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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Obama-Mania, A Cautionary Tale

Well, it's Inauguration Day. The whole country--check that--the whole world is abuzz with hope, love, and change! Barack Obama is now President of the United States of America, as well as, the darling of the media and well, just about everybody. Honestly, I'm a little concerned with the combination conquering war hero, super bowl winner, rock star treatment we're giving Obama. I'll explain why in a minute.

I keep seeing news features with people swaying in jubilation over the event. And then, there are the tears. I've never seen so many tears. People just weeping over this man's ascendancy. And I get it. He's the first black president. He is kind of an embodiment of the hopes and dreams of MLK and others. He gives hope to all races that if you work hard, you CAN do anything. This is all great and very heart-warming. In all honesty, if he wasn't so Pro-Abortion and Pro-Gay Rights, I might have voted for Obama as well. He's quite charismatic and brave. I will be praying for him as often as I can. I hope he does wonderful things for our country, and I hope he'll bring about the "right" kind of change. But folks, can we quit the hysteria? Barack Obama hasn't done anything yet.

He reminds me of one of those college football quarterback prospects. There's all this hype about the guy. He's risen through great hardship and emerged victorious in all these contests. Maybe he's even won the Heisman Trophy. So on Draft Day, Mr. All America QB goes #1 and signs a contract that will make him a gazillion dollars. But Mr. All America hasn't played a down in the NFL. Many of these "can't miss" athletes do miss and miss badly. The NFL has a level of pressure and expectation all its own. It's a different world. And not everyone can weather the storms it throws at you. That's just the nature of football.

Barack Obama has just been handed the keys to the most important position in the world. I'd have to say the Presidency has a little more pressure involved than the NFL. Don't you agree? And as of today, Obama hasn't taken a snap. I pray that we can look back on his career and see that he has changed America for the better--and not just the public opinion kind of better either. I mean the kind of better that God would approve of. I hope he lowers taxes, keeps America safe, fixes the economy, and ushers in an era of personal responsibility. But I also hope that, if he is a Christian as he claims to be, that he will take God at His word. I pray that we will look back and see that Barack had a change of heart and did not sign things like FOCA or appoint pro-abortion supreme court justices. And I pray that he will not champion the destruction of traditional marriage and family. But until we can look back and see how President Obama serves, we need to stop idolizing him.

Have you seen the above Time Magazine cover, placing Obama into FDR's likeness? Okay, we have history on which to judge FDR, but not Obama. Mr. Obama, you're not FDR…not yet. Maybe you'll be better. Maybe not. But seriously, with all the hype, I'm surprised Time didn't show Obama wearing a long white robe and coming on clouds with heavenly light shining down on him and a dove in his hand. This hero-worship is unreal.

There is only one God and only He deserves our adulation.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

AMEN. couldn't agree more.

R.P.H said...

Awesome post as usual Wayne. I was also sad to see the hero-worshiping for him. It breaks my heart to see and hear so many people putting "all" their hope on him, only Jesus, can truly bring and give that. Here is a song I kinda thought went with the post, especially on the hero thing (:


No better word than from your lips
No perfect life than what you lived
No greater gift, no not one

No brighter star has ever shined
No better hope for all mankind
No higher mind, no not one

No one has ever known
This kind of love you’ve shown

There has never been a greater love
Than your son
No. Not one
And there’ll never be a name above
No, Not one
With his life you have forgiven us
Hope has come
Hope has come
And there will never be a greater love
No, Not one

No image true or sweeter frame
No simple word can match your name
No greater fame
No not one

No one has ever seen
The depth of your majesty

Chorus

No greater call
You gave us all a reason to live
No greater love
You gave us all a reason to give
No greater life
You gave us all a reason to shine
No greater love
Forever mine

Bye For Now,
Ryan

Anonymous said...

What Brett said. AMEN.

I do think all this hype is ridiculous, but in a sense, at least to me, it's downright sad. Are people so hateful and desperate that they will idolize anyone who says they can change the world? It's also scary. Really scary. A friend of mine got some email about Obama being the antichrist, which made me think "How will people act when he shows up?"

That was a little random, sorry. But still, it freaks me out some.

Kittybeth said...

Perfectly stated, as usual.

~Just*Flinn~ said...

I agree completely. I shall continue to pray for him, that he would leave this country down a righteous, God-fearing path.

Anonymous said...

Excellent points, Mr. Batson. I also agree 100%. We should pray for and respect our leaders... even the ones we don't fully agree with on some subjects.

Anonymous said...

I do agree with you, we seem to be putting Obama up on a pedestal that he does not deserve to be on just yet. But, forgive my ignorance, don't we do that with nearly every newly elected president? (Meaning ones who are taking office for the first time.) People are desperate for anyone to pin their ideas and hopes on, and unfortunately that's not Jesus. And it's such a big deal when new people come into office with big ideas on how to fix such a broken country. I think the reactions will be the same when we get our first female president, our first Chinese president, our first Hispanic president, etc. The hype will die down eventually. I'm pretty sure Obama won't stay the in the spolight forever.

Anonymous said...

I, of course, agree with everyone else, and I'm a little worries about our country. I'll keep praying though, and by God's will, some good will come out of this.

Anonymous said...

I completely echo your sentiments and that of the commenters, Sir Batson. Too many politicians are being elected these days because of personality and, though of course I realize that the election of an African-American president is a great and historical moment, I must still say it's the record, beliefs, and experience that count. Plain and simple.

~ queenofnarnia