Praying for Obama’s Demise?
Essays, Featured — By Travis Mamone on November 25, 2009 at 12:00 pm
January 20, 2009 was a day that I’ll always remember. We brought up a TV so everyone—from the library patrons to the staff—could watch the inauguration of Barack Obama. Despite a heated and sometimes vicious election season, we watched the inauguration not as Democrats and Republicans, but as Americans. We even sang the National Anthem together. In that moment, we realized that we were truly One Nation.
I’m not sure what happened since then, but the current political tension is thicker than the election season. What started as mere criticisms of Obama’s policies have transformed into vicious attacks and slanders. The President has been accused of promoting socialism, not being a U.S. citizen, and setting up “death panels.” The backlash against Obama has transcended basic Democrat-bashing; some are even praying for his demise.
No doubt you have seen a new crop of t-shirts and bumper stickers that say, “Pray for Obama—Psalm 109:8.” At first it seems innocent enough; the Bible does tell us to pray for our leaders. However, if you look up Psalm 109:8, you’ll realize it’s not as innocent as it seems: “May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.”
What makes it even scarier is what follows that particular verse: “May his children be fatherless, and his wife be a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes” (v. 9-10). Although the “Pray for Obama” slogan does not include those verses, if you take Psalm 109 in its entirety, it makes it sound like a prayer for the President’s death.
You might ask how this is different from the bumper stickers that said, “Send Bush back to Texas.” While the backlash against the former president was also huge, and sometimes got a bit ugly, I don’t remember God being brought into the mix. I might be wrong, but I don’t recall anyone praying for Bush’s demise or death. With the “Psalm 109:8” slogan, Obama’s critics are once again reiterating the false notion that God, in His infinite mercy and justice, is some how politically partisan.
According to Scripture, “there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). The Bible also tells us to pray for “all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). That’s not to say that civil disobedience isn’t sometimes necessary (see Daniel 3:1-11 and Acts 5:28-30). But regardless of who is in the White House, he is still our president, and still needs God’s guidance.
While there is nothing wrong with not liking either Obama or his policies, praying for his demise is taking it way too far. Instead, we should pray that God gives our president the wisdom and strength to lead our nation. God is not politically partisan, and neither should be our prayers.
26 Comments
Thanks for the article. Those T-shirts and Bumper stickers are unChristian.
“I might be wrong, but I don’t recall anyone praying for Bush’s demise or death.”
It actually happened all the time, particularly at protests and marches. That being said, two wrongs do not make a right of course.
Nothing was done about this man, for instance, who portrayed Bush with a gun to his head: http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/Patriot.Act.Columbia.2.321154.html
Various pictures can be found online of protesters holding signs speaking about or implying Bush’s death. Dozens of these signs, posters, tshirts, and bumper stickers can be seen here: http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621
One bumper sticker reads “Support Bush” with a picture of a noose next to it. Some are “religious” such as “Smite Bush For He Is An Abomination Upon the Earth!”
In my opinion, the anti-Obama rhetoric pales in comparison to the vicious, irrational, hate-filled sentiment that was directed at Bush. I saw plenty of this coming from professing Christians.
Again, two wrongs don’t make a right but its not accurate to portray this as something that is new with Obama or unique to conservatives or right-wingers.
Its good that folks have new-found respect for the President now that a left-leaning politician is in office but it will be great to see that extended to a president from the party they oppose.
Its also interesting to see that the anti-war movement, for instance, has all but disappeared even though the Obama administration is largely continuing the policies of Bush. I’ve seen dozens upon dozens of Tshirts, bumper stickers, etc. about Evil Empire and Fascism and War Criminal but why don’t these same folks direct these protests against Obama now? He is doing the same things. If Obama comes out and announces an increase in troop levels next week, for example, I would expect that people who have strong objections to war would immediately begin protesting the Obama administration. I don’t think this will happen though.
Now that we’ve recently experienced presidents from both parties we can empathize with the “other side” a bit more now that each has experienced hateful rhetoric against leaders they sympathize with. I might be wrong but I hardly heard a peep from left-leaning Christians when such terrible rhetoric was directed at Bush for 8 years. Hopefully the indignation will be a bit more evenly spread next time around.
Please don’t infer that my comments are an attack on this post or the blog as a whole. I appreciate this blog and enjoy the articles I read here!
Jeff Wright
Jeff,
Don’t worry, I’m not inferring your comment as anything like that. In fact, I’m glad you wrote that, because I actually did not know about some of the anti-Bush slogans you brought up. I mean, I do remember people calling Bush a warmonger and a fascist. And I must confess that during the first four years of the Bush administration I called him names like that. But as the years progressed, I realized that even though I didn’t like his policies (I got especially vocal earlier this year when the torture memos were released), he was still the president and needed prayer.
It’s interesting that you mentioned the anti-war movement being strangely silent about Afghanistan. In fact, it seems like the ones who want to pull out of Afghanistan are conservatives like George Will. My, how the tables turn!
Thanks again for your comments.
Travis
Its not surprising to me that people would do this. As wrong as it is, it is also very inevitable. Bush took a lot of shit, what makes people think Obama won’t. I really have a hard time hearing people disrespect our president. I remember hearing my friends calling Obama the Anti-Christ. I don’t agree with Obama’s policy, but I respect the man for filling the job.
Travis,
I appreciate your article, and in the middle of all the retoric it is hard to maintain a civility that Christ calls us to. Yet I also clearly understand where Jeff W. is coming from. Travis I am not sure what media outlets you were watching, but some of the things I listened to the hard core left say about President Bush were almost unbelievable. The problem now is that we cannot even have a sane discussion anymore. I have been called a “racisist” because I disagree with some of President Oboma’s policys.
And in the midst of it all, I am just trying to keep straight why the Lord has me here, what He is asking me to do, how am I to apply His word in my life and in my world view, and still keep sane. This is a daily battle.
Greg,
I know what you mean about the daily battle. It’s easy to get caught up in the political shouting match, so I have to remind myself that my main goal is to represent Christ and not a particular political party.
The current hatred and prayers for death (technically that is a curse) for President Obama is a world away from the hatred of Bush we all witnessed.
Bush assumed the presidency (via the Supreme Court) thanks to a botched election in a state where his brother was governor. His election was close and questionable. His presidency even more so. In fact there has been a continuing controversy over whether Bush could (or should) be persecuted for war crimes.
The current hysteria against President Obama is based on what?
Frank Schaeffer (son of Francis Schaeffer) who,almost single-handedly created the “pro-life” movement back in the 1970s describes this as a movement ‘trawling for assassins’ http://rawstory.com/2009/11/evangelist-religious-trawling-assassins/.
To urge fanatics to murder is to ask for blood (and anarchy) on our hands. There is nothing civil – and certainly nothing “Christian” about it.
To use the Bible as a call to murder would make a hardcore Jihadist blush – though they are certainly cheered by our suicidal certainty.
To put this “prayer” for Obama on t-shirts and teddy bears is sick beyond description.
Morf,
I agree with many of the things you said, the current crazyness we hear from some is clearly nuts. But again, I am not sure what media outlets you were watching because many of the things said about President Bush that came from the far left were insane. There were coutless comedy shows which potrayed him as being completly stupid, or some who wanted (and still do) him tryed as a war criminal. Ironically, I rarely observe those same shows or people making fun of President Oboma, or accusing him of being a war criminal for not ending a war he said we would end.
Your comment, “The current hysteria against President Oboma is based on what”? I find offensive. I disagree with most of his current policys, from health care to Afganistan, and I dont believe that makes me “hysterical”. I believe I have sound reasons for believing them, I am doing the best I can to apply the Word of God in every situation I am involved in.
Travis, I appreciate your response, it is nice to know that I am not the only one who struggles to keep his eyes on the Savior and the things that matter to Him.
Travis, I get from your article that you seem to think this kind of divisiveness started with Obama’s inauguration. I first noticed it being this hateful long before, at least since Reagan was President. As a conservative, it frustrated me to hear my fellow evangelicals treat Clinton the way they did, and now the pastor in Arizona who has told his church he prays for Obama’s early death is equally saddening. As Larry says, there’s nothing Christian about it.
Having said that, I noticed you wrote “While the backlash against the former president was also huge, and sometimes got a bit ugly,”. I don’t know if you are naive or see liberals through rose-colored glasses, but I assure you that libs can be every bit as mean-spirited as any anti-Obama t-shirt can. Maureen Dowd, Michael Moore, and Bill Maher are every bit as hateful as Rush, O’Reilly, or Coulter.
Probably the most sickening one was cartoonist/editorial writer Ted Rall, who, a day after the death of Ronald Reagan, said the former president is in Hell, “turning crispy brown right about now.”
For the record, I acknowledge that you are right when you point out that this t-shirt (as well as the AZ preacher) are giving it a new twist by bringing prayer into it. I just wanted to respond to your apparent naivete on how much both sides have contributed, equally, to this kind of rhetoric.
Yes, there is certainly nothing new about hating our presidents (or, in American history, hating the king). Lincoln was viciously hated before, after and certainly during the Civil War. Even George Washington had his critics.
We only call God’s wrath on ourselves when we allow bloodlust to intoxicate us.
To murder in the name of God is humanity’s greatest shame.
Consider this as a profile of the deranged speaking in God’s name – http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/11/24/conservative-counter-revolution-and-the-coming-violence/.
Hey Travis! Welcome to Burnside! I haven’t seen those shirts yet, but thanks for assuring me that Christianity is still really f-ed up in this country.
Cheers!
True joke my father-in-law told me today.
“What’s the difference between JFK and Barack Obama?”
“Nothing yet.”
Then he went on to talk about how much our country is like Sodom and Gomorrah, and no one has any morals anymore. It made me ill.
JG, the joke is truly offensive, I agree.
But as for your last statement, I think the idea that the US is lacking in morality and close to Sodom and Gomorrah is one that is hard to argue with. Why would that particular opinion make you ill?
Well, the main difference would be that there were NO righteous people in Sodom or Gomorrah.
And my main point was the hypocrisy of making such a statement immediately on the heels of joking about murder.
Back to the Sodom and Gomorrah comparisons, which get thrown around like candy at a parade: if you read that whole story, you quickly understand those places were pretty insane. I mean, consider the fact that the only people righteous enough to be saved from its destruction were a woman who was turned into a pillar of salt for disobeying God as soon as she left, and a man who first offers his daughters’ virginity as payment to save the city, then commits drunken incest with them.
So yeah, the comparisons seem a little ridiculous. Are we a morally bereft nation? Sure…just like every other.
Travis, please clarify for me: Do you see your calling W a “facist” more acceptable or less acceptable than calling Obama a socialist?
When I was younger I was right there calling Bush names along with rest of the far-left. But now I see that calling Bush a fascist is just as unacceptable as calling Obama a socialist.
I agree that name-calling is as un-biblical as it gets. I think the line is fuzzier of someone, in the course of explaining why they vote a certain way, or why they take a certain position on a political topic, states that the Obama health care plan leans too much towards socialism. That’s not name-calling and is in fact a political assessment, and can often be the result of thinking the whole issue through and reaching a conclusion.
NOTE: Please don’t anyone use this to start up a conversation about healthcare reform. I only use it as an example because the topic of calling Obama a socialist was brought up in the original article. Many more examples come to mind. Don’t stray from the point I was making: there’s a difference between name-calling and stating concerns about a candidate or about proposed legislation.
Did the people who called Bush a fascist really believe he was a fascist? I mean, the Websters dictionary definition of fascist, and can they support it with some sort of evidence? Do the people who call Oboma a socialist really believe he is a socialist, and can they support it with evidence? That is part of the core issue and problem. Part of good dialog is defining terms and agreeing to definitions so that true discussion, and hopefully resolution can take place. Name calling has no purpose other than to insight anger.
Look, I live in Louisiana where Republi-Christian is a religion! I did not vote for Obama but I am glad he is President. I am an independent who really struggled on Election day and I prayed hard that God would put in the White House who He wanted. BUT most of my friends do think Obama is the Anti Christ, no joke. They are also in complete fear and end of the world mindset most days when hearing about anything Obama is doing “To” our country. It’s pathetic. I just try to walk in grace and mercy. It’s not easy.
It amazes me how thin skinned people are anymore. Those who take stuff like that serious need to lighten up and get a life.
What are you referring to, Slider?
I think we’re as open to satire and comedy as much as anyone around here, but threats against human life aren’t to be taken lightly.
I mean, if made a joke about killing your mother because I didn’t like her, you might have cause for concern, right?
I’m Canadian, I say this only so you know I’m coming from an outsider’s perspective and I’m not saying this as someone who feels superior at all, there are just as many problems.
I have family in California and I talk with them often. It’s helped me comprehend some of the differences between our two nations. In Canada we say we believe in “peace, order and good government” and as a result often come off looking bland and dispassionate. Sometimes that is true.
In the U.S. it seems to me that how a politician says something is as important as what they say. Americans seem to appreciate a “tell it like it is” approach. Sometimes this is significantly better than the stereotypical “Canadian” approach, sometimes worse.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that as an outsider who often gets very faulty representations of public debate in America consists of this particular message board is very encouraging. It’s fantastic to see people being able to express their differing opinions on message boards without always resulting to vitriol and rhetoric that often accompanies these conversations.
Again I want to emphasize that this is not a value judgment on the rightness or wrongness of anyone’s particular view point or nationality, just a message of appreciation for reasoned debate.
I lead a worship ministry among people experiencing homelessness, low-income, addictions and mental illness in downtown Portland. I’d have to say that these folks are more faithful in praying for leaders, our troops and their families than any other group or class of people I have known. But we don’t stop there. We pray for each other and for the people of America in general.
I often find myself wondering how “leadable” we really are or what we expect our leaders to be other than extensions or clones of ourselves. After all, Jesus himself was crucified, not for being the Christ but for being–in the eyes of those who were secure in life–the anti-Christ. Are we any better at recognizing the genuine article today than some of the folks of 2K years ago?
i think that this is bullshit and you should never use any thing cristian or from the bible to wish death on someone!!!!!