The Obama Endorsement

March 3, 2008 at 2:38 pm · Filed under Abortion, America, Barack Obama, Conservatives, Democrats, Liberals, Morality, Politics, Republicans, Unity, Voting

Despite extreme hesitation, I feel it is necessary for me to officially announce my endorsement of Barack Obama for President of the United States.

I’ve stated many, MANY, times that I don’t like politics. I still don’t. I also hate debating, although I absolutely love to sit back and listen to other people debate. So as you might expect I don’t intend to debate the politics of Obama, Clinton, McCain, Paul, Nadar, Republicans, Democrats, Independents or otherwise—or my reasons for choosing Obama over the rest. (For a great post on where Obama stands on the issues, click here).

My purpose in endorsing Obama publicly is simply to give comfort to other Christ-followers who wish to vote for a pro-choice candidate. For so many, this is the singular issue in determining a candidate. I felt that way myself for so long, but today I am no longer handcuffed by this issue. Here are a few reasons why.

Pro-choice ≠ Pro-abortion. It’s ignorant for anyone to think that a pro-choice individual is pro-abortion. Although I hold the stance that all abortions should be banned, the issue is extremely complicated. I can’t think of anybody that is actually a proponent of abortion. And that includes Barack Obama.

It’s Political. This issue is just another way to garner votes on either side. Don’t get sucked into the trap. Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., John McCain, Mitt Romney. They all changed their opinions on this issue. Do you think it had anything to do with them running for office?

Other Issues. Are there no other issues in the world today? Do no other issues effect lives? I believe that there are quite a few “life altering” issues that sit on the presidents plate. To narrow it to one is shortsighted. Life may begin at conception, but it doesn’t end at birth.

No Options. If you vote strictly pro-life, all you need to do is show up on a cold day in November, close your eyes, and vote Republican. There is no need for you to follow politics, debates, news, read books. Your decision has already been made.

Nothing Has Changed. When was Roe vs. Wade again? Have we ever had a majority Republican Senate and House with a sitting Republican president? Why hasn’t the law changed? Do you really think their stance even makes a difference?

George W. Bush. For starters he said up front that he didn’t think America was ready for a law banning abortion so he wasn’t going to pursue it. He also believes that abortions should be allowed in the case of incest, rape, and harm to the mother. That isn’t a very consistent stance if you are valuing ALL life. Like I said, it’s a complicated issue.

Adoption. I personally feel like a hypocrite for criticizing pro-choice individuals, all the while not offering an alternative to those mothers who need assistance. If Christ-followers would talk less and adopt more, this wouldn’t be the issue it currently is.

This list is far from exhaustive. It only scratches the surface that a more talented writer and researcher would be able to scribe. To make myself crystal clear, I’m not going to be debating politics or my stance on this particular issue. I’ve stated my opinion, and it’s yours to do with what you will. You can debate it amongst yourselves, and I will absolutely be reading every word, but this is all you’ll be getting from me.

Can a Christ-follower vote fore Obama? Yes we can!

Further Reading:
• delicious.com/russellhawkins/abortion
• mudpuppy.wordpress.com/tag/barack-obama

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

37 Comments »

  Brandon wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 2:41 pm

Here, here!

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  peak9 wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 3:03 pm

Abortion is the least of Obama’s problems.

“I thought of Sasha, asking me once what happened when we die— ‘I don’t want to die, Daddy,” she had added matter-of-factly—and I hugged her and said, ‘You’ve got a long way to go before you have to worry about that,’ which seemed to satisfy her. I wondered whether I should have told her the truth, that I wasn’t sure what happens when we die, any more than I was sure where the soul resides or what existed before the Big Bang.”

—Barack Obama, “About Us.” Trinity United Church of Christ. 2 Jan. 2007 (Barack Obama: Sheep or Goat?, Rev. Rob Schenk)

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  joshua wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 3:31 pm

YES WE CAN!

peak9 – that’s bs. i’m a evangelical bible-believing christian who works for the largest church in northwest ohio and even i’m not entirely sure i know “what happens when we die.”

the fact of the matter, is you can misconstrue what anyone says when you have an agenda, and whether or not you want to admit it, you do.

do you know what heaven is like? do you know how we get there? is it at all possible that this is what obama was referring to, and not that he doesn’t know if heaven exists?

i’m so tired of people putting words into other peoples mouths and thinking they know them, especially when those people are christians.

mudpuppy – great post by the way. your points were excellently made, and i will be (with your permission) quoting you in a post later.

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  Brandon wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 3:44 pm

peak9, I’m also a regular church attendee with a strong theological background from sunday school to Christian collage and I have no idea what happens when we die. I have hope, but I also have doubt. That doesn’t make me the enemy, it makes me human. On thing I don’t doubt is the big bang. This all started somewhere and “let there be light” sounds like a great way of putting it.

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  Russ wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 3:54 pm

Way to go for stating YOUR opinion and reasons concisely and logically.

I don’t necessarily lean the same way. My views on “social” government are enough to steer me away from Obama/Hillary, but regardless, it’s necessary for us to logically express WHY we choose to vote for someone and you have done a jam up job.

Kudos.

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  davewasson wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 4:09 pm

word.

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  worshipguitarist wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 5:01 pm

I’m with Russ here. Even if I could get past the pro-choice issue, I couldn’t get past his neo-Marxism.

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  peak9 wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 6:53 pm

Obama, as a self-professed Christian, should believe in the Bible as God’s infallible word. Heaven and Hell are the only two options as dictated by God. Obama is showing his lack of trust in God by not being “sure” of this. Christians don’t “hope” they know, they know.

I don’t know what Heaven is like and I don’t know what Hell is like, but I do know that those are the only two options for each and everyone of us. This knowledge is not of my own human understanding, but comes from God Himself. Certainty on this is a measure of saving faith. Doubting one’s salvation is healthy as it enables us to self-examine, but Obama seems to not even know what his options are and he is passing along this ignorance to his daughter.

To say he was talking about the journey from life to afterlife is ridiculous. Everyone knows that the question about what happens to us after we die is about eternity and not the journey. He copped out by telling his daughter she doesn’t have to worry about it. As a Christian parent, why not discuss Heaven and Hell along with Jesus and the Old Testament stories?

As far as my agenda, it is about speaking out against a man many are making into a messiah. Obama can change nothing. Has he even said change is ONLY possible through Jesus Christ, that America has to stop flipping the bird to God in order to REALLY change? No, and he won’t because he would lose votes. He throws out “Jesus Christ” just enough to lure in the evangelicals without alienating the moveon.org crowd.

Obama is an intelligent man. I have to give him that. He recognized early on in this race that Americans are fed up, and realized that he could manipulate the emotions of Americans through speech. A number of his supporters, particularly the first time voters, have little knowledge of politics. They hate Bush and the decisions he has made and want a change. Obama is just giving them what they want to hear in order to gain White House.

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  Politics & Culture wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 7:57 pm

Let me say upfront that I like B.O. a lot more than Hillary. And he seems like a good guy and a pretty good leader (though very inexperienced).

Now…..

Please stop with the lie that nothing has changed. President Bush has put Roberts and Alito on the Supreme Court, and because of that progress has already been made (partial-birth abortion). One more justice like that, and there’s a real chance that Roe v. Wade could be overturned. He cut off U.S. funding to international family planning organizations that offer abortions. He limited access to abortions at military hospitals. He has worked to designate pre-born children as “persons” (which is a definite step in the right direction).

Do you have any doubt that Obama will undo all that? What kind of justices will he appoint to the Supreme Court? I’m sure they will be in the image of Ruth Buzzy Ginsberg. He will undoubtedly increase government spending for abortion, which means that you and I get to pay for it!

Then there’s his idiotic economic proposals. According to a commercial that runs 29 times every hour here in Ohio, he has advocated raising taxes on corporations and giving middle class tax breaks. He says this will create jobs. What??? Middle class people do not employ many workers. If you raise taxes on corporations, do you think they’re going to go out and hire more people?

The only way I would consider voting for B.O. is if I was assured there would be a strong Republican majority in the House and Senate. Can you imagine a leftist president with a leftist congress? Does anyone remember the Carter years???

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  Chris wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 10:13 pm

P&C – I’m sure people will take you seriously when you don’t even have the decency to type out the guy’s name.

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  Politics & Culture wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 10:33 pm

C’mon Chris. Deal with the points I made.

Oh, and get a sense of humor…..

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  Brandon wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 10:36 pm

@ Peak9

I don’t want to argue for the sake of it, but I do want you to be clear; you feel that he is pretending to be Christian enough to get votes and that he is intentionally manipulating young people just to get elected? I think you can disagree without making the other side your enemy.

“As far as my agenda, it is about speaking out against a man many are making into a messiah.”
…lots of people tend to follow idealists with big dreams and many of them take it too far. Clever people like you and me can simply support or disagree while keeping our heads. Adolf Hittler, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Benny Hinn, and Joel Osteen have all inspired hundreds of people to believe they are more than just men. Its not having this kind of impact that makes you good or bad, its what you do with it.

“Has he even said change is ONLY possible through Jesus Christ”
…no, has hasn’t. And if her ever did, me, most of my Christian friends, everyone that doesn’t go to church, and everyone that represents all the other religions that our country gives equal rights to would never vote for him. We are not a Christian nation, we are a nation that enjoys the right to freely be Christian. He is not running for pastor of a Christian nation, he’s running for president of everyone.

@ Politics & Culture

Good points. Those justices have done a lot and will continue to do their part to represent the conservative portion of our society. I think they do a good job and respect their opinions.

Its my belief that we can do more to prevent abortion through better sex education and better economic prospects for pregnant single moms. Of course, that makes us blush and, costs us all more money. But I think less abortions, less teen pregnancy, and children born to better educated parents are a great investment. I’d like to see a fair share of judges and policies that reflect my beliefs.

As far as his economic proposals, taxing rich people and cutting taxes for poor people makes me feel all fuzzy inside (and not just because my parents are rich). I believe that he proposes ending tax cuts to companies that outsource jobs to other countries. That is the corporate tax he is raising. And hopefully, that will make them start hiring people from Ohio again. That doesn’t seem very idiotic to me.

“Can you imagine a leftist president with a leftist congress? Does anyone remember the Carter years???”
…be careful about associating overall results with one variable. I agree that it is much better when congress and the white house are checking and balancing, but I don’t think imbalance was the sole reason the late 70’s were bad news. I think gaming the system for parody is far less productive than simply voting for the candidate you think will represent you best. For instance, if the congress was heavily right wing, would you vote for Senator Clinton?

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  Rick wrote @ March 3, 2008 at 11:58 pm

Well said, pup. This is just about the best rationalization I’ve come across yet for Christians endorsing Obama. BTW…I’m getting tired of right wingers emphasizing his middle name. Is that the best they can come up with?

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  overactivefork wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 12:44 am

I consider myself to be prayerfully pro-life. I could never feel comfortable voting for someone who feels about abortion the way that Obama does.

At least Hillary Clinton has publicly stated, “There is no reason why government cannot do more to educate and inform and provide assistance so that the choice guaranteed under our constitution either does not ever have to be exercised or only in very rare circumstances.”

All Obama seems to be able to say, “I trust the woman to make the decision.” If abortion ONLY involved a “choice” affecting the woman that would be one thing. But when the “choice” involves INTENTIONALLY taking the life of another innocent human being? That’s quite something else.

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  ahavens wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 6:45 am

http://www.quizrocket.com/who-should-i-vote?gatherer_id=100332&gclid=CM-qs5uw85ECFQgRGgodY3hsxg

Take a test to see who to vote for.

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  Mike wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 8:32 am

That link is spam and/or a phishing attempt. Don’t provide any personal info.

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  peak9 wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 9:30 am

Obama is political spam.

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  Brandon wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 10:11 am

peak9, you’re being a part of the problem.

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  peak9 wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 11:02 am

What’s the problem?

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  BUSH wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 12:56 pm

great word mud. i feel the same way about adoption as you. if evangelicals want to stand high on the anti-abortion soap box…then they need to offer these women options like adoption. however, as most ‘good’ christians will say…’that’s just not where God has me…’ or ‘i’ll pray about it..’

we’re so quick to tell you our stance about being against something, and then never offer positive options for the people in those situations. pretty sad honestly.

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  Selena wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 2:11 pm

After our family got saved, sanctified and petrified, we were taught that the only way to vote was republican simply because of the abortion issue. These are really good points MP and I also like that it goes against the religious BS that is expected of believers! I do not like Hillary and I bet you guys that when she loses this election she will dump Bill in a heartbeat!

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  Politics & Culture wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Since Juan McCain has the nomination wrapped up, I crossed party lines to vote for Barack Oprah Obama here in Ohio today. Now, don’t get the wrong idea — I will NOT be voting for him in November. I’m just trying to make sure Billary doesn’t get the nomination.

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  Brandon wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 3:16 pm

peak9,
The problem is that people treat this stuff like an us-verses-them sporting event where just talk trash against the opposing side. TV and radio folks do it to sell ads. When people like you and I do it, we turn a serious discussion over what we think is important into teenage name calling (see the comment just above me). It’s not only obnoxious, it mocks a process that I think is really important to America.

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  Politics & Culture wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 3:53 pm

Sheesh, c’mon Brandon. Lighten up a bit.

Juan McCain? Barack Oprah Obama? Billary? That’s just funny. It is not mocking the American political process. It’s just fun. That sort of thing has been a part of American politics since the beginning.

Laugh a little bit, dude.

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  peak9 wrote @ March 4, 2008 at 4:41 pm

I thought the Obama as political spam comment was funny. I agree with Politics & Culture, there has to be some humor in all this along with the seriousness.

The issue of abortion is a deal breaker for some and not so much for others. This is the bottom line. Who is right? Does it matter? It’s a personal choice and it’s based on one’s own conscience. God gave us all a free will. If a Christian makes a prayerful choice for Obama, fine, vote for him. I’m being led in a different direction.

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  Brandon wrote @ March 5, 2008 at 11:13 am

Just because I don’t have a fun blog name like “Politics & Culture” and I don’t look like the 4th member of ZZ Top doesn’t mean I’m not funny.

I’m just not playing your game on this one.

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  peak9 wrote @ March 5, 2008 at 11:45 pm

Brandon,

Actually, I don’t have a beard anymore. I can’t believe two different bloggers on two different blogs commented today on my summer beard. The other blogger called me a dips%#t. At least you only associated me with a band of fellow Texans.

FYI: There’s no game going on here. It’s all in your head.

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  loveisgreaterthan[dot]com » Blog Archive » …pro-life and endorsing obama wrote @ March 6, 2008 at 10:27 pm

[...] issues with obama, that’s just fine…. this is just one issue. here’s a portion of his post, but be sure to visit to check out the rest. My purpose in endorsing Obama publicly is simply to [...]

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  A Reflection On Sin, Evil, And Politics « Without Politicians wrote @ March 8, 2008 at 1:03 am

[...] it. It is becoming more and more trivial to me, despite what I have written here and on other blogs here, here, and here. This feeling has come on quickly, but was probably brewing for some time. I am not [...]

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  Me Own Blogger wrote @ March 11, 2008 at 12:17 pm

Obama is far from Pro-life.

http://www.eppc.org/publications/pubID.3290/pub_detail.asp

Whether you vote republican or democrat, it doesn’t matter. The decision has already been made. If you are a Christian, then don’t be fooled, this world belongs to the Devil (Matthew 4:8-9), and there is nothing we can do to change that until Jesus Christ returns.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph%206:12;&version=50;

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  Alida Rodriguez wrote @ March 25, 2008 at 2:20 am

The whole comment about voting for pro life candidates being a polarizing issue is just crazy. I hear all the time that I am a one issue voter. Abortion IS THE Political ISSUE of our day that affects all other issues! It is a moral and spiritual issue. Take for instance our immigration concerns going on over here. Has it occurred to ANYONE that we wouldn’t need to keep so many illegal aliens here to do these jobs if we hadn’t killed off over 45 MILLION of our own American citizens? That also affects social security. We don’t have enough workers to put into social security as folks are living longer… well 50 million citizens would have been really helpful! If I am a one issue voter than the issue that I vote for will be life! LIFE gets my vote. I think of the whole slavery issue in our history. I wonder how many great politicians had wonderful ideas and causes but yet still supported slavery. The slavery issue was a polarizing issue in that time as well.

Abortion is the issue, if some want to call me a polarized voter, so be it! I vote for life! life is what matters. We say, oh but look they have such a great plan for such and such. Are you aware rat poison is 99% nutritional? A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. What does God say is evil.. read 6 things the Lord hates… the shedding of innocent blood. Some of us need to get a little more on fire to the application of God’s Word!

In the day of slavery many thought it would never end… when it did, those that sat by and did nothing or were lukewarm were so ashamed!

In 193o’s German Christians missed an opportunity to speak up on behalf of their Jewish citizens. They turned a deaf ear! Hitler went on to kill 6 million Jews. It seemed that Hitler was so powerful, the war (like abortion)seemed like it would go on forever… When it ended, They hung their heads in SHAME when they saw all those corpses!

May we stand proud with dignity when God asks us “What were YOU doing when they were killing 50 million of my people. What did YOU doing when they were murdering 50 million of the least of these.

What was important to YOU when this was going on? I will say that I voted for life, that I supported pro-life candidates and groups, that I adopted, (we are adopting). That we prayed outside of abortuarys, that we volenteered at birth clinics, etc. that I rescued those being lead away to slaughter. When people look in History of the 21 century church people will see one thing about the church. It was COMPRIMISED and luke warm! We have the same abortion rates, divorce rates, and sex before marriage rates as the world. it is said that 95 % of US is Christian, yet every where you look, in every city liberal judges, representatives, congressmen, bills and laws keep getting voted in… folks that say they are Christian but they don’t care about the things of God and don’t vote for the things of God. God is good to always leave a remnant! Stand up and be apart of His righteous remnant that is faithful! OK off my soap box. Goodnight.

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  Tom wrote @ March 25, 2008 at 8:45 am

@Alida – Amen! Thank you for your strong stand in this wishy washy world we live in! Keep up the God work!

Check out my article on how one man (William Wilburforce) can make a difference at:

https://pastorhawkins.wordpress.com/

I, too, see a direct correlation between the support of slavery and abortion.

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  Brandon wrote @ March 25, 2008 at 12:45 pm

Abortion is by no means the only moral issues that shapes all other issues in our country.

http://www.shaungroves.com/shlog/comments/numbers/

I really don’t want this is be a “gotcha” post, but I do think it should be something we all think long and hard about. Not about war, starvation or abortion (all of which I’m strongly against). I think we should think about how colored or morals are based on our politics. It is easy for me to argue with Mud Puppy that abortion is bad, but not worth ruling out a candidate because I’m left-leaning. And at the same time, many of the right-leaning comments here are just as passionate the other way but find ways to make war less crucial. We are all doing our best, but Alida’s great points make me realize that we are all still falling short. In the end we can’t find a leader that Jesus would vote for, yet I think Jesus would want us to vote. I don’t believe in politics being run by faith, but I can’t separate the two either.

So the best I’ve got is to vote with your gut and ignore the people screaming on both sides. Lord knows if I was running I’d be a savior and a devil depending on who you talked to. There is no party or person with a flawless moral stance on everything. In the end this is all we could hope for in a human government.

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  Tom wrote @ March 25, 2008 at 1:00 pm

Brandon, I’d vote for you!

Why is it, in a representive republic we seemed forced to pick the lesser of evils? Where are all the other, much more qualified candidates? Why is our 2 party system more like a diabolical version of American Idol? I hope I’m not becoming cynical….but something must change. Voting with your gut is a good practice….as long as your guts are marinated in the values of God! That’s not preaching, by the way, that is how the original founders of this country believed and practiced.

With the current candidates being offered, regardless of party, I find no one qualified. Therefore, I’m voting for you Brandon, as a write in candidate!

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  About My Beard « Without Politicians wrote @ April 11, 2008 at 8:41 am

[...] is what Brandon said at The Original Mudpuppy: Just because I don’t have a fun blog name like “Politics & Culture” and I don’t look [...]

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  beartracks wrote @ June 4, 2008 at 10:04 pm

Oh great, tax hikes up to 65% to pay for national health care. Don’t we already pay to much in taxses. Remember you voted for it!

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