If You Love Jesus, Vote For Obama
If you love Jesus, post an Obama sign in your front yard before it's too late. It'll do wonders for your witness.
I learned that and other tips from a meeting in Seattle last weekend focusing on how to save evangelical faith in America. Despite what the media and the Religious Right would have you believe, American evangelical faith is in trouble and evangelicals know it.
Evangelicals aren't attracting or keeping converts. Their association with far right politics is one of the reasons.
This gathering of mostly Pentecostal Christians had a good number of Obama supporters. One told me that when she put an Obama sign in her yard, a friend expressed amazement.
"All this time, I thought you were a Republican," the friend said. "I wasn't accepting your invitations to do things because I knew you were an evangelical. I thought you'd have all those Religious Right opinions."
"I've been a Democrat all my life," the evangelical retorted.
Who knew?
If you love Jesus and the Republican Party, follow up on that yard sign by voting for Obama. Then urge all your Jesus-loving friends to do the same.
Because if McCain wins this election, the Religious Right's hold on the Republican Party is going to be even stronger. In forcing McCain to choose Sarah Palin as his nominee, evangelical power brokers were able to do what all the torturers in Vietnam couldn't. They were able to convince McCain to put his own self interest above the best interests of his country. If McCain wins, the Religious Right and Sarah Palin will take the credit.
And the Republican Party will be pulled deeper into an extremism that serves only a small minority of Americans.
If you love Jesus and want his teachings to have greater sway in America, vote for Obama.
After more than 20 years during which the Religious Right has been the dominant ethical and moral voice in the public square, the reputation of American Christians is at an all time low, especially among young people. As the political ambitions of the most right wing Christians have soared, the influence of Christian teachings on popular culture has plummeted.
As long as men who get power and money from making American Christianity seem extremist, bigoted, rigid and mean-spirited can stoke the culture wars and increase their sway by distorting Christianity, they'll keep doing it.
A victory for Obama will kick them out of the spotlight.
For anyone who loves Jesus, the Republican Party or American values, that would be a positive development.
Christine Wicker is the author of "The Fall of the Evangelical Nation: The Surprising Crisis Inside the Church." Her website is www.christinewicker.com
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Wow! I am so GRATEFUL TO HAVE FOUND Christine's article and APPRECIATE most of the comments of this COMMUNITY OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS (except maybe EtiquetteDiva's? Because your screenname tells me what you're most concerned with; Appearances? With
forms of godliness, while denying its POWER? AGAPE!) I've often found myself, especially over these last 8 UNSETTLING YEARS, at odds with other 'Christians'! When they'd assert, 'You can't possibly be a Christian and a Democrat too!' or 'Don't tell me you are one of those Socialist Christians!, I'd attempt to explain, as Joseph_Debba, that when Jesus said, 'The poor you will have with you always!', He wasn't exonerating His disciples from assisting their needy brothers! What would've been the point of His Parable about 'The Good Samaritan'? The Lord recently directed me to Deut 32, where He says 'When The Most High God separated The Sons of Adam... (He) set their boundaries according to the numbers of His children!' In other words, He made ENOUGH provision for all His children! ALL! So, I'm heartened to have found 'fellowship' with CarrieAnna, lewes17266, etal; CHRISTIANS IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, I only wish we could've 'met' earlier so we could have encouraged and empowered each other to be more effective, DEMOCRATIC CHRISTIAN WITNESSES! Maybe we should form our own blog? Or maybe we should all join Christine's? HIS PEACE BE WITH YOU!
It is nice to meet you, BlueBirdyIsBack.
John 12:18 "You will always have the poor among you..."
Unfortunately Christians misuse the verse as if they want to absolve themselves from seeking the good of others. When in reality He was quoting His servant Moses in Deuteronomy 15, where right after Moses says “There will always be poor among you,” , he says “Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.” At the beginning of the same passage (15:4), he says, “There should be no poor among you"
Reason why there should be no poor among Israel, because God gave them a land capable of producing enough for everyone. What modern day nation does that sound like?
Verses are clear to me, but how you use the Lord's words is entirely up to you.
According to Louis Farrkhan, Obama is the Messiah. So you liberals can just pray to him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WfUWA6MFVs
Who cares what Farrkhan thinks! I don't plan on praying to Obama but I am REALLY looking forward to voting for him!
Farrakhan is not the only one.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78197
Socialist have had a history of making the state or their leaders substitutes for God.
I will look forward to canceling your vote by not voting for Obama and I will pray to the real God through his son Jesus Christ.
Thank you for the link. It was a powerful oration, with a message worthy of being preached from any church pulpit. Nonetheless you should refuse to live in ignorance. Aside the fact Farrakhan never said Messiah; if you knew anything about Islam, then you would have known its concept of the Messiah has no likeness to that of Chrsitianity. I suppose you found Farrkhan's reference to God's hand working, objectionable. But since when have Christians become opposed to the belief, God places all leaders and His will shall be done?
Regardless whether Obama or McCain becomes president, being a faithful servant of Lord Jesus, I will pray for the nation leader as commanded.
For those who tell us to obey His (Jesus) commandments, I would say look at his words AND deeds. He fed the hungry, told us to look after the poor, to sell all and give to the poor (sounds like sharing wealth to me)--to look after the widows, he healed thesick, he reached out to the despised, the foreigner, the dejected, the disabled, the outcast, he asked us to be peace MAKERS (not just peace lovers), and the list goes on.
I hope Christian fundamentalists can grasp these fundamentals of Jesus' teaching.
Who did Jesus tell to sell all and give to the poor? Did he tell the apostles to do that?
Have you sold all of your possessions and given the money to the poor? If not, why?
And, if you gave all of your money to the poor, wouldn't you then be poor and in need of help? What is the advantage of becoming poor in order to help the poor?
I have never heard an interpretation of Jesus and the rich younger ruler, worse than yours. Perhaps the worse self-serving thoughts ever written or spoken about our Lord's message. How did you come to such conclusion, who was responsible for your Bible teachings? Lord Jesus answer to the young ruler is his answer to each person that desires to fellow him.
Circumventing what the Lord said is merely a way of excusing our shortcomings to make us feel better about what we won't give up. Our Lord understands human frailty and does not condemn us for them, but at the same His standards demand perfection. It would be impossible for there to be any poor, including those who gave up everything, if all truly followed and obeyed the Lord. If nothing else, I suggest the people calling Christ Jesus, Lord; give up the doctrine of Holy Hate which seems to be taken hold in Christianity.
Actually, Jeses called the rich young man to leave all his possessions and give them to poor. It was a special inviataion issued to one who needed it, which Christ knew and understood. It is not Christ's only way of bringing people to him, and it is not the only way of being a disciple. But being a disciple always means serivce and sacrifice. How are you being called?
Obviously you don't believe in good deeds and what they can do.
Ever hear the saying - it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get in heaven (or something like that)....think about it.
Jesus ask that we follow him in words and deeds. He looks at our actions as well as our hearts.
Jesus told us to feed the hungry, not expect the government to feed the hungry.
He told us to look after the poor, not expect the government to look after the poor.
He the rich young ruler (like our senators...) to sell all and give to the poor. If our rulers did this they might not lead us the same way.
The list goes on. We are to do these things. We are not to expect our rulers or government to do them.
Jesus told us to do these because when you serve in a soup kitchen, you are face to face with the people in need. When you help at goodwill you are face to face with the children wearing cloths that don't fit. Government welfare money helps people but is inefficient. The money goes from you to some one in the IRS to the congress for approval to the president , to the department of HEW, to the state, to the people in need. That process costs $.63 for every dollar spent. Only $.37 per dollar ends up with the needy. Would it not be better just to pass that dollar from you to the person who needs it.
F o o l. we are the government -- don't you remember -- of the people, by the people, for the people!!!
You must have been born in Cuba or Russia or somewhere.
if you had just left it at the first two sentences - you would have been fine.
As a Christian fundamentalist I fully grasp it. Some of the money the government lets me keep goes to the local food pantry. More goes to support meals served to disaster victims. I wish the government would let me have more of my money to give to the local problems I see here rather than have it sent through the Washington black hole only to reappear about 1/3 the size I sent.
That having been said we do have a different government than the one 2000 years ago. We as Christians can fight immorality through our government. Jesus called us to do that also. Because the Christian ideals are so different from the values of society we have been labeled as "Radical". That is OK. Jesus was crucified for being a radical.
I don't know from where you're figures come but that is not important. What is important is the dismal failure of Christians to feed and care for the poor; that failure is manifested in the necessity for government programs. How many churches leaders and Christians were outraged at the injustice of hunger, segregation, poll taxes, blacks denied the kind of jobs reserved for white; the list of Christian lacking is long as it is heartbreaking. Yet you want to lecture about government intervention; btw the people are the government.
Some of us witnessed the hate of supposed Christians in places like Alabama and Mississippi, and we never want to go back to that ugly period in America. What two people do in the privacy of their bedroom is none of my business. I loath abortion but I will not allow the issue to be used as political tool to turn back the clock, just so neocons may have their white Christian America
KEEP YOUR FAITH IN GOD
PRAY FOR JESUS
HOPE FOR OBAMA VICTORY..
WE will give Obama the victory - it's in OUR hands.
as a non-christian, for eight years i have been amazed at all the energy and bluster expended on which christians are more christian than other christians. christians intolerant of other christians.
it's what i never really understood about the northern ireland/ireland thing. everyone fighting with god on their side. i don't know much about jesus, other than that he was a jew, but i don't think this infighting was within his contemplation when he preached.
and insofar as this country is concerned, some wise men put something about freedom of religion in the document the country holds dearest.
shame on all those who hate bait in the name of religion. you are only a pawn in their game.
A-MEN!
I am so offended my these replies. I have never met more bitter, intolerant individuals than those on the left with whom I don't share an opinion. Hateful, bitter remarks.
Jesus was about love. He died so we could live, IF we believe in Him.
For those of you who think Christ was only about love and forgiveness, perhaps you should reference a Bible and see that there are over 200 verses where God (in the OT) and Chrst (in the NT) told those listening that IF they love Him they will keep his commands...obey Him. Specifically, John 14:21 "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." So if you really want have a relationship with Christ - not just a meaningless religion - obey him and let him reveal truth to you.
I know that freaks leftists out, but take it from one who did not know Christ until the age of 34 - there is much more freedom in his grip than wondering alone.
I'm not out to preach, but you had better get into the Word of God before speaking on his behalf. You will quickly learn that we meet God first as Judge!
Your statements are proof to the article that religious wackos have hijacked the republican party and vice versa.
Go watch Religulous.
amen sister.
Funny. I read through all the replies, and the only ones that sound hateful, bitter and intolerant are those written by those who appear to be conservative Christians.
Take your FREAK RIGHTIST SELF and TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT!
You are one of the most NEGATIVE ones on the internet.
Reveal some truth for YOURSELF by taking a good look AT YOU
instead of hiding behind Christ. Christ does NOT approve of THAT
phony baloney!
Baloney
What did Christ have to say about homosexuality? Nothing.
What did Christ have to say about abortion? Nothing.
What did Christ have to say about war vs. peace, the self-centered rich, the overtly pious and those who ignore poverty? A LOT.
If the "Religious Right" met Christ today, they'd scream at him to cut his hair, get a job, and quit being a bleeding-heart Liberal surrender monkey. In short, they'd crucify him all over again. In essence, Christianity has been hijacked by its enemies. It's well past time for His followers to take it back.
What did Christ have to say about homosexuality? A lot. But it isn't any worse sin than adultery, lying, stealing....We are called to love the sinner (because we ALL are) and hate the sin.
I have to post is several postings, because this is too long. Please bear with me...
First, there is adultery. Adultery in the natural sense is sexual intercourse of a married person with someone other than his or her own spouse. It is condemned in both the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 20:14; I Cor. 6:9, 10). Christ forbids dwelling upon the thoughts, the free play of one's imagination that leads to adultery (Matthew 5:28).
Second, there is fornication, the illicit sex acts of unmarried persons which is likewise forbidden (I Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; Ephesians 5:3).
wow, you seem like a sad and very lost being.
Great that you brought this up. I had thought from some of your other posts that you were a right-wing fundamentalist, so I am pleased to see that you are a moderate and a reasoned thinker in your support for Christine's article.
As you infer, you can't vote for Palin, for her lying and inciting violence and hatred, and you can't vote for McCain, because of adultery and "fornication", so Obama and Biden are clearly the only people to vote for.
Both are avowed followers of Christ and have always done their best to walk the talk.
ElBruce,
Read Psalm 139 - do you think this is a God who would stand by and give approval to a baby being sucked out of it's mother's womb and destroyed? I don't think so.
Remember, choice comes when it's time to take your pants off or leave them on!
Hmmmm. I just read Psalm 39. It contains nothing that could even remotely be connected to abortion. It does, however, say:
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee?
And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred:
I count them mine enemies.
So much for loving the sinner and hating the sin.
Eti? Is Our Lord's command, 'THOU SHALL NOT KILL' meant to be only literally interpreted at the fetus stage? So at the Death Row stage, it's OK? Hmn. If Christians like you would be consistent in your Christian Message about protecting life, your testimonies would be more believeable!
HAHAHAHAHAAAAA... YOU ARE SO ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!
Thanks for your COMMON SENSE response to that self-misguided person.
bouncing around different blogs today....what a hate filled site this is......dems came into power in the house and senate 2 years ago when the economy was strong.....look where we're at now.
Bush has vetoed anything that the Democratic party has passed. The Republicans have made sure that the vetoes don't get overturned. It is Republican failure that has put us in the crisis we are now.
That isn't hate. It's just the truth.
On topic to the subject. I agree with the author that the right has co-opted Christianity.
This financial collapse IS MORE THAN TWO years in the making.
Pardon me Telleride, but your equation is off. To refresh your memory, THE CLINTON YEARS = 8 YEARS OF PROSPERITY! Enter in, 'The BUSH' Administration and a Republication Congressional Takeover in 2000 to 2006 = 6 YEARS OF ECONOMIC DECLINE! By the time Dem's gained a slight Majority in 2006 (to today, 2 years), there was not a whole lot they could do to AVERT THIS TAILSPIN OF AN ECONOMIC DISASTER orchestrated by your 'IDOL', Self-Identified, 'War President'! If you want to speak End Time Prophesy? Jesus warned, leading up to that Terrible Day? Many of 'the elect' would be deceived! Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing! Also consider, The Lord admonished Jonah, The Angry Prophet, because he was disappointed when THE FATHER SHOWED MERCY AND SPARED JONAH DIDN'T GET THE FATHER'S HEART IS LOVE! Sadly, too many modern day Christians have got the lingo down, but THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN 'THE MESSAGE'! May the eyes of their understanding BE ENLIGHTENED! AMEN!
We are a bitterly divided country, and we will become even more so until history ends with the return of Jesus Christ to earth to set up his world-wide theocracy.
Many who are reading this will be dead by then, but those of you liberals who might still be alive will be very unhappy with the way Jesus runs things. If you hate the supposed theocratic leanings that you think we have now, wait until Jesus rules this world with a rod of iron. No more abortions, no more homosexuality, no more adultery, no more fornication, no more drunkeness, no more drug use, no more blasphemy, no more x-rated anything, no more free speech, no more freedom from religion. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
We all, in my opinion, carry Heaven and Hell within us and have to make choices all of our lives to live according to the most ethical standards.
I get very confused when someone tells me that God is some kind of Hall Monitor checking up on all of us, all the time. I get very confused when one section of the Christians call on their church to take over the state.Mankind waged war for hundreds of years before our founders declared that the USA will have no State church.
So, the Republican Party won't exist anymore?
Wow Jesus sounds like a real bummer!
in other words - no more fun! How BORING.
I have always been conservative politically and registered as a Republican but have changed so much in recent years. I think a lot of Christians have grown up and recognized the way they have been lied to about the Republican party being the party for faithfuls. I am offended by the Republican party's affiliation with the Religious Right who grossly misrepresent Christ to the world.
I am excited about a more compassionate White House, a national healthcare plan, and an end to this costly war and the pain and suffering it has caused. The idea of having a President who is an intellectual and who is caring and thoughtful makes me proud. I am sick and tired of politicians and lawmakers pandering to the millionaire religious bullies who bilk and manipulate faithful souls and misuse scripture for political maneuvering, and who teach prejudice and monger fear about their angry, vengeful God who sends tornadoes and terrorists to this "sinful" nation.
I have become so emotionally involved in this election and am relieved to see Senator Obama doing so well now. I pray he will be elected. I honestly do not know how I will cope if McCain/Palin win.
I agree with you 200%! I can't believe how emotionally connected I am to this year's election...and most of it because of my deep-rooted faith.
I'm amazed at the amount of "Chistians" who seem to have missed out on the teachings of love and humility. They seem to have been brainwashed to see society only through a mist of fire and brimstone.
Thank you, carrieanna, for this response.
I don't think some of these commentors actually read Ms. Wicker's essay, just the title.
The powermongering Religious Right has padded its own pockets while doing little to reduce the number of unborn deaths, or to love the "sinners" they preach about and point their righteous finger of blame at. Christians are very trusting and easily mislead, and brainwashed is not an exaggeration.
I just do not fit in the Republican party anymore, and the Religious Right leaders definitely do not represent me.
Concerning my emotional state, I am glad to know I have a kindred spirit!
We all use words without thinking about what they mean.
When words mean one thing to one person, and another thing to someone else.
From Webster's Dictionary:
CONSERVATIVE:
"A political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change....tendency to prefer an existing situation to change".
LIBERAL:
"A political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of man, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties".
Tradition was embraced by the Pharisees & Sadducees, the established institution was the Roman/Judeo Government. Social stability and the existing situation, no matter how unpleasant, was the overriding rule. (conservatives)
A belief in progress and the goodness of man was embraced by Jesus, who according to the New Testament, preached for progress and major change from the status quo. The Bible relates that he died for these beliefs. (iberals)
IN THE TIME OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:
Tradition was embraced by the Loyalists, the established institution was the British Government. To the majority of the colonists, social stability and the existing situation (British rule), no matter how unpleasant, was the overriding rule. (conservatives)
A belief in the goodness of man,autonomy of the individual, protection of political and civil liberties was the belief of the Founding Fathers immortalizing it in the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Advocating and fighting for immediate progress & radical change from the status quo - resulting in the American Revolution. (liberals)
Those definitions are also connotative and relevant to the time. When applied to modern politics the contrast could not be more different. Contrary to liberal revisionist history, our founding fathers were dominated by the Christian value system. By reading the constitution, declaration of independence, the script on the national monuments and currency, one can see the obvious.
Today’s conservatives hold these traditional American Christian values. They stand for small government, self reliance, low taxes and individual freedoms. On the other hand, today’s liberals resemble the Marxist-socialist values which are atheist and authoritarian. They promote big government, high taxes, redistribution of wealth and government control over individual expression. Why have the Marxist countries endorsed Obama the most liberal member of congress?
Wake up and join the 21st century.
Wake up and return to the 10th grade Civics class you slept through. Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian - he was a diest. His design of the University of Virginia was the first to omit a chapel from the central courtyard design, because he saw that the Church restricted free thought. Read the Federalist Papers to see how we almost ended up with a true Republic, instead of a Constitutional one.
"endowed by our Creator' does not say Jesus. While there are references to God - there is no reference to which God, ie. Catholic, Prysbiterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist (all were signers of the Declaration of Independence).
Plymouth was founded by capitalists. Most of the Puritans that came from Leydon, Holland, died in the first year The man that took over as the legal representative, Allen, spent a year in prison for allowing marriage without clergy, as it took more than a few years to recruit a minister.
The falacy that America was founded by Christians is like saying that France was founded by the French. King James used a parish system for collecting taxes, and those merchants who left England to establish a colony could avoid Monarch interference. The Constitution protects and promotes capitalism. Today's conservatives preach hate and negativity - listen to talk radio. When a judge issues a verdict they are opposed too - it's a reactionary judge. When they get a ruling in their favor, the judge should be worshiped.
Conservatives do worship idols -
Your depictions are grossly incorrect and you know the reasons why.
Jesus did have a message of love and forgiveness...these precepts are not at work in the McCain/Palin campaign.
Wouldn't be great to have a national day of prayer for Barack Obama I was raised Catholic but no longer attend church. I do not wish to belong to any organized religion yet believe in Christian values. I do believe in the power of prayer and would like to see the entire country and even the world pray for Obama to win the presidency.
The religious right think they have God on their side, it's time to claim the flag and the cross for the rest of us. If all nations and people of every faith would put the energy into this, if nothing else, it would unite us with one purpose.
I don't think I can take another 4 or 8 years with Republicans in the White House, look what damage they have wreaked upon us. We are now so divided that I don't know if it's possible to bring us together, but wouldn't it be nice. I've reached the point where I don't really care about those of you that voted for Bush twice, if you vote for McCain but Obama wins, too bad for you since we have had to endure Bush/Cheney et. al. Yep, I know that this doesn't represent Christian principles, I'm not perfect!
I have come to believe in recent years that you can't be a Republican and be a Christian too. From what I have read, the right-wing extremists do not believe in one thing that Jesus taught. Do unto others has become "Do it to others before they do it to you." I have heard so-called Christians say, "All I know is that I don't want to help any poor people." Christian sentiment in its purest Republican form.
I have been very frightened at the control they have had in our politics and in our government. They are for the most part ill-informed, narrow-minded, anti-intellectual, incurious and dangerous to democratic ideals. After all, we have had one in the White House for 8 years. That fact should make Americans very afraid. Bush has been "pallin around" with the likes of Hagee and Robertson for years.
I for one like Democracy just fine. I don't want to live in a Theocracy!
"Jesus said to her... 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
You worship what you do not know; we know wht we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and now is, when THE TRUE WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH; FOR THE FATHER IS SEEKING SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM!
GOD IS SPIRIT, and those who worship Him must WORSHIP IN SPIRIT OF TRUTH"
John 4:21-24
His Peace be With You TeddyBee9!
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