Disrespect for our President

[OldRegular]

It bothers me to hear the disrespect that many believers today have for President Obama. I have recently heard a fellow believer proclaim in a SS class that he was not her president and she did not have to pray for him since she did not vote for him and did not agree with him. I have heard others say similar things and have read things on this very board that sadden me. I did not vote for Pres Obama and will more than likely not vote for him this fall, but he is still our president and he deserves respect, especially the respect and prayers of believers whose lives have been transformed by Christ.

Respect must be earned. I will never respect a person who is in favor of killing the unborn. I will never respect a person who tried to prevent passage of a law in Illinois protecting babies alive after failed abortions.

 

[OldRegular]

Fred Luter, who will ascend to the SBC Presidency in just a few weeks, said this on PBS:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/may-18-2012/rev-fred-luter-jr/11034/

"Luter acknowledges that racism is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed, in the denomination and across the nation. For example, he says while he doesn’t agree with all of President Obama’s policies, he has been troubled by what he sees as a lack of respect for the president in many quarters.

LUTER: A lot of the things that this president has faced has not necessarily been because of his politics or his decisions, but unfortunately it’s just only been because of the color of his skin. And that’s what lets me know that we have a long, long way to go in America as far as racial reconciliation.
. . . . .
As long as those kind of things keep happening and the Trayvon Martin thing in the Florida situation like that, we have to deal with it. Even some things maybe within the convention that we need to talk about and address."

Luter is wrong to make these judgments. that is the kind of drivel I would expect from an Obama operative.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Tad has a good point Br. Curtis. Jewish authority only existed within the extent that Rome allowed. The Jews were looking for a military or political leader to overthrow Rome and reestablish the kingdom (another Hasmonean type dynasty, perhaps). But instead Jesus clearly indicated that His Kingdom was not of this world. If the thrust of the latter portion of this thread is correct, the early church (and Scripture) is wrong in that there was no active attempt to address pagan governmental authority. Instead, they presented the gospel, obeyed God and suffered the consequences of their faith.

America is not a theocracy but a secular nation (although one founded on Christian principles, it was never a Christian nation because nations cannot be Christian). Look at our nation as a whole, look at our values and how far removed we are from righteousness – we have the President we deserve. He may not embody the politics or economics of the majority, but I suspect he does embody their values.

I disagree. The Romans allowed the Pharisees to keep law among the Jews. The Romans only put Christ on the cross when the Pharisees demanded it.

 

[Bobby Hamilton]

Tad has a good point Br. Curtis. Jewish authority only existed within the extent that Rome allowed. The Jews were looking for a military or political leader to overthrow Rome and reestablish the kingdom (another Hasmonean type dynasty, perhaps). But instead Jesus clearly indicated that His Kingdom was not of this world. If the thrust of the latter portion of this thread is correct, the early church (and Scripture) is wrong in that there was no active attempt to address pagan governmental authority. Instead, they presented the gospel, obeyed God and suffered the consequences of their faith.

America is not a theocracy but a secular nation (although one founded on Christian principles, it was never a Christian nation because nations cannot be Christian). Look at our nation as a whole, look at our values and how far removed we are from righteousness – we have the President we deserve. He may not embody the politics or economics of the majority, but I suspect he does embody their values.

Don't include the minority in the majority.

 

[JonC]

Don't include the minority in the majority.

Point taken - I mean "we" cooperately. America has the President that she deserves. It almost seems contrary to Scripture and history to expect God to bless America in her current state.

 

[JonC]

I disagree.The Romans allowed the Pharisees to keep law among the Jews. The Romans only put Christ on the cross when the Pharisees demanded it.

The expulsion in 49 AD and the events of 70 AD seem to demonstrate otherwise. Rome passed a number of decrees that protected the free exercise of Jewish relgion (they decreed that Jews might gather freely in thiasoi, observe the Sabbath and festivals, send money to the Temple, and enjoy autonomy in their communial affaris. They were absolved from manditory military service, etc.). But the Jews existed under Roman rule (as you state - "the Romans allowed...").

 

[Bobby Hamilton]

Point taken - I mean "we" cooperately. America has the President that she deserves. It almost seems contrary to Scripture and history to expect God to bless America in her current state.

I figured that's what you meant, but I wanted to be clear.

 

[OldRegular]

Amazing how many that despise President Obama will ignore Scripture in order to justify their hatred toward our president. This shouldn't be surprising I guess. During the Civil War many Christians attempted to use the Bible to support slavery.

Obama is an ardent abortionist! That is bad enough for me. When a Christian can justify killing the unborn and supporting a regime that advocates abortion then perhaps I will quite hating those who kill babies.

Proverbs 6:16-19
16. These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

1. [A proud look] Obama is extremely arrogant. He doesn't give speeches, he lectures!

2. [a lying tongue] Obama is a Chicago democrat politician so lying comes natural. Obama promised to bring the country together but in one of his early meetings with the Republican Congress he reminded them: I won, you lost. Meeting with Republican leaders to discuss the debt crisis he arrogantly told Senator McCain: You lost John!

3. [hands that shed innocent blood] As a state senator Obama tried to prevent passage of a law in Illinois protecting babies alive after failed abortions.

4. [An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations] He Calls "water boarding" torture but he is the one who pulls the trigger on the use of drones to kill people, terrorists and "collateral damage". He passed the death citizen on an American sentence without due process but he has done the same for the unborn, as has his party!

5. [feet that be swift in running to mischief] He has wasted $16,000,000,000 on green energy, much of it to his cronies. He shafted the GM bondholders in the GM bailout to the benefit of the union.

6. [A false witness that speaketh lies] He promised to reduce the deficit by 50% by the end of his first term. He has doubled it and increased the national debt by 50%; that is $5,000,000,000,000 approaching $6,000,000,000,000 and I believe deliberately.

7. [he that soweth discord among brethre] On multiple occasions since his election he has placed the "race card". He has done nothing to improve race relations in this country. He has done absolutely nothing to help "the brothers" except to put more on the unemployment roles and welfare.

Obama is an abomination!

 

[targus]

Perfect example of what I am talking about.

I do not have respect him because he is not "my" president. And since I am in disagreement with Scripture then surely the Scripture just does not apply here.

Let's learn the limits of your belief in this area...

In some third world despotic country where there is only one name on the ballot and that name gets 100% of the vote...

Even though that leader is a dictator and is feared by all of the citizens...

Would they too be disrespectful for thinking that he is not their leader?

 

[carpro]

It's just odd that our first colored President is the one who gets disrespected more than any other.

Hmmm.

I hadn't noticed, but President Bush must have been black.

 

[Bobby Hamilton]

Hmmm.

I hadn't noticed, but President Bush must have been black.

I'd like a definition of black, because last I checked our President isn't that.

 

[JonC]

I'd like a definition of black, because last I checked our President isn't that.

I’ve lost track of exactly who is who’s president and which us we are…..

President Obama isn't black?

 

[Bobby Hamilton]

I’ve lost track of exactly who is who’s president and which us we are…..

President Obama isn't black?

The way it was always brought up to me...black people have black parents, right?

Maybe I'm wrong here, but his heritage...both of his parents aren't black, right?

I have a nephew (well, ex-nephew) who had a white mom and a black dad. He may have been darker skinned, but he wasn't black.


So while Race obviously plays a huge factor here (it has for hundreds of years and will continue to do so), our President isn't just black.

 

[JonC]

I don’t know. It was differently defined in the North and South mini-series and he looks black on my non-HD TV screen.

Personally, I don’t think that race was much of a negative factor in his ratings or election. If anything, the notion of a minority president was helpful. I know many who supported him that were opposed to just about the entire democratic platform (with the exception of economic theory) but voted for him because he was of a minority race. It represented, to them, a more progressive stance. Race will play a huge factor – but perhaps not the same as it has in the past.

 

[targus]

I’ve lost track of exactly who is who’s president and which us we are…..

President Obama isn't black?

Clinton was the first Black President.

Obama is the first Gay President.

At least that is what the mainstream media claims.

 

[LadyEagle]

Obama is part Arabic and a researcher said he is more Arabic genetically than African black. Just saying....

 

[JonC]

Washington had wooden teeth…well..not really. They were hippo ivory (some with human teeth). But that makes him at least part hippopotamus.

Just thought I'd throw that in. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[saturneptune]

Strictly in the area of respect, the only President I lost respect for in my life was Richard Nixon. Having voted for him and agreed with many of his policies, I thought he was a straight shooter. In fact, for a long time after the break-in, I did not believe he had a thing to do with it. About a week before he resigned, when the smoking gun tape was released, that was the point my respect for him went out the window.

That has nothing to do with thinking the President is doing a bad job or being opposed to his policies. Something that could make me lose respect for the present President is real proof that the birth certificate is a forgery.

Respect has nothing to do with agreeing or not agreeing with policy. It has to do with honesty and truth.

Aside from Nixon, the only Presidents in my life time that I admire for the performance of their job is Truman, Eisenhower, Ford, and Reagan. There is one area that I have to give Bush the Second credit for, despite all the mistakes, and that is his selection of two outstanding nominees to the Supreme Court. Lots of Presidents were sort of ok, Kennedy, Bush, Bush, and Clinton in certain respects. The worst ones in my life are Johnson, Carter, and in the final analysis, Nixon.

 

[FR7 Baptist]

Strawman, the issue is not just an avatar but who you seem to associate with. Carrying this avatar indicates some level of support for this person who writes vile songs. Which indicates you like those vile songs.

If Southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee can perform with Def Leppard on Fox News, what's the big deal with a Slash avatar?

 

[saturneptune]

If Southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee can perform with Def Leppard on Fox News, what's the big deal with a Slash avatar?

LOL, that kind of reminds me of Pat Boone when he wore the biker outfit, chains and all. That was the funniest sight I had ever seen.

Another comment about saving, I never struggled or dwelt on savings, I just did it as a routine. The company I worked for matched a contribution to a 401K, so it would have been not to smart to not contribute. Over the years, the account grew, thanks to the Lord. I never gave it a second thought, but sure am glad I have it now. I think the difference between greed and saving is that what comes first in a person's life, money or God. Thanks to the Lord, our house, (very modest) is paid off, our kids have a bachelor degree with no loans, and all the weddings are done. I give the Lord all the praise and honor for every penny I ever received.