Democrats vs. Republicans: Healthy Correctives?

Came across several really interesting - and really good - articles on the elections, Christians, and Obama on my Google Reader feeds the other night. This one was particularly good - and then, particularly troubling, in the comment section.

Here's the link to the article. Read it if you get the chance. It's about what portion of evangelical/born-again believers voted for Obama and the role of Obama's religious life in his campaign. My prayer and my hope is that what Obama said is true of him and he lives up to it during his time in office. Particularly this part stuck out:

No Democrat since Jimmy Carter has spoken as openly, and as often, about his personal faith. In his Call to Renewal speech in 2006, Obama chastised some Democrats 'who dismiss religion in the public square as inherently irrational or intolerant, insisting on a caricature of religious Americans that paints them as fanatical, or thinking that the very word "Christian" describes one's political opponents, not people of faith.'

These were the two most recent comments at the end of the article:

To those who know God, we should have seen this coming. Whether we agree or not, we were given a reprieve to His judgement in 2000 for 8 more years. This time, we have foolishly voted for judgement on the whole country. Nothing for true believers to do now but fasten our seatbelts and brace for what is coming, as we also are guilty of doing nothing.

George W. Bush is a born again christian who has served this country well. But without our support in challenging the hatred unjustly focused on him, he faced an enemy of evil which made him ineffective, all a matter of plan by liberal democrats.

Starting with the lie about "no WMD's" the lies were never let up. But did anyone know there were hundreds of pounds of "yellow cake" uncovered years ago that Bush voluntarily kept secret and took the punishment on himself for top secret security reasons? The democrats knew it also, but continued to use it against him. Is it so hard to believe we are now under the judgement and the country is headed beyond the point of return to destruction? If it is God's will, so be it.

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2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

This is our option now and has always been. The ONLY way to stop this man is to pray. For GOD nothing is impossible. Satan has tricked many believers into voting for this man which also means they voted for abortion, homosexual mariage etc. They put their finances before GOD. A sad day indeed.

I have to be honest, as a born again, Jesus loving Christian, posts like this make me sad. I know people have freedom of speech - so I'm glad they can exhibit and I'll never try to supress it. However, what they say - in this case - can be discouraging. What do comments like this do for Christian evangelicals that voted for Obama (of which I'm not one) out of conviction? Neither candidate was "squeeky clean" - so what if they decided that (like the article above points out) that people voted for Obama in spite of his stance of homosexuality, abortion - because they believe he did a better job at meeting the needs of the widows, the orphans, and the downtrodden? (By the way, most economists argue that his financial plan sucks, so I don't believe that the main reason people voted for him) Caring for the widows, orphans, and downtrodden is something we are commanded to do THROUGHOUT Scripture in both the old and the new. Yes, God will never condone homosexual activity and I think abortion does break his heart - but those are things that the church can stand against - but what about what the Church stands for? We are called to reach out to the widows, orphans, downtrodden. No, I don't believe that the gov't is the best means for that, but I will respect other Christians who, in this case, voted out of their conviction of Scripture and their love for God.

There's a deep sadness in the comments as well. There's the sense that neither of these people have known and respected a Christian democrat. They've never learned to understand and appreciate - with the full freedom to disagree - someone else's viewpoint that shares their belief in God. It seems that their world is so small and they've only allowed themselves to experience and embrace a very narrow piece of the family of God.

So really, this idea that Obama is God's judgement on America? I don't see this as trusting God with our appointed leaders and this election. But more than that, it doesn't show respect for our fellow believers in Christ. It doesn't honor them and respect them - in spite of our disagreements. Heaven help us if all Christians were Baptist or Presbyterian - we would miss so much. Heaven help us if we were all Republican, because for the same reason - we would miss so much. Just as denominations are faulty, so are political parties and personal views on society and government - we serve in the family of Christ or the society of America as healthy correctives to one another.