Contact: Dr. Janice Hollis, 215-836-3498

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 31, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- The future of America may be in Ohio's hands. So I would like to challenge Ohioans to consider the following issues as samples facing America, and insights from the Rev. Dr. Jim Linzey.

Photo: Janice Hollis, Emcee for National Bible Week

Regarding the "War on Terror," the president claims he has kept us safe and killed Osama bin Laden, whom some experts say has been dead since December 2001. But there are problems. For example, the recent terrorist attack on the US consulate in Benghazi where Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed was terrible. Let's pray that we find out why they were not protected. 

In contrast, Governor Mitt Romney started Bain Capital, an American success story in which free enterprise has helped various major corporations. This has created many thousands of jobs. In a free enterprise, many corporations will always fold. This is unavoidable. It was not the government's role to invest taxes in General Motors, which in turn agreed to make cars for China. Good companies will survive. Bad ones are not intended to survive. If they are not meeting a need, or if they are not operating on sound principles, they will of necessity fold. Competition makes good companies better, which is why the US has been more successful than other country. When companies are propped up with our taxes, a competitive free market loses out to an unproductive socialized market. When we learn from mistakes we become better. When we are propped up, we do not learn.

Today there are 23 million unemployed Americans. This is tragic. Under the current administration, small business owners would have to pay more in taxes, making it impossible for many of them to hire or likely that they will fold. In contrast, in February of 1999 Mitt Romney was called upon to repair the Winter Olympics operations when out-of-control spending threatened to destroy it. He brought transparency to the system and creatively managed the problems. He cut spending drastically, implemented a plan based on sound economic principles, invited public involvement, and saved the Winter Olympics. Consequently, he has created a track record we can observe. Many say that the president has no history of success, either as a community organizer or senator, or as president. His policies created $6,000,000,000.00 of new debt. This debt mortgaged the lives of future generations. This enslaved them, literally, to foreigners who loaned the money. It must be worked off.

Obamacare is the bill that nobody read before it was passed as the largest tax increase in world history. Common sense says, "If you can't afford it, you can't buy it" regardless of its merits if it had any. Common sense also says, "If you don't read it, don't pass it." Governor Romney would undo it if elected president.

Mitt Romney went on to be the governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007, surrounded by Democrats, and forged an alliance to make government work. He turned the deficit into a surplus without raising taxes. That's another visible record we can count on.

When Senator Obama became president in 2009 gas cost $1.89 per gallon. In some parts of the country it is now over $4.50 per gallon. In one of the debates, the president said that this was a sign of a growing economy. But in reality when analyzing American history, the economy was always stronger when gas prices were lower.

Furthermore, President Obama disapproved of the Keystone pipeline which would have brought thousands of jobs and cheaper oil to the US from Canada. Instead, that oil will now be sold to China and jobs given to foreigners, while we continue to be dependent on the Middle East. He stopped the drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and "gave" our taxes to Brazil to drill offshore.

Furthermore, we have a sitting president whose religion is questioned, whose nationality is questioned, whose passport is questioned, whose economic theory is questioned, whose so-called apology tour is questioned, and whose policies governing the fate of the US Embassy in Benghazi is questioned. There is a lot we do not know about him.

In contrast, we know who Governor Mitt Romney is. His religion was just removed from the list of cults at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. We know his nationality. His grandparents are from Mexico. His documents are above board. His economic theory is free enterprise. He has a strong alliance with Israel, and he has never placed anyone's life in danger.

Furthermore, as Evangelist Jim Linzey notes, Governor Mitt Romney bases his decisions on biblical principles, would protect the sanctity of life, and he supports the biblical definition of marriage -- a union between a man and a woman. "The biggest criticism many have toward his religion, which is the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, is that it does not propound an orthodox view of the Trinity. These critics therefore might not vote for him on that basis. My response is threefold. First, the Oneness group which believes in 'Jesus only,' rather than the Trinitarian view of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, does not embrace the orthodox view of the Trinity either. Rev. T.D. Jakes who pastors The Potter's Church in Dallas, Texas, and who is an Apostolic Pentecostal, is an example of one. Yet we embrace the Oneness believers as full-fledged Christians. Such a discrepancy ought not to exist in the body of Christ.

"By the way, I appreciate Rev. T.D. Jakes and his ministry. Likewise, I appreciate and have Mormon, Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Islamic friends. Jesus died for all our sins, not just for some. Second, the alternative is to vote for a Muslim who has a different god altogether and no belief in the Trinity whatsoever. Third, during the primaries many Evangelicals endorsed a Roman Catholic, whose religion is incompatible with Evangelical dogma and tradition. So let us not gripe about differences with Mormonism. But let us embrace the most important factors for any serious presidential candidate, who is consistent with the founding principles of the American republic: freedom of religion for all, the free enterprise system, sanctity of life, and the biblical definition of marriage," said Rev. Linzey who is the founder of the Military Bible Association. "John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan stood for these views and they were in line with the Founding Fathers. This is what made them great presidents. It did not matter that one was a Roman Catholic and the other Disciples of Christ," Linzey said.

Ohio, your vote may not only determine who will be the next president of the United States, but your vote may also determine America's fate. Please let common sense be your guide.

Dr. Janice Hollis is a bishop with the Covenant International Fellowship Council of Churches and para-ministries, Civil Rights activist, former aide to Senator Arlen Specter, consultant for Verna Linzey Ministries, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and former candidate for Lieutenant Governor for Pennsylvania.