Frank Schaeffer wrote an article about why he supports Obama. Its a pretty compelling read. My beautiful wife also wrote a blog post on politics that will explain some of this.
I was thinking back to high school when I was a diehard republican. I thought thats what I was supposed to be. Wasn’t Jesus a republican? Seriously, I had thought from an early age that being a Republican and a Christian went hand in hand. How can you support a politician who supports killing babies? How can a Christian allow his country to legalize gay marriage? The terrorists want us dead, so we should kill them first, and if a few thousand of their innocents die, well its risk we have to take to keep America safe.
I couldn’t vote in the 2000 election, but if I could’ve it would have been Bush all the way. I got excited about having a Republican congress. Over the past few years, I’ve listened to a lot of conservative talk radio, and I’ve agreed with quite a bit of it. I supported the war in Iraq and up until not very long ago thought that there were actually WMD’s in Iraq–they just were never found. I thought that there should be a fence on the mexican border and thought that amnesty was the dumbest thing I had ever heard of. I thought that a constitutional ammendment would champion the sanctity of marriage.
My opinions on those things didn’t change over night, it was a long process. But my realization that they had changed was an overnight thing. I woke up one day and realized that I wanted Obama to be my president. I realized that I didn’t want anymore of my peers killed in Iraq. I realized that I didn’t want any more innocent Iraqis to die. I realized that those guys on conservative talk radio don’t live in the real world. Their elitists who get paid bank to do what they do. I realized that Oil shouldn’t be the driving force of our economy.
So am I a democrat?? No. I’m not prepared to call myself a democrat by any means. But I’m not a republican either.
I still hold that abortion is murder. I just think being pro-life entails much more than being anti-abortion. My wife, Leah, said it pretty well, “abortion is a ‘sanctity of life’ issue, and that you can’t be against abortion and yet in action be unwilling to take in unwed mothers, or adopting needy children.” And if sanctity of life is such a concern, what about all those who have been killed in the war?? Do their lives not count? What about the people who don’t have any sort of healthcare and can’t afford it? I still hate abortion, though.
I still hold that homosexuality is a sinful lifestyle. But enacting a law will not change people’s hearts. And homosexuality is mentioned only a handful of times in God’s word. Injustice, poverty, and oppression of the poor are mentioned more than 2000 times. Why are we so quick to keep homosexual couples from getting a piece of paper acknowledging what we all know anyway. And, in all honesty, divorce is what is destroying the family in america, not homosexuality. And if we’re going to talk about the sanctity of marriage, read a little bit about McCain’s first marriage and his transition into his second. It will probably surprise you. Basically, McCain returned from service a war hero with a wife who was disfigured in an accident. Instead of keeping his vows, he started sleeping around and eventually met Cindy, while he was still married to his first wife. He divorced his wife and married Cindy.
Obama will pull troops out of Iraq. Obama will ensure healthcare for everyone. Obama refuses to accept contributions from lobbyists. He’ll reinstate taxes for the wealthy and protect tax cuts for the poor and middle class. His goal is a nuclear weapon free world.
There are other things that I don’t agree with. But, he is a man of principle. A man who loves his wife and daughters. A man who really wants to help people, not just help himself. A man who will change the face of this country for years to come. A man who will change history.
We’re not going to have a savior in Washington. We won’t have someone who will usher in the golden age and make everything great for every american. But we can have a president who’s goal will be to make life better in this country for everyone. Thats something I can support.
i'm still thinkin 
YAY!!! good thoughts babe!
I’m still not officially endorsing anyone unless Optimus Prime announces his candidacy. I mean, the elephants will keep our national borders safe from alien humans, but who else but Prime will keep us safe from Decepticon invasion?
I could probably think of at least 10 people who could benefit from free health care. I’m a fan of the idea.
I’d probably say that half of the people I know could benefit from free healthcare. Because even people who can afford it, or have it from work, still have expensive copays and deductibles.
Your post would make Tony smile! Campolo that is!
Good thoughts… I like your point on abortion and how if human life is the issue, why do most Christians show no consistency in it?
It’s ok to kill an innocent civilian in war for a good cause, but yet abortion is wrong! I believe both are wrong, but to hold to one and not the other is ridiculous and a blatantly hypocritical stance that anyone should be able to see through!
Good post bud!
Now you need to check out “Jesse Ventura’s” new book!
You sir emply a false dilemma in your argument.
*set up a false dilemma. You set up a false dilemma. And apparently I set up sentences that don’t make sense.
Hey man, I didn’t think they allowed Canadians like you to vote in the USA elections. If you ever come back to SC, I’m going to treat you like an illegal alien and speak Spanish to you. So take that!
Seriously though, I’m thankful for you and your wife. I don’t agree on some of what you said above, but I do appreciate that you’re willing to say it (and live it). I appreciate that your theology (which you know I agree with) truly does impact you whole life and doesn’t just define what books you read and what Bible translation you hold dear, etc. Do I see ESV-onlyism on the horizon? I appreciate that you love the Gospel and understand that policies and politicians aren’t Messiahs. HE has already been here and have called us to follow Him. So, keep going for it and vote for O-bama, and sing O-canada, but run hard after Jesus.
SDG,
e-rock
You voted for Obama!? The greatest pro-death president ever! What were you thinking? I will attribute your youth to the naive political optimism you possess. It is a month since Obama took office and he is bankrupting this country and heading it straight towards socialism. And by the way, he is sending MORE troops overseas to kill more innocents. The Bible does NOT ban war on the basis of self defense and this war differs massively from abortion. To compare the killing of “innocents” in war to the infanticide that is occurring in America is unjustifiable for someone who should know the Bible. The warning is Scripture for those who harm children are clear and plain. Please review. If you hate abortion, please do something to stop it other that vote for someone to perpetuate it. Obama will kill more Americans with his abortion policy than any terrorist will. I look forward to your post regretting your vote in the future.
Honestly, Brandon, how are you feeling about your vote now?