I had the pleasure of asking Rafael Cruz to give us some advice as a pastor and Cuban immigrant. Rafael also happens to be the father of Senator Ted Cruz.
Having come from Cuba, how do you suggest we can defeat the Marxist, Socialist, Leftist, godless agenda that the Democrats and the left are pushing in America?
I think we need to educate the public, especially the young people, about what Communism, Socialism, Marxism is. Thomas Jefferson said: “If people expect to be ignorant and free, they expect what never was and never would be.”
For example, college students are told that “Socialism is the control of the means of production by the people.” That is a lie! Socialism is the control of the means of production by a totalitarian government. The people have no say whatsoever.
The thing young people want most is freedom; freedom from their parents; freedom from others telling them what to do; freedom to do “their own thing.” Those freedoms are non-existent under a Marxist regime that will rule them (and all of us) with an iron hand. Under Marxism, the economy collapses because there is no incentive to work. We have seen the results in Cuba and Venezuela, two of the richest countries in Latin America before Communism took over them, and where today people live under abject poverty without even having enough to eat.
Is that what we want for America? I think not.
As a pastor, what do you see the role of churches should be in America?
The church today, to a great extent, has abdicated its responsibility in order to be “Politically Correct.” They are more concerned with pleasing men rather than pleasing God.
Jesus stated in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. This means that we storm the gates of hell, we actively oppose the forces of evil.
Our framers understood this very clearly. Each and every one of the grievances in the Declaration of Independence were preached in the churches of America for ten years before Jefferson wrote them on the Declaration.
Our war for independence was fought, to a great extent, by pastors and the men from their congregations.
America is a gift from God. As stated in the Mayflower Compact, “For the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.” We have a stewardship responsibility over this country of ours, and we need to show that stewardship responsibility at the ballot box, voting for men and women that will uphold and defend the Judeo-Christian principles upon which America was founded.
What advice do you give pastors that are afraid to talk about the party platforms from the pulpit?
It is about time that pastors stop just “tickling men’s ears.”
In Jeremiah 6:14, God says, “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” And God calls them false prophets. Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany said, “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself. God will not hold us guiltless.” “Not to speak is to speak; not to act is to act.”
Focus on the second statement. We will have to answer to God for our inactivity; for been too “chicken” to get involved. Pastors are supposed to be shepherds, and that means in every area! If the pastor does not lead them, they are scattered as sheep without a shepherd.
We need to be God’s hands, God’s feet, and God’s mouthpiece, and we need to shout if from the housetops!
If Marxism takes over America, it will do all it can to destroy the church, because it cannot coexist with Christianity, because their god is “almighty government.” And those pastors will lose all “the house of cards” that they have been building while avoiding being salt and light in every area of society.
DD: What is the most effective way to talk to the Latino community about the values of the Republican Party?
1. Faith. Latinos are highly religious. The Democratic Party Platform is overtly anti-Christian, while the Republican Platform embraces Biblical values.
2. Life. The majority of Latinos are Catholic, and they endorse their strongly pro-life position, which is also the position of the Republican Party. On the other hand, the Democratic Party Platform advocates abortion on demand, even until the day of delivery.
3. Latinos have strong family values, while the Democrats have tried to destroy the nuclear family, and also promote same-sex marriage, transgenderism, etc.
4. Latinos are entrepreneurs, and many of them have their own businesses. Those opportunities will disappear under a Marxist regime which will control the economy.
What is your favorite scripture for a time such as this?
Proverbs 29:2 – “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
But, if the righteous are not voting; if the righteousness are not even running for office, then what is left?
The ungodly voting for the ungodly. And it becomes our fault! Unfortunately, too many pastors, too many Christians have looked for excuses not to get involved, like “Politics is a dirty business; I don’t want any part of it.” It is a “dirty business” precisely because much righteous refuses to get involved.
They quote Matthew 22:21 “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” And they interpret that Scripture as “divorce yourself from Caesar.” But that is not what Jesus was saying! What He was saying was: Just as you have responsibilities in the kingdom of God, similarly; similarly, you also have responsibilities in the Civic Society, and you must be faithful to both!
In Deuteronomy 30:19 God says: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” That is the choice that we are facing in this election; between the life of the unborn and the continued murder of nearly one million babies a year through abortion; between having the freedom to worship Almighty God and religious persecution; between the freedom to pursue our dreams and the slavery of Marxism; between economic prosperity and the destruction of our economy; between law and order and rampant crime, rioting and looting.
We are not just protecting our future, but also the future of our children and our grandchildren…
And, if we loose this battle, they will not have a future!
Debbie, Venezuelan, is a writer, singer, director, executive producer, and an advocate for freedom. She writes a weekly op-ed for El American. During the Obama years, Debbie was active in her community and served as president of a local TFRW Club //
Debbie, venezolana, es escritora, cantante, directora, productora ejecutiva y defensora de la libertad. Escribe un artículo de opinión semanal para El American. Durante los años de Obama, Debbie estuvo activa en su comunidad y se desempeñó como presidenta del Club TFRW