Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Dare to Dream: Obama our greatest President?

Teddy Roosevelt, our 26th President was the leader of the Republican Party.  He is also attributed with being one of the first "progressives" in high government service, he promoted what we now would politely call the "conservation movement" and was in the extreme in promoting the government regulation of business.

Early in his career Richard Nixon was adamantly opposed to the spread of Communism all over the world.  He was vigorous, aggressive and down right mean about it.  In his senate race during the 1950's he suspected his opponent, Helen Gahagan Douglas was a communist sympathizer and, the story goes, he accused the former actress of being "pink right down to her underwear".  In 1970, our boisterous anti-commie is found shaking hands with Mao Zadong - leader of communist China - and Nixon is now largely accepted as the President who "normalized" relations with China.

In 1980 Ronald Reagan pursued an aggressive "peace through strength" policy called MAD - mutually assured destruction- the planned response to a Soviet attack was no longer to bomb Russian population centers and cities primarily, but first to kill the Soviet leadership, then attack military targets, in the hope of a Russian surrender before total destruction of the USSR (and the United States).  In 1987 Reagan signed the INF treaty which was the first nuclear arms reduction treaty.  He further reduced nuclear warheads through his final "trust but verify" nuclear arms treaty called START I treaty in 1991.

My point is this:  it is not without historical precedent that forward movement on certain issues will be affected by the most unlikely of Presidents.  We know that President Obama calls himself a "Christian" or as I call him a christian.  He has been clear on his criticism of the US as a christian nation.  His policies are truly concerning for those of us who are concerned with the anti-abortion movement.  He is big government - some say socialist others say corporatist.  But what if what he knows about Christ that we have seen here and here, were ever to actually IMPACT him for Christ?  What if it went from knowledge (or pitch...or spin...) to relationship?  Could he be one of our greatest Presidents?

  Sadly, I am persuaded that while our President understands the basic premise of the gospel I don't believe he has a heart changed by the person of Jesus Christ.  But what if God took the words our President knows and the testimony he has given and affected the President with a true faith in Jesus Christ?  Is not a spirit of humility, in God's eyes and rightly applied a good thing?  What might our President apologize for in this country that should be apologized for?  Were his heart changed by Christ, would it not be significant to, at least figuratively, don sack cloth and ashes for the 50 million babies we have legally extinguished?  Would it not be appropriate to (at least) apologize for denying certain of America's population their inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the first 86 years of the founding of this great country?   

Those of us on the right often feel disgust and disregard for this President because he apologizes and bows to dictators, Kings  (all nominal friends at best) all over the world.  And granted, I have great concern with the type of leader our President seems to be bowing to.  It seems that he likes to bow to dictators and snub our friends.  I don't like that at all, mainly because the action, in conjunction with his 20 year ties to the Reverend Wright cause me to wonder about his intent.  That being said, while American Presidents don't traditionally bow, is it really un-Christian for our leader to bow to other leaders out of deference and respect?    Certainly America serves the world by offering untold billions in an attempt to provide and protect it in hundreds of thousands of different ways.  Would it be such a bad thing for the American posture to be one of service and strength and not arrogance and strength?  Would it not be amazing if we had a President who, upon the true impact of a relationship with Christ, took upon himself the mantel of repentance to God on behalf of the people of this great nation?  Oh for the symbolism of that day.  We should be pleading with the Lord God to impact this man's heart with the Truth he knows.


The Letters and Lessons of Teddy Roosevelt for His Sons (Profiles in Fatherhood)
Memoirs of Richard Nixon  
The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan: A History of the End of the Cold War

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

President Obama claims Christ

Here we are again with President Obama Claiming the person of Christ as his only hope for redemption.  We saw this earlier in his campaign for the presidency as well.  Words that make the Christian believers that support the President and everything he does so proud.  And cause those of us who are concerned about his intentions and his policies stare drop jawed at our computer monitor.



While he did not mention the resurrection, I think if one heard this as a testimony from a member of our church we would be hard pressed to be critical of such a testimony.  While some may bicker with his inclusion of American's who celebrate Ramadan and Passover.  And many will argue from an evangelical perspective about whether President Obama's "fruit" is consistent with that of a believer - his words are quite clear: he counts himself among "us".  May God use the Truth he knows to lead him to just counsel and godly policy.  Let us pray daily for evidence of this answer to prayer.   

Walking with Lincoln: Spiritual Strength from America's Favorite President