Obama a Christian?
In Friday's Abilene Reporter (Distorter) News Spiritual Life section was printed an article written by David Briggs of the Religion New Service, which describes itself on its webpage as "the only secular news and photo service devoted to biased coverage of religion and ethics." RNS also claims its "first priority is to provide intelligent, objective coverage of all religions -- Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Eastern religions and private spirituality." Olivia and I both plan on writing about this article, as we have had such a great discussion about it, though we found its content terrifying. You can see the article at http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/mar/06/no-more-questions-of-faith/
The title of the article is "No More Questions of Faith", but I have more than a few questions after reading it. First, God and Jesus are mentioned nowhere in the article. Second, it assumes that membership in a church makes one a Christian (which it doesn't). Third, the primary concern of the church leaders is improving their image among those who are liberal politically and theologically in order to grow their denomination (rather than sharing the transforming message of the Gospel). Fourth, the United Church of Christ doesn't seem to be "Christian" at all in regards to the very critical issue of sexual sin. (1 Corinthians 6:18 says "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.")
Wikipedia's article about this denomination notes, "The [2005] resolution "In support of equal marriage rights for all", supported by an estimated 80% of the 884 General Synod Delegates, made the United Church of Christ General Synod the first major Christian deliberative body in the U.S. to make a statement of support for "equal marriage rights for all people, regardless of gender," and is hitherto the largest Christian denominational entity in the U.S. supporting equal marriage rights.... The language used that asserts no distinction between same sex marriage and different sex marriage ("Therefore, theologically and biblically, there is neither justification for denying any couple, regardless of gender, the blessings of the church nor for denying equal protection under the law in the granting of a civil marriage license, recognized and respected by all civil entities.") has been considered by some to be an overstepping the Synod's role in asserting theological positions."
The Wikipedia article also references another resolution passed at the 2005 synod which it describes thus: "The other resolution, named "Tear Down the Wall", calls upon Israel to remove the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank. Opponents of the "Tear Down the Wall" resolution have noted that the wall's purpose is to prevent terrorist attacks, and that the resolution does not call for a stop to these attacks. The Simon Wiesenthal Center stated that the July 2005 UCC resolutions on divestment from Israel were "functionally anti-Semitic."
The website for Obama's church also worries me. "We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community."
While I admire any congregation's effort to connect with the people in its community, this purpose statement sounds bitter, racist, and arrogant. First, "Black" is not the same as "African." No offense intended but in the two years I lived in Tanzania, I never once met an African who considered Blacks in America to be "African". In fact, most of my friends there didn't even think about Blacks being in America at all. Also, neither the pastor, nor any member of his congregation, including Obama, has ever seen or experienced slavery, though it is a bigger problem in the world at large now than ever before. Third, reverse discrimination is still racism. Fourth, according to the Bible, it is the Middle East, not Africa, which is the true "cradle of civilization." (Genesis 11:1-4)
The ARN article itself provides some disturbing clues to the nature of Barack H. Obama's theological positions, based on his denomination and his church. I'll quote:
"Some church officials consider him a walking billboard for a denominational advertising campaign welcoming believers of all races, ages, and sexual orientations."
"Since 2004, the denomination has aggressively advertised on radio and television. The campaign, called "God is Still Speaking," portrays the church as open to everyone from racial minorities to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people."
[Obama and the UCC] "both share similar political views and Obama's message of inclusion fits with the denomination's advertising campaign."
[UCC president John Thomas is quoted as saying,] "...what excites many of us the most is seeing a candidate who is promoting progressive values based on his Christian faith."
"The attacks on Obama's home church in Chicago for being "racist" since it proclaims itself "Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian" is mobilizing members in defense of the candidate, some said."
[Thomas says] "Trinity United Church of Christ is proud of its Afrocentric heritage as churches from different ethnic and theological backgrounds are proud of their heritage."
One church member at another UCC congregation is reported to be "..."kind of proud" of Obama and his relation to a denomination that offers a place for diverse groups of people to worship."
Ok, so don't think I'm crazy, but do we honestly think Jesus died so we could feal good about continuing to live in our sin? Please don't hear any self-righteousness in what I'm writing. I know my own sin and guilt before God, but what I've been offered in Jesus is freedom and forgiveness from that sin, not in that sin, right? As I heard in a recent sermon...
"There are not many people in our culture who have not messed up when it comes to sex. Most of us at some level have succumbed to the temptation of sexual immorality... But God's grace is bigger than our sins... We don't deal with sexual immorality by justifying or rationalizing it. We don't try to work around God's truth... We come to Him, confessing our sins, asking Him to forgive us, to change us, and to give us the courage to live as He has called us to live with our bodies."
My problem with homosexuality is not homosexuals (I too am a sinner), it's the idea that we are to accept and even approve of sin. It's the same with "Black Churches." My problem is with the idea that racism is ok because the racists aren't White. Somehow, they've earned the right to be racist. As for "progressive values", I don't know what that means. If is is the value set described by the resolutions mentioned above, then I do not believe these progressive values are "based on" Obama's Christian faith.
I believe we should be reaching out to all people, even as we were reached out to. But, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) Let's love people, address sin, offer real hope and freedom, and stop pretending we're Christian when we offer Grace without Truth.
The title of the article is "No More Questions of Faith", but I have more than a few questions after reading it. First, God and Jesus are mentioned nowhere in the article. Second, it assumes that membership in a church makes one a Christian (which it doesn't). Third, the primary concern of the church leaders is improving their image among those who are liberal politically and theologically in order to grow their denomination (rather than sharing the transforming message of the Gospel). Fourth, the United Church of Christ doesn't seem to be "Christian" at all in regards to the very critical issue of sexual sin. (1 Corinthians 6:18 says "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.")
Wikipedia's article about this denomination notes, "The [2005] resolution "In support of equal marriage rights for all", supported by an estimated 80% of the 884 General Synod Delegates, made the United Church of Christ General Synod the first major Christian deliberative body in the U.S. to make a statement of support for "equal marriage rights for all people, regardless of gender," and is hitherto the largest Christian denominational entity in the U.S. supporting equal marriage rights.... The language used that asserts no distinction between same sex marriage and different sex marriage ("Therefore, theologically and biblically, there is neither justification for denying any couple, regardless of gender, the blessings of the church nor for denying equal protection under the law in the granting of a civil marriage license, recognized and respected by all civil entities.") has been considered by some to be an overstepping the Synod's role in asserting theological positions."
The Wikipedia article also references another resolution passed at the 2005 synod which it describes thus: "The other resolution, named "Tear Down the Wall", calls upon Israel to remove the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank. Opponents of the "Tear Down the Wall" resolution have noted that the wall's purpose is to prevent terrorist attacks, and that the resolution does not call for a stop to these attacks. The Simon Wiesenthal Center stated that the July 2005 UCC resolutions on divestment from Israel were "functionally anti-Semitic."
The website for Obama's church also worries me. "We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community."
While I admire any congregation's effort to connect with the people in its community, this purpose statement sounds bitter, racist, and arrogant. First, "Black" is not the same as "African." No offense intended but in the two years I lived in Tanzania, I never once met an African who considered Blacks in America to be "African". In fact, most of my friends there didn't even think about Blacks being in America at all. Also, neither the pastor, nor any member of his congregation, including Obama, has ever seen or experienced slavery, though it is a bigger problem in the world at large now than ever before. Third, reverse discrimination is still racism. Fourth, according to the Bible, it is the Middle East, not Africa, which is the true "cradle of civilization." (Genesis 11:1-4)
The ARN article itself provides some disturbing clues to the nature of Barack H. Obama's theological positions, based on his denomination and his church. I'll quote:
"Some church officials consider him a walking billboard for a denominational advertising campaign welcoming believers of all races, ages, and sexual orientations."
"Since 2004, the denomination has aggressively advertised on radio and television. The campaign, called "God is Still Speaking," portrays the church as open to everyone from racial minorities to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people."
[Obama and the UCC] "both share similar political views and Obama's message of inclusion fits with the denomination's advertising campaign."
[UCC president John Thomas is quoted as saying,] "...what excites many of us the most is seeing a candidate who is promoting progressive values based on his Christian faith."
"The attacks on Obama's home church in Chicago for being "racist" since it proclaims itself "Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian" is mobilizing members in defense of the candidate, some said."
[Thomas says] "Trinity United Church of Christ is proud of its Afrocentric heritage as churches from different ethnic and theological backgrounds are proud of their heritage."
One church member at another UCC congregation is reported to be "..."kind of proud" of Obama and his relation to a denomination that offers a place for diverse groups of people to worship."
Ok, so don't think I'm crazy, but do we honestly think Jesus died so we could feal good about continuing to live in our sin? Please don't hear any self-righteousness in what I'm writing. I know my own sin and guilt before God, but what I've been offered in Jesus is freedom and forgiveness from that sin, not in that sin, right? As I heard in a recent sermon...
"There are not many people in our culture who have not messed up when it comes to sex. Most of us at some level have succumbed to the temptation of sexual immorality... But God's grace is bigger than our sins... We don't deal with sexual immorality by justifying or rationalizing it. We don't try to work around God's truth... We come to Him, confessing our sins, asking Him to forgive us, to change us, and to give us the courage to live as He has called us to live with our bodies."
My problem with homosexuality is not homosexuals (I too am a sinner), it's the idea that we are to accept and even approve of sin. It's the same with "Black Churches." My problem is with the idea that racism is ok because the racists aren't White. Somehow, they've earned the right to be racist. As for "progressive values", I don't know what that means. If is is the value set described by the resolutions mentioned above, then I do not believe these progressive values are "based on" Obama's Christian faith.
I believe we should be reaching out to all people, even as we were reached out to. But, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) Let's love people, address sin, offer real hope and freedom, and stop pretending we're Christian when we offer Grace without Truth.
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