Obama’s Faith Revealed

Whether you like the man or not, President George W. Bush was liked by enough Americans to get elected in 2000 and then re-elected in 2004. A major reason: his outspoken faith in God. Today, with around three quarters of Americans identifying as Christians, it is no wonder that a man who openly professes his relationship with Christ and strives to keep the United States rooted in Christian values finds himself in the Oval Office for eight years. Knowing this fact, it is also no wonder that Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the nominee of the Democratic Party that normally steers clear of religion, has been frequently emphasizing his so-called dedication to Jesus Christ. On the other hand, America’s Republican nominee for president, John McCain (R-Ariz.), has had a hard time exposing his religious side even though he comes from the party traditionally more in tune with the crucial evangelical voters.

Many Christians were fooled at first by Obama’s smoothtalk and his promises to lead with Christian morality, but Obama’s Christian support has peaked and is beginning to fade. Though McCain still needs to make a conscious effort to reach out to evangelicals, a bloc that could throw the election to one candidate or the other, Obama is helping McCain enough by slowly exposing beneath his façade an individual who looks much different than a believer walking with Christ. Christians nationwide are beginning to realize that McCain’s principles are much more genuine than Obama’s posturing, as some noticeable traits and behaviors associated with Obama lately have left his Christian faith up for question.

Let us first examine Obama’s radical associations. Still fresh in the mind of many religious voters, there was Reverend Jeremiah Wright, to whom Obama attributes his relationship to God. For twenty years, Obama listened to Wright preach derogatory messages against America along with black liberation theology. Obama’s faith, which he intends to use to lead as president, is based on an inaccurate and hateful interpretation of the Bible.

More recently, the rapper Ludacris praised Obama in one of his songs while calling Hilary Clinton (D-N.Y.) an offensive word and saying “McCain don’t belong in any chair unless he’s paralyzed.” At first one might think, ‘Why should Obama be penalized for what an independent rapper says?’ This would be a valid question except Obama enjoys Ludacris’ music and has met with the star privately for guidance on how to reach out to young voters. I am not sure that Jesus would listen to music by and seek advice from a man who makes off-color insults about our country’s leaders and encourages drug use and fornication.

An interesting note about Wright and Ludacris, though the trend continues with numerous others linked to the nominee, is that Obama had no problem with their camaraderie until the public found out about his connection to them. Only when his presidential bid is at stake does Obama revoke his support for extremist friends. This causes one to question Obama’s own morals and exposes a discrepancy between the Christian message that Obama preaches and how he acts.

Still more inconsistencies between Obama’s faith and his political stances can be found regarding his agenda on family values. The Bible, which Obama notes is his moral compass, clearly emphasizes God as the author of life from the point of conception. However, Obama chooses to ignore this fact and rather supports the killing of God’s human creations. He has voted against notifying parents when minors cross state lines for abortion and against recognizing, as a human being, any infant born alive after an abortion. These stances are very destructive to the American family and contrary to the value of human life that the Bible stresses.

Obama’s defense of this contradiction is weak: he cannot impose his views on others. Why then is he allowing those who support abortion to impose their views on him? The beauty of a democracy is that we all have a voice to vote for that which we believe. Most Americans maintain the view that homicide is wrong, thus we have chosen as a nation to punish those who murder. It would seem that some liberals should accuse America of discrimination against those who have committed homicide, for murderers believe their actions are justified. Maybe we should not interfere with their moral code.

But we do intervene because most of us see eye to eye on the issue. Citizens vote innately according to their values, so as a Christian, Obama should be voting in line with Christ’s view of abortion as a crime.

The reason that Obama claims to be a dedicated Christian while, at the same time, his choices prove otherwise could arise from two possibilities. Either Obama is seriously misguided with his understanding of the Bible or he is a quintessential politician. I believe both undesirable scenarios play a role. Regarding the former, one needs to look no further than Obama’s aforementioned support of black liberation theology or his notion that governments must be constrained by the same individualistic code spelled out in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In actuality, the Bible teaches God has bestowed upon worldly governments responsibilities in addition to those of citizens.

Regarding the latter, Obama has shown he will say or do anything to get elected to office. Examples include his choices to forgo his promise of public financing, to skip a visit to U.S. troops in Germany when he realized his cameramen would not be able to film him doing so, and to oppose the proposed California ban on gay marriage though he previously said, “I’m a Christian…and my religious beliefs say marriage is something sanctified between a man and woman.” Obama is saying one thing to get the Christian vote while doing the opposite to appease his liberal supporters.

Further, this politician has let his campaign go to his head. Demonstrated by his personal presidential seal, his request to speak in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gates (normally reserved for presidents), and his quote saying, “I have become a symbol of America returning to our best traditions,” Obama will more than likely soon be claiming his infallibility. The Democratic nominee is far from displaying Jesus’ humility.

Across the aisle, McCain may not speak as effectively about his faith as Obama, but his actions demonstrate more certainly a Christian morality. McCain prefers honesty to deception and does not cloak any extreme views. McCain avoids hollow promises to gain votes; he offers policies that may not always be attractive but they are effective and feasible. The Republican nominee favors the overturning of Roe v. Wade, is opposed to gay marriage, and has remained levelheaded. As Election Day nears more and more Christians are looking through Obama’s fluffy speeches to see the man behind the mask: a man lacking integrity who, like he told others to do in his Call to Renewal speech, needs to “read his Bible.” My desire is that every Christian realize McCain is the man to keep “In God We Trust” central to our nation rather than Obama and his faux-faith.