Historic Election

Wednesday 29 Oct 2008

Potentially Grave Consequences

Americans go to the polls next Tuesday in what will be an historic election, regardless of the outcome.  If Senator Barack Obama wins, as all the polls are predicting, he will become the first African American to be elected President or Vice-President of the United States of America – an undeniably amazing achievement.  If Senator John McCain wins, Governor Sarah Palin will become the first woman vice-president in US history.

For US Christians in particular (but also for Christians throughout the world) however, this US election’s importance goes far beyond these historic milestones.  Apart from the fact that this is the first time that American Christians are less than enthusiastic about either Presidential candidate, if Barack Obama wins, then Christianity in America, which has long been associated with conservative, right wing politics, will need to come to terms with what will almost certainly be a sharp turn to the left.  This turn and the speed with which it happens could even be faster and much wider than many expect, if the Democrat Party gains control of all three levels of government; which is also being widely forecast.

Important Questions

The Democrat Party and Barack Obama himself has worked hard throughout this campaign to befriend the Church and allay Christian fears about Senator Obama’s beliefs.  However, it has to be said that where Senator Obama really stands on some of the big issues, is still a mystery, if not outright troubling for many in the Church.  Because of his long term relationship with his spiritual mentor, Pastor Jeremiah Wright; and because of Jeremiah Wright’s divisive beliefs and close association with Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, and because of other connections that Senator Obama apparently has had with influential Islamic activists, questions remain as to where he stands on radical Islam and a whole host of issues that relate to the State of Israel; the war on terror; and can be very divisive.

Non-Partisan

It is not the intention of this editorial to cast aspersions on Senator Obama’s character; or to suggest that he has no right to associate with radical Christian beliefs or Muslims.  Nor is it our desire to enter into partisan politics.  However, it has to be acceptable, when one is talking about electing the leader of the free world, which Christians have played a very big part in creating, to make these observations and voice these concerns.  It should also be acceptable for a publication such as this to raise the possible global implications of this US election because all should see that whatever happens, the outcome will have a major impact on the world that extends far beyond the sheer delight that some will experience, just to see President George W. Bush out of office.

Three Big Issues for Christians

Apart from what he may do on taxation and the redistribution of wealth in America, three other issues of major concern to Christians, should Senator Obama win, are: (1) the potential for a President Obama to appoint activist judges to the Supreme Court; (2) the possibility of gay marriage spreading across the US; and (3) the expansion of so-called abortion rights.

Senator Obama greatly disturbed many Christians when he said that he had no opinion on when life begins, when asked this question by Pastor Rick Warren at the Saddleback Civil Forum some months ago.  His reply that such knowledge was “beyond his pay scale” was not what anti-abortion Christians who believe that live begins at conception, wanted to hear.

Supreme Court Judges

On the question of appointing activist judges to the Supreme Court: it is likely that President Obama could get to appoint at least two new judges to the highest court in the United States during his term in office.   If the Democrats win all three levels of government, these appointments could be expected to be pushed through with great speed and without too much discussion.  The addition of two far left leaning activist judges to the court could be expected to have serious, long term implications for traditional Christianity in America as we have known it.

Gay Marriage

On the question of gay marriage – there is a proposition on the ballot in California that seeks to overturn the Californian Supreme Court’s decision to approve of gay marriage.  If this fails, as it well may at a time when the United States is swinging sharply to the left, it could open the floodgates for gay marriage across the United States.  On this issue, the Church would do well to consider the consequences of this happening in view of what has happened within the Church of England (the Anglican Church) since it moved to accept gay marriage.

Regardless of what happens in America next Tuesday, one thing is certain: change of some sort will happen.  It will then be for us all to see and experience the impact of that change.

Our Role

Many Christians, of course, will not care what happens.  Many will say fatalistically: “We’ve read the book and we win anyway – so what does it matter?”

That’s a very good question.  If we have come to this conclusion however, we surely then need to ask ourselves what then is our purpose of being here?  If we are expected to sit back and do nothing, and watch the world go its way, without comment or involvement, then why are we wasting our time being here at all?  By reason of the very fact that we are here, clearly we have a role to play and a responsibility.

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