Welcome to the Convention!

   Welcome to the Jesus in 2008 Presidential Nominating and Platform Convention!

   Just as Democrats and Republicans meet every four years to chose candidates for President and Vice President, and to build political platforms declaring where they stand on important issues, we are here to do the same – and to invite Americans to join us.

   We have convened our gathering with a Presidential nominee already in place: Jesus – but not Jesus the deity. This is a political convention, after all, not a religious one. Our candidate is Jesus the man, the revolutionary individual who comes to us through history as a model for ethical and moral human behavior – the exemplar whose first instinct in any situation was, simply, to do the right thing.

   Now, we bring Jesus forward 2,000 years into contemporary America, place him in a leadership role, and ask Americans to decide what his political platform should be in a campaign for the White House.

   Is it enough, for example, to just "turn the other cheek'' on matters of national defense? If not, what then? It is the job of convention delegates to answer these questions in a practical fashion, while remaining as true as possible to the spirit that we imagine Jesus might bring to the task.

   Delegates also are asked to suggest candidates for Vice President, with the stipulation that nominees must be living Americans.

   On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, we will stand our candidates and our platform against those of the Democrats and Republicans in a national, online election, and we will invite all Americans to log on and cast their ballots.

   If we are thoughtful and diligent in our efforts, we will be able to offer new perspectives on the vital national and international issues that America faces today.

   And we have the chance to accomplish two other things: to provide a model for what a truly sincere, forthright, and courageous Presidential candidate might look like, and to demonstrate how desperate America’s voters are to see one.

 * * * * * * * 

   Visitors to our convention are free to browse the site. To post comments and nominations, however, you must register as a delegate – which is as easy as clicking on the "Register" link at the top of this page. That will take you to the registration page, where you will be asked to create a username and password, and to enter your email address.

* * * * * * *

   A few rules:

   – No miracles. Candidate Jesus does not have the power to turn water into wine, or loaves and fishes into more loaves and fishes as a way of solving the country’s problem. He does have the ability to suggest turning wind and sunlight into electricity to help deal with the country’s energy crisis – but that’s hardly a miracle.

   – No preaching. Save it for church. This is a political convention, not a religious revival. Delegates are welcome, however, to cite information drawn from the Bible, as well as other sources, to support what they believe Jesus’ position on one issue or another would be.

   – No rude behavior. This includes vulgarity, obscenity, racial or sexist insults, or any other postings that the Convention Manager deems inappropriate.