to realize that the American people – and those most recently elected largely because of the Tea Party – will not stand for the status quo any longer. That status quo is FLAT BROKE and sinking us ever deeper into astronomical debt. Consider the following:

• As the Patriot Post noted yesterday, the Treasury Department quietly noted this week that last month the Federal Government spent 8.2 times the amount of revenue it took in. Now imagine your family, or the average small business doing that. How long would that last before your property would be repossessed and your business shut down?

• February was even worse, posting the largest monthly deficit in history – $223 billion, according to CBO figures. That’s only one month, and for some perspective, was more than the deficit for all of 2007, which was $158 billion.

• According to Economist Mary Meeker, we’ve spent an average of eight percent per year more than we’ve taken in…for the past 15 years!

• Also according to Meeker, if the U.S. were a business, its 2010 structural operating loss would be  –$817 billion! Compare that to  –$78 billion just 15 years ago.

And the truly maddening part of all this is that we’re not even having the right conversations. “Cutting this” and “raising that” is not getting anywhere close to the core problem. At the heart of this debate should be how grossly unconstitutional the governance of our Federal establishment has become. The reason why we have $trillions of debt is because most of what the government does today is outside the bounds of Constitutional authority (read that statement again). If the Federal Government wasn’t illegally managing so many aspects of society, we wouldn’t be trying to collect such insane amounts of tax money to pay for it. Consider that 58% of our spending goes toward entitlements – ALL of which is unconstitutional! Think about it…And for even more context, please revisit Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution to review the small number of powers Congress is supposed to wield.

Would anyone really miss it if the Fed shut down for a while? I’m all for it and I’m willing to bet that most Americans agree: Shut the monster down. Doing so might illumine the only realistic path forward and that is to drastically cut the size, scope and metastasizing control of the Federal government. The truly sad part is the degree to which so many Americans are so dependent on the the government (their fellow citizens) – which is the reason that we’re even having this debate. It’s called the “road to serfdom” and we’re fast approaching the destination. Our level of dependency and perpetual debt is nearing the tipping point, beyond which America will cease to be free, prosperous and the beacon of liberty to the world.

Entirely fascinating, educational and eye-opening. That was my day on Tennessee’s Capital Hill shadowing House Speaker Beth Harwell, my house representative. It was a whirlwind day that left me amazed on so many levels. And it was nothing short of a thrill for this relatively young political activist who may someday find himself walking in the same arena. For this week’s post, I want to share a brief recap of my experience that will hopefully give you an interesting perspective of our state representatives.

These people work hard. You should see the schedule that was handed to me as I began my day with Speaker Harwell. It was two pages long and in several slots had numerous places to be at the same time! I got dizzy just reviewing it. As the day got underway, I was not only treated with great respect, but was given full access to everything going on in Speaker Harwell’s fast pace world. It was a demanding day of meetings, strategy sessions, appearances, and managing people, requests, and constituents, etc. It was non-stop, with barely time for lunch – and a working one at that.

Not only do they work hard, but the representatives I got to meet and interact with exuded a sincere dedication to doing the right thing. I was struck by the daunting challenge they have balancing the demands – the push and the pull – of the legislative process to that end. 
All day long Speaker Harwell met with different groups  and individuals – the Jr. League, American Heart Association, the Tennessee Health Care Association, lobbyists, just to name a few – and each one had seemingly valid requests, information to share, and hopes to be filled. After one such meeting, Speaker Harwell looked at me and sighed, “you can’t please everyone.” But one thing was clear to me, she sure tried.

Several key things stand out to me from what I observed when it comes to what it takes to be successful serving in this capacity:

• To be successful, you must be able to communicate with clarity, brevity, confidence and conviction. If you don’t, you aren’t going to last long at this.
• You must be a master at managing and interacting with people. I witnessed amazing people dynamics at play and among the things that struck me most was their ability to listen, interpret, manage emotions and stress, and of course remain pleasant with a servant’s heart.
• This job also calls for sharp decisiveness on the fly and the ability to constantly prioritize. In fact, prioritizing is central to what they do – all day. Whether it’s their schedule, who to meet with, what initiatives to support, who to lean on to get something passed, etc., it’s a constant drill of balancing priorities and making quick decisions.

I’m grateful for my day on the Hill with Speaker Harwell. Tennesseans should be proud of their first ever female speaker of the House and all the fine qualities she brings to her role. But I also left with a renewed understanding of just how critical it is that we, the people, are engaged in governing ourselves and being part of the process. As citizens living in a free federal republic, we must take responsibility and be accountable for our lives. We cannot just sit back and rely on our representatives to do it all. It is up to us to communicate to them what is important to us and how we want them to govern. And in order to do that, we must understand how our government works best, how it was originally established, and what truly sets us apart as a nation under God, free to worship, live and prosper.

We all have questions. We all seek answers in this time of trial. America is at a tremendous cross roads and I wonder if we are even asking the right questions. In 1961, John F. Kennedy spoke words that now seem etched in the hallows of time and presidential glory: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country…” But much more of what he spoke that day bears remembering as well. Doing so will illuminate the kind of questions that need to be answered by all of us today…

“…the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought are still at issue around the globe – the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.”

In that one sentence, Kennedy captures a profound truth of American exceptionalism that many of us have forgotten. The state does not exist to provide for us. It was established to protect what God has granted each human being – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Are we seeking to be served by America?

“We dare not forget that today we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…proud of our ancient heritage…” What have we, in this day, done with this torch of freedom for which so costly a price has been paid? Is it being passed on, or snuffed out?

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardships, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty…”  Where has the warrior heart of America gone to honor this legacy of leadership and strength?  Are we standing for freedom or appeasing evil?

“I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it – and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.”  Where has that energy, faith and fire gone? Have we allowed it to be replaced by self loathing, guilt and revisionist history?

“With a good conscience, our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own.”

Have we lost our love for America? Have we allowed the cynics and the “blame America crowd” to drown out the ringing bells of liberty, justice and faith? What is America asking of us today? Are we hearing her cries from within? Have we forgotten the dreams of our founding fathers who pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor?

Let us ponder these stirring questions with a humble heart and an eager spirit. We must then go forth with courage and answer these questions with bold conviction. America’s destiny and the freedom of millions lies in our hands and the lingering embers in our hearts…

We don’t believe in evil. It doesn’t exist. People today refuse to accept its reality. We won’t acknowledge the countless ways that evil manifests itself throughout our world. We hem and we haw. We make excuses and we appease. As my friend Keith mentioned recently, “The Devil’s greatest feat was convincing us that he doesn’t exist.” Yes, and his most damaging trick today is a complete disappearing act. What else could explain the confusion, appeasement and cowardice in the face of such heinous, unmitigated evil?

“If history teaches anything, it teaches that simple minded appeasement or wishful thinking about our adversaries is folly. It means the betrayal of our past, the squandering of our freedom.”
– Ronald Reagan, March 8, 1983

Twenty eight years ago this past week, President Ronald Reagan boldly identified evil and its manifestation in Communist Russia. He did not flinch or hesitate. He called it the evil empire and said, “They are the focus of evil in the modern world.” Reagan’s undaunted stance on the Cold War was explicit: “We win, they lose.” (Watch this excerpt of Reagan’s historic speech here).

The greatest evil in the world today is political Islam. After investing hundreds of hours of study into the doctrine and 1,400 year history of Islam’s brutality, suffering and death, I have witnessed something very disturbing: many people’s reaction after being exposed to it. They don’t believe it’s a gravely serious threat to America and calling it evil would be offensive. Why? Because they simply don’t believe in evil anymore and it’s not taught or acknowledged from the pulpits on Sunday. How could any political doctrine masquerade as a religion and prompt its followers to use their kids as bombs? To kill their wives or daughters to restore the family’s honor? To stone human beings to death? To kill those who leave their system? It’s simply too grisly a reality to accept and not nearly enough do. Evil doesn’t exist and so the cause of these practices has to be explained by something else – poverty, our nation’s foreign policy, America’s sinfulness, Israel, etc.

As I mentioned on the radio recently, I have discovered something very insightful, and to my knowledge, not previously discussed or identified. There is a grieving process when learning about Islam that most people go through if they allow the veil to be removed and the truth to take root. I’ve seen it happen time and again with those who begin learning the actual doctrine and its whitewashed history. It’s similar to the grieving process that we can experience with the loss of a loved one. It goes like this:

1. Shock
2. Disbelief
3. Anger
4. Despair
5. Surrender

Learning about Islam is a grieving process because you are saying goodbye to the reality you had before coming to the full understanding of what Islam actually is and how serious our situation has become. You also grieve because you realize that your life will never be the same. You will now carry a weight with this knowledge and your priorities will change dramatically.

Fortunately, not all people allow themselves to slip into steps four and five. Instead of allowing despair and surrender to take hold, they get motivated and take action. Taking this alternate path is essential if we have any chance of turning the tide of history. And the first action is to undertake serious study and self education to replace ignorance, fear and denial.

Fellow citizens, it’s time for us to grow up and man up. Evil is real. It is present and all around us. Islamic Shariah Law is an evil political system. If you don’t believe this, I charge you to visit any Islamic country where large percentages of the population believe in such evil practices as mentioned above. The following numbers, for instance, scream bloody volumes:

Our problem with evil is not that we can’t fight back and defeat it. Our problem with evil is that we don’t believe it’s there. We can’t win the battle if we don’t realize there is one.

Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, there is an epic, civilizational war being waged on America, right now. Its reality does not hinge on your ability to stomach it. Fight and live free, or cower and suffer slavery and death. The choice is yours…

For those who continue in denial, I charge you with the utmost sincerity of heart and love for this country, to read carefully this groundbreaking document: Shariah-The Threat to America

Just when you think you’ve seen it all from the most anti-American administration in history, death is used as a “double bounce” to answer sinking poll numbers and a shallacking in November. Obama took a serious and painful low for the families of those lost this week in Tuscon to a new low in ethical behavior by a sitting president.

I suspect many Americans  are equally disgusted by what we saw this week in what was supposed to be a memorial service. It was grotesquely shallow and transparent. It was vain and sacrilegious. But it’s quite frankly par for the course from the Left and its shameless leaders.

As Mark Alexander of the Patriot Post wrote yesterday, “the Democrat Party has already undertaken to convert the Tucson crisis into political fodder for “gun control” and “hate speech” legislation, and a “national conversation” with the objective of silencing conservative political speech.”  His piece is a must read. Catch it here: Tragedy to Triumph: Democrat style.

Once again, the hypocrisy of the Left is on full display in this vain attempt to woo voters with words like “civility” and “coming together.” Wasn’t it this president who said of Republicans, “If they bring a knife to the fight, we’ll bring a gun” and that a GOP victory would mean “hand to hand combat?” He also identified Republicans as “hostage takers,” and said, “I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry. I’m angry!” And did he not insult conservative Americans with the now-infamous “bitter clingers” comment?

But it gets worse. Compare what is taking place over this tragic loss of life with what happened at Fort Hood in 2009. Instead of a national memorial service for the 13 soldiers who were murdered, we got warnings of Muslim backlash from our own Secretary of Homeland Security and according to General George Casey, “Our diversity, not only in our Army, but in our country, is a strength. And as horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse.” This response has to rank as one of the most outrageous and alarming statements ever made by any of our military leaders. (He’s not only dead wrong, but he’s dangerously naive about Islamic doctrine and its appalling history.)

Further, I don’t recall the Attorney General or any other administration official reading scripture from the Bible after that massacre. Where was the national memorial service? Where was the outcry from the media to determine why another Jihadist was able to carry out an attack on American soil?

This display of political expediency at the expense of mourning citizens should sicken us all. It is reprehensible and should be confronted and opposed. There is something else that we should take note of here. When both ends of life are mocked, disrespected and thrown aside with such reckless abandon, we have a serious and troubling situation. When the value of human life is so degraded and rendered so lightly, we have serious and deadly conditions, ripe for even greater tragedy. Not only have we now killed over 53 million unborn children as a result of unconstitutional law and judicial activism, but we will now have rationed healthcare and death panels implemented as a result of the most outrageous and damaging legislation ever passed in this country. Life, at birth and at death, has become political fodder and fair game for consolidating political power and control.

Fellow citizens, if we do not stand up and stop this appalling trend, then the darkest events in history will be repeated and we will plunge into an abyss of oppression and suffering that few of us can truly grasp.

The fight to restore America is underway, but we have a long way to go. Don’t lose heart. Stand fast, tall and firm. These lows must bring about a resurgent citizenry, committed to restoring us on high – to that “city upon a hill” first envisioned by our puritan ancestors.

As we leave the first decade of the 21st Century behind, the view of where we now stand is stunning. We’re peering over the edge of a vast chasm. The distance we’ve traveled from our sacred foundations across this swinging bridge has reached the breaking point. If America is to fulfill her destiny as the last best hope on earth (as proclaimed by Washington, Lincoln, Reagan and others), her citizens must consult and honor the wisest of sages: her past.

The more I study our history and heritage the clearer it becomes that the follies of today, and our great peril of the present, are the result of our refusal to know, understand and honor our past. Instead of a thorough and cherished knowledge of America’s history, heritage and first principles, we revel in shallow pleasures and the vanities of a vacuous pop culture. The focus of many today is entertainment and self service, not enlightenment and self improvement.

It’s painful to realize how needless our failures are in light of how easy it would be for us to consult the past. Having just finished a thrilling ride through American history and achievement by reading The American Patriot’s Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T. Cribb, I’m ever more convinced that a re-dedication to studying our past will remedy the majority of our problems today.

Take for instance the shameful decision of a local school board (Williamson County, Tenn.), who just voted 7-5 to remove “Christmas” from the vernacular of the county’s school system. It’s a textbook case of political correctness run am0k, but we miss the lesson here if we don’t realize that the muck we’re stuck in is pure ignorance of our past! These seven board members have caved to the likes of the ACLU and the progressives who haven’t the slightest knowledge or understanding of American history. This haphazard decision, albeit a minor one, disgraces our true heritage and what America originally stood for: religious freedom.

I wonder how it is that these seven naive board members could outsmart our founders who proclaimed that we are “endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” and who created our entire political system on biblical truths including the very make up of our government: do they even know that Isaiah 33:22 inspired James Madison, the father of our Constitution, to propose the executive, legislative and judicial branches? Or how about all 44 U.S. presidents who have acknowledged God in their inaugural addresses, and many of whom have called for national days of prayer, and prayed aloud to the nation on the radio? Have they also outsmarted the authors of all 50 state constitutions, each of which contains verbiage acknowledging God as the author and sustainer of our liberty? Or how about the Supreme Court who daily begins with the same centuries old proclamation “God save the United States and this honorable court.” The massive volume of evidence validating our nation’s Christian heritage and the acknowledgment of such by the leaders of every generation has somehow escaped these misguided school board members. I submit to them the following excerpt from President Harry Truman’s 1949 Christmas radio address to the nation:

“We miss the spirit of Christmas if we consider the Incarnation as an indistinct and doubtful, far-off event unrelated to our present problems. We miss the purport of Christ’s birth if we do not accept it as a living link which joins us together in spirit as children of the ever-living and true God. In love alone–the love of God and the love of man–will be found the solution of all the ills which afflict the world today. Slowly, sometimes painfully, but always with increasing purpose, emerges the great message of Christianity: only with wisdom comes joy, and with greatness comes love.

In the spirit of the Christ Child–as little children with joy in our hearts and peace in our souls–let us, as a nation, dedicate ourselves anew to the love of our fellowmen. In such a dedication we shall find the message of the Child of Bethlehem, the real meaning of Christmas.”

I suppose these school board members have outsmarted even Harry Truman, and in so doing have “passed the buck” to a minority of people on the Left who will continue eradicating all utterances of Christianity in America till we cease to be a nation under God.

By rejecting our past and the rich lessons found therein, we reject the very remedy for America as she ails on her deathbed. 2011 is here…the choice is yours to stand up, speak out and secure our future…one battle at a time.

America is great because her people are grateful. And we are grateful because of God’s goodness, mercy and providence – not only in the founding and shaping of our nation, but in the bounty and blessing available to us all. Out of this gratitude flows a generosity unmatched by previous nations of the world. Our people give more, per capita, than any other country in the world. Why? Because we give thanks to God, even in the darkest of times, and have since the very beginning.

Our first national day of Thanksgiving came in 1777 in the midst of our struggle for independence. The Continental Congress designated December 18 of that year “for solemn Thanksgiving and praise” for the Patriot army’s victory at Saratoga. It was a dark and uncertain time for our founding generation – yet they gave thanks.

America began a regular national thanksgiving day in 1863, in the midst of a terrible Civil War. President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November “a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” And he did this just a few months after the dreadful loss of life at Gettysburg.

Succeeding presidents upheld Lincoln’s example, but it wasn’t until the dark days of WWII and the expanding evil of Nazism that Congress passed a law in 1941 officially declaring the fourth Thursday in November as America’s Thanksgiving Day.

These milestones of thanks came to light in some of our darkest and most trying days. 
It is fitting then, that we as a people, despite our current struggle against tyranny here and abroad, return to a posture of humble thanks and gratitude to God. Make no mistake about it: America is on the brink of total disaster, and if we have any hope of restoring the light of America’s freedom and its legacy of liberty, then we must unite in prayer to the God of our fathers. Do any of us really believe that America can be restored without a complete surrender to the heavens above? As Ronald Reagan said, “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

I submit to you the following “Prayer for Meeting the Obligations of Freedom” as published in William J. Bennett’s  The American Patriot’s Almanac and written by The Reverend Peter Marshall, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, 1947-49. We would do well to embrace and make this our own across the land. Liberty and free will is a gift from God. But the responsibility to keep it and preserve it for succeeding generations is ours, and ours alone…

“Our Father which art in heaven, we pray for all the people of our country, that we may learn to appreciate more the goodly heritage that is ours. We need to learn, in these challenging days, that to every right there is attached a duty and to every privilege an obligation. We believe that, in the eternal order of things, Thou has so ordained it, and what Thou has joined together let us not try to put asunder. Teach us what freedom is. May we all learn the lesson that it is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right. Above all, may we discover that wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. May we have that freedom now, in His presence here, to lead us and to help us keep this nation free.”
Amen

To each and every veteran, I salute you with these solemn words: You have my utmost admiration, respect and gratitude and you always will. I give thanks for you when talking with the Man upstairs – may He bless you abundantly. You chose the noblest service there is and for that I have not the words sufficient to express the depth of my thanks and appreciation. What shall we do then, in response to this incredible gift you have given?

Recognizing the power of words as one way to respond, I submit to you a moving tribute to our veterans across the land. It is a stirring poem written by Dan Zimmerle – the “Z-man” – of One Nation Under God Radio. This is an incredible work that does honor to all those who have served in the great contest of defending our nation and preserving our freedom…

THE SOLDIER

In my dream I heard the guns
Of a distant battlefield.
Faint bugles blew, far drum beats rolled,
From America’s bravest guild.
It was the roll call of the soldier
Called forth to freedom’s war.
Self, the willing sacrifice.
Courage, the cloak he wore.
He is the guardian of our Nation.
The lifeguard of our life.
He is the gladiator of our battles.
He is liberty’s truest light.
From battlefield to battlefield
He has drunk of courage’s cup.
On land, in air, on sea he’s bled.
He’s always looking up.
To duty, honor, and country,
Forever faithful he.
He carries our flag and never looks back.
He is why there’s liberty.
Through rain and wind and smoke and hell
Uncomplaining in his strife.
He’s the unseen face of the American dream,
To him we owe our life.
He is yesterday’s truest hero:
He is tomorrow’s reason why:
He is today’s guardian angel:
He’s the defender of our rights.
He comes from farms and ghettos,
From poverty and from wealth.
He is white, black, red and yellow,
He is a hero storming hell.
He is resolute and determined.
His attack, it’s swift and sure.
His purpose, it’s always homeland.
His courage it’s always pure.

Let the politicians fight and squabble.
Let the rich man claim his fame.
But in my dream a soldier fell
And I didn’t even know his name.
I made my way beside him
As his life poured from his wound.
He smiled at me, said “It’s OK
This is what we do.
I knew the cost of freedom
When I made my choice to serve.
But the cost pales when placed beside
The country that I love.”
He said, “Don’t weep for me my brother.”
As he was dying the noblest death,
And with country on his lips,
He drew his final breath.
Then a million ghosts in olive drab,
In khaki, blue, and gray;
They came down from heavens portals
To take him home that day.
As they were flying skyward
I could barely hear them sing,
America the Beautiful.
Let her freedom ring.

Now, let the power of imagery, music and the spoken word,
bring these words to life in this moving video:

Game over. That’s the message being sent by everyday Americans across this land to the ruling class elite who make up the upside down culture of Washington D.C. We’ve had it. We are beyond fed up and for most people, there really aren’t words to describe the outrage at what is being done to our nation. Retribution and payback is bubbling over everywhere and it’s about time.

The progressive movement that began trying to transform America over 100 years ago is reaching its climax. Universal healthcare, a long held fantasy and foundational plank of the progressives has been passed – at least for now. The most damaging effect of this century long culmination is the amassing of the administrative state – the massive bureaucracy and ruling class that now makes up Washington. It is a grotesque distortion of what our Constitution originally set forth and the unparalleled Tea Party movement makes evident that the American people understand this, and have finally had enough.

The defining characteristic of this ruling class elite is an arrogant condescension and obsession with self service. It is completely backwards from the pattern set forth by Washington and his peers when they painstakingly laid the foundations for the American system. Washington’s statement above says it all: he was in it to serve the people and the American ideal of limited, self government – and nothing more. The message coming from our capital today is wholly different: “We the people” are incapable of self government, making our own decisions, or understanding politics and the issues at hand.

The American people are appalled by this and its obvious why: we do not want to be controlled or ruled. We do not want to lose our precious freedoms that so many have paid such a high a cost to maintain. It’s clear to us that the ultimate goal of the ruling class elites is nothing more than sustained power and control; all you have to do is look at every piece of legislation being pushed. Everything points to increased government power and control.

So will November 2, 2010 make a difference? Will it check this cresting tide of progressive liberalism? While America cannot be saved with one election, it is quite clear that this election must reflect a fundamental shift back towards the American principles of limited self government, the protection of our God given rights, and maximum freedom for the individual.

The message to the ruling class elites in both parties is manifest: it’s time to go home. It’s time to sit down and take a back seat. Your reckless spending, consolidation of power and dismantling of the Constitution has pushed America to the brink of disaster. Game over. You’re finished.

The critical point to remember is this: The ruling class elite must be replaced by authentic servant leaders who are true conservatives and serve a higher calling and answer to a greater power than themselves. And they must possess the kind of bold courage and iron willed determination that will withstand the character assassination that is inevitable from the Left. We have a golden opportunity to lead and facilitate the most critical turning point in decades. But it will not happen if our newly elected leaders care more about what the Leftist media says than doing what is right, good and true. The American people don’t care about reaching across the aisle. We don’t care about politicians getting along. We want our country back and compromising with the Anti-American Left is not the answer, and it never will be.

So to the Left and the ruling class elite, your time is up. To the American people, it’s time to stand up, stand firm and get in the game. Armor up and lead forth with courage. It’s our time now…

I saw real courage this week in the face of two incredibly brave people. One, a young white woman, the other, an older Arabic man. They have little in common except for a unique bond: both have a price on their heads for leaving Islam. They are apostates, and according to Islam, there is no greater sin (even murder). What kind of courage does it take to leave a socio-political system that will turn on you and demand your life?

The first face of courage I met this week was the remarkable and peerless Sam Solomon – the foremost expert on Islam in the West. He spent 15 years studying Islamic Jurisprudence and reached the apex as an Islamic Jurist in Sharia Law when he read the New Testament and became a Christian. He is a modern day Paul, now spreading the truth to fellow Christians and anyone who will listen: Islam is not a religion of peace, but a supremacist, socio-political system masquerading as a religion with an aim to conquer the West and re-establish a global caliphate. I spoke with Mr. Solomon personally at a small gathering and then watched him mesmerize a crowed of 300+ with the most striking presentation on Islam I’ve seen to date. He spoke in Arabic and English as he explained the reality of what America and the West faces. He is the face of courage because his mission to expose the truth in the face of a global campaign of deception puts his very life at enormous risk.

I saw the second face of courage belting out Christian songs of praise on a stage opening a conference focused on evangelizing Muslims. She became an apostate just six years ago and has a riveting story to tell, having survived an attempt on her life by her own father. She is young, and yet her courage and passion for God is nothing short of awe-inspiring. She is the face of courage because her unabashed love for Christ and leadership to witness to Muslims outshines the threat on her life by a brutal system of persecution and total submission.

What kind of courage would it take for the church to wake up and listen to apostates like these brave Christians? Apparently the kind that is elusive in the mainline churches today. There is a rapidly growing multitude of Christians who are absolutely disgusted by the cowardliness of our church leaders blinded by political correctness. Many refuse to listen to their own church members about a critical issue they know almost nothing about. None who I have spoken to have even read the Koran or studied the doctrine. To these I ask two serious questions: 1) What are the ethics of maintaining a willful ignorance about Islam? 2) What are the moral ramifications for ignoring your own congregants who are doing their best to speak the truth in love to you?

It’s long past time to discard the fallacy of political correctness, discover what true courage is, and understand the seriousness of the threat we face, right now. If we do not restore the integrity of the Great Commission, then the church is finished and America is doomed. We have an amazing opportunity with 7 million Muslims now here in North America. If the mostly spineless leaders of the church could pull back the veil of political correctness and cravenness for just a moment, they would see God already moving in miraculous ways to reach Muslims here and around the world.

The face of courage: will we see it from the pulpits of our own churches where there is no personal threat? Or will the courage be confined to those who speak the truth in the face of a death sentence?

Don’t miss this superb example of the kind of truth and courage we must have from the pulpit:
Bold Courage