“Christian” Right (More Like Wrong) Intensifies Attacks on Obama

Imagine the following scenarios: terrorist strikes on four U.S. cities. Russia rolling into Eastern Europe; Israel hit by a nuclear bomb; gay marriage in every state; the end of the Boy Scouts. In an imaginary “Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America”, produced by a so called Christian group Focus on the Family Action, these and other things happen with Senator Barack Obama as president.

The imagined look into the future is part of an escalation in peddling fear from so called Christian right activists who are trying to paint Senator Obama in the worst possible picture as we enter the final stretch and polls show the Senator Obama ahead.

"It looks like, walks like, talks like and smells like desperation to me," said the Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, an Obama supporter who backed President Bush in the past two elections and recently officiated at his daughter’s wedding. Pastor Caldwell called the 2012 letter "false and ridiculous."

One of the clear targets is younger Christians who might be considering Senator Obama. The letter rightly suggests that young Christians will provide the margin that let Senator Obama defeat Senator McCain.

The Christian right attacks show that some Christian conservative leaders fear that Senator Obama's faith-based appeals to voters are working. Young Christians (like most people) are tired of speeches which are fear-based, which tries to strong-arm the listener, and state opinion as fact. This will only cause division. Younger voters are hungry for information and balanced discussion.

Hard-edge attacks are common late in campaigns, but the tone of this election year is sharper than usual and the volume has turned up as we get closer to this historic election.

The publisher of Charisma magazine, a Pentecostal publication, titled one of his recent weekly e-mails to readers, "Life As We Know It Will End If Obama is Elected." A group called the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission posted a series of videos on its site and on YouTube called "7 Reasons Barack Obama is not a Christian." I believe the Bible teaches against judging others. And if that is not bad enough the commission accuses Senator Obama of "subtle diabolical (of the devil) deceit" in saying he is Christian. I believe that God will have the final say.

The Christian right is actually caught between a rock and a hard place since they are not enthused with Senator McCain and are afraid of Senator Obama. The Bible teaches that God has not given us the spirit of fear…

Don’t you think it strange that most Black Christians are supporting Senator Obama? Like saying goes, “the most segregated place in America church at 11 o’clock on Sundays. God can not be pleased with that. We ALL need a change.

Jenna Bush Wed by Obama Backer Kirbyjon Caldwell

On Saturday afternoon, the Hager family, Jenna Bush’s in-laws, hosted wedding guests at a barbecue in Salado, Texas. The wedding, which began at 7:30 p.m., took place on the Bu$h ranch, before a white limestone altar erected next to a man-made lake. Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell of Houston, Texas officiated at the ceremony. Pastor Caldwell, a longtime religious adviser to President Bu$h, is Black. The fact Pastor Caldwell is Black is not a surprise to me. Well, maybe I am a little surprised. President Bu$h has lots of Black advisors and friends. The fact that Pastor Caldwell has endorsed Senator Barack Obama to me is a total surprise. I was sure that any advisor or friend of his would have a Bush philosophy.

Yes, the influential minister who has long been a spiritual adviser to President George W. Bush said Saturday that he will endorse Senator Barack Obama's bid for the presidency. Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell is senior pastor of the 14,000-member Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston. He said that he is backing the Illinois senator because of Obama’s "character, confidence and courage."

Pastor Caldwell said that his support is personal and not connected to his role as pastor of the 14,000-member church. However, Caldwell told his congregation that Senator Obama may pay a visit to the church.

Pastor Caldwell, whose relationship with the president began when Bush was governor of Texas, introduced President Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention and gave the benediction at both of his inaugurations. Pastor Caldwell said he called President Bush to inform him of his decision to support Senator Obama and that the president was "OK" with it, adding that the minister's presidential choice would not affect their relationship.

I don't know about the rest of the country, but I have friends, family, people I work with, people I go to church with, etc., who have points of view that differ from mine. Some of their viewpoints are radically different, points of view that I detest. But if I got rid of all the people in my life that didn't completely agree with everything I believe, then I'd be standing here all alone. So President Bush -- or Senator Obama -- have good friends who have a different point of view, so what.