Ask Me Help Desk - How should we view our leaders?

Okay, this question may belong in another category but due to my Christian worldview, I cannot help myself.

Frankly, I'm completely blown away by the election of Barack Obama as president. I'm blown away because of the way people are lavishing so much praise and admiration for him. Is it wrong to admire someone who is admirable in character? No, definitely not. It is striking, though, that people are putting so much trust and hope in Barack Obama. T-shirts, commercials, billboards, show Barack's image with the words "Hope" emblazened upon them.

Is hope irrational? I think not. Hope is the basis for the promises of God. Hope, however, is not an irrational, maybe it'll happen or maybe it won't kind of hope. It is a hope that has stood up to my own scrutiny. My experiences in life have forced me to decide whether the promises of God are not only plausible but are worth living for. Ultimately, what makes the promises of God particularly worthy of my hope is that the one offering the promises is trustworthy. Even though I do not ask God to prove he is trustworthy, he does show himself to be trustworthy so that our hope is not unfounded.

But when I step outside of that worldview and begin to think about my hopes in this world, I am shaken because I know that this world is temporal and ultimately unfulfilling. Would I be right to look to a president to meet my dreams and hopes? Maybe... but I don't think so. Barack Obama is a man of flesh and blood like me. Sure, he's more educated. Sure he's the president and I am not. However, no matter the position, each of us is sinful and corruptible. Well are all capable of calculating evil and sinfulness. Am I saying it is wrong to trust people? No, life wouldn't be worth living if I couldn't trust anyone. However, to blindly put my trust in a man who is made of the same flesh as me, strikes me as being unwise. Am I saying I should distrust Barack Obama because he is a sinner? No. I think I am obligated to give him the benefit of the doubt. I think what I am suggesting is that we all need to be sober-minded and never give the same level of trust to a man that we would to God.

God raises up Kings and brings them down. God is the only one worthy of our hope and trust.

Quote:

To blindly put my trust in a man who is made of the same flesh as me, strikes me as being unwise.

Agree

G&P

You are far wiser than your age lets on!
All this lavish praise that is being heaped upon Mr Obama reminds me of cult leaders, people like Jim Jones, Rev Moon, David Koresh were all very charismatic and look where it let their followers? I worry that the people of the USA and the rest of the World for that matter are being blinded to the truth of the man, and are being led down a path in the same way. I will however continue to pray that that is not so, and for his presidency. Because after all that is what the bible tells us to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450donn

You are far wiser than your age lets on!
All this lavish praise that is being heaped upon Mr Obama reminds me of cult leaders, people like Jim Jones, Rev Moon, David Koresh were all very charismatic and look where it let their followers? I worry that the people of the USA and the rest of the World for that matter are being blinded to the truth of the man, and are being led down a path in the same way. I will however continue to pray that that is not so, and for his presidency. because after all that is what the bible tells us to do.

450donn -

Thank you for your kind words, sir. It's interesting that you make the connection to the people you did; I'm too young to remember Jim Jones or Rev Moon but I do remember David Koresh. All I can say is that the lavish praise he's been getting is not suitable for any man, that's what frightens me.

In the end, you are right, all we can do is pray and trust in the sovereignty of God.

I believe you have come to the right balance.

We do not put our faith or trust in man, but only in God.

However, God tells us to pray for our leaders and "submit" to their authority. Obama's authority is in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc. If he, or any other government authority, goes outside of these, we have no basis to obey to them.

His authority is also restricted by God (who alone establishes each government for a civilly righteous society). Any person who does not stay in these bounds need not be obeyed when they go beyond the authority given by God.

There is even a difference between "submit" and "obey". To obey means to do what they say... To submit is to recognize that they have some authority.

Ac 4:14-20
15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
NIV

Quote:

Originally Posted by revdrgade

I believe you have come to the right balance.

We do not put our faith or trust in man, but only in God.

However, God tells us to pray for our leaders and "submit" to their authority. Obama's authority is in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc. If he, or any other government authority, goes outside of these, we have no basis to obey to them.

His authority is also restricted by God (who alone establishes each government for a civilly righteous society). Any person who does not stay in these bounds need not be obeyed when they go beyond the authority given by God.

There is even a difference between "submit" and "obey". To obey means to do what they say...To submit is to recognize that they have some authority.

Ac 4:14-20
15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
NIV

So you figure Obama is a Christ like figure? Did I read your post correctly? And what outstanding miracles besides good marketing do we attribute to him?

JoeT