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Messiah Obama

Image from Williamette Week.

My aversion with America’s Republicans is the Religious Right movement. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure many of these people are sincerely thinking that they are doing the right thing, in promulgating Christian values in politics. Unfortunately, in their ignorance they are mixing an explosive concoction: politics and religion. The past has showed us time and again that throwing these two ingredients in the same pot will awaken a beast.

Surely the Democrats would not make this same mistake. Silly Prophet Kangnamgu. You’ve clearly not been watching closely. Not only are the Liberal Left mixing politics and religion, they are adding blasphemy to insult. Barack Obama is hailed as the Messiah. He is made to be not merely a political figure, but a spiritual figure heralding in a new era for America and the world.
He often uses religious rhetoric and his followers use religious jargon to praise his name. He is depicted as a source of light, in the style reminiscent of Great Leaders. (Isn’t that what they call Kim Jong Il too?).

“[Obama] won’t just heal our city-states and souls. He won’t just bring the Heavenly Kingdom — dreamt of in both Platonism and Christianity — to earth. He will heal the earth itself,” writes Micah Tillman, lecturer in philosophy at The Catholic University of America. Should we read her statement as academic jest, or take it seriously. She is an admitted Obama-supporter.

Unlike the Republicans that seem somewhat exclusivist Christian, the Democrats seem inclusivist towards all other religions. (This is a good thing if we want freedom of religion to prevail. However...) Obama clearly has a strong Christian following, and we all know of Obama’s reverent’s pulpit politics. But it is these other religious groups’ praising of Obama which is interesting. The Sify News reports prayers offered to Hanuman (the monkey-god) by Hindu priests for Obama. New Agers are embracing Obama as a Lightworker; i.e. someone who can raise the consciousness of other people and make the world spiritually a better place. (I know the New Age jargon – been there, done that, have New Ager friends, understand the paradigm, still do the diet and believe in telepathy.)

My concern is not with Obama the person, he seems to be a nice guy with the wits to boot (but let's not forget that he is a politician after all). My concern is with this obsession – this religious obsession with Obama. It is clear that religion and politics are mixing.

The Bible Prophecies foretell that America will become a religious-state. I just always thought it would happen under Republican rule.

When (is it still appropriate to talk of “if”?) Obama becomes the President of the United States look out for his interaction with other religious leaders. Especially, watch carefully his interaction with the Pope.

Isn't it exciting to see how the prophecies unfold?! How this puzzle will fit together is going to be a big surprise.

Conservatives and Liberals

So Adam is slowly convincing me that I am not as liberal as I thought. Of course my blogging-friend is being selective of what he reveals about the general darftness of the Democrats, but that is okay. We are all selective about how we present information. Even supposed objective journalist do their profession from an inevitable paradigm. That is why it is so important to get as many different perspectives on important news as possible.

But back to American politics… Here’s my cop-out: I am not a U.S. citizen, so I don’t have to cast my vote to either the Conservatives or the Liberals. However, I believe I ought to have an opinion and although it will not make any difference to America, it will make a difference within me. Since I’m not American I’m allowing myself the courtesy to keep it general.

Conservatives:

Many of the conservative values I value. I believe in the sanctity of the family and similar sentiments. But I fear the Religious Right that is trying to use politics to enforce their religious agenda. This movement towards bridging the gap between State and Church is disturbing.

Christ showed a deliberate avoidance of political involvement. He shied away from attempts to get himself involved in any of the governmental politics of the day. He showed no interest in over throwing the Roman Empire. Even though a rebellion under His command would have been invincible, with him feeding them, healing them, raising them from the dead.

The serious privacy infringements under the Bush-administration are also a cause for solemn concern. It is my opinion that Americans have lost their freedom. Such atrocities as the “Spy Bill” of which I posted before, all under the cloak of anti-terrorism, are awful manipulations of the public’s fear, towards an Orwellian Big-Brother State.

Liberals:

What I like about the Liberals are their inclination away from Church and State and appreciation of freedom of speech.

Apart from the many inconsistencies Adam has made me aware of, I have another fear. In their offensiveness against the Religious Right, the Democrats are leaning themselves towards an equally fearsome extreme. A kind of Communist downplay (and sometimes even uprooting) of anything religious or traditionally sanctimonious. This has the potential to lead to a type of witch-hunt, or forced transformation of traditions and culture. My question is then, where does that leave those inalienable freedoms that made the United States the great nation it became? Such freedoms as the Freedom of Speech, Religion, Conscience. Freedoms that the Liberals are supposed to value.

Indeed, the religious right scares me, the liberal left frightens me. It is as one evangelist described: You have a choice between voting for the Devil in Pink or the Devil in Blue.

O, and by the way, the world is coming to an end!

True friend of Israel...

“She’s a true friend of Israel.”* I heard this said yesterday by someone on a radio news report about Hillary Clinton.

Why should her “true friend[ship]” even be an issue?

Unfortunately, in U.S. politics it is very important, and I think for all the wrong reasons. There is a large pro-Israel movement in the U.S., backed mostly by Religious Right voters. Clinton is trying to get the backing of these Republican voters.

But here is my real issue and concern.

These Religious Right have been brain washed to believe some silly apocalyptic mumbo-jumbo. According to many Evangelical movements, after the Secret Rapture (which is not a sound Biblical doctrine) Israel will become the ruling state of the world – a peaceful reign for a thousand years!

These Evangelicals believe that their loyalties should lie with Israel, since Israel is the blessed nation of God.

What surprise me is that these people clearly do not study their Bibles. Israel has stopped being pivotal when the Gospel was sent to all nations. Paul makes it clear that the Church is spiritually part of the Jewish nation (Romans 2:29). The promises are to spiritual Israel, not literal Israel. The conditional prophecies of the Old Testament towards Israel and the Jews were revoked because they refused the Messiah. There will never be a grand Israel state controlling the world.

What doesn’t surprise me is that politicians would suck up for any vote. My concern is how strong the “religious”-vote is. How is it possible that a nation founded on the importance of Separation of Church and State could have turned blind so quickly? Haven’t they learned from the past?! Also, the Jewish-American economy is extremely strong so she is probably begging for some financial support for her campaign.

…ooOoo…

* The expression “…true friend of Israel” was first used by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert towards prior British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2007.

Barry Goldwater - the last sane Republican

Some of my favourite quotes by the late Barry Goldwater (1909-1989) , five-term USA Senator of Arizona:

"There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate that Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the us of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, U must believe in A, B, C, and D. Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of conservatism."

"When you say “radical right” today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others who are trying to take the Republican Party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye."

"Do not associate my name with anything you do. You are extremists, and you've hurt the Republican Party much more than the Democrats have."

The Scary Right

I recently watched CNN’s third installment of their documentary series “God’s Warriors” [http://www.hvc-inc.com/clients/cnn/warriors/index.html]. The third installment, “God’s Christian Warriors” centered on the Religious Right in America.

My blood chilled.

Although many of these people are most sincere in their purpose and convictions, they are moving the country away from separation of Church and State. The strong emphasis on political rallying is scary, to say the least.

Has it been so long? Is it already forgotten that one of the great causes for the “New World” was the fleeing from religious persecution by government? Doesn’t the First Amendment stand as a grand testimony to the terrifying past that infringed religious freedom?

The only Christian on the “God’s Christian Warriors” installment that I could associate with was Greg Boyd, and a little bit with Richard Cizik. The latter is an environmental activist, saying that we are stewards of God’s creation and that this should get just as much attention as other worthy causes, like prayer in schools.

Greg Boyd is a controversial pastor that denounced the Religious Right’s political agenda. Although Boyd is conservative in his moral views (e.g. disagrees with abortion and Gay marriages), he is paradoxically critical of the Christian Right movement. Last year he authored the book The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church as a theological response to the Christian Right agenda.

Boyd is considered a heretic by some for adhering to the idea of “open theism”. I’m yet to read up enough on the topic, but as for Boyd’s focus on Jesus Christ as our model, and condemning the marriage of Church and State, I passionately agree.

Fearful will be the day when the United States of America becomes the Religious States of America. Persecution of those (including other Christian denominations) that do not believe exactly as the church-backed government dictates will follow closely behind. If ever there was a time to learn from history, now is such a time.

The problem is of course much more complex than the Christian Right wanting control of government. The reason for their power hunger is because they are experiencing an infringement on their constitutional rights themselves. In a secular society where Christian values and beliefs are frowned upon, and the slightest mention of one’s beliefs are considered hate-speech, it is no wonder that they feel the need to fight .

I sympathize. It is crucial for me to be allowed the freedom to worship freely, to live out my convictions proudly, to share my faith openly. Permit me also the choice to learn and appreciate various models of origin, not only one state approved hypothesis. These are all civil liberties we all should have access to.

However, if I want this freedom of choice for myself, I must also allow it for others. Not only now, but even in times to come. Throwing religion and politics into the same pot is sure to bring a gloomy future.

After all, did Jesus not say that His Kingdom is not of this world?!

The Scary Right and the Frightening Left

In the previous post I flayed the idea of Darwinian Evolution. That must make me a Religious Right fanatic, right? Nope, definitely not. There are few things in this universe that scares me as much as the Religious Right. If not one of the “Righteous Right” then I must be a Liberal Lefty, isn’t that so? Wrong again. The Liberal Left, although slightly less scary, is still a terrifying monster in my books.

So where does the Paranoid Prophet stand? Well, basically I’m torn into a terrible side split like Van Damme in Bloodsport (in picture), with my left foot dangling limb on one side and my right foot in a spasm on the other.

God’s government is based on Love. Love cannot exist without the freedom of choice. What I’m seeing in both the extreme Left and far Right, each of course with their own slant, is a peculiar movement towards taking away our freedom to choose.

The Religious Right is moving towards the integration of Church and State. This has proven to be disastrous in every historical case, leading to persecution of those that do not believe like the State Religion dictates. I vehemently disassociate myself with such a movement, which is, by the way, contrary to the First Amendment of the United State’s Bill of Rights. Also can I not, for the life of everything that enjoys Häagen-Dazs ice-cream, associate myself with those (rather big) fringe movements in the Religious Right that claims Global Warming is a farce invented by the socialists, or at least irrelevant because the End is nigh!

On the other hand, the Liberal’s attack on religion, Christianity in particular, frightens me too. The strong emphasis on down playing ones religion and claiming that witnessing is equal to proselytism (i.e. unethical means of religious persuasion) and akin to a Human Right violation is worrisome.

In the end, it doesn’t matter which side is ruling. With fanatical Republicans ruling religious freedom will have to be state approved. And with fanatical Democrats in government religion (especially denominational Christianity) will become ostracized as an enemy of Human Rights.

Either way, Freedom of Religion (as prescribed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Article 18) will become a relic of the New World, unwelcome within the New World Order.

Man, don’t listen to me. Prophet Kangnamgu is gifted with the spirit of paranoia, not the Spirit of Prophecy.