Obama: America's New Hope

Dateline: 12 November 2008

I do not watch television. I do not read news magazines. I get some national news from the radio and internet. Only a couple days ago did I see the following pictures:







I was astounded to see those pictures with crowds of 100,000+ people (a veritable sea of humanity) gathered to hear Barack Obama speak when he was running for the office of President of the United States of America.

More than astounded, I was frightened by what those scenes represent. Why did so many people come together to see and hear this one man? Had he done some heroic deed that warranted the adulation of such masses. No. He is just a skilled politician, and a political demagogue.

dem-a-gogue: a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power.


Demagoguery is what politicians do. Barack Obama did it very well. His story is remarkable. He has an incredible ability to influence people with his rhetoric. He is so good that he has become a demigod (a person so outstanding that he seems to approach the divine). What Obama has done is truly amazing.

There are many positive things I could say about the new president elect of the United States. And there are many negative things I could say. But this essay is less about him and more about all those people—the masses who have so willingly bought into his rhetoric.

Today I heard on the radio that 72 percent of Americans believe Barack Obama will solve the current economic crisis. I looked up the story on the internet. Here is an excerpt:

In one of the economy's darkest hours in decades, it looks as if people are taking Barack Obama up on his exhortations for hope and change.


Seven in 10, or 72 percent, voice confidence the president-elect will make the changes needed to revive the stalling economy, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Tuesday. Underscoring how widely the public is counting on its new leader, 44 percent of Republicans joined nearly all Democrats and most independents in expressing that belief.


The poll shows that faith in Obama is even broader, at least for now. Sixty-eight percent said they think that when he takes office in January, the new president will be able to enact the policies he pushed during his presidential campaign.


Faith....in Obama?

Methinks this is another case of "irrational exuberance," much like what America experienced during the dotcom bubble. You know, before it popped.

All of which makes it clear to me that America is a nation in rebellion against God. As a result, we are in the midst of judgment. The afflictions of our current economic crisis are but one facet of Divine judgement.

It has come to the point that if you say something like that in public (that our problems are a result of God's judgement), most people think you are a kook. So be it.

America has turned its back on the righteous standards of Biblical law. Other gods and other standards of law have been embraced. That which is good in God’s eyes is now called bad and that which is bad in His eyes is now called good. We have strayed so far from where we once were as a people. We have strayed so far that, for all practical purposes, God's law is lost and forgotten in America today.

The proper response of a nation in times of judgment is humility and repentance before God. That is not happening. America has, instead, chosen Obama to lead them out of the despair. America looks to Obama. America hopes in Obama. This man has become the long awaited savior of America. He will lead us to victory over our circumstances. He has said so much himself.

Unfortunately, such misplaced hope is an invitation to further despair, and even worse judgement.

Which brings me to the solution. God’s solution. Most Christians are well aware of this key Bible verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14...

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


Last week in church the pastor quoted that verse and made an offhand comment that God doesn’t say to “seek my hand.”

That is what so many Christians in America have done. They have sought God’s hand of provision and material blessing more than anything. They have looked to Him to bless them with riches and stuff. They have desired to be and act like the heathen nation around them. I know this because I have been guilty of it. And when you’re guilty of it, you can see it clear as day in everyone else.

When Christians desire to be like the pagan civilization around them, they are fully engaged in the "wicked ways" mentioned in that verse. So many modern Christians think that "wicked ways" are just abominations like abortion and homosexuality. But syncretism is just as loathsome to God.

Where so many now see hope, in the person of this mere man, Barack Obama, I see foolishness and danger.

Clearly, these are epic, and very serious times we live in.

==========

P.S. Last April I wrote an essay titled Hope For America. I recommend it to you.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent post Herrick! I especially appreciate and relate to the opening lines of this article. However, I too, am concerned about our country and the thoughts that led people to vote in this manner.

Blessings,

KSMM

Anonymous said...

Amen! What a wonderful post. I've been telling my family for a while that the Bible tells us that no one comes to power or is taken out of power without God allowing it and that whoever wins the election will be God giving us exactly what we deserve as a nation. We are definitely seeing God's judgement on this nation. I Believe God's hand of protection has been removed from us and dangerous times are ahead. Our country has forgotten God. We have turned a blind eye to the selfish act named abortion. We must realize that every innocent baby that is aborted is in fact a blood sacrifice to the evil one. We have lost our morals and values. Our government cannot be trusted. Our leaders are corrupt.

We as a nation must cry out to God, confess our sins and ask forgiveness. The Bible says that the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. We need to stand in the gap and intercede for our country, for our leaders, for each other. God will hear us. He wants to hear from us and bless us. But he will not do these things until we change.

Thank you again, for a wonderful post.

Anonymous said...

Herrick, the discernment that the Lord has given you is indeed rare these days. Most people, Christians included, are caught up in emotionalism, and are deceived by personalities and smooth rhetoric. The deception leads them to even ignore a candidate's voting record, and put their "faith" in a superman/savior.

I agree with Debbie, that Obama was God's choice for the United States. Not because he found favor with the Lord, but because it's through this Pharoah that God's judgment will be unleashed. Scripture teaches that leaders are put in place by God:

PROV. 8:14, 15 "Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice."

John Gill's commentary: "By me kings reign,".... Christ is the Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; they are made kings by him, and are under him; he sets them up, and deposes them at pleasure; they have their kingdoms, crowns, and sceptres from him, and are accountable to him.

Brenda

Anonymous said...

P.S. I'm so "out there" in my thinking that I even wondered if half the crowd was computer generated ;-) I wouldn't put it past the media sorcerers! But if it's actually "legit", then God help us.

Anonymous said...

This man preaches fairness, tolerance, justice and peace. Those used to be Christian values. He represents a path away from the corruption of the previous administrations, both democatic and republican.

He is no messiah- you choose to project that upon him.

People turn out to hear him because he is a ray of hope piercing the black curtain of dread that has overhung this country for eight long years. I do not believe that curtain was God's will - it was manmade and evil.

I did not vote for Obama - I always vote third party because both D&R are corrupt and need to be removed. But I'd have voted for a dead dog before voting R, and think Obama will be different.

I find it unbelievable that Christians have supported the republican party for so long, solely because of the abortion issue, despite its obvious anti-humanity platform, yet remain silent while the USA imperializes the world and tortures or kills all who would try to stop us.

I for one am ashamed of the pain and suffering our country has caused so many other folks around the world. I do not feel entitled to invade other people's countries, imprison people without charge or trial, steal their natural resources or install their leaders.

Our leaders lied us into a war! They bore false witness against others and then executed them. (By they, I mean WE)

Now the evil eye has turned toward its own people- Our privacy has been invaded, citizens are being charged as terrorists, our national wealth is being siphoned off and handed out to crooks and liars while sane folks like us who have lived beneath our means and from the earth, pay for their decadence. Is that God's will? Really!?

Since you believe God brings people to power for a reason, and you dislike his latest choice, did you think GWB was God's hand of protection to the world?

I'm sorry if I sound intolerant. It’s just that compared to the Bush administration, Obama can only be an improvement.

-Bob

Anonymous said...

Herrick,

I will say this about that (what you wrote) - Don't get me started!
No, seriously, wonderful post, and I especially liked learning a new word - "Syncretism" I hope I got it right. I'm a very wordy person, and consider myself quite the authority on vocabulary type stuff, but that was a new one on me. Again, thanks as always for thought provoking posts.

Carla Hays

Trixi said...

Great post Herrick, we don't think you are a kook around here. We believe God's judgement has just begun to fall down and are doing all that we can to prepare. We also value your posts on this site. I have a feeling we will be referring to them often in the coming days.

joan said...

Bob-
Thanks for saying what I felt, but more eloquently than I could have.

Herrick-
I have always enjoyed your writing. I'll have to agree to disagree on this matter. Eight years of glib insincerity and calculated heartlessness is enough. Why not give Obama a chance? He certainly can't be any more corrupt than the Cheney/Bush cabal.
And, by the way, no one I know considers Obama a Messiah, and I'm pretty confident he doesn't think of himself that way.

Herrick Kimball said...

As always, I thank you all for your feedback on this essay.

But I think some of you have misunderstood my point. This essay was not in any way a defense of George Bush and the last four years. There are positive things I could say about George Bush, and there are negative things. But such things are not the point here.

Fact is, I'm profoundly disappointed with the Republican party. I wrote about my Republican party experiences and disappointments in a previous blog titled, Politics & Meeting Vice president Cheney.

I did not vote for a Republican or Democrat in this past election. When it comes to national elections and the electoral college, I am essentially disenfranchised because I am an economic and social conservative in a solidly blue state. So I voted for a third party candidate. It was a protest vote.

I did not vote for Obama for the simple reason that he is a political liberal and I am not.

As I noted in my essay here, there are a lot of positive things I could say about Obama, and there are a lot of negative things. But I didn't get into those matters because that wasn't my point.

My point was that this nation is in a mess because it has turned from God's laws and we are suffering the natural consequences of that. My point is that Obama is a politician that employed demagoguery and clever rhetoric to achieve his aims. And he was very good at it. He has blamed America's problems on the other political party, taken no personal responsibility for any of the problems, and pretty much said he will solve all of America's problems if he is elected. That is typical political rhetoric and demagoguery.

I said nothing in my essay about Obama being a messiah (Louis Farrakhan has done that). I used the word savior (with a lowercase s). But both words are technically applicable if you look in the dictionary:

messiah: A professed or accepted leader of some hope or cause.

savior: One that saves from danger or destruction.

And I used the word, demigod, which certainly also pertains.

My point is that the majority of Americans have put their hope in this man (it could be any man, but it happens to be this man) to solve all the problems of this country and that is, in my opinion, a tragedy.

As for the statement I hear so often, that things couldn't be any worse under an Obama presidency than they have been the past eight years, I think that is just plain absurd. Things could get a LOT worse.

That isn't to say that I hope they will get worse, and that isn't a political statement on my part. None of what I'm saying here should be interpreted as political side-taking.

In the end, I say with absolute sincerity, "God bless president Obama." I hope he does what is right and best in the eyes of God for America in the days ahead. Time will tell.

But, in these days of national crisis (on numerous fronts) my ultimate hope and faith is not in any political party or person. And that is my whole point.

Anonymous said...

Herrick,

Yes, your point was that those masses of people in the pictures you posted, seem to be putting their faith in this man - and not in a purely "We have faith that this man can do a fine job leading our country" kind of way. It's more an almost spiritual kind of faith that would cause that many people to stand out in the cold, crying, emotionally charged, and chanting O-BAM-A, O-BAM-A, and "Yes, we can", "Yes, we can" It frightened me too, and I did watch it on t.v. that night. Of course, we ask God to bless him and his beautiful family, and he is our president now, and we must show respect, but our faith is in our Heavenly Father, and only He can make something good out of these next four years, if He so chooses. I totally did not take this as a political stance of yours, just a kind of bad feeling, brought out with this adoration of a simple man, by millions of people who seem to be almost worshiping at his altar. Point made, and point taken.
Bob, you made some good points too, but this is not a political forum, and that wasn't the intention of the original post. It was merely ruminations on a very real event that caused many of us to be saddened, and a little frightened even.


C. Hays

Herrick Kimball said...

Carla,

Your comment hits the nail on the head. Very well said.

Thank you.

Herrick

Anonymous said...

Excellent essay! I am very anxious in fear of what is to come. Your writing so eloquently expresses what I believe but in a much better manner than I know how.

Anonymous said...

Let me jump in here.

Herrick - spot-on analysis. Fair. Obama has ties to Socialism. Clearly. Both parties are radically corrupt. Clearly. Obama is the leader of one of these two corrupt parties who worship Consumerism and Government Control of the people. The U.S. system is radically corrupt. Clearly. When "consumer confidence" is measured to give us an economic barometer - when we should be encouraging people to save... "Consumer confidence" meaning consumer spending on mostly non-essentials... Supported by both parties... Obama... Bush... this should tell you something. When consumer spending on non-essentials can, and is crippling world economies... One should smell smoke. Particularly if one Believes in the Lord.

You will see radical change in the USA. Trust that you will. You will see more govt. controls. Trust that you will. These people have an agenda, just like Bush's team did. In a few years, many will be awe struck at the type of "change" this new group represents.

Fr. Vincent McNabb... Chesterton.... Both spoke of this current scenario accurately 80-90 years ago. They were sage in their writing and predictions. McNabb favoured fleeing Babylon - Fleeing to the Fields - to save families...

joan said...

I didn't say things couldn't get worse. I'm sure they will. I meant the Obama couldn't be a worse leader than Bush, and I'll stand by that.
I still think you are reading way too much into the support for Obama. I voted for him, as did most of my friends and family, and I think we're all way more cynical about it than you give us credit for.

Anonymous said...

I think the wave of Obama support is a reaction to years of fear mongering and suppression of hope. It's like being a child in a dysfunctional family and feeling deep down in your gut that something is very wrong, but not having the strength of mind to sort through the endles lies to uncover the truth.

I too imagine things will get much worse for a lot of people. A bright light in all of this may be the wholesale condemnation of greed and mindless consumerism.

I sense that Obama has a lot more decency and integrity than the previous few presidents, and I don't see any hidden agenda to conquer the world. - But I'll be watching just the same.

If having a good heart is worth anything, I think he was the better choice.

Thanks for a great blog Herrick!

-Bob

Dan said...

Thanks for great insights!

Dan said...

Oh, I just recalled the words of an old Hymn...

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand." - Edward Mote