Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Some thoughts on the outcome of the election
As my husband and I watched our new president elect, Barack Obama, speaking to the huge crowd in Chicago tonight, we were touched by the many African Americans, including Jessie Jackson, who stood with tears running down their cheeks. Later talking about their tears and joy, we thought of how this was a gift to many citizens of the United States, giving them a new sense of their self-worth. And although Obama was not our choice we believe we saw God’s sovereign hand in the event. And so we offer congratulations to Obama and to those who chose him.
But most of all we offer our prayers as Christians.
And I also add this thought. Obama professes to be a Christian and Christians grow in their walk with Jesus Christ. He sat under a preacher who for many years fed him a gospel that failed to address some of what it means to walk with Jesus Christ. Obama was taught to care for some of the least of these, but surely, not all of the least of these.
He has not been touched by the plight of the unborn. So as he moves forward, not only in his presidency but also in his faith, I will pray that he finds a good church home and fellow believers who will mentor him into a fuller faith.
The future is God’s; he knows all of its events and all of his children’s needs. He is able to change each one of us as we allow him to be Lord of our life.
“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales? …
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, he lifts up the islands like fine dust. …
All the nations are as nothing before him, they are regarded by him as less than nothing and meaningless. …
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might he increases power. …
Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:12, 15, 17,28b-29, 31)
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22 comments:
Viola,
I wonder if you would ever have said the following:
"Bush professes to be a Christian and Christians grow in their walk with Jesus Christ. He sat under a preacher who for many years fed him a gospel that failed to address some of what it means to walk with Jesus Christ. Bush was taught to care for some of the least of these, but surely, not all of the least of these."
For surely it applies in force. Yet precious few in the Evangelical community ever once raised their voice against his total departure from everything Christianity stands for.
Why the double standard?
Carl
Amen Viola, John & I had much the same conversation last night. I echo your prayer for our next president.
Carl,
Over and over, I will say it. However he did stand for the life of the unborn, and to me that is one of the great sins of America at the moment. How do you feel about abortion?
Suzanne,
we will all four keep busy with prayer. Thank God it is all in His hands.
We really must rejoice that we live in a country where Barack Obama has been elected. Even though I will oppose most of his political agenda I refuse to miss the incredibly important human moment represented by his election.
Bill,
I picked up a couple of my grandchildren from school today. We talked about the election and one of them said her teacher cried as they talked about it.
She attends a wonderful little charter school housed in a Catholic Church's buildings. It is not Catholic. In fact the principal is an African American who attends a downtown Pentecostal Church. Anyway since it is a very multi-ethnic school I saw a lot of very happy faces today.
I agree that yesterday's vote was quite momentus and it caused a stir in my heart to watch Obama as he gave his victory speech. This is a pivotal moment in history where barriers are being broken. I must also agree with you that Obama was not my choice for President and I will begin to support him through prayer for his leadership of this country. Of course, I will also being praying considerably for God's leadership in this country.
Hi Andrea,
Thank you for writing on my blog.
We will pray this one out together. I like your blog you; should keep writing.
Someone told me today that many of the Democrats who got voted in are pro-life. Maybe God is doing something we will be very surprised about.
You are probably right. It has definately stood the test of time that whenever God decides differently than our heart's desires it is because He has something better planned for the future.
As for my blog... haha It has been so long since I've had time to write anything. Of course, you are right again, I *should* keep writing.
Maybe I "should" not have used the word "should." :-)
Viola,
I believe that abortion takes human life and I believe in the sanctity of human life.
O do not think it is a greater sin than killing women and children in some far off land on the basis of false witness and shrugging it off as "collateral damage" and a "necessary evil".
Or even locking human beings in boxes for years and years of their lives as a form of punishment.
So I think using it as a wedge issue is at best ineffective, and at worse hypocritical. Certainly not Christian.
Carl
PS
Myself I voted for Obama because I believe his mediative leadership style is more effective at bringing about the kind of changes we need than the autocratic authoritative style McCain uses.
Not that there are not times when it can be useful, but no one person can manage the United States with that approach. History is littered with failed nations because their leaders tried it.
The fact that he is an African American is pure frosting on the cake.
Carl
"O do not think it is a greater sin than killing women and children in some far off land on the basis of false witness and shrugging it off as "collateral damage" and a "necessary evil".
Or even locking human beings in boxes for years and years of their lives as a form of punishment."
Carl - I agree with you here in terms of severity of effect, but the nubmers don't support the contention. To those who oppose abortion because a fetus is a living human being, the sheer volume is staggering - tens of millions in the US, and more than a billion worldwide since 73 - part of which is also a result of US activism. Seriously, if one regards a fetus as a human being, one would have to go very far to do anything that would compare. To suggest that voting for a person whose beliefs and policies would expand the practice because of other evils you cite is not supportable.
Carl - my point is not to argue about your vote - but I disagree profoundly that abortion is a wedge issue. For those who oppose it, not as a socially undesirable practice, but because they regard it as killing human beings - that issue alone would decide most votes.
The whole 'wedge issue' concept is specious at best. It suggests that the speaker has a better perspective on what should be a person's priorities in voting. Frankly, someone who votes based on a candidate's stand on abortion is voting according to his or her own priorities. It is the same as someone who cites the economy, or the war, or any other single issue that persuades them. To use a phrase like 'wedge issue' to demean these voters is neither accurate nor fair.
Will,
Since when does morality know numbers? Doesn't the bible teach us that to break one law is to break them all?
Or should we have one morality for domestic issues and another for foreign?
You miss the point of wedge issues. They are powerful because they appeal to legitimate sensitivities. But they are hypocritical because they are not, in the end, about Morality with a capital M but only about right wing vs left wing politics.
Abortion is the issue that defines the term.
I think that if you want to make the case against abortion for real, and not as a manipulated pawn, then you need to make it from a self consistent moral platform that says human life, all human life, is sacred, no exceptions. And act accordingly.
Carl
Carl - there's that contempt again.
'manipulated pawn'.
Frankly, the manipulation is coming from those who talk about wedge issues.
First, yes, numbers do matter. The Bible doesn't even call all sins equal. Yes, all sins separate us from God and fail at his holiness. And yes, one who has failed at the standard (i.e. all human beings except one) has failed at the whole law. All this does it make everyone equally guilty of failing to keep the law. It doesn't make one bad action the equivalent of another.
The very fact that there are different punishments in the law for different offenses indicates a difference between one offense and another. And the countless times where people and nations are described in terms of the amount of their evil indicates a difference. Even David is described in I Kings in this way: "For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite."
I do know that the wedge issue argument is not new and does not hold water. The concept is that it alienates natural allies by using a 'hot button' issue. And that advancer of that argument is implying (by using words like manipulate) that this represents foolishness on the part of the person who votes or decides based on that issue. From the speaker's point of view, that may be true, but from the point of view individual who is passionate about that issue, it is perfectly legitimate. And it is, in fact, HOW MOST PEOPLE MAKE POLITICAL DECISIONS - they decide based on what they believe and what is important to them. The 'wedge issue' argument is almost always advanced by a person who seems to believe, strongly suggests, implies, that he or she makes decisions based on a complete package. That is crap. It isn't happening.
The person deciding this who claims to share the belief about the identified wedge issue - does not. He or she does not share the view that that issue is important enough to merit a choice on its basis.
As for hypocrisy, there is not a person who voted for a candidate in this election who is not guilty of hypocrisy in the way you assert it. For the person to hold the consistancy you describe - that person cannot support (i.e. vote for) anyone who would support any of the issues you believe similar. The concept of voting for a person dictates that on some level, a person disagrees with the moral choices of their candidate about something. This is moral - therefore it is a moral inconsistancy. It could, of course, be solved by refusing to vote - in theory, but even that will end up advancing the causes a person regards as evil.
I really don't have time today for debate as I am preparing for a class on Sunday and company tonight. But I can't help thinking of this in "The Second Helvetic Confession." "Original Sin. We therefore acknowledge that there is original sin in all men. Actual Sins. We acknowledge that all other sins which arise from it are called and truly are sins, no matter by what name they may be called, whether mortal, venial or that which is said to be the sin against the Holy Spirit which is never forgiven (Mark 3:29; 1 John 5:16). We also confess that sins are not equal; although they arise from the same fountain of corruption and unbelief, some are more serious than others. As the Lord said, it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for the city that rejects the word of the Gospel (Matt. 10:14f.; 11:12ff.)." 5.039
Will,
As Shakespeare would say, “the gentleman doth protest too much, methinks”
I guess I’ve pretty much said my peace on this topic. All I can add is that as an American, I feel I can hold my head high again. As an American AND as a Christian. It has been a long while coming, and it feels nice.
Carl
I guess the ability to hold your head up high again is a good thing.
It is entirely unjustified. But, if it makes you feel better ...
Will,
You are not proud of being an American? Never, or just this week?
Carl
Carl - America (US) is my home. I am proud of America in some respects. There are aspects of our society I admire and believe to be good. There are others I do not.
Similarly, I would defend America from external threats - but I don't know that I can defend us from ourselves. (C.S. Lewis raised the question about the difference between behaviors democracies enjoy, and behaviors that tend to preserve democracies. While that is imprecise, I think our society does indulge in behaviors that are essentially bad for us. And I believe our society indulges in some behaviors I find immoral. In some I am complicit. In others, I am alienated.)
I have never been particularly proud of any presidential choice that has occurred in my lifetime.
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