RON PAUL 2012

[NYBob]

The Night I Felt Jesus Cry
Submitted by rxgrote on Tue, 12/27/2011 - 09:02
in
Ron Paul
This is my wifes moving account of her experience at the Iowa Thanksgiving Presidential forum. Please share it with any of your evangelical christian friends.

The Night I Felt Jesus Cry

My husband and I attended an event called "Thanksgiving Family Forum," a family discussion with the Republican Presidential Candidates. Approximately 3000 people packed into the First Federal Church located in Des Moines, Iowa. The event was not televised. Frank Luntz, a frequent commentator on Fox News, was selected to moderate the forum. The candidates were asked more personal questions about themselves. This gave the audience more insight on the morals, values, beliefs, faith, character, and minds of each candidate. Many questions were asked, and all the candidates, one by one, revealed heartfelt stories about their family and friends. Some candidates wept. With all the questions asked, the last question before closing the forum was a question that will resonate in my mind forever, and I want to share it with you.

Luntz asked each candidate, "Is there any moral justification for war?" Ron Paul spoke first. He said, "The early church struggled with this. Christ came, Christ taught about peace, and Christ came to be the 'Prince of Peace,' and we were to defend that. We have a Constitution to clearly guide us to prevent these wars. We are getting involved in where we don't need to be involved. The wars destory families." He continued to talk about the importance of preserving life, and that many of our young soldiers are now committing suicide, and that there is no purpose to the war we're in now. You don't go to war like we did in Vietnam and Korea, because the wars never end.

As the same question was asked to all the other candidates, the response to the question was much different than Ron Paul's response. They in turn talked about how they would side with Israel against Iran. Gingrich had the last word. He said, "We are much more ruthless and much more tough than any other country in the world because we don't send the Army, Navy, Marines, and Airmen to war. We send our children, we send our fathers, we send our brothers and sisters. We send our mothers. Therefore, there is a preciousness to this decision like any other country I know of." My thought here was, "Are our families lives any more precious than other countries' lives? Does God think so? Didn't God create man in his own image, and not just some men?" As Gingrich continued, he said, and I quote, "You come into our country and kill 3,100 people, and we will do whatever it takes to eliminate your capacity to ever threaten us again." My thoughts were, "What? Is Gingrich talking about 9/11? And was he suggesting that Iran was involved? Is this the next step to drive us into more fear? Before Gingrich could finish his last words, people around me abruptly stood up, clapping their hands in thunderous applause and standing ovation. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears as a sea of people stood around me, cheering with outstretched arms. I had visions of swastikas and German men, women, and children yelling Heil Hitler. I closed my eyes, put my hands together, bent my head and prayed.

Father, these people who stand before me are applauding, cheering, and praising a man who talks about the prospects of going to war. Is that not completely against what Jesus taught? Are they not seeing, hearing, or thinking clearly? Through built up fear from war propaganda have they become set with tunnel vision? Is fear turning good people barbaric? Is the same thing not happening, or has already happened in other countries? Has fear overruled common sense, or Jesus' teachings? Would Jesus go to war? Who would Jesus bomb? Father, are these people my neighbors? Are these the loving Christian mothers and fathers of my community? Are these my neighbors in my town, my state, my nation, and my world? And do they honor you, God?

I felt deep sadness consume me. The kind of sadness I have never felt in my entire life. My whole soul was saddened in an instant. My heart felt heavy, as though I could feel Jesus crying. I opened my eyes and turned to look at my husband sitting beside me. He also had his head bent down, shaking it side to side, as if to say, "No, no." The forum was over. I felt a sudden urge to seek out Ron Paul, and tell him I believe in what he said, and even though he seemed alone in his views, I supported him. I stood up and quickly tried to maneuver my way through the enormous mob of people. There he was shaking hands and posing with people for photos. I stood in line, waiting for my chance to speak with him. When my turn was up, I reached out my hand and we shook. As he looked me in the eyes, I said, "I don't know if you remember me, but I talked to you at the Ames, Iowa straw poll. You and your wife talked to me for quite a while, and my family met many members of your wonderful family at the volunteer party afterwards." He grinned at me with smiling eyes. "Ron, you were the only candidate on this stage tonight that made any sense to me." His smile dropped, and his whole face turned serious. I continued, "I just want to say that I felt Jesus cry tonight. I can't believe what they're saying here in this place." He said to me slowly, "Did you hear the applause?" I replied, "Ron, you have a lot of work to do." I then grabbed his shoulders with a little shake, fixed my gaze in his and said, "I just wanted you to know, and this is why I've stood in line, I just want you to know how much I love you, and that my husband and I are here for you, and to let you know you're not alone." He gently put his arm around my shoulder and whispered, "Thank you. You are so kind."

As I walked away, I thought to myself, "I'm just an ordinary person off the streets, yet this man running for president, whose time is so valuable, can take the time to thank me in such a moving way. I was humbled. On the seemingly endless journey home in my car, as my husband drove in silence, I peered out the window into the dark night, and I thought to myself, "Will God bless America?"

Debbie Grote
Hampton, Iowa
http://www.dailypaul.com/196706/the-night-i-felt-jesus-cry
God Bless