Mike Hein

Dear Mike Heath and Michael Hine (sic),
 
I am a supporter of the League, and concerned citizen of Maine. I greatly appreciate the League and your constant efforts to speak up for righteousness and against the evil compromises and the decline of morality in our state (and nation). You take the heat by speaking up boldly in the public eye, when "average" Christian Mainers like me are going about our lives trying to make a difference in whatever way we can.
 
One of the ways I have chosen to make a difference in recent years is to pray faithfully for Maine, our country, and our leaders. Because of 9/11/01, I was awakened to the state of the world and the state of our state to a much greater degree. I had a huge burden to pray, as well as to do all I could. One of the things we have prayed for is for godly Christian people to run for office. We have also worked to get them elected. We have worked to increase people's awareness about abortion and against the "special (homosexual) rights" campaign forced on Maine people. We have gone out of our comfort zones to go door to door in our communities for such things, as well as adding bumper stickers to our cars (something we never did before). We also got active in the Republican Party... something we had never done before.

And this past year, when Peter Cianchette stepped down and (State Senator) Chandler Woodcock decided to seek the Republican nomination (for Governor), we were thrilled to see an answer to our prayers.
 
We were (understandably) immediately excited. So, we worked to help him get on the ballot, "against all odds". Another huge answer to prayers came when he won the primary!
 
We are thrilled that Senator Woodcock is on the ballot in opposition to Governor Baldacci! We are disappointed, after all we see God is doing in this state, to have you "hold your nose" (my words) when you say you will vote for Senator Woodcock this November. The overall message that I come away with from your comments about him have been negative. This is not, in my opinion, the kind of thing that Christians and concerned citizens need to be hearing from the League at this time. We need to have more faith and hope in what God is doing, and who He is using to bring some good changes to the State of Maine. The condition of the hearts of Maine people may not be fully ready for the kind of bold message you are looking for, but I pray that He will use even "the economy" to help Mainers be ready and looking for a good man to replace this Governor.

We have a system of government that presently functions a bit differently than our founders intended. It is within that current framework and political climate that I think Senator Woodcock is trying to work. Each one of us is responsible to God for the ways we do things. I hope you will stop criticizing, and instead be praying for wisdom, direction and the help of Almighty God for Chandler Woodcock. ...for how he runs his campaign, to the outcome, to how he will tackle the many challenges that he will face if and when he is elected. God can use "even" Chandler Woodcock to help turn Maine around.

I'm glad He is using me, too, in my much smaller ways. Please keep looking up,   ...and expect some miracles!
 
Dear Mrs. (name deleted),

Thank you for your support of the League, and for becoming active/involved last June.  We appreciate your current concern, and your thoughtful comments.  It is not the first time we've heard such concern expressed by our supporters, and I suspect it will not be the last time we hear of it prior to the November elections.
 
I, too, have met and spoke with Senator Woodcock on several occasions over the last year since he started his campaign.  My wife and I both contributed $5 clean elections checks to assist him in getting his public funding, and both of us signed the petition to get him on the GOP primary ballot.  I spoke highly of him to all who called in prior to the primary vote, and we both voted by absentee ballot for him in the primary.  We, too, are pleased that he won, and believe he will be a significant improvement over the current governor and administration.  We, too, are committed Christians and pray for Christians like him to rise up and run for elective office.
 
All that said, he does support gambling and, in some instances, abortion.  He is wrong on these issues, and it is important that we not sweep them under the rug and pretend that they do not exist.  Ironically, Gov. Baldacci is much closer to the League's position on gambling than the Senator.  The League is currently supporting the No Slots for ME! effort to get a vote on the issue in 2007.  Gambling has damaged the community of Bangor significantly, and threatens other communities in Maine (Washington County, Oxford County).  While we realize others will endorse the Senator's campaign, even they will acknowledge that he is not 100% pro-life, and that is a concern to the members of the League.
 
The League that you and thousands of others support has a history over 100 years old in Maine.  It fights all forms of vice like gambling, alcohol, drugs, and sexual immorality.  For the first 80 years of it's existence, it was largely a temperance organization, and only more recently has fought abortion and homosexual marriage.  Historically, the members of the League have supported Maine’s "blue laws", for example.
 
And the League is non-partisan; neither Democrat, nor Republican, nor Unenrolled.  We are not an organ of any political party.  

Despite my wife and I being registered Republicans, we, like many others, have not been party loyalists, and for good reason.  There are many Republicans who vote the complete opposite of our values, and some Democrats who vote closely to where our Christian values are.  The homosexual rights law passed last year in Maine was sponsored by Republican State Senator Karl Turner, for example.  And many pro-life Catholic Democrats call themselves League supporters.   
 
This commentary, and others, have focused on the fact that since the primary vote was announced, and he was declared the GOP primary winner, the Senator has absolutely run away publicly from all mention of his religious background or of his stands on social issues.  The press release that the Senator’s campaign released was the subject of our commentary.  The press release was even devoid of the fact that the Senator was a lay Baptist preacher in his biography!  The only issues mentioned were fiscal, and any reference to religion was completely removed.

I know the Senator speaks privately of his faith, but would you not confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour publicly if asked, or given the opportunity?  I know I would.
 
And so that is our concern.  We want Senator Woodcock to win, and we wish him well.  But the League is fiercely independent, and will criticize both the Senator and our current Governor for their stand on the issues that matter most to Christian Mainers.  And we will praise any candidate, regardless of party affiliation, when praise is warranted.  The entirety of the Christian community of Maine deserves no less than that.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mike Hein
Administrator, Christian Civic League of Maine

Click here to post your thoughts on this article.
This link will take you to our forum.  Start a thread on this article if one isn't already visible.  We welcome your thoughtful posts.  Thank you for taking the time to interact with other good citizens.

© Copyright by Christian Civic League of Maine.  All rights reserved.

Top of Page