The issue with former representative Mark Foley (R- Florida) is the latest of a long string of scandals to hit Washington. His inappropriate behavior in text messaging sexually explicit message to teenage male pages. Sadly, many on the opposite side of the aisle are using this as a vendetta against the Republican party in general, even dropping the word ‘hypocritical’ in the fray. After all, Foley voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, even with rumors about his sexual orientation. Foley was long rumored to be a homosexual. This is nothing new in Washington — and should not be seen as so. Gary Bauer rightly notes:
As I have written before, neither party has a monopoly on virtue or vice. As an evangelical Christian, I believe one of the central tenets of my faith is that all men are sinners, which is why we require the saving grace of the Son of God. For those charging hypocrisy in the Republican Party, I would only remind them that Mark Foley has been forced out of the House, as he should have been. In contrast, former Democrat Congressman Gerry Studds of Massachusetts remained in the House after admitting to homosexual conduct with a teenage page, and won reelection numerous times. Rep. Barney Frank was implicated in a homosexual prostitution scandal run out of his house and continues to be a leader in the Democrat Party today.
One other point. The national Democrat Party is strongly supported by the radical homosexual rights movement and organizations like the ACLU, both of which have consistently argued that age of consent laws should be dramatically liberalized so that what Rep. Foley was apparently trying to do would no longer be against the law or even considered shameful. So, who is really engaged in hypocrisy in this controversy?
Personally, I belong to the Constitution Party, therefore I have nothing personally to gain by mentioning anything of the Democrat or Republican party. I am part of the CP because of my disillusionment with the Republican Party. It all comes down character and consistency. If it’s bad news for Foley, it’s bad news for Frank and Stubbs. If one standard holds to one group, it should hold to another.
Which leads us to the football field …
Sunday, Tennessee Titans (an American football team of the National Football League) Albert Haynesworth stomped on the helmet-less face of Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Andre Gurode, causing 30+ stitches in the man’s head. After the game, he noted that this type of behavior is “not in his character.” Which he did take full responsibility and offered no excuses, that last comment speaks volumes about how most understand their own nature.
Matthew 12:34 quotes Jesus, who says that our hearts are filled with all sorts of evil and wickedness which none of us has a clue to the depths of the depravity our hearts contain! Without those boundaries of His Word and His Spirit, we are all capable of all sorts of deviant and godlessness. All of us. Most people say, “Well, we are just good people who do bad things.” Scripture tells us that we are sinners in sin who just happen periodically to do good things, showing that we do still bear the mark of God’s image on our hearts — as fallen as they are!
What God has in store for both Foley and Haynesworth and Frank and Stubbs and you and me is that he came to bring us righteousness and make us right through the blood of Jesus Christ. Foley’s and Frank’s and Stubbs’ acts were quite deviant and sinful. Haynesworth’s acts were disgusting. My sin, too, disgusts God. Yet through Christ, we see that, yes, we’ve all sinned and falled short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but …
We are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [26] It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24-26).
Run to Jesus, gentlemen. He is just and thus He displayed the greatest consistency of character ever demonstrated! Run to Jesus one and all, for He is the one to lift off every piece of guilt and lay on us His righteousness when we follow Him by grace through faith!
Bro. Matt's Blog 
Albert Haynesworth – Tennessee Titan and also an accomplished starting defensive player for U.T./……Sorry, I had to put that in there.
I guess I have an easier time speaking about him because I was aware of his personality since he began playing for U.T. Coach Fulmer had his own problems with his immature attitude at times. But what he did last week is not consistent with true personality. Yes, he’s overly aggressive and quick tempered at times, but he’s no kid anymore, and he knows that, but what he did do on the football field cannot be cadoned.
On the other hand, he should be applauded for his willingness to admit his mistake, with remorse and apology. He is taking his responsibility seriously.
So why do I take this opportunity to speak my mind, because I have a pretty bad temper at times to and sometimes even today it really effects my testimony. But it would be great for once to feel confident that even in this world people will look at the whole person and not just the mistakes they’ve made. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing.
I wish I could comment further on the political people in the rest of your blog, but then I may have to possibly apologize for my temper getting out of hand.
Thanks, Matt for keeping your blogs going – We appreciate the chance to get closer to God and a forum to speak our minds in a mature way.
Blessings
Neil
Good point, Neil. I suppose that if there is a pattern, which former teammates have noted that there is, then that pattern does indeed play to some core character issues that may be very deep-seeded.