We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.

pray for obama

Hate-Filled Prayers

I came across a story about this billboard at 4:00 yesterday morning and tweeted on it. It would be easy to dismiss this sad display as an isolated act of a crazed fanatic, but I think it actually symbolizes the demonic animosity that permeates our current political climate. In fact, this is the third time I’ve heard Psalm 109 (which, by way, includes a prayer for the psalmist’s enemy to die and never be forgiven and for his children to live as homeless beggars) being publically used against Obama.

In this light, I believe this billboard serves a symbol of the Gospel being taken hostage by politics. Jesus taught us to love and pray for our enemies (Lk 6:27-36) and he gave us an example to follow when he died for his enemies (us) while praying for their forgiveness with his last breath (Lk 23:34). Yet, without noticing it, many American professing Christians today think and act toward political opponents in ways that not only ignore, but also directly contradict his teaching and example.

The billboard also serves as a necessary reminder to us of the danger of placing equal value on everything in the Bible. While it may sound pious to say, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it for me,” this actually can be a very dangerous mindset. There is more than enough material in the Old Testament to justify murder and even genocide, if that is what people want to do. In fact, Church history is filled with examples of professing Christians doing this very thing. This was the very mindset of the Europeans who conquered America, wiping out American Indians whenever necessary in the process.

The Bible is God’s Word, but doesn’t mean it’s all equally authoritative. And so long as we approach it with this mindset, it will be used to justify this sort of demonic ugliness. The only safeguard is to resolve that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the perfect revelation of God’s character and will (Heb. 1:3).

Category:
Tags: ,

Related Reading

Responding to Critics On A Pacifist View of the Syrian Crisis

On September 3rd, I wrote a post entitled What I – a Pacifist – Would Say to Obama About the Syrian Crisis in response to a number of questions I was getting, and judging from the “shares” and Twitter activity, this essay seems to have struck a chord. Not surprisingly, it also generated some criticism, for…

The Politics of Jesus

Many are so conditioned by the mindset of the world that they can’t even envision an alternative way of affecting society and politics other than by playing the political game as it is done by the established governmental system. Some thus conclude that, since Jesus didn’t try to overhaul the political systems of his day…

Prayer and the Open Future

Kurt Willems posted a blog today written by Derek Ouellette regarding why understanding that the future is partially open is the only thing that really makes sense of prayer. Derek addresses his thoughts to your younger self, the self that was more “Open. Teachable. Curious. Adventurous.” Let’s all be willing to respect and freely interact…

Prayer When You’re Anxious

The following is adapted from a prayer exercise that Greg wrote for his book, Present Perfect. If you’re feeling anxious today (or even if you’re not anxious at all) we encourage you to spend a little time with it.  As you read this, remind yourself that the only thing that ultimately matters is that you are submerged…

Is the Separation of Church and State Satan’s Idea?

I encourage you to read this article. In it, Rick Perry claims that the idea of the separation of the church and state is from Satan, and he and others will next week embark on a 40 days to save America campaign, which (as far as I can tell) means “40 days to save America…

Christian Utopia

Fergal of Claddagh, OP via Compfight A little meditation on Christian Utopia and the Body Politic as we stand poised on the eve of the election in America. We affirm that Jesus will indeed “establish His kingdom on earth” but it won’t come through the exercise of power. Rather, God’s kingdom will come as his…