Today I am facing a number of issues that lay heavy on my heart. I feel it is imperative to answer one of these issues. It is the issue of how Christians should respond to recent election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.
First - I have heard from several people that they are disappointed about the results of the elections. My friends, we need to face reality about the election.
John McCain conceded the race at 11pm EST on November 4, 2008... but he knew long before then that victory was not to be his. I applaud John McCain for his gracious, heartfelt remarks:
I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that. It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. SOURCE
Secondly, my email inbox was flooded with political information prior to the election. Do you ever get those emails that are making overtly political statements from other Christians, and then realized that those around you responded to the email positively or negatively based on the political position that was being made?
I remember one that went around the emails several years ago about 'In God We Trust' (which is a valid debate) being taken off of a US coin. I am sure that many pastors and churches around America were able to get a sermon illustration about how liberal America is becoming because of this fact. Problem was...it wasn't a fact. It was false.
One that I received recently was on the number of US Military deaths by year and under which president they came under. Because the numbers showed that the Iraq deaths were numbers were small compared to the number of deaths under previous Democratic presidents, well...once again, fact was not important because the numbers made the Republicans look good. This one isn't true either.
I remember during the presidential race that an email came to me stating that Barack Obama is a "radical Muslim" and will not "recite the Pledge of Allegiance". WOW! What a characterization. And you guessed it. THIS IS NOT TRUE
I have even heard someone ask if our newly elected President is a "christian". Hear it in his own words:
I prefer to be a Christian than political.
First - I have heard from several people that they are disappointed about the results of the elections. My friends, we need to face reality about the election.
John McCain conceded the race at 11pm EST on November 4, 2008... but he knew long before then that victory was not to be his. I applaud John McCain for his gracious, heartfelt remarks:I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that. It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. SOURCE
Secondly, my email inbox was flooded with political information prior to the election. Do you ever get those emails that are making overtly political statements from other Christians, and then realized that those around you responded to the email positively or negatively based on the political position that was being made?
I remember one that went around the emails several years ago about 'In God We Trust' (which is a valid debate) being taken off of a US coin. I am sure that many pastors and churches around America were able to get a sermon illustration about how liberal America is becoming because of this fact. Problem was...it wasn't a fact. It was false.
One that I received recently was on the number of US Military deaths by year and under which president they came under. Because the numbers showed that the Iraq deaths were numbers were small compared to the number of deaths under previous Democratic presidents, well...once again, fact was not important because the numbers made the Republicans look good. This one isn't true either.
I remember during the presidential race that an email came to me stating that Barack Obama is a "radical Muslim" and will not "recite the Pledge of Allegiance". WOW! What a characterization. And you guessed it. THIS IS NOT TRUE
I have even heard someone ask if our newly elected President is a "christian". Hear it in his own words:
I prefer to be a Christian than political.
How about you?
1 comment:
Thank you so much, Pastor Rick, for this blog! It is very much appreciated! I have seen and heard so much negativity coming from so many Christians regarding this election that my heart has completely broke. Regardless of how people feel about our new president-elect it's time to put those differences aside and give him our support!
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