Why I am not voting for Barack Obama

Four years ago I saw one of the most amazing sites from the perspective of a History educator:  a black person was elected president.  Most do not understand the barbaric treatment that the people from Africa went through to arrive in the New World.  From there, their children were forced into hundreds of years of slavery, oppressed under the black codes and still face the negative stereotypes based purely on the color of their skin.  You do not need to travel too far south in Arkansas to experience the racism that most in the North think is ancient history.  I should know, i lived there for four years and received racist pamphlets in the mail promoting the “Biblical” superiority of white people.  So to see a black person being sworn in as President honestly gave me some pride as an American that we were crossing a threshold I thought would never happen.  

I am always a fan of the underdog, (proven by my lifelong allegiance to the Phillies, Redskins and 76er’s), so to experience that underdog victory by the African-American community was at the time exciting.  As a Christian though, my allegiance needs to go beyond the feeling of underdogs and skin color and what really is best for the country and hence what is most glorifying to God.  I feel as though the younger, relevant Christian community is wrongly brushing over the issue of abortion when it comes to this Presidential election.  I am fully aware that the President is unable to overturn a Supreme Court decision and can at best appoint judges that would, but I feel as though the President does more than that as a figurehead.  As president, he speaks for the nation and influences people on their decisions as all leaders do.  President Obama continues to call abortion a healthcare issue and not a human life issue and so the people of this country will do the same.  There are also the Republican candidates for various political offices who ignorantly speak on the subject and in turn give more validity to the President’s dialogue.  To focus on their mis-steps also ignores the issue though that a human life is involved.  I do believe that abortion should be legal but only in the case of an ectopic pregnancy in which neither mother or child can survive unless the child is aborted.  That makes sense to save one life when the baby’s is not viable.  

Let me be clear, the issue is of someone’s life.  Do we value human life or is murder by the more powerful acceptable?  No doubt people are offended by the idea of murder because they like to keep this argument intellectual.  These ideas though have sinful consequences.  There is no doubt there are well intentioned people on the pro-choice side but there were also well intentioned people on the Nazi Germany side.  Please watch Ben Stein’s “Expelled” to learn how the idea of macro evolution lead to the rationalization of killing innocent human life http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIZAAh_6OXg .  So while President Obama is well intentioned in his views on abortion, they still promote the killing of innocent people.

More importantly, as a Christian, I cannot overlook the fact that President Obama is lining up more with pagan kings from the Bible than as a  follower of Jesus he claims to be.  This passage I recently read from Zephaniah 1 is strikingly similar to his views:

“I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
those who bow down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens,
those who bow down and swear to the LORD
and yet swear by Milcom,
those who have turned back from following the LORD,
who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”
(Zephaniah 1:4-6 ESV)


This section probably means nothing to you regarding the president, but look again, “those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom,”.  Milcom was the pagan god in which babies were sacrificed in the worship ceremony.  Sound familiar?  Someone was claiming to love God and yet approved the practice of murdering children.  God here is clear that behavior is sinful.  It does not matter how you shade it with certain terminology or circumstances, it’s wrong.  It’s murder.

Please hear me, I am not here to judge your circumstances or past behavior.  Forgiveness can be found for all sin and God promises that in the same book (see Zephaniah 3:9-20).  Thank God his forgiveness is not based on our past actions but rather Jesus’ work on the cross.  Please let that love He has for you direct your heart to the fact that human life is not a matter of convenience or choice.  Innocent human life needs to be protected and as Christians, we cannot flippantly put it off as a political issue.  That is why I will not be voting for President Obama.  He claims Christ and then turns to ignore the very God he claims.  He has bought into a lie and by my vote I will not enable him to lead others to buy into the same lie.  

Is Our Country More Important than the Gospel?

The smoke has cleared from the Democratic and Republican conventions and depending on your political favorings, there were some important happenings.  My concern is not political but rather the continued confusing state of Repblicans who call themselves evangelical Christians.  I do agree with the majority of their moral stances but I am finding myself more and more disagreeable with the way they communicate them and their judgement of others who do not meet those standards.  I was under the impression from Jesus that we should humbly serve and love our enemies, not bash them on national television (Romans 12:20).  What concerns me most though about the Evangelical Right is their greater concern for political gain than sound theology.  This was made evident by a speech given by Republican pundit and former governor, Mike Huckabee.  The comments he makes here shows the unhealthy focus The Christian Right is hanging on politics. 

"I am far less concerned about where Mitt Romney takes his family to church than where he takes this country".  I am not saying that as a Christian I should be indifferent to who the leader of the free world is and his stances on moral issues.  What I am saying is that I should care about the eternal destiny of that person’s soul more than a nation that will fall just like all others before.  This careless rhetoric by this pastor does a couple things:

1. It gives legitimacy to the Mormon Church as being a Christian denomination and not a cult.  That’s scary.  A lot of uneducated Christians are looking to Mr. Huckabee for Biblical guidance and he failed.

2. It promotes a social gospel which really is no gospel at all.  Mr. Huckabee is putting the needs of a temporary instituion above the needs of an eternal soul.  Again, the needs of this coutry are great but to say they outweigh the eternality of Jesus’ rule and reign is ridiculous.

I am not against this country having a Mormon president or one affiliated with any other religion.  I think by God’s grace good things can happen to benefit this country despite someone’s severed relationship with God apart from Christ because of common grace (Matthew 5:44-46).  As Christians we need to realize this and not isolate ourselves from every person who does not line up with us theologically.  What we cannot do though is compromise the message and importance of the gospel for things of lesser, and in the long run, no importance.

The following blog post has been on my mind not just because of President Obama's announcement of his support of same-sex marriage but also because of the numerous Christians I hear on talk shows voicing their thoughts on the matter.

Was Jesus Silent About Homosexuality?

What has been going on in my heart since President Obama’s announcement that he supports gay marriage has been varied.  As a student of history and the Constitution, I am inclined to believe that the allowance of civil unions is the natural course of action for this country.  The government should stay out of our bedrooms, relationships and our wallets.  My concern is founded rather on his assertion of his deep faith in Christianity and how that only encourages his belief that marriage should include same-sex couples. 

There are about three major points of contention that are brought up when same sex marriage proponents espouse their reasoning for such a stance.  First, they point out that to not allow someone a “right” is not a loving act.  They reason Christians should be about "love", so to be anti-same sex marriage is not loving.  Secondly, they point out that traditional marriage is not working that well with about a 50% divorce rate.  Finally, the argument has been made that Jesus did not say one word about homosexuality.  If it is so wrong, then he would have talked about it extensively if not at least mentioned it in passing. 

I hope to be helpful in correcting the view of that last argument.  I believe a lot of people who call themselves Christians are being misled by that reasoning from political leaders, talk show hosts and errant pastors. 

Who is Jesus?

I think the very first thing we must examine is who Jesus is.  I know there is a ton of debate around this question but I would like to look at solely scriptural answers, since the argument starts there.  Put very simply, Jesus said he is God: Matthew 16:16-17, 19:28, 26:64, 28:18-20, Mark 15:2, Luke 4:18-21, 22:66-71, John 20:26-29.  Also, he implied it with parables (Matthew 7:24, 12:38, 18:21), proved it with miracles (Matthew 8:1, 8:14, 8:23, 8:28, 9:1, 9:18, 9:27, and a lot more) and the New Testament writers all affirm it (Romans 1:1-4, Hebrews 1:1-2, James 1:1, 1 Peter 1:1, 1 John 1:1-3). 

God’s Character

So, the argument is still concerning the silence Jesus gives on same-sex marriage.  Now, he does affirm heterosexual marriage (Matthew 19:1-7) but it is true that in the Gospels Jesus is not recorded as speaking on the topic.  This does not mean he is silent though.  As we have shown, Jesus is God and so anything that God the Father says regarding homosexuality we have to take as Jesus saying.  God is One (Genesis 1:1-31) and to infer that He somehow disagrees with Himself runs contrary to all other teaching found in Scripture explaining God’s character.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are not in competition but rather in agreement on all things because they are of the same essence.  There is no division within in the Trinity.  This is akin to a healthy marriage.  The child might ask one parent for permission and then turn to the other when the first one declines his request.  The second parent gives the same response as the first because there is good communication and unity in the marriage.  They are one. 

God’s Stance

So this all begs the question, what does God say about homosexuality?  We see evidence that He is against it in the Old and New Testaments that He inspired (2 Timothy 3:16).  In the Old Testament He condemns it (Leviticus 18:22).  In the New Testament it is condemned as well (Romans 1:26-27).  So to say that Jesus is silent on the issue of homosexuality is incorrect.  Jesus is God and God has a lot to say about it and other sexual sin.  Please do not view this as a condemnation but rather as an opportunity for grace as God really desires the best for His creation and so He lovingly corrects us through His Word.  Jesus is not silent on this issue.  He loves us too much.  I hope this helps clears up confusion for the Christian as many under the banner of “Christian” have pronounced that Jesus has nothing to say on the issue.

Top 10 Albums for 2011

Ok, so I know the top 10 lists of 2011 are all past...but I have been enjoying a good couple of albums and had enough to compose my own list.  These albums may not have come out in 2011 but these are just the ones that inspired, encouraged and were just enjoyable for me in 2011...

#10 Spring by Jon Foreman

I have strayed far from 2011 in my first selection...Jon released this EP in March of 2008 as a part of his seasons collection.  This album has been in and out of my playlists since then.  He continues to grip me with his simple yet haunting lyrics.  Watch him play Your Love is Strong above.


#9 Ocean Eyes by Owl City

This 2009 release was played non-stop in the mini-van per request of my three oldest daughters.  This synthy-pop album does not fit into my normal genre of choice...but his lyrics and longings bring me to a place of innocence and focus few albums can.  My favorite track off the album (Meteor Shower) was never released and the shortest...but I think it sums up my take on the album perfectly.





#8 Beautiful Things by Gungor

Diverse.  Until this 2010 release, I had never heard such a diverse album from one band let alone a "worship band".  Gungor mixes in guitar riffs, melodic woodwinds, gospel backgrounds and thoughtful  lyrics in one of the most creative worship albums I have ever experienced.  There is nothing "cookie-cutter" about this album.  Above is the "hit song" and my favorite, Beautiful Things, performed acoustically.





#7 Brand New Eyes by Paramore

I used to love the punk music scene...I was playing Green Day and MXPX through my car's CD player frequently.  My tastes have mellowed out since but this Paramore 2009 album has got me hooked again on the fast beats, crunchy guitars and punch-in-the-gut lyrics.  This album doesn't stay there and the lead singer's voice can pull it off.  Enjoy the fist-pumping.







#6 Under Great White Northern Lights by the White Stripes


The White Stripes is one of those bands that I wish I would have discovered earlier in their career.  By the time I had a serious desire to see them in concert, they had disbanded.  The Under Great White Northern Lights album and the companion DVD do a great sell on seeing this band live.  I have never seen so much energy from only two people on stage.  The video above is of their live performance of "Icky Thump".


#5 Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons

So, I am a Relevant Media podcast listener (I recommend it for banter humor and new music) and one thing I am not a fan of is the incessant droning of how "awesome" so many bands are that they listen to.  So when Relevant mentioned Mumford and Sons, I was a little hesitant but I think I heard one of their songs on an intro and my curiosity was struck.  I think that was enough to do the download through Amazon and I was hooked.  I cannot remember I have heard lyrics so gut-wrenchingly honest on a record and be reminded of grace.  Their style is not something I look for in my listening preference but that's what has made this 2010 release a pleasant surprise.


#4 Rehab by Lecrae

I used to love the "rap" scene back in junior and high school.  Now when I say rap music, what I mean is pop music.  The top 40 rap that was more based on marketing and the style of the times...fast forward to the 2000's and along comes a gentleman out of Texas....Lecrae.  My rap library is by no means extensive but this guy can bring it fast and smart...you'll probably hear more accurate theology out his mouth in one song than attending Joel Osteen's church for ten years.  This 2010 release has my favorite song by him so far, "Background", which you can enjoy above.


#3 Church Music by David Crowder* Band

This 2009 release is just another progression for a band I cannot help but describe as "heartfelt".  I was in college as the whole Passion movement was starting up and was introduced to David Crowder through that.  Who knew that worship band out of Waco, Tx would be rock stars in 10 years.  That's the thing though, they have not tried to be that.  They have just made honest, creative worship music to draw people to the love of God.  That's what's been so refreshing about this band...they have been the creative leaders and not the followers.  When every other "christian" band has been covering everyone else's songs, they don't.  Sure, they have redone some classic hymns...but no other band has been as "smart" about worship as these guys have.


#2 Odd Soul by MuteMath

I thought I had been introduced to MuteMath in the Fall of 2001 when I picked up their Reset EP...I was wrong.  The lead singer was the brain child behind the left field band Earthsuit in the late '90's.  I like what I heard back then but was never sure what happened to them.  I am thankful for the wait as this 2011 release has been their best yet.  Always known for their ingenious music videos, Blood Pressure, above does not disappoint.  Also, if you are able to get your hands on the instrumental version of this record, I would highly recommend it.






#1 Vice Verses by Switchfoot

This band should not still be around.  They came on the music scene in the hey day of "christian" pop.  Their initial album back in 1996 was nothing special  but their top charting "Beautiful Letdown" was special.  With all the success they experienced from that album, the last decade you think would be considered a letdown.  They have had a couple moderately successful albums but nothing over the top. I think that is why they have been so endearing to me.  They keep making music because they love it and people are listening.  This 2011 release has been all over ESPN and for good reason.  While "Hello Hurricane" became one of their top 3 for me, "Vice Verses" is making a hard push for number one.  I think it's their orignal sound and Jon's writing.  He communicates his passions so vividly through his media that you are drawn in.  The song above has me every time at places of hope and longing.

Joe Paterno: Why Morality is not Enough for Men


I think it is going to be really easy to rail against Penn State Football coach Joe Paterno for his lack of iniative investigating the allegations against former coach Jerry Sandusky.  I think we run into a real danger as men though if we do not heed the warning sent by his inaction...our own.  My goal is to be helpful and point out some practical ways in which as men we can change so as not to leave the same sort of legacy as Joe Pa.


It is imperative to start out by stating there are two types of sin.  There are sins of commission in which you proactively steal, cheat, lie, hurt, etc.  There are also sins of omission.  You should do something but do not.  You should help that person, give that money, have that conversation, stand up for that person, etc.  I think men have a greater struggle with sins of omission.  Take Adam from the Bible for example.  He should have stood up against the serpent but instead passively let his wife get tricked.  As men, I think there are a couple instances in particular in which we struggle with sins of omission.  I think all of these can be seen in the Penn State instance and so it is helpful to evaluate our own lives to see if we are doing the same.




1. The Worship of the Institution


I think men in general like buildings, dynasties, tradition because it was something that was built.  People marvel at these things and there is a sense of pride in doing something so well that it has stood the test of time.  I think this was the case with Jerry Sandusky.  He had become an institution at Penn State.  His defenses were top tier consistently and he was known as a generous man through the Second Mile Foundation.  What tends to happen with people like that is that we tend to worship them.  We give them free passes on their sins and protect them at all costs instead of holding them accountable.  When we do this, we do not know what to do when their mortality is revealed to us.  Former Pennsylvania football star John Ritchie explained this idea well here.  It freaks us out because our "god"has fallen from the heavens and we choose to look the other way because our world view has been shattered.  We do this with our job.  We do this with our reputation.  We do this with our heroes.  We choose to not deal with sin because it might hurt or wreck whatever we has set up as the idol.  So we do not speak up at work when shady financial practices are done.  We do not confess sin because we care more about what people think of us.  We do not have that tough conversation with that person because we are afraid of who they really are.  That leads into the second reason...



2. Men Hate Awkward Conversations


A second reason men commit sins of omission is because we do not like to feel unsure of ourselves.  Nothing makes us feel this quicker than hard conversations.  Conversations in which sin will be confronted and the offending party could possibly reveal your own sin or disown you as a friend.  Again, this is a form of idolatry with you as the god.  We choose not to speak up and dig into that person's life because there are too many unknowns.  This is not loving behavior.  It is cowardice.  Love acts bravely and does not care about the consequences but rather about the truth.  I can only imagine the amount of opportunities that Joe Paterno had with Jerry Sandusky to have "that" conversation but chose not to.  How many times have we chosen not to have "that" conversation because it was simply easier to let sleeping dogs lie than pushing someone towards holiness?  




3.  Morality is god


Finally, men struggle with sins of omission because morality is what drives them.  Moral people go to hell.  Jesus is after more than moral men.  Morality is not enough for men.  Men need to deal with issues of the heart but it is so much easier just to deal with surface issues.  As men we are by nature lazy and dealing with issues of the heart takes work.  It's easy to put on a front as a man and pretend everything is ok.  It is easy to get your children dressed up for sunday school and make your wife smile for two hours a week.  It's tough to discipline your children, pursue your wife and model humility.  Culturally though, we are taught that appearances matter most.   Jesus has called men to something greater though and culture does not have the patience for it.  He calls us to love God and love others and that will not always fall under the banner of morality.  


My encouragement to you as a man is that you do not have to be stuck under morality.  You are made to be more than a man who is nice.  You have been created to reflect the image of God.  You have been made to bring glory to God.  When that is your main objective, no institution, no awkward conversation and no ever-changing social moral code will satisfy.  Only the glory of God will do and sins of omission will seem foolish in light of the presence of the eternal God.  

Men Who Love Jesus Do Not Make Good Politicians


Ok, I am not trying to drag Rick Perry through the mud with these two blog posts but I think there is a real danger in not pointing out the obvious.  Again, this is in response to the Las Vegas RNC debates from last week.  You can read about it here.  I think there is three things we can learn from Rick Perry as a Christian man:

1. Keep first things first: It was amazing to watch Mr. Perry get bent out of shape on lawn care and not give a flip about the eternity of another person's soul.  I think this is the danger we all face as men.  We tend to elevate the temporal and minimize the eternal.  So, culturally fantasy football, video games, sound systems, electronic, cars, sports and air-bushed women are our greatest concern.  While issues like memorization of scripture, praying with our families, discipling other men and tithing take a back seat.  Because of this, we lose credibility with the culture and with our children who get easily bored with our shallow pursuits.

2. Seek truth, not to be right: I loved Rick's incessant interruption of Mr. Romney's rebuttal when it came to the lawn mowing service.  I thought I was watching an argument in a bad teenage movie drama.  Mr. Perry was not concerned about the facts that Mr. Romney was presenting, just that his ideas was the loudest.  It reflected poorly on Mr. Perry and it does the same for the Christian man with that same approach.  My aim should never be to prove how right I am to my kids, my wife or my friends.  Rather, it should be to serve.  Speaking the truth in love is a great way to serve.  It lessens myself and puts the truth, which is always helpful, at the forefront.  Unfortunately for Mr. Perry as a presidential candidate, his job is to always to be right.

3. Don't be a coward:  Harsh words I know, but really this is what this issue boils down to.  Anyone can get in front of a large audience and tell people what they want to hear.  Rick Perry did just that.  Mormons are Christians.  This idea is becoming more and more accepted in American Christianity. (To see why this is wrong read here.) To argue against it would make some people uncomfortable and possibly divide the Republican base.  Jesus was not a coward.  He spoke hard truth and suffered persecution from his family, casual followers, the religious establishment, his friends and the government.  The Christian man cannot be a coward.  You will have to speak hard truth in love to your spouse, children, co-workers, friends and strangers.  Ultimately that they are sinners and that they need Jesus just like yourself.  To not do that is to run away from your responsibility and hide behind being liked.

My fear is that men will see tough Texan Rick Perry and confuse him for a godly man when that could not be farther from the truth.  People pleasing has never been the mark of a Biblical godly man.

Rick Perry Biffs It On What's Most Important

Very rarely have I been engrossed in the soap opera drama that is American politics unless it is to watch Jon Stewart openly mock them for blatant contradictions.  Even then, it serves as a morning wake-up laugh as I sip my coffee and intake the absurdity.  What I heard from the Republican debate from Las Vegas though was more than lighthearted absurdity.  I woke up Wednesday morning to hear one of the most ridiculous monologues by Rick Perry.  NPR story here.

As you have probably seen or heard, Rick Perry lambasted Mitt Romney for “hiring” illegal aliens to do his yard work.  Then, as Romney calmly started to explain what had happened, Perry started his verbal assault without mercy.  Mind you, Perry did not have any real hard evidence for any of his claims.  He just wanted Romney to look soft on illegal aliens.

What blew me away though were Perry’s comments on Romney’s religion.  Now for those of you who are unknowledgeable to the Christian and Mormon faith, they are not the same.  We have all seen the Mormon commercials with normal people talking about how Mormonism is for the common person.  I am not saying someone cannot be a Mormon.  We have freedom of religion here in America.  What baffles me is that Perry had an amazing opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus on national television and he blew it.  He gave a politically correct answer and moved on. 

For the layman, here are some basic doctrinal differences between Christianity and Mormonism:

1. Mormons have a high priest that speaks to God for you.  Christians have direct access to God because of the work of Jesus.
2. Mormons have to tithe, be married in a Mormon temple, and not drink caffeine to achieve the highest level of heaven.  Christians need only trust in saving work of Jesus to enter into heaven.
3. Mormons believe that you can become a god and rule over your own universe.  Christians believe that there is one God.
4. Mormons have changed their beliefs on many different issues over the years (like the personhood of black people) because their high priest told them to.  Christians believe that the Bible is the standard for living and it does not change.
5. They have two different holy books.

So, as you can see Perry just confused two totally different views of God.  What’s really sad is that Perry would label himself as an evangelical Christian and he did not take the opportunity to evangelize.  This is why politics and Jesus just do not mix.  Perry’s main concern is the populous vote and not representing God in an accurate way.  If that were true, we would have heard a lot less about mowing grass and a lot more about the love of God through Jesus.