President Obama and the Daily Distribution

[dolfan]

His policies, his stated policies and his record, are against the grain, 180 degrees, of the Founders' vision of this country.

I think John Lewis' statement last night that this has been a non-violent revolution has some merit. The American people, the majority of them voting, have spoken and they've said "We want whatever Obama wants." Okay. I'm an American, and I'll submit to the rule of the majority. I oppose it, but I will submit to it. Coping within the new reality is going to be the challenge in practical terms.

One positive, and irthnvesl you weren't here back when I defended my position that the criminal justice system is systemically racist and that it is a reflection of a deep rooted racism in our culture, a means to an end, which is government control of black men. I think, truthfully, that Obama's presidency will not result in less control, but more. It is, though, my hope that he will lead a sea change in the law enforcement policy of this nation that locks up black men and throws away the key, that disenfranchises a disproportionate number of them with felony convictions for what amounts to a public health problem (drug addiction) that the government actually makes worse. Vicious cycle.

If Obama is the real deal, if he really is a change agent and not just another in a long line of power-brokers, he will work swiftly to release the hundreds of thousands of black men in American prisons and jails and to restore their civil rights, for those who are convicted only of felony drug charges and crimes not involving violence to any person. If he does that, he'll make a huge stride in convincing me that he's a leader. That won't change my mind that he's wrong for America, but it will help.

[Russell Roberts]

Dolfan,

I am not as familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the justice system though I take your word for it that there is a huge double standard. We see the same thing on the issue of white collar crime. They ought to release some of those accused of dealing drugs to make space for those in charge of FNMA and Freddie Mac. After all, whose actions have damaged society the most?

I voted for McCain while knowing deep down that Obama was going to win the election. BUT, all is not lost. Jesus reigns supreme. He is God over America. As Christians, we cannot view life from a theology from below. If this or any other election causes us Christians to despair, we really need to rethink what we really believe.

Do we really believe what we profess to believe or not? Is Jesus Christ the Lord as we proclaim? I know you would agree that he is. We should know beyond doubt that Obama will serve God's purpose whether knowingly or unknowingly. In the meantime, we can rejoice that a vast number of people who previously felt left out, now feel included.

[N.T. Wright Fan]

So what are we to make of President-elect Obama?

Well, I didn't vote for him, but I guarantee you I'm not going to spend much time crying about it - no matter how far out his political views are.

With respect to how Christians should view their leaders, we might learn a thing or two from the Apostle Paul.

Of course, those under Roman rule (which would have included most of the known world) had little say in choosing who ruled over them. I think, though, it would be fair to say that the closest thing they had to a U.S. President during the first century would have been the Emperor.

Several posts here have covered Paul's attitude toward those in authority:

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Who were those kings to whom Paul was referring?

Claudius and Nero, most likely.

We know (from Scripture, no less) that Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome shortly after he came to power (Acts 18:2). The Roman historian Suetonius tells us that the expulsion also included Christians:

"Since the Jews were constantly causing disturbances at the instigation of Christ, he (Claudius) expelled them from the city (Rome)."

And Nero? Well, he used Christians as torches.

Kinda makes Obama seem tame by comparison.

[Mike Vande]

I don't think I agree with you. We would hope that what you say is true. But, the majority of Americans, black and white, are less involved in what they can do for their country, and more concerned with what their country can do for them. A sense of investment doesn't easily co-exist with a sense of entitlement; one makes you put in, the other makes you take out.

Uneducated blacks living on welfare in the inner city, who still outnumber educated blacks living in suburbia, couldn't care less who's in charge as long as they keep getting their bi-weekly check. Sure they voted for Obama, but when they realize they have to work and work HARD to take advantage of the opportunity in front of them, that sense of entitlement is going to kick in, and support for Obama in the inner city is going to fade.

Meanwhile, the working black population may have a hope they didn't have before the election, but I don't believe they are going to see that hope realized. I suspect, with all the hype I saw on TV last night about what he will do in this brilliant, long hoped-for "NEW DAY IN AMERICA", now that the racist rednecks don't outnumber the enlightened liberals anymore, is what will eventually bring him down. Obama will disappoint pretty much everyone who voted for him, because he can't live up to the hype. He can't give all his time to everyone who thinks they earned it, and there are a bunch of folks who really think that right now. He can't favor blacks over any other ethnic group in this country, and that's gonna tick them off. And, if he accomplishes half of his economic agenda, halff the minimun wage jobs available now will disappear, the dollar will lose value in the world market, and life will get tough for a lot of people, the poorest of which will be hit the hardest.

No, I don't see much of a possibility of any significant change in the attitude of the black community in the this country, not for a few generations, anyway. I don't know if this country really has that much time left, either.

[Dr. Ron]

No person who calls themselves civilized should be proud today. While I understand what you have posted, I posed this to my class on Monday night.

Half of my students are black. I don't talk politics with my students, but I did promise them at the beginning of the term that I would answer any question and give them a biblical view from which to challenge their position.

Basically it comes down to this:

There are two and only two issues that a christian should consider in voting.
1. The sanctity of life....abortion.
2. The sanctity of marriage and home.......gay rights.

To consider any other matter (the economy etc. ) is to put our trust in the government and not in God.

The bible teaches us to "render unto Ceasar that that is his, and unto God that that is God's.

Taxes will rise dramatically..across the board. Inflation will rise, interest rates will go up, defense spending (therefore defense) will be cut and welfare will become the norm......again..... It has happened before and we lived through it. It will happen again.

But our trust is in the Lord God of the ages.

I told my class:

Vote for whom you will.....but if Obama wins, take this picture with you to bed Tuesday night and see how well you sleep.
A dr. puts his hand in woman's womb, turns the baby around and pulls it out of the birth canal feet first....leaving the head in the birth canal, he puts a pain of sissors at the base of the skull and scrambles the brains of a beautiful child who would be born alive. He drains the fluids from the now dead fetus with which he will devise ways for a spoiled overpaid Hollywood actor to have a better quality of life. Sleep on that!

NO, I can find NO redeeming reason to be happy or to justify the greed of the American people. This was a landslide in the electoral college, but not the people. We are still divided......right down the middle. No one black white, green, or purple will bring us together without a move of God's supreme power.

How sad we have celebrated the deaths of more of America's finest.

[MacUser]

Well said Dr. Ron.

[N.T. Wright Fan]

Uneducated blacks living on welfare in the inner city...couldn't care less who's in charge as long as they keep getting their bi-weekly check...[Obama] can't favor blacks over any other ethnic group in this country, and that's gonna tick them off.

Taxes [are] being doled out by the billions for the medical care and welfare of illegal aliens and welfare cheats while millions of our hard working people can’t get or can’t afford the most basic medical insurance.

Interesting.

[N.T. Wright Fan]

There are two and only two issues that a christian should consider in voting.
1. The sanctity of life....abortion.
2. The sanctity of marriage and home.......gay rights.

To consider any other matter (the economy etc. ) is to put our trust in the government and not in God.

Taxes will rise dramatically..across the board. Inflation will rise, interest rates will go up, defense spending (therefore defense) will be cut and welfare will become the norm......again..... It has happened before and we lived through it. It will happen again.

Pardon me, sir, but these two statements don't exactly jibe.

If there are only two issues a Christian should consider when casting his or her vote, then what difference does it make that, under Barack Obama, taxes are going to increase, defense spending will be cut, and (cue spooky music) welfare will become the norm?

By the way, how familiar are you with the practice of exposure, which was commonly practiced during the first century?

[Dr. Ron]

I am sure I have mis-spoken due to my utter disgust over the impending deaths of millions or more babies .......sorry if that has clouded my otherwise brilliant mind.

As for the 1st century issues you posed, I am certain I must not be nearly as informed on that as yourself......or you would not have brought it up.....So...in deference to you my erudite friend, please enlighten we who are obviously not so well informed.

[Mike Vande]

No person who calls themselves civilized should be proud today. While I understand what you have posted, I posed this to my class on Monday night.

Half of my students are black. I don't talk politics with my students, but I did promise them at the beginning of the term that I would answer any question and give them a biblical view from which to challenge their position.

Basically it comes down to this:

There are two and only two issues that a christian should consider in voting.
1. The sanctity of life....abortion.
2. The sanctity of marriage and home.......gay rights.

To consider any other matter (the economy etc. ) is to put our trust in the government and not in God.

The bible teaches us to "render unto Ceasar that that is his, and unto God that that is God's.

Taxes will rise dramatically..across the board. Inflation will rise, interest rates will go up, defense spending (therefore defense) will be cut and welfare will become the norm......again..... It has happened before and we lived through it. It will happen again.

But our trust is in the Lord God of the ages.

I told my class:

Vote for whom you will.....but if Obama wins, take this picture with you to bed Tuesday night and see how well you sleep.
A dr. puts his hand in woman's womb, turns the baby around and pulls it out of the birth canal feet first....leaving the head in the birth canal, he puts a pain of sissors at the base of the skull and scrambles the brains of a beautiful child who would be born alive. He drains the fluids from the now dead fetus with which he will devise ways for a spoiled overpaid Hollywood actor to have a better quality of life. Sleep on that!

NO, I can find NO redeeming reason to be happy or to justify the greed of the American people. This was a landslide in the electoral college, but not the people. We are still divided......right down the middle. No one black white, green, or purple will bring us together without a move of God's supreme power.

How sad we have celebrated the deaths of more of America's finest.

What he said. YEAH!

[AllenNope]

There are two and only two issues that a christian should consider in voting.
1. The sanctity of life....abortion.
2. The sanctity of marriage and home.......gay rights.

Last I read God was very concern about the poor, sick, those in prison, those that were taken advantage of and those that were naked. Seems to me God would consider it important for us to think about these policies also.

[Susie Hamilton]

Dolfan,

I am not as familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the justice system though I take your word for it that there is a huge double standard. We see the same thing on the issue of white collar crime. They ought to release some of those accused of dealing drugs to make space for those in charge of FNMA and Freddie Mac. After all, whose actions have damaged society the most?

I voted for McCain while knowing deep down that Obama was going to win the election. BUT, all is not lost. Jesus reigns supreme. He is God over America. As Christians, we cannot view life from a theology from below. If this or any other election causes us Christians to despair, we really need to rethink what we really believe.


Do we really believe what we profess to believe or not? Is Jesus Christ the Lord as we proclaim? I know you would agree that he is. We should know beyond doubt that Obama will serve God's purpose whether knowingly or unknowingly. In the meantime, we can rejoice that a vast number of people who previously felt left out, now feel included.

I think I am beginning to like you.

[Russell Roberts]

Likewise Rahab. Any friend of Wes's is a friend of mine.

[Dr. Ron]

The issues of the poor , sick and imprisoned are taken care of in the word.

WE, the Christians, are supposed to do that....not the government.

[crispfin]

The issues of the poor , sick and imprisoned are taken care of in the word.

WE, the Christians, are supposed to do that....not the government.

I agree, but what if Christians don't? In all honesty with the number of Christians and churches in this country there should be no needy amongst us. But there are, so they aren't. If Christians will not do their job, then what do we expect the government to do? To give an example of what I mean: Should someone let the house burn down because they aren't a fireman? They can easily say that it wasn't their responsibility.