There have been several deeply disturbing moments in recent GOP debates among the candidates for their party's nomination.  Each of these incidents happened because of audience reaction -- in one, the audience cheers for the death penalty and execution of people; in another, when one candidate was asked what should happen to the uninsured, shouts of "let them die" rang out; and in the third, a gay soldier who was asking a question was booed.

The most shocking aspect of all three of these incidents is that not one candidate stepped up and spoke up to say that these reactions were wrong.  There was silence from the candidates... and tacit support, it would seem.

Now despite my serious policy differences with the current GOP candidates, I don't believe that all of them revel in state-sponsored executions, honestly believe that the answer to our health care predicament is to "let them die" or that any soldier should be booed for serving our country.

But all of them were silent. And as Martin Luther King, Jr has famously noted in his day (and I believe it still applies in our day), "History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."

Silence from the candidates under these circumstances is shameful and unacceptable. I believe it also disqualfies each of them for the presidency.  Standing up and speaking out on principle is essential for our leaders.  By not speaking out, these candidates either signal that they agree with the crowds or lack the backbone and conviction to challenge their own supporters.  Either way, they should be ashamed and have no business running for president.

In case you missed the moments, here are the brief video clips, followed by, if I were one of the candidates advisors, I would have counseled them to say:

DEATH PENALTY

Response should have been:  "Let's all just hold on here a second.  I understand the desire of the public for the death penalty.  Some crimes are so heinous that the death penalty must be used. But let us never cheer or celebrate the use of the death penalty.  Every time the state chooses to execute a criminal, it is a human tragedy. It is a human tragedy for the victims of their crime and their families.  It is a human tragedy for the broader community.  And it is a human tragedy even for the life being executed.  For we believe all life has infinite potential, and it is always tragedy when a life full of potential chooses a road of death, destruction and murder.  Yes, we will use the death penalty as needed -- but never with joy, never with cheers and always with sense of humbleness andseriusness that befits the issue.  To cheer death is to violate our basic principles as a party committed to life -- and we should never do it."

MEDICAL INSURANCE

Response should have been: "These are very complicated issues, as you know. And I do not support Obamacare or individual mandates. But obviously, "let him die" is unacceptable public policy and inconsitent with our values as a party.  Whatever solution we do end up with -- and I believe there are are solutions that will not bankrupt America, will not federalize our entire medical system, will not socialize our medicine -- but whatever solution we do end up with will need to be one that values life, sustains life and improves life for all Americans. That is what it means to be a truly pro-life party... from conception to death.  So no, "let him die" is not acceptable social policy."

DADT

Response should have been: "Hold on a second... I need to interject here. I don't care what your politics are or where are stand on the issue of homosexuals serving openly in our military. No soldier who honorably serves our nation should ever be booed or disrespected the way I just saw happen here.  That is unacceptable.  As a nation, we are capable of having a civilized policy debate whithout dishonoring the men and women who serve in our military.  We are a party that supports and honors our troops -- and as President I will make sure that all of our troops are supported and honored."

Now please note, these are the answers I would have suggested a GOP candidate give.  These are not my own answers.  For the record, I oppose the death penalty 100% of the time, I support Obamacare and individual mandates, and I support the repeal of DADT.

But even if you are a conservative on these issues, there is a way to do so that is honorable and has integrity... and then there is a way that is shameful and embarrassing.  So far, we have only seen the shameful and embarrassing approach from the declared candidates... highlighted by their silence in response to these three incidents. 

[WARNING... angry rant to follow...]

I am an EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN.  I don't deny it.  In fact, I have been an out-of-the-closet evangelical for 19 years.

I am not a FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN in any sense of the word. 

It is worth noting that almost all FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIANS would probably be considered EVANGELICALS, but ALL EVANGELICALS ARE NOT FUNDAMENTALISTS.

That said, you should know that I am deeply embarrassed by some of the bullshit crap that passes as teaching/theology/leadership out there these days.  In fact, I am not only embarrassed, I am angry.  I am angry because these kinds of people actually KEEP PEOPLE FROM JESUS.  Trust me, it is true.  Not only to they PREACH NONSENSE, but they MUDDY THE GOSPEL with their nonsense.

Most of the time I let this stuff just go.  I don't make a big deal out of it and don't publicly criticize it.  But sometimes I am pushed over the edge.  The rejection of these people and the false gospel they preach is not the result of an anti-Christian bias among the mainstream media as much as the fact that these people SOUND INSANE.

Let's be clear... claiming that OPRAH WINFREY IS THE ANTI-CHRIST and TALKING ABOUT SEX WITH DEMONS... this is as crazy as claiming that the end of the world was to come this past May.

I don't doubt these people love Jesus and are saved and will be at the heavenly banquet... I just wish they would shut up in the mean time.

If you don't know what I am talking about, watch this video:

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[End of Rant...]

Today is the National Day of Prayer, and for the second time, MACC Charities hosted the Manchester Mayor's Prayer Breakfast.  It was a great time of fellowship and prayer this morning, with lots of diversity.  In addition to a broad spectrum of Christian churches represented, both the Jewish community and Islamic community were part of the prayer this year.

For my prayer, I adapted a prayer from Shane Claiborne.  Here it is:

In the immediate aftermath of the historic announcement that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by U.S. Military personel, Facebook and Twitter erupted with reactions -- including from many pastors and Christian leaders.

For example, some posted this from Proverbs: 

‎"When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers" - Proverbs 21:15

And others posted this:

"Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he is overthrown." -- Proverbs 24:17

Seems like a contradiction, doesn't it?  Or at least you could say "see... you can make the Bible say anything you it to!" -- true, but only if you use flawed hermeneutics. (I have written a lot more about hermeneutics and good interpretation of the Bible here.)

Here is we an important and basic hermeneutical principal at work: the difference between DESCRIPTIVE WISDOM and PRESCRIPTIVE WISDOM.

Proverbs 21:15 is an example of DESCRIPTIVE WISDOM. That is, it describes what happens in a given situation.  It says, in this case, that when justice is done, certain things happen.  There is not a judgement made whether these things are good or bad; it is merely a descripotion of what is. And one of the things about WISDOM is that it accurately describes reality.

On the other hand, Proverbs 24:17 is PRESCRIPTIVE WISDOM -- it tells us what wise people SHOULD DO.  The grammar in the sentence tells us this.  It is in the indicative case.  "Rejoice not..." -- almost a command.  It is PRESCRIPTIVE.

So in this case, bother verses are saying different things and both are true.

But here is the important point: when it comes to building a Biblical worldview and a Biblical ethical paradigm, it we remember which is descriptive and which is prescriptive.  As Christians -- and even more, simply as wise people -- we should follow the advice of Proverbs 24:7, not fall into the pattern described in Proverbs 21:15.

As you can see, good heremeneutics really does matter.

Last night's announcement by President Obama that Osama Bin Laden is dead was historical and remarkable.  Following the story online and through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, one of the questions that is worth pondering is, as Christians, how should we feel about his death?

On the one hand, there is justice in his death.

But on the other, we are counseled in Proverbs 24:17, "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth & let not thine heart be glad when he is overthrown."

This wise counsel should cause us to be humble.

And of course, Jesus teaches us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES -- and pray for them.

I -- like virtually all Americans -- remember exactly where I was on 9-11.  And those memories are still painful.  As Obama said last night, for all of us, the tragedy of that day is seared on our collective memories.

I am not really sure what the answer to the question of how we should feel is, but perhaps a hint is found in how Jews throughout the world celebrate the Passover.  During the seder, when we come to the part about the Ten Plagues, we take some of our wine and drip it on the seder plate.  The symbolism is that, even though we celebrate our own freedom, our joy (and therefor our wine) is diminished by the reality of the suffering that our enemies have undergone.  The rabbis teach that we cannot experience full joy in the midst of any death and destruction.

So while it is certainly appropriate to celenbrate justice and freedom -- and to give credit to our military and intelligence personel for a job well done -- we must also temper our joy because we, as followers of the Way, never rejoice in death and destruction.

We should also pause and reflect upon the cost of this 10-year war in Afghanistan -- in terms of American and NATO troop losses as well as the countless civilian deaths that have taken place.  All in all, both a good day for the cause of justice, but also a sobering day that reminds us of the brokenness of our world and should lead all of us to pray: COME LORD JESUS! MARANATHA!