Soon I will begin posting a series entitled “An Open Letter to Christian Obama Supporters,” a letter that comes from the bottom of my heart. In contrast to the style I have written in blog discussions and on my blog here, I will present why I am concerned for those who believe in the causes of Barack Obama and the promises he makes. I have strongly opposed certain things about Barack Obama in words that some might consider offensive or closed-minded. But soon I will write a thoughtful critique of that which I believe from the bottom of my heart to be dangerous to both the white and black, male and female, rich and poor, and for our nation as a whole.
In August of 2007, I said to my wife that my gut feeling was that Barack Obama would be our next president. This was before his campaign picked up momentum, and it was before any particular candidate really emerged as “ahead.” I was simply being prophetic, and I stand by it. During this time I wasn’t very concerned about this because I certainly did not want Hillary Clinton in the White House, and none of the Republican candidates had been able to capture the hearts of the American people in the same way Barack Obama was doing. With teary eyes, I predicted that Obama would be the first black president, and would win by a fairly large margin. It made me proud that our country was about to elect a non-white male as the leader of the free world. Even if he didn’t win, that he could win was a monumental indication that our nation has made progress since its inception.
So to set the record straight, I have not always opposed Barack Obama. I found his style refreshing and his campaign rather innocent. The freshness of his speeches was what America has been longing for for eight years. So while I was by no means an Obama supporter, I certainly left my mind open to voting for somebody who was a leader, even if it meant sacrificing a few political talking points with which we disagreed.
Then I began to hear more, read more, and understand his brand of politics. The more I learn, the more I am frightened by what will happen during his administration. These are not fear-mongering assumptions, but promises and political records that speak for themselves, grounded in research concerning both the style and substance of his policies.
For those of you who follow Jesus and want to see God’s kingdom grow here on earth, Barack Obama is not your candidate. Soon I will share why believing so is a dangerous move for our country.
