Joshua Seek

I forgot to include this interview with Frank Schaeffer.  Frank is the son of Francis Schaeffer and was involved with beginning the culture wars of the 80's of the right wing.  Frank has since had a change of heart and seeks to encourage others not to continue what he was involved with starting.

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Some Christians are calling for others to pray for President Obama.  Yet they're requesting a very specific prayer, as Cathleen Falsani writes for the USA Today

"Pray for Obama."

A kind and generous statement.

Or is it?

"Pray for Obama."

A kind and generous statement.

Or is it?

President Barack Obs

A crop of bumper stickers and T-shirts emblazoned with that call to prayer for the president have appeared for sale recently online through make-it-yourself outlets such as Zazzle.com and CafePress.com. And most of the "Pray for Obama" slogans are accompanied by a scripture reference: "Psalm 109:8."

In the New International Version translations, that verse reads;

May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.

Aha! So, they're praying for Obama's tenure to be a short one. Fair enough. But what does that really mean?

A clue may be in the verses of the 109^th Psalm that follow verse 8:

May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.

May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.

May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

May their sins always remain before the Lord, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

In that context, are these folks actually urging us to pray for Obama's death?

Granted, we're known for prooftexting, but is it rational to believe that the intention behind these slogans is not hatred?

I know the counter-arguments:  Obama is doing "bad things", or it's OK because people called for the death of our former president.

I don't remember the people calling for the death of our former president calling themselves Christians and reciting the Bible as the basis for their hatred. 

We should seek to be at peace with all, the to pray for and love others, even those who we believe are against us.

We are to follow the example of Christ, who said,

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

-Matthew 5:21-22

It is sad when hate masquerades as godliness.  We should seek to live at peace, even with those we call our enemies.

Someone said to me recently that they feel that people are overall becoming more angry and vengeful, and based on things like this, I'm inclined to agree with her.

I would like to support an alternate position, as referred to in the USA Today article:

There are "Pray for Obama" slogan products that bear an alternative scripture reference: 1 Timothy 2:1-2, which reads in the NIV:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone

For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Amen to that.  May the president live well, and may those who disagree with him seek to peacefully pray for his leadership.  If you have a problem with his positions, pray that he will change his mind or listen to wise council.

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WASHINGTON – Evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders who unveiled the "Manhattan Declaration" Friday insisted the document is not a political ploy.

Rather, it is a testament to their common Christian witness as they stand to uphold what they believe are the three most foundational issues in society – the sanctity of life, the historic understanding of marriage, and religious liberty.

via www.christianpost.com

So I have to give credit where credit is due:  A group of faith leaders who normally spend their time cursing each other for their heretical beliefs came together and agreed on something.

The problem is one statement:

"We are talking out of deep religious principles grounded in the holy Scriptures and the use of reason as we understand it as a God-given gift."

-Dr. Timothy George, one of three leaders who drafted the document, emphasis mine.

Here's the problem: There are enough topics that we have been wrong about in the past to fill entire volumes.  Drafting a document that pushes you into action, while admitting you could be wrong, is honest but still dangerous.

I agree that abortion is sad, but the rage against abortion should be directed into action, not political documents that curse abortion.  Every week I see people protesting abortion clinics, but I never see that group approaching women who are in need walking into that clinic and offering to assist them, to raise their child, to offer them hope.  Instead, we see them offering condemnation.

The Manhatten Declaration seems to do one thing: Affirm the topics which christian politicians take a stand on and declare their rights to continue to have freedom to voice these viewpoints.

There is truly nothing new under the sun.

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