Certainly you’ve heard about Dobson’s controversial radio show this week– where he accuses Obama of distoring the Bible during a 2006 speech. Before I go any further, please read the speech here.
In my opinion, I agree with Dobson that Obama’s reference to passages in the Old Testament are no longer relavant to today’s law (afterall, Jesus died for the sins of the world so we don’t have to worry that shellfish is an abomination anymore). But Obama’s speech is so much bigger and greater than his reference to Old Testament teachings. The central theme, I believe, can be wrapped up in his own words:
“But I am hopeful that we can bridge the gaps that exist and overcome the prejudices each of us bring to this debate. And I have faith that millions of believing Americans want that to happen. No matter how religious they may or may not be, people are tired of seeing faith used as a tool to attack and belittle and divide – they’re tired of hearing folks deliver more screed than sermon. Because in the end, that’s not how they think about faith in their own lives.”
Dobson attached Obama in a way that no Christian should. Jim Wallis, President of Sojourners, said this today: “First, Dobson and Minnery’s language is simply inappropriate for religious leaders to use in an already divisive political campaign. We can agree or disagree on both biblical and political viewpoints, but our language should be respectful and civil, not attacking motives and beliefs.”
In less than six months, we will vote for the next president of the United States. I am one of those independent voters who both McCain and Obama will need to persuade in the upcoming months. My vote quite honestly could go either way. (On a lighter note, I’d like to say that Cindy McCain is sweet…as evidenced from an e-mail I got today from my dad.)
I suppose you could sum me up very easily with another Jim Wallis quote today:
“Older Religious Right leaders are now being passed by a new generation of young evangelicals who believe that poverty, “creation care” of the environment, human trafficking, human rights, pandemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and the fundamental issues of war and peace are also “religious” and “moral” issues and now a part of a much wider and deeper agenda. That new evangelical agenda is a deep threat to Dobson and the power wielded by the Religious Right for so long. It puts many evangelical votes in play this election year, especially among a new generation who are no longer captive to the Religious Right. Perhaps that is the real reason for Dobson’s attack on Barack Obama.”
Thoughts?
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
i agree that obama’s message in his speech was bigger and more important than him using an old testament reference in the wrong way. i love his eloquence. while i understand and approve that obama is reaching out to people of different faiths, i do not like when the bible is presented as outdated and irrelevant to a country’s laws and foundation.
what i’d really like to see is more interest in what it means to vote “left” or “right”; what the policies are for each side and how they seek to keep our country moving forward; as opposed to the stereotypes of the “religious right” and that they are only focused on social/moral issues, or the “liberal left” and how they are just about the environment or anti-war. we have this information at our fingertips, unlike our parent’s generation. how does a vote in either direction affect how we do business, how our kids go to school, how clean our air is, our medical care costs and access, our freedom of speech, our relationships with other nations, the value of our dollar, etc.