When did it become the norm to publicly mock the leader of our country? It's something that has really annoyed me over the past few years, first with the former President Bush jokes and now with President Obama. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "Obama bin lyin'" and then we got an e-mail urging us to watch a Fox News program proving that PRESIDENT Obama is not really an American citizen...(just as a side note for anyone who may have missed social studies classes: a person can NOT become a president without being a citizen... they check that stuff out pretty well) Seriously? When did that become okay? I understand disagreeing with policy. I understand not agreeing with the ideals of an individual, and taking positive steps to change policy or influence one's representatives to make a change. That is totally acceptable. But when did people go from respectful disagreement to unintelligent rambling? I started thinking that it was because people just didn't know any better, but then it struck me that the "me" culture we've created has somehow given people the idea that if they are not happy with something, that thing should change, and the means of achieving that change don't really matter.
What's worse is when Christians take part in this sort of negativity (and I am in NO way implying that ALL Christians do this). The first amendment right to freedom of speech does NOT negate our responsibility to tame our tongue (James 3). It does not negate our responsibility to pray for our leaders because God himself has put them in their positions (Romans 13:1 -- "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God."). There is no 'except when' in those passages. The Bible does not say: be subject to your leader except when he/she has a different view on abortion, economic policy, or any other phrase you want to add in. And it does not negate our responsibility to love and be known by our love (John 13:34 -- "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."). We are to love ALL, not just whom we choose! And what is love? "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends" (1 Corinthians 13).
It is appalling to me that people question President Obama's religion, because his father came from another continent or another religion (he was a Muslim who became an atheist)... Would one question that I am a Protestant on the basis that my family is Catholic? Would one question that a convert from Buddhism is a Christian because his/her family is Buddhist? I doubt it. So maybe our country hasn't come as far as we'd like to think. Maybe it really does matter that his last name is different that any other last name of any other president in history. Maybe it really does matter that he is biracial. Maybe it really does matter. Would it matter if our president were in fact a Muslim, a Buddhist, or an atheist? Would it? What is it that we think would happen if he (or another future president) were a Muslim? I know many Muslims and adore each one of them, many are among those I have been closest to in my life. Is it that our country was founded on the principles of Christianity that we feel we must have a Christian leader? Perhaps. Does it really matter if he/she is a Christian? Remember that the president doesn't have nearly the power some people would like to make him out to have. That's why we have three branches of government that have checks and balances on each other. Our former president was a Christian, but openly admitted that he was not a literalist when it came to the Bible, but people did not question his faith. In fact, former President Bush never mentioned Jesus, Christ etc. during his speeches as president (that I could find), yet President Obama has mentioned Jesus, Christ, Messiah etc. several times in his first year as president. I'm not Bush bashing here, merely pointing out that people didn't question Bush's faith, yet make a public spectacle of questioning Obama's, when his actions/words do not warrant it.
Interviewer Cynthia McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true:
"You know. Probably not. ... No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it, but I do think that the New Testament for example is ... has got ... You know, the important lesson is 'God sent a son,"' Bush said.
"It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life," he said. "All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter and I asked for help. ... I was a one-step program guy."
The president also said that he prays to the same God as those with different religious beliefs.
"I do believe there is an almighty that is broad and big enough and loving enough that can encompass a lot of people," Bush said.
A couple of side notes:
1 - During the presidential campaign in 1960 (Kennedy vs. Nixon) many were very worried because JFK was Catholic. They feared that the Pope and Italy would control our government through him, fears that were totally unfounded.
2 - It seems that what some in our country want is a monarchy where there is a king, who subsequently is the religious leader. However, when the founders of this country came, they were trying to escape just that, which is why they wanted the separation of church and state.
In the end, I wish that people who have the freedoms that our country affords us would use them well. You need not agree with everything the president does or says, in fact you should not. But your reaction to those things you disagree with speaks volumes of you as a person and what you believe in.
OK, I'll get off my soap box and get back to packing.
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