uh-oh...politics

WARNING: Yep, it's another rant. As usual, I don't want to offend anyone, but needed to vent some political frustration. If you have thin political skin, please don't read any further.

I don't often post about political issues. I really want to be able to connect and dialogue with people, and generally, stating political stances isn't very conducive to this. However, I'm having a lot of trouble understanding where people who hold the same beliefs and convictions that I do coming out saying how much they like Barack Obama. It does make me wonder if they are looking at more than interviews and taking a close look at where the senator actually stands on the issues. (The most common answer I've gotten when I ask someone why they support Obama is that we need "change" and they haven't liked the current administration. That, and/or, they site his stance on the war. Or, probably the 2nd most popular reason: "I just really like him!" I just really like a lot of people - but I don't think they should be president!)

Listening to The Call DC on Saturday really set me thinking about some things. One that really jumped out at me was a scripture that was pointed out from Psalm 94:20-21:

Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side – leaders who permit injustice by their laws? They attack the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

The speaker pointed out that if we align ourselves with unjust leaders (as spoken of in this Psalm), we too share in their guilt, and we too will be answerable for our part in these injustices. That really hit my heart, as well as penetrated my mind. It's something we who call ourselves followers of Christ need to stop and think long and hard about - before we start worry and whine about the economy or anything else. And before we address the deaths from the war (which I find sad, an issue to be taken seriously and addressed, and in no way do I mean to minimize), we need to look at the number of deaths of unborn children and take some time to ponder what is truly meant by condemning the innocent to death.

I've been watching the interview with Sen. Obama done by Pastor Rick Warren. I really want to like Sen. Obama; I think he has a great personality. I know other Christians who support him. His interview sounded impressive...he even spoke of his personal faith in Jesus. However, I find his words and his voting record disturbingly contradictory. As I was listening to him speak about needing to follow Jesus words from Matthew (and he brought up this concept a few times in this 10+ minute clip I watched) about whatever we do "to the least of these" we do unto Him, I perused his record on the abortion issue. It broke my heart. Here's what I found on the "Fact Checker" page from Washington Post.com (please note, I got this from a secular, non-conservative source):

Obama said NO to a bill that asked for this:

Provides that a live child born as a result of an abortion shall be fully recognized as a human person and that all reasonable measures consistent with good medical practice shall be taken to preserve the life and health of the child.

And another one:

Provides that it is the intent of the General Assembly to protect the life of a child born alive as the result of an induced labor abortion.

(Yes, that's right, we're way beyond debating whether life begins at conception here folks, we are talking about purposefully NOT saving a living child.) I'd encourage you to go here to read more about the voting record, and what each of those bills actually means.

I could go on, (there's certainly plenty more to be said) but instead I would again implore you to check it out yourself. Let's suffice it to say that Obama has received 100% pro-choice voting rating from Planned Parenthood. So much for the least of these...

Now, lest anyone accuse me of voting on a single issue (which after viewing the voting record on this issue alone I do greatly question the moral fibers of Obama), a few other things that really don't sit well with me (just to name a few) are:

• In 1999, he cast the only "no" vote against bill that denies early release to sexual predators for good behavior.
• He wants government run health care (socialized medicine) (Let me just say, I have in the past for a brief period of time, experienced some government run health care; it was horrific. If you think socialized medicine is so great, you ought to experience it for a while first. You might think twice.)
• He supports the death tax
• I'm uneasy on his stance (or the fact that I cannot really find one!) on homeschooling. I wasn't impressed with what I heard from him back when California tried to ban homeschooling. Everything else I find when I tried to search his position on homeschooling is rooted ONLY in a quote from his book...and based on how quickly he backtracked what was said in his book about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, I'm not putting stock in something just because he mentioned it in a book.
  

So, no, it's not only about one issue - but yes, it does ride MOSTLY on one issue (and for the record, there are those who's only issue is the war in Iraq. I guess that's just a more 'politically correct' issue to hang your hat on...). I just cannot understand how Christians can justify overlooking the abortion issue, and be more concerned with their own comfort and welfare. (How can we NOT let this weigh heavily in our consideration of this, or any, candidate?) I think maybe this says it all:

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