By their Politics you shall know them

Someone put a link on this blog giving this URL:

https://watchmansbagpipes.blogspot.com/search/label/President%20Obama

This is really not worth wasting my time on, someone who has not thought deeply about any issue asserts that Obana can;t be a true Christian because he does not see things like he, the narrow minded funedy, sees them. The missive is posted by Glenn E. Chatfield  I am assuming that's our boy.


He opens by asserting: "We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. " He has the audacity to quote Paul: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12" So apparently our boy thinks he a great apostle.

We know we are in trouble when this guy does not have the sense to distinguish between the public life of a politician and the private faith of an individual man. He asserts there is nothing to Obama (one of the most brilliant and complex  men ever to hold the office) because he doesn't like his politics.  Chatfield  confuses the Gospel with his political opinions. The link is to  part two so I'll deal with that, part one is probably not worth my time.

Up front the piece questions  Obama's faith.Chatfield sees himself as a great apostle who has the right, Nay the calling (!) to question other people's faith,

Is Barack Obama a Christian as He Claims? Part 2 ("as he claims" so of course not it's only a false claim)

Chatfield; 

In this part I am going to examine parts of the transcript of a 2004 interview of Barack Obama by Cathleen Falsani. My responses will be in maroon.

During the interview, Obama was asked what he believed in regards to religion.  He stated: 

Obama: 

 I am a Christian.  So, I have a deep faith. So, I draw from the Christian faith.  On the other hand, I was born in Hawaii where obviously there are a lot of Eastern influences.   I lived in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, between the ages of six and 10.  My father was from Kenya, and although he was probably most accurately labeled an agnostic, his father was Muslim.  And I’d say, probably, intellectually I’ve drawn as much from Judaism as any other faith.  So, I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. 

Chatfield:

How can he be “rooted in the Christian tradition” when this statement says nothing about Christianity, rather it mentions “Eastern” religions, Islam, agnosticism, and Judaism?

Annoyingly simplistic, This former POTUS wants to talk about things other than theology how can he be a Christian? We all know Christians can only say theological things. Where is that verse? Where did Paul the Tent maker say that? Where did the Carpenter from Galilee say that? I assume Jesus would meet our standards?

Now  Chatfield; speaks ex cathedra about what being a Christian means:

So is Barack Obama a Christian as defined by the Bible?  By what we have seen of the beliefs taught by his church (both denomination and local), and by his own publicly stated political beliefs and actions (pro-abortion, pro-same-sex fake marriage, pro-homosexuality in general, pro-“transgender,” pro-sexual immorality in general, pro-Muslim and anti-Christian statements and actions, pro-socialism [theft], etc), one could not conclude that he believes in the God or Christ of the Bible.  Additionally, from this interview, it is very plain that he has virtually no understanding of the Christian faith, let alone an understanding of what sin is.

Ironic he begins by appealing to the scripture as bearing the definition of the faith yet his assessment never deals with scripture but with his political assertions. What scripture really says gays should not have civil rights? He needs more precision in what he calls "same sex  marriage." When he rattles off his list "pro-abortion, pro-same-sex fake marriage," ect ect he is not talking about Obama's compositors on these issues he's rattling off a list of hot button topics with no regard to the President's position. Chatfield has made the assumption that the only kind of Christianity is his kind and that only people who agree with him on everything are saved.

He asserts that because Obama's list of strictures don't match his on he can;t save: "one could not conclude that he believes in the God or Christ of the Bible." we can;t even  believe  in God because he wont assert gays are evil should not have civil rights. Because Obama is not even talking about heaven and hell he's talking about pace in society. Presumably Chatfiled would not  even allow gays to exist in his christian world. How do you make people stop existing?  Remember he did not list positions dealing with  those issues he listed the basic names of the topics so it;s all doped out, nothing to think about, Agree with me or go to hell and we will send you there,

Remember, if all you do is talk about where gays get to be in society then you have to deal with specific policies and that;s all Obama is doing. He's not writing a theological dissertation. It would ot hurt Chatfield to read one,

The really funny part is where he sums up his purpose: "Okay, what is the purpose of this exercise of examining Barack Obama’s claims to be a Christian?  Discernment! " ! what a truck load of discernment he's given us so far, Judge superficially. base everything on snap answers that don't even probe the surface, let politics be your guide, judge people superficially.  O wow true discernment!

In part I he quotes Obama:

We work with — not against — people of other faiths.  Why? Because God is still speaking.

His analysis:

I’d like to know where they find in Scripture that we are to work with people who are worshipping idols and other gods.  And I’d like to know where they are hearing from God outside of Scripture; in what way is God still speaking?

This guy strikes me as someone who has been in the faith a year or so.  We live in society with other people. We have to work with them, Where does the Bbile say we must not work with others? Let me ask Chattie some questions? Do you ride in a car? Do you wear clothes made from  two or more fibers woven together? Do you use razor blades? Do you use electric lights? Please show me the scriptural justification for these?

We live in a modern constitutional democracy. Paul lived in in a monarchy of pagan  religion. God never told Paul to overthrow that society why would he tell us to overthrow ours? The New Testament  never assumes a  Christian dictatorship. When Paul says (Rom.2:22)"You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?" he was saying even though we don't hold to their faith we must respect them. That means in modern concepts we have to work in modern secular society and respect other faiths and non Christians.

The essence of being a Christian is trusting Jesus for one's salvation. We are not given the authority to judge the depth of the sincerity of others. To base that judgement upon political positions then pretend its based upon  their faith is arrogance pride and false Judging.

The Bible says we know a false prophet or a false believer by his fruit not by his politics.