Brookfield7

All content, of both the original Brookfield7.com and this blog, is written from my point of view and is my opinion. I believe it to be accurate at the time it is written. ~ Kyle Prast, Brookfield resident since 1986

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Clever, unique, homemade pro Romney campaign signs

In 2008, I would see some homemade pro-Obama signs and sentiments, such as a painted car window in WCTC's parking lot I blogged about in Barack O-Phenomena. This election cycle, I am not seeing this kind of homegrown enthusiasm for the president.

But I am seeing plenty of individually crafted pro Romney campaign statements on cars, front lawns, and even at Disney World!  One very brave Milwaukee Romney supporter sported this statement on her jeep's rear window:
 IN 2008 YOU VOTED TO PROVE YOU WEREN'T A RACIST
 IN 2012 VOTE TO PROVE YOU AREN'T A MORON 
I give her credit. I'm not brave enough to risk the vandalism to my car or personal retaliation.

One conservative, who lives on Pilgrim Road, had crafted a wooden structure to wear a white T-shirt that said something negative about Obama (being an empty suit perhaps?) After cruising past it numerous times, I made a point of stopping to snap a picture one day. Wouldn't you know, it was gone!

The homeowner then put up this sign, "My "OBAMA" was stolen. Don't let these thugs steal the White House, Vote November 6"

In mid September, I was at the Magic Kingdom and spotted this motorized scooter with this homemade bumper-sticker!  We told the driver, love your sign. He was a senior citizen who was adamant about getting Obama out of office.











Then there are the more professional efforts, such as the "AMERICA OR OBAMA, YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH" billboard a Tennessee Tea Party group sponsored on I-40!

And last, but not least, I found this great image in my inbox: Mr. President, You worry about saving that bird, I'll worry about saving this one.  I don't know who sponsored it, but it does have a Vote for America graphic in the corner.

I liked it because it reminded me of something I was envisioning for the last debate about foreign policy. I had literally started sketching up a cartoon of last minute debate prep, where Romney's podium had the Great Seal, and Obama's had Big Bird with a daisy.

One last comment about voter enthusiasm. When traveling across our state in early September, I spotted numerous, large billboards with sentiments like, Romney, save America, or Vote Romney between here and La Crosse along I-94. I saw only one Obama sign near Madison. Nothing had changed when I drove to the Dells area in October, that surprised me.



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Monday, October 29, 2012

Christian, don't sit this election out, vote God's values

It is estimated that between 17 to 30 million Evangelical and self identified Christians did NOT vote in 2008. I know many conservative Christians (I know several) voted 3rd party in 2008, because they believed voting for the lessor of 2 evils is still evil.

Candidate Barack Obama won that election by about 10 million votes over opponent John McCain.

If we want our Republic as One nation under God to survive, this cannot happen again.

But what does a Christian do if they feel they cannot support Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, because they "don't agree theologically" with either one?

Dr. Greg Huffman, a pastor at Brookside Baptist Church, addresses this extremely important question in his 2 part radio program entitled: Why Is Our Country So Divided? PART 1 and PART 2  I urge you to listen to each 13 minute broadcast in its entirety.

In Part 1, Pastor Huffman eases the Christian's dilemma by clarifying, "we're not electing a pastor, we're electing a president." The real question becomes, "So who can do the best job leading our country, with all the conflicting ethical and biblical issues at stake?" He goes on to say that fifty years ago, there wasn't a "whole lot of difference between the platforms of the two major parties". But today, there is a stark difference. The issues involved are morally and ethically worlds apart which reveal totally differing views of human life and the institute of marriage.

Then he outlines how the Obama administration has already chipped away at our religious rights by appointing an "EEOC Commissioner [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] who asserts that society should not tolerate my private beliefs, including religious beliefs, if they may negatively affect homosexual equality... Then in May of 2012, that same administration opposed legislation to protect the rights of conscience for military chaplains who didn't wish to perform same-sex marriages. ...They said, sorry, you must perform same-sex marriages. Then in June of 2012, Bibles for the American military, that had been printed ever since the American Revolutionary War, all of a sudden could no longer be printed with the military service emblems on those military Bibles."

"We are in a battle for the ethical values and biblical values of our country. ...The issues are of interest and concern to the Lord." Huffman then warns that God will give up on a nation  if they are promoting sins such as fornication, adultery, and homosexuality.(Romans 1:24-25, 26-28 ) "God has said that He gives up on a nation when we consider that we can make all the rules and become totally anti-God."

"We, as a church, need to be concerned about allowing God be God, but our country needs to allow the church to preach and teach the same message. That's why these are ethical and biblical principles that we are facing in the election today."

In Part 2, Dr. Huffman recaps Part 1 [my summation] Why are we so divided as a country? Basically it is a division in philosophy and therefore, it is a division of politics. For Christians, their foundation, their worldview, is based on the principles of the Bible. For a non-believer, that foundation is anything but the Bible. So our election is basically a worldview test.  

Then Dr. Huffman discusses other things that cause God to give up on a nation, such as the shedding of innocent blood (2 Kings 24: 1-4) in abortion. Psalm 106:36, 41 speaks of those who sacrificed their children to idols. "And God gave them into the hand of the heathen, and they that hated them, ruled over them." As a consequence for their sin of child sacrifice, God allowed other nations to come in and defeat His people, because they were the shedding innocent blood of their children.


"Our country today is so involved in a battle of pro-life and pro-choice.This is indeed a moral conflict between anti-God philosophies and worldviews and  pro-God philosophies and worldviews.

"God designed government to keep order in society" (Romans 13), and we are to "be subject  to higher powers for there is no power but of God, and powers that be [local authorities/government] are ordained of God." 

Dr. Huffman concludes, "When you vote, you will be taking a test, a worldview test, and that will tell so much about your theology, God or anti-God, biblical truth or humanistic lies... May the Lord give you wisdom and give you courage to take a stand for that which is right against that which is wrong. Let's reestablish the moral foundations upon which this nation was founded."


Many other religious leaders and groups, from Billy Graham's full page newspaper ads, to the Catholic church, to Evangelical Christians such as Ralph Reed and James Dobson, are making the same plea: vote for biblical values this November.

It is vital that we support all candidates who support God's values, the biblical principles our nation was founded upon. If we don't, we will find ourselves under Democrat leadership, the party that tried (unsuccessfully) to scour any reference to God from its party platform, the party that openly supports homosexuality and same sex marriage, and the party that advocates murder of the unborn at any time through abortion. Remember that Senator Obama voted 4 times to withhold comfort care to aborted babies who survived the abortion!

So, you see, this election is too important to vote 3rd party or not vote at all. We, His people, must vote to support His values. 


Post Script: Alveda King, Martin Luther King Jr's niece, in an opinion piece for the Washington Times implores, Blacks should vote God's way -- against Obama.
 
More Reading:
Dr. Greg Huffman's notes from both radio programs
Ralph Reed: 17 Million Evangelical Votes Can Lead to Obama's Defeat
James Dobson: Plea to Christians: Vote for sake of our children 
Billy Graham Ad Encourages Voting Biblical Values
A Plea to Catholics in Ohio: Help Us Win
Catholic Bishop: Florida Voters Should Vote Pro-Life First
How will you answer? Video of abortion survivor's plea
Obama on Partial Birth Abortion: Are you for or against? Yes 

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Dr. Greg Huffman: "Why is our country so divided" outline


The following are Dr. Greg Huffman's notes from his November 2nd and 5th
 Word for Life radio show - WVCY 107.7 FM, 6:15am: PART 1 and PART 2

WHY ARE WE SO DIVIDED AS A COUNTRY?
(Word for Life Radio—Friday and Monday, Nov. 2,5)
·        Divided philosophically and therefore, politically
·        The foundations of a person’s belief system must be the same for similar ideas and goals to be supported.
o       The foundation for a non-believer?  Anything but the Bible
o       The foundation for a Christian?  The Bible
·        Our problem is:  America no longer believes in BIBLICAL MORALITY, only the desired results of it.
o       It’s OK to pray when our country is under terrorist attack or facing natural disasters of extreme proportions.
o       But the pressure is immense to leave the Bible out of all conversations
·        The election this year is a test:  “A Worldview Test”
o       We will reveal our worldview by our vote
o       The two candidates and their two major parties represent two very different worldviews.
o       Fifty years ago there wasn’t a whole lot of difference between the platforms of the two major parties.
§         But that’s no longer true
§         There’s a major difference that reveal stark differences in what is considered real and desirable.
·        These are morally and ethically world apart
·        The issues involved relate to totally differing views of human life and the institution of marriage.
§         2012 Democratic Party Platform = the first major political party to call for the legalization of same-sex marriage.
·        This is simply a follow up of the President’s earlier announcement that he has “evolved” in his position on the issue and had now reached a conclusion that he would support the legal right of same-sex couples to marry.
§         The Republican Party Platform stated:  We affirm our support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
o       On the Issue of Abortion
§         The Republican Party states:  “We assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.”
§         The Democratic Party platform states:  The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay.
o       These two issues demonstrate the vast differences of two world views.
o       But these two views are simply consequences of differing foundations – Bible, or public opinion?
o       Other biblical issues at stake:  See Summary Sheet
o       But, bear in mind, there is a definite battle going on to silence the Biblical values.
§         Illustration:  “The Righteous Right: hypocrisy, not ‘moral values.’”
§         Some Christians have stated that they are not planning on voting because the choice is between two men with whom they do not agree theologically.
§         But consider this:  We are electing a President, not a Pastor.  And one of them will come out the winner and we will live under his leadership for four years.
§         If you suddenly have great pain in your back and front, like I did one night, you begin to search for answers.
·        Ruth read the Medical Book
·        “Honey, do you have pain in your lower back as well as your front?”  Yes, I said.
·        Need to get to the hospital – symptoms of appendicitis
·        Called the surgeon and he met us there.
·        He confirmed it was appendicitis and surgery was needed immediately.
·        Now, I did not ask him at that point if he were a committed Christian.
·        He wasn’t going to be counseling me, he was going to be cutting me, and all I cared about was, could he do a good job in surgery?
·        In the same vein, we are not electing a Pastor, we are electing a President.  So, who can do the best job leading our country with all the conflicting ethical and biblical issues at stake?

·        WHAT CAUSES GOD TO GIVE UP ON A NATION?
o       Romans 1:24-25 = Fornication and Adultery
§         1:26-28 = Homosexuality
·        Sodomy is not an alternate lifestyle when the Lord calls it an abomination to Him.
·        We should be attempting to reach homosexuals with the gospel and then discipling them in the area of a biblical moral viewpoint and lifestyle.
§         II Kings 24:1-4 = Shedding Innocent Blood (Ps. 106:38)
·        The Pro-choice movement started in the Garden of Eden.
·        And men have been demanding to have their own choices in opposition to God ever since.
·        This indeed is a moral conflict between anti-God philosophies and worldviews and pro-God philosophies and worldviews.
·        Government has been ordained by God to keep order in society
o       Romans 13:1-7
o       Protect good people and punish evil people
§         That being true, there has to be an understanding of the definition of “good.” = right and wrong = moral law
§         That’s why it’s so devastating when our government declares homosexuality, same-sex marriages, and abortion as good and acceptable.
§         It has become a moral issue because it’s a biblical issue.
§         The “economy” is not the most important issue in this election in my opinion.  The platform for this election is now “morality.”
o       “God bless America” signs were all over our country after 9/11
§         But we all know God can no more bless America than he could bless Sodom and Gomorrah.
§         Prayer for our leaders must be backed up by prayer in our homes and repentance in our lives.
o       We need more statesmen who will proclaim what they believe and where they stand and not worry about what the opinion polls may say about them.
o       Illustration:  President Abraham Lincoln
o       The 2012 Election is about Principles, not Prosperity
§         Can you support political leaders who have abandoned biblical moral principles and taken an anti-God stand?
§         Can you vote for someone simply because you like the personality of the candidate?
o       When we stand before the Lord one day, I firmly believe we will give an account of our responses when our country was quickly losing its moral foundations and the churches were losing their burden for lost souls.
o       If you look around and are appalled with what you see, will it affect anything in YOUR LIFE?
o       Illustration:  THE TITANIC
o       So, when you vote in a few weeks, you’ll be taking a test:  A World View Test.
§         They will try to tell you it’s all about the economy
§         But really, it’s all about your theology.
·        God or Anti-God?
·        Biblical Truth or Humanistic Lies?
§         Pray for the courage to speak up like Daniel
§         Stand Alone like Noah
§         Weep over our nation like Jeremiah
§         And Cry Aloud like the Lord Jesus:  “When you discover the truth, the truth will set you free.”

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

How ironic! Voter Fraud billboards pulled during Free Speech Week

"VOTER FRAUD IS A FELONY! Up to 3 1/2 YRS & $10,000 Fine" billboards sprang up in various cities in southeast Wisconsin. I spotted this one on Silver Spring Drive in Milwaukee almost 2 weeks ago.

I was happy this message was going out especially after hearing that some Obama's Organizing for America DNC workers were not discouraging contacts from voting in multiple states. (Video and details below)

Sunday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had a page 1 article, above the fold, in the Local section: 3 dropped as voter registration workers after felonies flagged. Those 3 workers included "one man convicted of multiple counts of forgery".

When I awoke Monday morning, I heard Jay Weber say Clear Chanel Outdoor was pulling the info ads off their billboards. A few minutes later a very upbeat radio ad informed that this is National Free Speech Week Oct 22 -29.

Hmm. It's Free Speech week, but an info ad warning that Voter Fraud is a Felony must come down? That doesn't sound very free speech-y to me.


Also on Monday, Dan Rather implied that the GOP will steal the Ohio election--a voter fraud accusation against Republicans--but a billboard company cannot put up a warning of the consequences of fraudulent voting, without including a political disclaimer!

And why? Because the billboards were deemed to be partisan in message and would suppress the vote!  These billboards went up in other areas of Wisconsin, such as Washington County, and in other battleground states.

It seems, almost daily we learn about more voter fraud and voter registration irregularities, such as North Carolina registers over 583 Democrat votes over the age of 112.

Voter Fraud is real and it is a serious crime. You really can't make this stuff up!

P.S. Talk show host Mark Belling also was following this development. He said Clear Chanel Outdoor indicated if someone wanted to put up a Voter Fraud is a Felony billboard WITH a named disclaimer, it seemed the billboard company would post it.
The woman, an undercover reporter from Project Veritas, captured her encounter with one Obama campaign DNC Director (worker) on video in Texas.  The Reporter tells the Obama DNC worker that she "got her voter registration card for Florida..."  The Obama worker replied, "Keep it! Keep it! So you're gonna vote - uhm yea vote by ballot?"  Reporter: "I'm gonna vote by ballot and then I have mine here (Texas) too."

The Reporter goes on to voice her concerns that they have to everything they can to ensure an Obama victory. The Obama worker replies, "So you meant that -- Okay, so you have to make sure because after sixty days you can send in your application to vote by mail ballot."  Reporter, "Okay." Obama worker, "So I can print that out for you." Reporter, "Okay." The Obama worker then goes on to give instruction on how to submit the 2nd, fraudulent ballot.

The Reporter then verifies that the Obama worker understood this would be illegal. Reporter, "And there's no way they'd be able to cross reference the ballots?" Obama worker, "If you voted twice?" Reporter, "Yeah."...Obama worker, "I don't know this. That's not my expertise." Reporter, "Okay." Obama worker, "I would just do Florida because in Texas it really doesn't...(trails off)." Some more chit-chat and a giggle.

The Reporter returned a few weeks later and received an absentee ballot from the same Obama DNC Director, to help her vote twice. The Obama DNC Director instructed the Reporter that if anyone checks, she should say, "I don't know." There is more chatter about the logistics of voting twice and if no one is going to know...giggles...


Project Veritas conducted other undercover encounters in New York, Minnesota, and more.

More reading:
Watchdog News: Obama workers enable double-voting across state lines 
3 dropped as voter registration workers after felonies flagged 
Clear Channel billboards on voter fraud to come down
Dan Rather implies Ohio GOP could steal the election 
North Carolina Registers Over 583 Democrat Votes Over the Age of 112* "...in visiting the political tracking site, we later found the same story in evidence, except the number of centenarian voters had increased measurably to 832 voters over the age of 112. Of these voters, over 70% were slated as Democrats..." *A politically knowledgeable acquaintance provided this possible explanation for all these 112+ voters: A default birth year of 1900 was applied to the registration because no birth date was given. However, Date of Birth information is required on North Carolina voter registration forms.
Colorado State GOP Files Complaint Against Obama Campaigners at CSU or Free Pizza and T-shirts for votes

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Hear some Good News! Missions Week: Oct. 24 - 28, 2012

In a world that is constantly bombarded with bad news, it's good to take a break from that and hear something positive for a change. This week at Brookside, you have the opportunity to be encouraged and learn about what is going on around the globe during our A Heart for the Harvest missions conference.

The conference features 5 missionaries, working on 4 continents: North America (Mexico), Europe, Africa and Australia. (I would love to tell you more, but in a world that persecutes Christians for sharing the gospel, I can only urge you to come hear it for yourself.)

This year's mission theme song is titled For the Sake of His Name, by Anderson and Habegger.  It opens with the command: Go to the world...to every nation. The 2nd and 3rd stanza sum up the Good News of the gospel that is for all of us:
Love the unloved for the sake of His name;
Like Christ, befriend those whose heads hang in shame.
Jesus did not condemn, But was condemned for them.
Trust gospel pow'r, for we once were the same.

Rescue the lost for the sake of His name;
As Christ commands, snatch them out of the flame.
Tell that when Jesus died, God's wrath was satisfied.
Urge them to flee to the Lamb Who was slain.

The conference begins on Wednesday night at 7pm with a missionary from Africa sharing his work there with orphans of Aids victims and also their training of nationals as missionaries. Thursday and Friday 7pm services showcase missionaries from Germany, Mexico, and another area of Africa.

Sunday will be missions focused too: Mexico - 8:30am and 10:45am services, 9:45am. Sunday School time will be shared by the 2 missionaries from Africa. The 6pm evening service will focus on Australia and South Africa.

Children (K - 4th grade) will have their own special program with a different missionary, during each worship time during the conference.

So come and see what is going on in other parts of the world and plan on being encouraged. Brookside Baptist Church is located at 4470 N. Pilgrim Road in Brookfield, WI. (North of Capitol Drive, south of Lisbon Road)


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Friday, October 12, 2012

Ryan/Biden 'debate': What in the world was that?

Joe Biden and Paul Ryan faced off in their only debate for the 2012 campaign last night. Calling it a debate is a bit of a stretch though, because Biden was combative, rude, arrogant, dismissive, inappropriate, condescending ...you pick your adjective.

Biden interrupted Paul Ryan some 80+ times and the moderator, Martha Raddatz, who did little to moderate, and in fact often helped Biden by cutting Ryan short as he was making a point, did nothing to structure the conversation. It was a very one sided free for all (Biden and Raddatz, that is). The whole thing disgusted me.

Ben Shapiro summarized it this way, "Biden interrupted Ryan repeatedly. He would not allow Ryan to finish an answer; where he stopped interrupting for even a few moments, his moderator ally, Martha Raddatz, jumped in to help him cut Ryan short."

Paul Ryan kept a cool head and stuck to the facts.

Most disturbing to me was Biden's smirks, and almost laughter, while Ryan was talking about serious issues such as Iran getting nuclear weapons or the embassy deaths. It was bizarre. What? he thinks a nuclear Iran is funny?

Biden was totally inappropriate in his responses and in his demeanor, hardly Vice Presidential, not to mention Presidential, should the need ever arise. All I could think of was this was the man Barack Obama picked as his running mate, to give his ticket some gravitas--especially on foreign policy. (Biden still insisted they weren't aware that more security was needed in Libya.)

Maybe the debate should have begun with the familiar campaign ad intro: I am Barack Obama, and I approve this Vice President.




CNN Poll: Ryan 48%, Biden 44%



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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

'Big Bird' joins AARP in telling Obama, Don't mention us

In last week's Romney/Obama debate, President Obama proudly referred to AARP* as supportive to his ObamaCare plan. After the debate, AARP promptly said, 'don't mention us again': "“While we respect the rights of each campaign to make its case to voters, AARP has never consented to the use of its name by any candidate or political campaign,” the group posted in a statement. “AARP is a nonpartisan organization and we do not endorse political candidates nor coordinate with any candidate or political party.”"

Now that statement is pretty remarkable, since AARP sold out its members by supporting ObamaCare in the first place! But now that the bloom is clearly off the ObamaCare rose and Obama presidency, AARP is requesting Obama not to refer to them again. Thanks a lot, AARP. You pushed for the legislation, got the equivalent of a waiver for yourself, and now you don't want to be associated with Obama and ObamaCare?

In that same debate, when talking about how to deal with Obama's unbridled spending, adding a trillion+ dollars to the debt a year, Romney gave the example of cutting unnecessary spending. Since PBS's Jim Lehrer was the moderator, Mitt Romney mentioned discontinuing taxpayer subsidies to PBS, as one example of wasteful spending.

Romney said, "I'm sorry, Jim, I'm going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I'm going to stop other things. I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually like you, too. But I'm not going to — I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for. That's number one."

Well, after that debate, President Obama jumped on Romney's nixing Big Bird as a campaign issue. He talked about it on the stump. His campaign quickly cooked up an absurd campaign ad featuring Big Bird! Trouble is, like AARP, "Big Bird, it seems, isn't thrilled about his cameo in the presidential race."

In fact, "The folks at Sesame Street are asking the Obama campaign to pull down a TV ad released Tuesday that mocks Mitt Romney for vowing to yank the subsidy to PBS." the "Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit educational organization that produces and owns the show, issued a statement Tuesday saying [like AARP], “we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns. We have approved no campaign ads, and as is our general practice, have requested that the ad be taken down.

The CEO of Sesame Workshop, Sherrie Westin, stated on CNN that "the Sesame Workshop receives very little funding from PBS".  Apparently, they are able to fund their programing through selling licensed products, donors, and corporate underwriting/sponsorship. Westin does not like Big Bird being the poster child bird for public funding.

The bigger picture here is why is President Obama and his campaign fixating on Big Bird and not the real issues crippling our economy and threatening our nation?

Romney summed it up nicely yesterday,  ""You have to scratch your head when the president spends the last week talking about saving Big Bird," he said. "I actually think we need to have a president who talks about saving the American people and saving good jobs.""

Maybe Obama is hoping you will be thinking about Big Bird instead of why the White House's Benghazi narrative differs so from the under oath State Department testimony. (You mean the attack wasn't a spontaneous response to that anti-Muslim video?)



*Many people, in the past, joined AARP so they could enjoy the travel-related discounts, however, there are many other organizations that provide the same benefits. I am a AAA member; others have joined organizations such as AMAC, a conservative alternative to AARP

1st Debate Transcript 
1st Debate: Romney Presidential, capable, Obama? ...clearly 'a drag'


AARP to Obama: Don't mention us again
How AARP's support for ObamaCare was bought and paid for
After AARP gets 'waiver' from Obamacare, conservative groups fight for information, answers "“It’s payoff time to the AARP (some call it bribery) for selling out seniors and endorsing Obamacare, an awful proposal which makes no sense to seniors who know it’s bad medicine for them,” Martin said in a statement."



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