The Southern Baptist Blogosphere On Obama
In recent days, more than a few Southern Baptist pastors in the blogosphere have made it clear that true Christians can not cast their ballot for "Barack Hussein Obama." These Southern Baptist pastors are not alone in their pronouncements. Recently, Danny Akin - President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary - penned a blog post entitled Why Faithful Evangelicals Cannot Vote For Barack Obama.
So, here's a collection of quotes from Southern Baptist pastors/bloggers. No further analysis needed.
Is it any wonder that America is in the trouble we find ourselves in? How could any Pastor support Obama? How could any Christian support Obama?....IF YOU DONT WANT SOCIALISM GET OUT AND VOTE!!!! Tim Guthrie of SBC Today blogSouthern Baptist pastor C.B. Scott offers three reasons to Guthrie's question on how a Christian could support Obama:
1. They are lost.On a different blog, C.B. Scott opines:
2. They are backslidden.
3. They have a low view of Scripture and are unsound theologically.
Obama is the most dangerous man in America. He is a greater threat to this nation than is Bin Laden....Obama will kill this country as we have lived free in it like no other before....Go get all your family no matter how distant, far removed or the nature of the feud and get them to go vote McCain-Palin. We must defeat the Obamas, Carters, Clintons and Big Daddy Weaves or they will destroy this nation.On the same blog, a Southern Baptist named Jake Barker writes:
Obama=antichristPopular SBC blogger Bart Barber, pastor of FBC Farmersville, Texas writes in a recent post entitled If Barack Hussein Obama Wins:
I don't believe that Barack Obama is a whit closer to God than Nebuchadnezzar was...The United States of America may very well deserve precisely Barack Hussein Obama. This may be the election where God lets us have just that....So, God might have lots of good reasons to hand this election to Obama. I would still be sinning to vote for him, but God can simultaneously expect me to vote for McCain and plan for an Obama victory.And from another SBC pastor on Obama's Christian faith:
His life testimony says he is not a biblical Christian. And since there is not other kind of Christian to be, the great evidence is he is not one.And this Southern Baptist woman believes the election of Barack Obama will cause her family to lose, well everything. She writes:
The pittance of 500 or 600 dollars a year that ol' Obama the Wealth Spreader plans to rip-off from all of the small-business owners in America will most likely cause my husband to lose his little part-time job and put us into the market of relying solely on my husband's disability Social Security of $ 15,850. Then it would take away our home because the tax increases on my daughter's and husband's small construction business.And finally, these wise words from a Southern Baptist pastor from Tennessee:
Barack Hussein Obama
Barack Hussein Obama
Barack Hussein Obama.
posted by Big Daddy Weave at 4:33 PM
20 Comments:
BDW, one of my best friends in the whole world and one of the finest Christians I know of, gave very serious thought to voting for Obama (though he said in the early voting he voted for the write-in candidate Alan Keyes, whom I also like very much). Truthfully, I disagreed with him about considering Obama (OK, it shocked me, but I got over it), but he did so mainly for financial reasons and not religious/social ones. I have to respectfully disagree with C.B. Scott's 3 reasons given for voting for Obama; I can truthfully say that I believe none of those are true about my friend's consideration of Obama. It seems truly sad to me that so many Christians have their salvation questioned first before their wisdom and knowledge are even considered, which in itself seems unwise to me.
5:53 PM
Wow. I don't think that anyone has ever linked to the church website before. And we have a church member with a web design business who's been working on the thing for some time. I found myself asking, "Where on earth did he find that PULPIT?" Google Images, I guess.
Anyway, thanks for providing the link. Those who click there will be able to see that, although I do not support Obama at all, I've suggested that God's hand just might be in his impending election and have stated without reservation that we must support and respect whoever occupies the Oval Office.
Finally, now that you've Googled up Farmersville, why not drive up and visit some Sunday. I'll buy your lunch, such as one can obtain it in Farmersville.
5:57 PM
My second reference to "the link" was referring to the blog link, not the church link. My apologies for being unclear.
5:58 PM
You shouldn't lump Akin's article in with other's who are not as well thought out. What would be your response to the REASON he gives for asserting that a faithful evangelical cannot vote for Obama? How do you claim to know Christ, the Son who came to give life, and vote for a man who has consistently voted to take lives?
6:12 AM
Hey Proudpapa,
I'll turn your words back on you: "How do you claim to know Christ, the Son who came to give life, and vote for a man who has consistently voted to start an unprovoked war in Iraq?" Isn't that "taking lives?"
10:17 AM
ProudPapa,
See Why I am Not a Single Issue Voter written yesterday by my friend and fellow Baptist blogger, Texas In Africa.
2:06 PM
BDW: Yeah, it's getting crazy out there isn't it. It makes me angry that people's very salvation is being questioned. That is simply not true. It's no different tactics that is used in the Convention life. It's more of a threat to get people to vote their way then it is actual fact and is about as true as some of the rumors floating around about Obama. It's always disconcerting that those who claim to be Christians resort to this garbage.
5:05 PM
B. Diddy,
I also make these statements:
-------------------------------
"cb scott said...
Tom Parker,
Of course, I made those statements and many more like them. I stand by them for they are true.
I also made this statement last night on Bart Barber's blog after Barack Obama became the President-elect of the United States of America:
"cb scott said...
We must now pray that President-elect Obama will seek the face of God as he leads this nation.
God will take care of the souls of His children. He always has and always will.
We must also pray for the soul of our nation.
Bart, I ask you to covenant with me and all of our brothers and sisters living in this nation that we would fulfill our mandate from God in 1 Peter 2:17 and prayerfully honor our president.
IN CHRIST FREE,
cb"
I also stand by that statement.
Now, if you do not see how one can make each and every statement I have made with total conviction, you have no grasp of New Testament Christianity, nor the Book from which we receive our mandates for living as sojourners in this world.
In January Barack Obama will be president of this nation. I must pray for him that God would be given a place in his heart and mind as his Master.
I must also challenge you to do the same.
I, of all people will be most happy if he does embrace biblical faith and becomes the leader we desperately need at this time. God's grace is totally sufficient to not only give him eternal life, but to make him a great leader of this nation.
Consider the story of King Josiah from 2 Chronicles 34. When the Word of God was discovered by workers rebuilding the Temple of God and then "discovered" in the heart of the young King it changed his life forever.
Verse 33 of chapter 34 declares "Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel diligently serve the Lord their God. All his days they did not depart from following the Lord God of their fathers."
May President-elect Barack Obama "discover" the same truth of God's Word and may he become in the present in our nation what Josiah was in his.
Tom, will you covenant to pray with me to that end?
IN CHRIST FREE,
cb"
Wed Nov 05, 10:49:00 AM 2008
-------------------------------
B Diddy and all,
Will you covenant with me to pray toward the same end? Frankly, how could you refuse?
IN CHRIST FREE,
CB
6:58 AM
CB
We should pray for our leaders certainly. But I have a problem with the way you stated it- as if Barack Obama does not currently have Christ in His heart. How can you claim to know this?
You sound incredibly arrogant in your analysis of what to pray for Obama.
8:59 AM
CB (and others),
2 Chr 34:23-28 tells us that God will not pass over the judgement of the nation merely because the King honors the Lord. God simply promises Josiah that He will "gather you to your fathers" before He brings "the evil which I will bring on this place."
The problem isn't the leader...the problem is the people. As Bart Barber is seems to be saying, the leader, more often than not, merely reflects who the people want and God gives that to them.
On the other hand, Elijah thought he was alone in loving God. God knew different (I Kings 9:9-21)
1:13 PM
Big Daddy Weave,
I wonder if you have read Bruce Prescott's article on the revival of democracy on his blog. He equates the election of a liberal, African-American democrat with the 3rd Great Awakening some have been praying for. He also uses the Prodigal Son passage to equate evangelicals (Southern Baptists) with the elder son. I'm curious if he speaks for himself or others who call themselves progressive?
I must admit I have a hard time with a candidate who promised Planned Parenthood the first thing he would do is sign the Freedom of Choice Act that would allow abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy without any restrictions. I must admit I have a problem with a party that puts in its platform that they support same-sex marriage and will work to overturn the "Defense of Marriage Act." I admit that I didn't vote for The One because of the economy. The Bible tells us to trust in God for our finances and well-being and not some government program or politician. So maybe the Lord wants us to vote our principles and not a party.
Time will tell whether this country made a right choice or just wanted to make history for history's sake. Now that your man is in charge, how tolerant will you be when someone makes fun of him on a weekly basis? Now that the shoe is on the other foot, we conservatives will be watching!
12:55 PM
Hey Big Daddy, thanks for all the traffic. It's been wonderful. God's blessings be upon you. Maybe they'll like the next post I write. It's a doozy. selahV
6:08 PM
I can't agree with most of these ignorant statements, but Mr. Obama is not a Christian, as he has stated in his own words, he believes there is more than one way to heaven. You can't have Christianity without Salvation through Jesus Christ. That's the whole point. The Holy Scriptures say in both Old Testament and New -- Jesus Christ is the only means of redemption unto the FATHER. Mr. Obama's stance on abortion and homosexuality also do not reflect the values GOD sets forth in HIS Holy Scriptures.
Having said that, if Mr. McCain had won -- it would still be GOD's decision. The Holy Scriptures tell us that it is GOD who sets up and tears down. HE chose Obama as America's new king. So we are to pray for him and respect him as our leader...and those prayers should include that he humbles himself before GOD and truly turns to Christ Jesus.
Hate has no place in the Kingdom, racism has no place in the Kingdom, irrational fear has no place in the Kingdom, evil suspicion has no place in the Kingdom, wrath has no place in the Kingdom, disobedience and anarchy have no place in the Kingdom...
If you say you cling to Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Only Begotten Son of the Living GOD, you cannot hate Barack Obama or speak hatefully of him and then turn to GOD and tell HIM you love him. That's called hypocrisy. And that also has no place in the Kingdom.
If you're concerned about Mr. Obama being a fit leader, then pray to the LORD our GOD that the man HE has chosen to put over us obeys HIS Will.
7:34 PM
Jim Paslay writes, "I must admit I have a hard time with a candidate who promised Planned Parenthood the first thing he would do is sign the Freedom of Choice Act that would allow abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy without any restrictions."
Paslay is wrong. The bill does not allow abortion during all nine months of pregnancy without any restrictions. The Freedom of Choice Act reads:
-----
(b) PROHIBITION OF INTERFERENCE- A government may not--
(1) deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose--
(A) to bear a child;
(B) to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability; or
(C) to terminate a pregnancy after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman; or
------
Under this bill, after the fetus is viable, the pregnancy can be terminated only if the mother's life or health are in danger. There is no reasonable way to describe this language as "without restriction."
The full text of the bill can be found here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:S.2020:
--
Rodney Dunning
3:54 AM
You all seem very confused. I voted for Barack because his policies are more in line with the Biblical mandate to care for the poor.
And remember, this is not your pastor-in-chief, it's the President. Do you need your car mechanic to proclaim Christian in-speak before he fixes your transmission? No, you just want him to be good at what he does so your car doesnt break down again. In the same way, we elected Barack because of his skill, not any external qualifiers that make him look like a Baptist.
4:29 AM
Rodney Dunning writes:
"Under this bill, after the fetus is viable, the pregnancy can be terminated only if the mother's life or health are in danger. There is no reasonable way to describe this language as "without restriction."
We know for a fact that the life issue in regards to choosing whethter the mother lives and the baby dies is few and far between. The "health" issue has been used for every imaginable excuse to have an abortion. The Freedom of Choice Act will ultimately bring us abortion on demand in the U.S. It will throw out limitations on parental consent and notification. It is a bad bill period. If Obama is interested in uniting our country, he will leave this bill alone!
9:13 AM
Thanks for the blog comments and links. It has been a long time since I have seen such hate filled statements coming from self professed Christians. I guess some days we are the Pharisee and some days we are the poor tax collector. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
2:00 PM
Glenn, If you account for more than 45 million souls who had absolutely no choice in their being killed with approximately 4500 deaths of people who volunteered to defend our country in Iraq, I must respectfully, yet strongly, disagree with your logic.
Were we to add up all the casualties in all the U.S. wars on both sides of the fight, they would not hold a candle to the carnage that is abortion.
If you can read your Bible and come up with abortion as being morally permissible, you aren't reading very well.
We can agree to disagree on a number of things, but anyone who names the name of Christ should push Obama to be thoroughly pro-life, regardless of where we stand on other issues. We must not stand idly by while the powers that be make abortions even easier and use our tax dollars to do it.
8:15 PM
"life or health of the mother" is and forevermore will be a smoke screen. If Planned Parenthood is happy with the language, that should tell you all you need to know. It's the equivalent of saying George Bush is going to impose regulation on oil companies to lower gas prices and Exxon thinks its a great plan ... that dog don't hunt.
8:20 PM
Bdid:
You may want to google up and keep an eye on the Picayune poltroon blog as well.
It originates not far from a woman, a friend, now on staff there at Baylor.
But we all friends in the neighborhood who think differently, I guess, else there would be no priesthood of the believer.
I think Charles Marsh and Curtis Freeman offer a remedy of sorts for this; but let's look at Dec Baps Today to see if Marsh advances the understanding.
1:13 PM
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