Alan Keyes to Barack Obama (in 2004):
"You are trying to suggest that my faith-shaped conscience has no place in our politics, and yet if I go into a voting booth or into public life, without my faith-shaped conscience then I have no conscience, for the Lord said that I must love Him with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. There's nothing left over. Without faith, there is a faith-shaped void where the conscience ought to be."
People have a tendency to remind one another that religion and politics don't mix. "Keep them separate!" they say. But, is this really accurate? Is this really fair? Is this even possible?
Why would anybody hold to these assumptions, especially when that individual professes to be a person of "faith"? Are people of faith not expected to exercise their right to vote because they happen to be Christians?
Back in 2004, during a debate betwen Alan Keyes and Barack Obama for the Illinois Senate seat, such was the topic of a debate. (Continue reading below ad).
One of the moderators, Carlos Hernandez-Gomez, asked Obama the following question:
"Senator Obama, you say you're a Christian, but Mr. Keyes says that your record runs counter to Jesus' teachings. What's your reaction to your opponent's assertion that your own Lord and Savior wouldn't even vote for you?"
In other words, if you claim to be a Christian, why do your politics NOT reflect Jesus' teachings? Why do they not align with what Jesus clearly preached? In fact, why are your policy decisions so consistently opposed to Christian values?
On Abortion, Obama says:
"Moral accusations from pro-lifers are counterproductive."
Obama, a so-called "Christian" apparently doesn't believe in "morality" and in fact believes that morality is counterproductive. This does not align with Jesus's teachings.
On Homosexuality, Obama says:
"Gays should not face discrimination but should not marry."
Talk about having your cake and eating it too. More like a moral-relativist, and less like a follower of Christ, Obama turns the issue of homosexuality - an obvious sin, according to Christianity - into a civil right. At the same time, he wants to enjoy the benefit of being a "Christian" so he throws out the phrase, "But should not marry." If Obama didn't want gays to marry back in 2004 (a position he now, conveniently has flip-flopped on) wasn't he guilty of discrimination? Why didn't liberals hold him accountable on this?
Not very long ago, the president - who took the oath of office, swearing to preserve, protect and defend the constitution - decided to no longer defend the law of the land, the Defense of Marriage Act. His argument? D.O.M.A. is based on morality, so it can't possibly be constitutional. Really? First of all, as president, he does not have the authority to define what's constitutional and what isn't. That's a matter for the courts. The issue here, once again, is his refusal to stand on his so-called "Christian" principles. God created man and woman to be joined as one. How can he NOT defend God's intended creation?
This is a VERY important matter because at some point people of faith who are involved in politics face a crucial decision, "If I'm truly a follower of Christ, I will seek to mirror His behavior, I will choose to follow Him, regardless of how unpopular that may be" - as it pertains to the vital issues that face society.
Unfortunately, for certain politicians, like Obama, this doesn't appear to be the case. As Alan Keyes later points out in the debate, it is quite evident that some involved in politics enjoy parading the label of a "Christian" as a convenient tool ONLY to gain public support and to deceive the masses . Scripture clearly points out:
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes out of thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit." - Matthew 7:15-18
As a so-called "public servant", Obama has been a huge supporter of abortion, most notably his unpopular Obamacare, which allows for the massive funding of abortions by the federal government. He has also been one of the biggest opponent of traditional marriage, marriage between and a man and a woman, as God intended. This simply does not coincide with a Christian-based faith.
The difference between someone who is truly living out his/her faith in Jesus VS somebody who simply professes to be a follower, is that the latter has a tenedency to produce a list of excuses why their so-called "Christian" faith - although important to them on a "personal" level, supposedly - has no place in their civic decision-making process. They quickly dismiss their own faith as irrelevant, or out of place.
Obama's response:
"Look, I'm very proud of my Christianity..uh..and...uh...it....it sustains me and it's part of what motivates me to get involved in public service."
Let's stop it right there. While we may not have the authority to determine whether his faith in Jesus Christ is sincere, we can nevertheless see that "by their fruits" they shall be known. If his "Christian" faith motivates him to get involved in public service (a wonderful thing) then why doesn't he continue to serve the public with his Christian core intact? In other words, once he gains access to public service, his Christianity takes a backseat to something else?
Obama:
"As I said before, I started in this town, in Chicago, organizing with churches...uh..and....and the enormous faith and resilience and courage that was shown by persons of faith (not his, but other "persons') made all the difference in the world in terms of setting up...uh...after school programs for youth or making sure that we have affordable housing in many communities that are having tough times all across the state..." - (A socialist tactic, appealing to those who buy into the class warfare deception.)
The question was directly related to his public policy decisions and whether or not they reflect his Christian faith; for example, on the issue of sexual immorality, which includes, among others, homosexuality.
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
As a Christian, Obama's stance on these issues should very clearly and easily line up with Jesus' teachings. But this is where Obama begins to minimize the importance of the same faith he claims to profess, which makes absolutely no sense:
"But, what I don't think is appropriate, as a public servant, is for me to assume that my faith is absolute..."
What? A so-called Christian just admitted that his faith is NOT absolute? If his "faith" is not absolute, in his mind, then is he a true believer? If you feel that your faith in Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, as God incarnate, is based on something that is NOT absolute, then why profess to be a person of faith? You don't truly have any "faith", do you?
Obama goes on:
"...And to therefore presume that people who are of different faiths and have different perspectives are somehow evil or wrong or that I can't have a dialogue with them and arrive at common ground."
Here, he tries to play the "Tolerant Christian" card, which is designed to gain favor with the public. In other words, "Oh, yes, I'm a Christian, but I won't make policy decisions based on my faith because it is politically incorrect. I want to be loved and accepted by everyone, by people of all faiths." In other words, votes come before his loyal service to Jesus Christ, his Savior.
Can we expect, therefore, that the faith of a Muslim politician, or a Jewish politician, or even an atheist politician have ZERO bearing on his/her decision-making process? Is that even possible?
This godless, liberal false dilemma is rooted in the unconstitutional lie commonly referred to as the "separation of church and state". This is not only impossible, but impractical. As human beings, we cannot detach one aspect of ourselves from other aspects. In other words, your Christian faith, if rooted in biblical truth, MUST play a role in what kind of husband, wife, co-worker, athlete, businessman, neighbor, teacher, judge, lawyer, university professor, musician, friend, enemy, and, yes, even POLITICIAN you are.
Separation of church and state would mean that the individual, himself/herself, can somehow be "split" into two, or more pieces. There's a medical name for such a condition, it's called "split personality disorder" or "dissocitaive identity disorder", or "multiple personality disorder". I doubt very seriously that anybody would want their politicans who are running the country to be in charge under such conditions. Although, many would argue that the dire conditions our nation currently experiences is precisely rooted in this.
Nevertheless, faith and public service CANNOT be divorced from each other. Here's Alan Keyes' reponse:
"Of course, the question involved here wasn't people of different faiths, but people who profess the same faith..."
In other words, Keyes caught Obama trying to mix up the issues, trying to distort things. The issue wasn't people of "other" faiths, but Christians and what Christians should stand for, especially as public servants.
Keyes continues:
"...And that faith is faith in Jesus Christ. And the question I think I would pose to the Lord is not whether I'm going up or going down...uhm..I want to know where He stands so that I may follow Him (like a true Christian would). I want to know where he stands with respect to the will of the Father to whom He looks...and on these questions like abortion, he says the taking of innocent life is an abomination. On these questions, like traditional marriage, he says He created us male and female and that the wrong use of the body in this way is, again, as the Scripture says, an abomination. He defined marriage, not as a union of man and man, or woman and woman, but as man and woman and the two become one flesh; something that is possible only in the course of pro-creation. So when I look at where Christ stands and I look at where Senator Obama stands, based upon that record of Christ's understanding, which we acknowledge as Christians to be the true record, I say, well, Christ is over here, Senator Obama is over there. The two don't look the same."
The two, Jesus and Obama's policies, have, in fact, very little in common. Why is this?
Don't be a stranger. Come back in a couple of days. Bye, bye!
Remember, Jesus' own words Mr. President: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." - John 14:6
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