It is not just the usual Obama cheer squad that I am talking about here, such as Oprah and much of the Hollywood establishment. Many Christians also vest in him almost divine characteristics. Indeed, one Australian Christian leader has recently returned from the US full of praise for Obama, calling him a "committed Christian".
So just what sort of guy is Obama? Is he indeed a strong biblical Christian? Will an Obama-run White House see the implementation of biblical values and policies? Will he help to inaugurate the kingdom of God in America as some of his more zealous fans seem to think?
Let me say that in regards to my second question, ultimately only God knows a person's heart, and he alone will ultimately be the judge of whether a person is in fact a true Christian. But having said that, one can examine the beliefs, values, voting record, and policies of a candidate and see how they line up with biblical principles.
Here I want to look a just a few issues. There are many other issues of course that one could mention. But these are indeed important social and moral issues, and issues which the Bible takes a pretty clear approach to. So let's examine where Obama stands on some of these crucial issues.
Abortion
Obama has made it quite clear that he is pro-abortion. Indeed, an Obama/Biden team will be one of the most pro-abortion tickets fielded by the Democrats. Consider Obama's past track record on this issue. He has opposed banning partial-birth abortions and he has opposed an Illinois bill recognizing the human rights of babies who have been 'born alive' after botched abortions.
Perhaps his own words will suffice here. Not long ago Obama and McCain were interviewed by Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church in California. Warren asked this question: "Forty million abortions, at what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?" This is the reply given by Obama:
"Well, you know, I think that whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade. But let me just speak more generally about the issue of abortion, because this is something obviously the country wrestles with. One thing that I'm absolutely convinced of is that there is a moral and ethical element to this issue. And so I think anybody who tries to deny the moral difficulties and gravity of the abortion issue, I think, is not paying attention. So that would be point number one.
"But point number two, I am pro-choice. I believe in Roe v. Wade, and I come to that conclusion not because I'm pro-abortion, but because, ultimately, I don't think women make these decisions casually. I think they â€" they wrestle with these things in profound ways, in consultation with their pastors or their spouses or their doctors or their family members. And so, for me, the goal right now should be â€" and this is where I think we can find common ground. And by the way, I've now inserted this into the Democratic party platform, is how do we reduce the number of abortions? The fact is that although we have had a president who is opposed to abortion over the last eight years, abortions have not gone down and that is something we have to address."
His smart-aleck remark about this being above his "pay grade" is quite revealing. Contrast his meandering reply with that of McCain's: "At the moment of conception. (APPLAUSE). I have a 25-year pro-life record in the Congress, in the Senate. And as president of the United States, I will be a pro-life president. And this presidency will have pro-life policies. That's my commitment. That's my commitment to you."
As one blogger noted, "Compared with Obama's hemming and hawing, that is an outstanding answer. It is interesting that Obama talks about reducing the number of abortions, yet has opposed every effort to do so. Indeed, he has promised to reverse the Bush administration's moratorium on federally funded abortions once he takes office. How will that reduce the number of abortions?"
Homosexuality
Another key issue is that of marriage and family. And one of the greatest threats to these God-given institutions is the radical homosexual lobby. Unfortunately, Obama is as pro-homosexual as he is pro-abortion. American family activist Peter LaBarbera nicely summarises how Obama supports the homosexual agenda:
"Despite repeatedly professing his belief in traditional marriage, Obama's stated public policies invariably promote the Homosexual Lobby's 'gay marriage' agenda. In other words, he claims to support marriage while simultaneously undermining it. For example, Obama promises to completely repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) signed into law by Bill Clinton. If DOMA were to be repealed, states could be forced to recognize out-of-state 'same-sex marriages' against their will. (Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged to repeal only part of DOMA.). Obama opposes the California marriage protection amendment (Prop 8), which would simply reinstate marriage as solely between a man and a woman – the very thing that the Illinois Senator SAYS he supports.
"Obama congratulated San Francisco Democratic homosexual activists on 'getting married' – again showing his hypocrisy on marriage, and his old-politics habit of trying to appeal to both sides of this and other controversial issues at the same time. Obama pledged to homosexual activists to use the White House bully pulpit to advocate for homosexual adoption of children – thus creating the potentially absurd spectacle of a U.S. President using the moral authority and prestige of the office to push for placing children in same-sex households that are motherless or fatherless by design. Obama distorts the Bible to justify his support of homosexuality and even used Jesus Christ's Sermon on the Mount to support same-sex unions."
Will Obama be good for Blacks?
Finally, what about the idea that a Black President will be good for Black Americans. Well, maybe. It depends on who you are talking to I suppose. Consider how one Black American, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, assesses an Obama presidency: "No amount of phony Hollywood theatrics can hide the fact that Sen. Obama's agenda is a continuation of left- wing policies, which have turned Dr. King's dream into a nightmare for Black Americans."
He continues, "Ninety percent of Black Americans support Sen. Obama. Millions are caught up with his celebrity status, but we must take a step back and look at the real Barack Obama. Here's a sample of what an Obama administration won't do for Black America: 70% of Black children are born out-of-wedlock; yet Sen. Obama has no plan for this crisis. According to CDC reports AIDS remains the leading cause of death among Black women between ages 25 and 34. In Washington D.C., more than 80 percent of HIV cases are among Black people. Yet, Obama is counting on condom distribution to deal with this scourge. Sen. Obama was a committed member of a racist church for 20 years. He gave $20,000 of his own money to the anti-American Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Does this sound like a man who's judging people based on the content of their character?"
"Since 1973, 13 million Black babies have been aborted; meanwhile, as an Illinois state senator, 'pro- choice champion' Obama even opposed legislation designed to protect babies who survived late-term abortions. Sen. Obama opposes CA Prop. 8, which recognizes marriage only between a man and a woman, yet supports Sex Ed for Kindergarteners as long as it's 'age-appropriate'. In Los Angeles, illegal alien gang members randomly shoot down Black Americans, but Mr. Obama says immigration raids are ineffective and that illegals should have a 'path to citizenship.' Barack Obama wants to be king, but clearly he is no King. Obama's ideas and policies are a nightmare for all Americans."
Conclusion
Of course other issues might have been considered here. But it seems on some of these crucial matters, the Christian rhetoric of Obama does not very closely match the reality. Is Obama a true Christian? Maybe. Do many of his past and present statements and policies line up with Biblical absolutes? No. Whether he is really an "Obamanation" as some people are now calling him remains to be seen. But things are not looking very good.
This presidential race is really about a clash of worldviews. The beliefs, values and proposed policies of McCain/Palin are markedly different from those of Obama/Biden. A Democratic Presidency will be radically different from a Republican one.
And America is still a superpower. What happens in America will affect the rest of the world. Thus we all must think and pray carefully about how this election will be decided. The stakes are high. Whichever side gets in, it will be a crucial period in America's and the world's history.
www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=33756www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIdbYjmbFzo&feature=user