A Pledge to President-elect Obama

Dear Mr. President-elect Obama:

Congratulations on your hard-fought victory and election to our nation's highest office, and becoming the leader of the free world.

I want you to know that I will be praying for you. Not praying against you, or about you, but for you. That is both my pledge, and my obligation as a follower of Christ. In the Bible, the apostle Paul writes, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

And I will do so with a full and undivided heart.

I will be praying for you from my position as a father of two children, and God willing, future grandchildren; that you will have the foresight to think through what your decisions will mean for them as the next generation.

I will be praying for you as a citizen of the United States; that you will seek wisdom from God and humbly submit yourself to His leadership as you lead our nation through economic turbulence, domestic divides, and cultural diversities.

I will be praying for you as a member of the global population; that you will work with other well-intentioned leaders from around the world as we face environmental challenges, wars and rumors of wars, and humanitarian crises.

And finally, I will be praying for you as a Christian; that you will encourage faith in God to flourish and never allow deeply held spiritual convictions to become a matter of ridicule, instead encouraging everyone to grant them a respectful hearing, even if they go against the political policy of your party.

You have inherited more that needs immediate attention than any other president in recent memory. As a result, it has been a hard-fought and hotly contested election. I will pray for you as you lead all who cast a ballot in your favor, and those who did not, to set aside their differences, no matter how deep the divides may be, and work together for our common good.

I will be praying for you.

Pastor Jim Thompson

Adapted from an article by James Emery White. Scripture reference: I Timothy 2:1-2, New International Version.

Bush Disagrees with Jesus?

Jerusalem: May 15, 2008
U.S. President Bush gave a speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament today.
Part of his remarks were interpreted by many as a political swipe at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama:

"Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided." We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

It could possibly be taken as more of an unintentional swipe at the teachings of Jesus than a jab at Obama, which would be ironic since Bush is a self-proclaimed evangelical Christian.

Talking to those with whom we disagree is "false comfort", "appeasement" and "repeatedly discredited by history"?

Bush believes strongly in redemptive violence; that retaliation is helping God in his work of judgment and vengeance. Jesus taught that violence doesn't redeem violence, it only accelerates the downward spiral of human depravity.

Jesus, Gandhi, King--just a few who rejected the notion of redemptive violence and sought to show us a better way of "combating" our enemies.

Consider the radical teachings of Jesus:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:38-48)