[speechlesstx]

Yet another victim of the Chosen One...

"I Will Follow Him": Obama As My Personal Jesus

By: Maggie Mertens
Posted: 9/18/08
Obama is my homeboy. And I'm not saying that because he's black - I'm saying that in reference to those Urban Outfitters t-shirts from a couple years ago that said, "Jesus is my homeboy." Yes, I just said it. Obama is my Jesus.

While you may be overtly religious and find this to be idol-worshipping, or may be overtly politically correct and just know that everything in that sentence could be found offensive, I'm afraid it's true anyway.

As with many spiritual enlightenments, mine came in the middle of a bleak, hopeless period of my life. The innocent, idealistic world of politics that had shaped my childhood, the one that taught me how the president is a good guy, one who makes you feel safe, gives a speech on TV every once in a while and one you'd feel honored to shake hands with, had been slowly whittled into a deep rooted cynicism to anything politically related.

The crush of the Bush victory over Gore was only the first mar on my previously consummate ideal of the American administration. And the tragedies just kept continuing: Bush's response to the Sept.11 attacks, the invasion of Iraq, the tax cuts for the rich, the downward spiral continued squashing my scant hope that the political world and state of our country could be saved.

Then I found my miracle. Stumbling through my hopeless world, afraid to turn to anyone with my political questions of morality, my concerns about the afterlife of the country I called home, a voice spoke to me.

Barack Obama bore to me his testimony in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention, a testimony that included believing in concepts as simple and wholesome as the Constitution; a belief the current administration had done away with entirely. I was 17 and my antipathy for politicians was already in place before I had even reached the age to legally vote for one. He, though, seemed different. I was intrigued. I would follow him. I believed however, that my discipleship would lead me on a much longer path to political change than was true. He was much too young, not white enough, not rich enough, not jaded - the country certainly wasn't ready for this, maybe in 12 or 16 years he would be able to run in the Democratic primary, I thought.

My interest was piquéd, but the dark time lived on until my faith in others was renewed on Jan. 4 in the Iowa state primary. Obama had beat out squeaky clean southern boy John Edwards and former first lady and next in the line of political succession Hillary Clinton. I was in shock. And then I came to Jesus/Obama.

I donated to the campaign. I followed every primary with bated breath, and muttered my prayers to the political gods while proselytizing the miracle of my new prophet. I got a car magnet, I bought a t-shirt; a pin and bumper sticker are on their way to my campus mailbox. Then the media and right wing questioning began: what is he? A rock star, or the next president? Bono or Britney? The naysayers used his popularity among young people against him. Who had ever heard of political posters in college dorm rooms? Bumper stickers on the back of your high school neighbor's Jetta? Guess what those "Jesus is my homeboy" t-shirts were replaced with at Urban Outfitters? A smiling Obama under his own cutesy sayings like "Obama for yo Mama."

I must admit, I questioned this myself. After all, would I have ever bought a t-shirt with Al Gore's face on it? Was this all he was, the newest pop culture fad? I questioned my newfound faith - was it all only a phase, like the time I thought I was Baptist in junior high? But my inner dogmatic struggle only helped cement my beliefs as I followed politics more closely than ever before. Obama's mere presence, knowledge and enthusiasm in the political realm inspired my own desire to understand what exactly had gone wrong, what exactly he could do to remedy the mess we'd made.

Then I began to realize I wasn't the only one trying to buy a WWOD bracelet and spending my weekends scouring CNN.com. The rock star-type love for Obama wasn't just because he was pretty and in the media. Others too, had seen him as a shining light, heard that mythical voice boom out over the mountaintops; people were wearing the t-shirt because they would rather wear something representing a politician than a pop star. People everywhere, young and old, were caring again. So what's the problem here?

I've officially been saved, and soon, whether they like it or not, the rest of the country will be too. I will follow him, all the way to the White House, and I'll be standing there in our nation's capital in January 2009, when Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States of America. In the name of Obama, Amen. © Copyright 2008 The Sophian

Who else will stand up for Obama as their "personal Jesus?" And you think Sarah Palin is scary...

[NeedKarma]

Anybody who worships a god is scary.

[spitvenom]

Hey at least she worships someone that everyone has seen and can prove is real. Good for her.

[speechlesstx]

Anyone who worships a man is even scarier.

[spitvenom]

The scary thing is you take this article seriously. Like she actually has Obama statues she prays to. You are too much Speech.

[spitvenom]

Oh whoa I just clicked the link those people are crazy.

[jillianleab]

Are you holding this against Obama? I don't think it's fair to demonize (haha, see what I did there?) him because there are some nutjobs out there who endorse him. Or, for that matter, people who write to sound like a nutjob, but really are speaking a bit metaphorically.

[speechlesstx]

I'm not sure what's scarier, that people worship Obama or that people don't take these people seriously. Even Spit clicked on the link and said "those people are crazy." For once, Spit and I are in complete agreement.

[NeedKarma]

On a related note: Westboro Baptist Church is representative of all Christians.

[jillianleab]

I'm not sure what's scarier, that people worship Obama or that people don't take these people seriously. Even Spit clicked on the link and said "those people are crazy." For once, Spit and I are in complete agreement.

You really believe it? You mean to tell me you honestly, swear to god, you believe the author of that article and the people on that site are representing their beliefs with 100% accuracy? You don't see the satire in it? My crap-detector is going off like a siren!

But even still - even if they are serious, yeah, they're nuts. What does that have to do with Obama as a person or candidate?

Don't make me start drawing parallels about people following and worshipping a charismatic leader who promises great things and change! :D

[speechlesstx]

Jillian, my crap detector has been in overdrive since Obama announced his candidacy. I don’t think Duracell can make enough batteries to keep it going for a 4 year Obama administration. But yes, many – too many – are absolutely serious about their insane devotion to Obama. This writer makes the point well.

[speechlesstx]

On a related note: Westboro Baptist Church is representative of all Christians.

You mean Landover Baptist don't you?

[tomder55]

Add this group of allegedly rational people to the list :

YouTube - My American Prayer - Dave Stewart (Captioned)

Nice song by the way... used to like Dave Stewart when he was with the Eurythmics.

[speechlesstx]

Or these...

[tomder55]

Alpha... Omega...

Isn't that Revelation 1:8. making it a perfect chant for the Obamamessiah

[Skell]

All you Americans are over the top and scary. We're used to it by now! Most of you worship some sort of 'false idol' and nearly all you cling to guns. Its all the same! :)

[jillianleab]

Jillian, my crap detector has been in overdrive since Obama announced his candidacy. I don’t think Duracell can make enough batteries to keep it going for a 4 year Obama administration. But yes, many – too many – are absolutely serious about their insane devotion to Obama. This writer makes the point well.

Yes, many people are insane about their devotion to Obama, but I will venture to guess a majority of them (if not all) don't honestly consider him a "god". This writer makes that into a satire, an exaggeration.

Do you mean to say there is no one insanely devoted to McCain?

[speechlesstx]

Yes, many people are insane about their devotion to Obama, but I will venture to guess a majority of them (if not all) don't honestly consider him a "god". This writer makes that into a satire, an exaggeration.

Do you mean to say there is no one insanely devoted to McCain?

Have you heard of any?

[jillianleab]

Have you heard of any?

I've seen people cheer his every word, praise his every decision, and not question a single one of his decisions; pre-election and post-election. Sounds like insane devotion to me.

But regardless, what does any of it have to do with the candidate and their qualifications? So Obama has some nutty followers; so what?

[talaniman]

Jillian, my crap detector has been in overdrive since Obama announced his candidacy. I don’t think Duracell can make enough batteries to keep it going for a 4 year Obama administration. But yes, many – too many – are absolutely serious about their insane devotion to Obama.

Thats exactly my feelings after 8 years of your idol BUSH! Many of us survived it, barely though, so can you. Batteries not included.