Recently, two national leaders have either made comparisons about themselves or someone else has made comments about them that would compare them to the Pharisees of biblical times.
On writer says: “Barack Obama is reveling in presidential power and influence unseen in Washington for decades”. A democratic strategist, Doug Schoen, has said "I cannot in my memory remember a time when a president of the United States has had more influence." Remember when Obama said “I won in November, we’ll do this my way”?
Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister who has compared himself to Jesus Christ and Napoleon, boasted that he was the world's most popular leader. Berlusconi has said that he is the Jesus Christ of Italian politics.
But Obama, and Berlusconi are not the only ones, they are the most visible. Right here in our own Congress, we can see those who are placed on a pedestal by someone, a group of people or even by themselves. Is being on that pedestal a good or bad thing? Can it come back to bite them, or us? Answer: Probably.
Matthew 7:15-23 (NIV)
15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 5:20 (NIV)
20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Changing their ways will not be easy. Politicians of modern times are much in the same boat of politicians of biblical times. The boast, they gloat and in some cases, they believe they are the savior of the world. Hitler had people convinced that he was a great man. He was the epitome of hypocrisy. How many can we name today that fit this same mold?
Comments
The statement that Obama has a lot of influence in Washington is a fact; it doesn't have any religious connotations. The fact that Obama is popular and people like him doesn't make him a "pharisee" or "false prophet".
The term "pharisee" in the Bible refers to religious figures who place rules and dogma above compassion and spirituality. Pharisees are people who say things like "you must do this because it's written in the Bible". You know who you are.
The utter arrogance displayed by BHO is a window into his soul and I suspect much like the Pharisees of old. Some people refer to him as "The One". I'm sure BHO eats it up.
"The utter arrogance displayed by BHO is a window into his soul"
Obama is popular, that doesn't make him arrogant. What examples of him being arrogant can you give?
"I'm sure BHO eats it up."
Well, if you are sure, then that should be good enough for everybody, right?
Obam-UH really can't believe the hype. I mean here is a man who doesn't even know how many states are in the US for goodness sakes. Have you ever heard how many times he stammers and stutters uh-uh-uh even with a teleprompter.
"Remember when Obama said 'I won in November, we’ll do this my way'?"
That's what winning means, Jake: you get to have your way (to an extent).
@Greg:
"Some people refer to him as 'The One'."
Oprah said that once, then republicans started pretending that lots of people were saying it. I don't think anyone says it anymore.
Obama isn't nearly pious enough to be a modern-day Pharisee.
Have you read the transcript of his speech at Notre Dame? There is a rebuke for those who embrace absolutes and pretend to know all the answers. That's hardly the epitome of a Pharisee.
A prophet is "a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration", and a false prophet is someone who claims to do so without actually doing so. Where has Obama ever claimed that he speaks for God or by divine inspiration?
There are plenty of people who actually do claim to speak with divine inspiration: Bush, the Pope, Ted Haggard, Rick Warren, and many others. Since they can't actually agree with each other, some of them must be false prophets.
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