*Warning* Political Post Ahead *Warning*
I like John McCain, I've liked John McCain ever since 2000, I'm going to vote for John McCain. That said, I feel bad for Barack Obama. Barack might have questionable associations (Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko), his shameless backers in the media may have behaved poorly thus far in the campaign (Kieth Olbermann, the attempted hit on Palin's daughter, the coverage of his trip to the Middle East and then Europe), you may strongly disagree with his policy preferences (tax and spend, pull out of Iraq, redistribute wealth, increase the size of the government), but Barack himself seems like a real stand up guy.
He's been beat up by the RNC, by John McCain's campaign, and particularly on right wing outlets for his 'lipstick on a pig' comment and his 'guns and religion' comment, among other things, which are all really stupid things to go after a guy on. I've never seen Barack do this on the other hand, he readily defended Palin's pregnant daughter, he put distance between himself and Rev. Wright, and I've never heard him sieze on something stupid another politician has said. He seems to have a genuine love for the USA, he seems legitimately interested in building bridges with his political opponents, he seems interested in repairing the image of the US abroad, he's fully behind the war on terror, even if not the current occupation in Iraq. With few exceptions in his campaign he's stayed on point with with his plans, and very seldom used pointless negativity when he speaks. So, yeah, Barack seems like an OK guy to me and here's hoping for a productive discussion of the issues that face America over the next couple of months.
11 comments:
I pretty much agree with you here. Other than the occasional stupid politician comment I think Obama's been a pretty stand up guy. He is still a politician and he doesn't have the same shine he had when he first came up but this post is essentially something I was thinking of posting on my own blog.
None of that changes the fact that he's one of the most liberal senators (by way of his voting history) in the history of the U.S. Senate. None of that changes the fact that he supports civil union marriages, is pro-choice and said he believes "there is more than one way to God" when asked if Jesus was the only way.
To quote a pastor I respect, "My conclusions: Obama supporters like him because he’s young and he throws the word “hope” around. They want to vote for him more than anything and the issues aren’t really that important.
McCain is the clear choice for conservative people who give a whit about Scripture and the issues of the Kingdom. He has more experience. He has a proven record of putting country first.
Obama has proven by his voting record in the senate, when he bothered to vote, where his priorities will be. And that is scary.
If you want to vote for Obama, do it. It’s your right. But if you make kingdom issues secondary and refuse to use simple logic about the rest (i.e. failure to see the difference between an innocent unborn child’s life and the life of a convicted murderer), you’ve failed to see how important your life of discipleship is in your civic duty."
Haha, that sure sounds like a man who's thought through the issues and has a realistic perspective of what politicians do and are about.
"If you vote for Obama you're a bad Christian that can't use logic."
I don't think that's what he's saying at all.
Quoting your dude:
"McCain is the clear choice for conservative people who give a whit about Scripture and the issues of the Kingdom."
If that's not the same as saying "you're not a good Christian if you vote for Obama" I don't know what is. Unless you can be a good Christian and not care about the Bible or what Jesus wants.
More quote from your guy:
"If you want to vote for Obama, do it. It's your right. But if you make kingdom issues secondary and refuse to use simple logic about the rest...you've failed to see how important your life of discipleship is in your civic duty."
He's saying if you vote for Obama you have made Kingdom issues secondary, refused to use simple logic, and have abdicated your responsibilities as a disciple of Jesus.
He is absolutely saying that if you take Jesus seriously you must vote for McCain and cannot vote for Obama. That's ALL he's saying. I'm not sure how you can read that and come to any other conclusion.
You might also consider that the two things you mentioned not liking about Obama other than his liberal voting record are:
1) Supports "civil union marriages"
Civil Unions and "marriage" are different (that's what the argument is about). McCain and Obama actually have identical positions on this issue - that gay couples should share the same legal rights/privileges as married couples but it should not be called "marriage." So that's not a reason to prefer one over the other.
2) Obama says there is more than one way to God.
I bet you a billion dollars that McCain would give the same answer to that question as well. What about McCain makes you think he takes Jesus more seriously than Obama does?
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Unless something crazy happens I will not be voting for Obama. But if you're going to be against him you should be against him for good reasons. It's also not fruitful to say stuff like your respected pastor did because I think it doesn't honestly represent the other side or provide any sort of middle ground. I think many of the young people I know who support Obama are misguided but I'm not going to say their support of him means they "don't care a white about Scripture or Kingdom issues."
Well Jax, we're just at different places then. I have an incredible sick feeling in my stomach about Barack Obama, and what I believe is his deceptive nature and ability to speak so effectively that he's winning over Christ followers. I've said from the beginning that I'm not a huge fan of John McCain either, but Barack Obama is dangerous.
And before you think I'm suggesting he's the anti-Christ or anything outrageous like that, I'm not. I just think people hate Bush so much that they want the exact opposite.
And call me whatever you want, but I happen to agree with everything that pastor says. I think he's right on.
Also, Barack Obama's own church performs gay weddings, and Barack himself was a part of that church for 20+ years.
Also, until John McCain is asked, you can't assume you know what he'd answer when asked the question about how to get into heaven. I believe he would say Christ.
Anyway, opinions are like you know what, and they all stink.
Especially yours.
EPIC BURN
An interesting post and I would agree more with Ricky.
vote for the man who will do the least damage to our country.
I also am voting for McCain, although I think McCain will cause us to be pulling our hair out by the end of his term because he always wants to reach across the aisle to the Democrats even though it could be to our detriment. That said, McCain will keep us safe and he won't destroy our country.
Obama to me is a socialist to his core. And the more I hear what he believes (including a just released audio on his views of the Warren Court)the more I see they represent the failed policies of socialism and Marxism tried out in other countries. He is also the first presidental candiate who has believed this philosophy so deeply.
I think Obama is also intellectually dishonest. He will do anything to get elected. He said he would abide by Public Financing rules when he thought he could not raise enough money. He lied - when he discovered he could raise a lot of money through the Internet, he changed his mind. He wont divulge the names of his Internet sources and it is believed a lot of them could be coming from illegal sources, foreign countries.
Who believes in his right mind that Obama sat for twenty years without hearing the sermons of Reverend Wright. He only distanced himself when it was politically expedient to do so. Every week the church printed its bulletins and included the anti-american diatribes in it.
These radical relationships were not tangential, he cultivated them to gain political power in a Chicago corrupt poltical machine.
He is also no friend of Israel. He says he is a friend of Israel, but he has never supported Israel at all. In fact, he toasted Rashidi an anti-Israel friend at a Jew hating event, and the LA times admit they have the video but they will not release it.
Obama will put this country in danger and in four years this country will be a different place.
Wake up America!
As Dr Phil states: Past behavior is indicative of future behavior.
I don't feel sorry for Obama, I want him to go away and lead a country in Latin America. Those countries tend to like his philisophical mindset.
Nice post Melissa.
I voted for Sen. Obama but without enthusiasm. I don't agree that Sen. McCain is the necessary Christian choice. Both Senators are politicians and will do whatever it takes to get elected. There are plenty of conservative issues that have nothing to do with the gospel but are accepted and defended for political reasons.
Whoever gets elected I hope they do a good job and in the mean time will be working on myself and whatever God brings in front of me.
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