Joe McKeever

Someone needs to be the devil's advocate and it may as well be me. No doubt, this is a fine lady and anything she has done to represent Jesus Christ is surely appreciated. There is no doubt in my mind, that Obama was elected because of his skin color and nothing else. He had absolutely no experience in running anything...he was molded and shaped by the democratic party when he spoke at their convention four years ago. His choice of 'friends' (not acquaintances) is absolutely a zero. Those you hang out with will shape your own ideas. Sarah Palin expressed her faith in God and she was crucified at every turn. The media jumped at every chance to ridicule her because she stood for something. Our hope as Christians is not in man but God! As I shared in my mailing, methinks there is scriptural evidence that God has backed off from this country and he will let the people do as they please. As a nation, God has been relagated as a non-entity and we will reap the results. All we can do is pray that Christians will be spiritually prepared to bear a good testimony for Him in some very difficult times. The Old Testament stated that the prophets lie...the priests fleece the flock...and the people love to have it so! May God help us!!!

Wow! Now that is something I can't understand, did Miss Williams know anything about who BHO really is? Did she see his voting record and the people who molded his thinking? (and the people who endorsed him?) So because a man is the same color on the outside he should be President? Even though he would recommend his daughters have an abortion so they wouldn't be "burdened" with a child? And was against Prop 8 in California? I am sorry, if Alan Keyes was running for President, I would race to the ballot box to vote for him and leap for joy if he won, but HE is a man of great character and wisdon, unlike Mr. Obama. God have mercy on our nation!!

No politician is perfect, and I don't think Miss Williams support of Obama is an indication that she or any of us who voted for Obama are putting our hope in man, not God. (When I was a GA and an Acteen, Miss Williams spoke at quite a few meetings I attended, and she has been what I would call a shining example for young girls and women in New Orleans.) I also do not think Miss Williams voted for Obama because they are both black, and if you read the polls, you would have seen, more white people voted for him than black.

All problems that people have with Obama aside, are you willing to give him a chance?
Are you willing to pray for him everyday that he will be wise and make the best decisions possible?
Or would you rather sit around and criticize him because he is not the kind of Christian you are?
I know what I am going to do, my choice is to pray for him and his family, because the job he is about to take on is the hardest he will ever face.

Short and simple....I'm a little disappointed in Gwen Williams!

First let me say, Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama. As my President he will certainly receive my prayers. Furthermore, I will support him as President up to the points in which my Bible says I can’t.
There is a part of me that wants to be happy. For the most part, it has seemed next to impossible for a non-white candidate to be elected. As I sat there holding my “bi-racial” baby boy, it is great to know that he too can be President some day (He is basically the same “race” as Mr. Obama). I have listened to folks celebrating that Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream has come true (Excerpts from his “I Have A Dream” speech have been rolling since the election). But let us not be deceived to believe that race is an issue of the past. Sure there were no doubt many (myself included) to whom race was not an issue in voting. And I would love to say that Martin Luther King’s dream had come true; that the day has come when little children can live in a country “where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I would love to believe that Colby could one day be elected President and race would not be an issue. It shouldn't be! After all, there is truly only one race, the God created human race, descendants from Adam. Wouldn't it be great if America (especially our churches) came to understand that reality!! Yet that is not America. In fact, race played a great role in this election. I do not remember an election in which race played a greater role. There were masses who voted for Mr. Obama simply because he is “black” and others that did not vote for him for the same reason...and both while confessing to know very little about the content of his character. Both reasons are equally racist.

What we do know is not very flattering....in fact it is quite frightening. For instance, we know for a fact that he promised Planned Parenthood that one of his first acts of business would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act which promises to get rid of all abortion restrictions and take abortion to unimaginable levels, undoing any progress. That alone is enough to sicken my stomach. As I have held little Colby that has been the issue that overshadowed everything. Our new “Pro-choice” President supports the slaughtering of babies in their most innocent form and will expand those killings, regardless of his false promise to reduce the number.

The only hope for America is the Gospel, not a man. To my Christian friends I plead with you that we must preach the Gospel and we must preach it as individuals. We all bear this responsibility. That is the way to transform a culture. With an increase in soundly saved Christians there would indeed be radical change in our country.

As for the future with our new President, he promised to change the world....whatever that means, it will not be for the better. Most of his promises have sounded like threats to me. Yet in spite of that, many went to the polls and voted for him. People have stood and praised this election, mesmerized in what appears to be a state of worship. So here we are. He has been elected. The confetti has fallen. The celebration has begun. It brings to mind another quote from Dr. King who said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands at times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of chaos and controversy.” The media has given Mr. Obama a cocoon of comfort and convenience, but in January he will step into a world of chaos and controversy as President of the United States. Then we can expect to see the ultimate measure of the man. YES WE CAN!!!

God has given America what she wanted. Judgment is about to fall for our national sins of abortion and homosexuality.
Often God punishes sin with sin.
Our land has turned away from God, and There is no cure for apostasy but judgment.

As I read what Ms Williams wrote my brain kept reacting - many white people voted for Sen. Obama, else he would not have won. I didn't vote for him, but not because he's black. I didn't like what he stands for. As a Christian, I am very concerned at the fact he plans to "act swiftly" with some issues - embryonic stem cell research, gay marriages (check the book of Genesis - God made Male and Female to be as one) and of course there are other issuesI think he should consider more carefully before acting. Yes, I will pray for him as he becomes our President - for his wisdom, his heart, his safety (we still have crazies on the loose)and for his family. He appears to be a good father - we need more examples of those in our nation, and I'm not talking race here. I've been a teacher and I've seen all races of poor examples of parents.
I plan to show support, in as far as I can and stay in my Christian beliefs.
AND McCain isn't the only one who needs to say he's sorry for the mudslinging - That went both ways.
Lara

Yes, we do need to be preaching the word, but I am convinced that the problems of our country lie in the failure of Christians to recognize God's promise and put it into practice: "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and heal their land". I think our land needs healing, and I, for one, am humbling myself, turning from my wicked reliance on any source but our God, and praying earnestly for the healing of our country.

Joe, thank you for sharing the words of that wonderful Gwen Willams. Miss Chocolate not only touched the people of New Orleans with healing and grace, but she touched the lives of the hundreds, maybe thousands of college students who served along side her through the years. They returned to their campuses more in love with Jesus and more like Him because of her. Her credibility is high with me. She passes the test of loving the least of these -- clothing the naked, visiting the prisoner, feeding the hungry. She has cared for the poor, the widows, and the most vulnerable of all children.

She is intelligent. She is nobody's fool, and she is courageous. She's the real deal by all of the standards that Jesus said are the test for the real deal. I celebrate with her Obama's victory, and I pray for him and his family every day.

Father God, we lift up the person who will now assume this country's leadership. We are well aware of his stated commitment to sustain, and even strengthen, some very errant notions in this country. Notions which we, through our selfish sinfulness, have ignored to the point that they have become normalized. But they grieve you, Dear Lord-----and for that grief we are deeply sorrowful. My prayer is that this nation, and this world----will return its focus to our Creator, and to His Word. For you have promised that such turning will bring abundant blessings to all who do so.

Father God, we lift up the person who will now assume this country's leadership. We are well aware of his stated commitment to sustain, and even strengthen, some very errant notions in this country. Notions which we, through our selfish sinfulness, have ignored to the point that they have become normalized. But they grieve you, Dear Lord-----and for that grief we are deeply sorrowful. My prayer is that this nation, and this world----will return its focus to our Creator, and to His Word. For you have promised that such turning will bring abundant blessings to all who do so.

While I appreciate Gwen's passion, I certainly don't understand it. The morality and standings of a candidate go much further than the color of a person's skin. If a person of a different ethnicity or gender ran for president and was qualified for what I personally look for in a candidate, they would have my vote in a second. Obama is not our nation's savior. I still place my trust in the sovereignty of God. He has allowed Obama to be in this place at this time and I have committed to praying for him and I hope you will do the same. Oh, one last thing--he's not our first African-American president--he's half-white.

I guess I am way off, but I have expressed the same to my people as you have in your article opinions. Both men were with major flaws (as we all are), and to simply try to play the "good guy" card leaves many a hole in the argument. I, like you Joe, saw something triggered in a Generation looking for change. There was a desire for hope, and although one may argue that Obama does not represent that, it does not change the fact that the majority believes he might. Personally, I didn't like the choices given, and almost didn't vote, but knew if I didn't exercise my God given right that my Grandfather, WW2 Vet, would come back from the grave and give me what for.. haha. I, as you seem to be, came under fire, but held to convivtion and encouraged everyone to do likewise. I told my people that if I saw as much passion from Baptists about personal evangelism as I saw about political opinion we could change the world... ( just a thought)

Bro. Joe,
I understand and appreciate your printing Gwen's letter. She has done much good in the Lord's name for many years. However, I have to completely disagree with this statement she made: God has finally sent someone who represents all of America.

President Obama does NOT represent all of America. There is no way with his pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality stance that he could represent us all.

I will pray for him. He's going to need God's leadership...I just hope he's open to it. I'm even more praying that the Lord will send someone with solid Christian convictions to be a Godly counsel to him.

I don't care what your skin color happens to be. BUT "the content of your character" (MLK) does matter. I hate to admit it, but I found myself in alignment with the Roman Catholics on this election. I saw one of their national ads and, though there was no voice over, and, in fact, no endorsement, they simply stated that "all issues need to be discussed," and a slide showing things like economy, environment, etc. flashed, then the next slide said, "But some items are more important than others," and a slide of a baby in the womb, two men getting "married," flashed. I will pray for the president-elect but I will not hesitate to remind those I have any influence with that God is not pleased when the most important issues are overlooked and the innocent among us are at risk due to politics. Call it what you will, abortion is eugenics pure and simple, and it is people of color who are most at risk (check out Planned parenthood's historical documents) and I remember that at one time this (along with ohter issues) brought us into a world war. My how times have changed--

The Republicans have been in control for the last 8+ years, and in all that time, not one of them tried to introduce legislation or change the law in any way about abortion. Why do you think that is? What could we as Christians do to help the women that go to these abortion clinics, beside standing outside of them, yelling at women who go in? We say we want to see abortion banned, but our actions don't follow our words, what should we do to fix that problem?

One more thing: 55% of Catholics voted for Obama and 45% for McCain. This can be found on the internet under any search engine.

Ginger, I don't know how you can say that "in the last 8+ years not one republican has tried to introduce legislation or change the law in any way about abortion." That is totally false, in fact,earlier this year LA Senator David Vitter introduced legislation to permanently prohibit federal health programs for American Indians from providing abortions. There have been numerous other pro-life bills introduced in the house and Senate over the past 8 years by Republicans. The person you voted didn't even want to give help to an aborted baby that survived, (like the beautiful and talented Gianna Jessen)
As for yelling at women outside abortion clinics, I believe that tactic went out about 15 years ago, most of the pro-life action I have seen in the last decade is prayerful and loving.

Ginger, correct me if i'm mistaken, but didnt Bush ban federal funding for abortions both in the U.S. and abroad? And of course he appointed a justice or two that appear likely to overturn Roe at the first opportunity.

As for Christians whose "actions don't follow their words" surely you've heard of the thousands of Crisis Pregancy centers opened and staffed by fine Christians... you know, the ones that Planned Parenthood wants to close. Yes, we Christians could do more -- but non-christians don't seem to be doing ANYTHING but advocating for killing more babies.

Then we have the lovely spectacle of homosexualists (Obama supporters by 98%) stomping on crosses and burning bibles and protesting churches, all because they apparently have serious issues with the democratic process. Either that or they are just sore losers. Imagine if McCain supporters behaved so childishly...

As for myself, I agree with what Pop wrote in yesterday's article: "Trust them according to what they have done, not what they are promising."

Joe,
For anyone to say we finally have someone to "represent all Americans" is quite presumptuous. Mr.Obama certainly does not represent at least 57 million Americans whose choice was to vote for McCain. Mr. Obama symbolically represents us only by virtue of his office as president. Mandated benevolence is a principle even God did not establish. We are encouraged but not mandated. Some do not believe in murder of babies and it is a critical issue. Some want conservative judges appointed.
Mrs. Chocolate's assumption is that all of us voted on the same basis that she seems to be revealing in her writing about her vote which is race. I think most of us who voted out of Christian Values voted based upon our understanding of the philosophy of governing which most nearly fits our values. To scorn anyone who did not vote for Mr. Obama and think we are somehow misunderstanding on other issues, with all due respect, is a bit naive to say the least.

Joe, I really respect your opinion and I am desperate for some encouragement regarding the direction our country is going. I see only doom and gloom and biblical prophecies being fullfilled.

I really appreciate the fact that Mrs. Williams did not refer to herself as African-American, she said she "was born an American citizen." I truly believe Obama was elected simply because of the color of his skin and not what he was capable of accomplishing. I am not racist and I rejoice in the fact that our great nation can elect a black American to the highest office in the land. However, there are many others that I would have chosen for the position over Barack Obama. Perhaps Mr. Obama was born in Africa to an American mother but until we can all agree that we are Americans and not African-Americans or Iraqi-Americans or whatever, I don't believe we can have true unity as a country. If you were born here or you desire citizenship here please just call yourself an American.