A good friend just asked me why I support Obama. This was my response.
There are a 1000 things I could say to try and explain myself. I will try to be brief.
In short, I am supporting Obama because of my theological education.
The American government [and all earthly governments for that matter] and following Christ have little or nothing to do with one another. No human government will ever change the world for good. Only steadfast commitment to the Kingdom of God will do that. We need to do a better job of separating the Kingdom of God from the Kingdom of America. Any time the Church has been aligned with a human government it has done terrible things in the name of Christ and marred his reputation. Any time the Church has wielded the sword as a kingdom of this world it has foolishly fallen prey to Satan and tried to change the world by force rather than love. The results have been disastrous [think the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc] Therefore, I believe that the Church is out of line as far as it tries to legislate morality through a human government. I don’t think it is the business of the church to try and elect “the Christian candidate” into office even if he did exist. Our way of change comes from a completely different place. Our allegiance is radically different. It is to a King and a Kingdom rather than a flag, country, or man [thank you Derek Webb].
You’ll note that I implied that a single Christian candidate doesn’t exist. Having a serious education let me in on the little secret that there is never, never, no not ever a single Christian candidate. Obviously there are Christ followers that seek election to public office. Two good examples currently are Obama and McCain. Both claim to be believers and I wouldn’t question the sincerity of either. At this point it all becomes a matter of perspective and conviction. Obviously, our convictions will lead us to support certain people for different reason. It is no big secret that within the Church we each have different convictions about different things.
This is where it gets personal. For me the major issues are of grace, hope, and justice. I personally look for a consistent life ethic. I’d like to see someone that values every human life and believes that all violence is wrong. Not only is abortion wrong but so are capital punishment and war. Seeking peace by nonviolent means is vital. Fighting poverty and hunger go right along with this ethic. Better gun control would also support it. Even treating the environment better could play a role. These issues matter. This is my heart and as I read scripture I believe it teaches these things as the heart of the Lord. Love, hope, and peace seem to trump all things, including the enforcement of morality. I just don’t see how banning gay marriage and abortion for people that aren’t Christians draws them into the church. Why should we ever expect them to behave as if they knew the Lord?
Here is where you run into trouble. No candidate embodies these principles completely. Only Christ could do that. But from my perspective I feel like Obama does a better job than McCain. As I weigh that ethic the scales happen to tip in Obama’s favor. I then have to acknowledge my first point, that no matter who gets elected, the American government will never be a positive agent for change from the perspective of the church. We are responsible for that ourselves. Despite this fact, as a citizen of this country [certainly second, or even 3rd or 4th, to my citizenship in Heaven], I do feel that I must vote for my convictions and beliefs. Those beliefs just happen to land me safely in the Obama camp.
No matter what America does not equal the Kingdom of God and never will.
You are right, we must live for The Kingdom, but he have also been given the responsibility here to govern ourselves. I can not support McCain nor Obama because both are on the wrong side of the Life issue. Both devalue human life in different ways. McCain, if elected will continue and expand an unjust war. Our military is meant to guard our borders not everyone else’s. Obama is so strongly “choice” and would make it easier to procure abortions. His support for the Freedom of Choice Act is unacceptable. In either case our tax dollars will be spent to end human life, either unborn American lives or our soldiers and foreign men, women and children. This does not have to be opposed sole because of religious conviction, each can be opposed on philosophical and ethical grounds. Abortion should be stopped because it is killing a human being, it matters not if the person getting one or preforming on is a Christian or not, it is just wrong. We condemn murder no matter what the faith the person killed or doing the killing is. That a person who kills does not know Jesus does not make it acceptable. As for fighting poverty and hunger, the less government involvement the better. Once the government becomes involved it will be harder for religious intuitions to do their part. Just because churches are not doing what they should to help the poor does not mean the government should step in. As far as for regulation of weapons and economics, these are not the governments business. The government should only protect the people not regulate the people. Their was only one candidate running from a major party who both opposed this war, and defended unborn life and would fight for a truly small government, Ron Paul. Now that he has withdrawn from the race, where do his supporters turn. Both McCain and Obama will expand the government, just in two separate ways. We will end up eventual with a Military Industrial Complex vs a Nanny State. Either way the Citizen’s right to Life, Liberty and Property are diminished. I thought about not voting, but now I am going to vote for Bob Barr, he is the closest to what I believe, but he does not have a chance. But as a plus if he does win he will be the first president with facial hair since Taft in 1913.
good word: i see that you did an internship at the IMB via the photography in 2008; i did one in Wales/UK/Ireland in 2001. During my time at Truett. Small world.