I’m sorry to see the same old “Christians can only be Republican” logic here, just not in so many words.

I consider the war in Iraq and our health care system to be serious national sins on the order of slavery. Our society is based on dog-eat-dog capitalism, not Christian love. 

I’d say we’re reaping the fruits of that approach right now.

If the fruits of Obama turn out to be a health care system that doesn’t deprive the poor of life-giving care (yes, I know anyone can go to an emergency room. Ever tried to get a colonoscopy or mammogram there? Or pediatric care?), I call that Christian fruit.

If the fruits of Obama turn out to be fewer women and children killed in Iraq, I call that Christian fruit.

If the fruits of Obama start protecting our environment for future generations, I call that Christian fruit.

If the fruits of Obama move us to a society where big business and lobbyists—that is, money—aren’t the primary decision makers, I call that Christian fruit.

I’m a born-again Christian and I’m voting for Obama.

Thanks Peter, you stole my thunder.

I think most of us would agree that once we are justified through grace by faith, there is a change, internally and externally. 

We repent, or turn away from sin and while we all fall short, we instantly recognize our shortcomings moving forward.

My understanding of the Word tells me there will be fruit as a result of our justification, such as love, and these fruit will be exemplified through our works - - deeds and truth, not just by tongue and words (1 John 3:18).

So my question to Obama apologists, is how can you possibly support gay unions, an attack on God’s design of family, how can you support abortion and partial birth abortion.  How can you support a man who beleives in LIVE BIRTH ABORTION? How do you support an attack on God’s sanctity of life?

How do you justify Obama’s stance that there are many paths to God, that works will get us to heaven, and his denial of the one, unforgivable sin that leads to hell?????

We dont need any red herrings about the war or Bush that serve as intereference for this topic.  They have nothing to do with Obama’s version of the truth.

My prayer for all of you as well as myself, is for clarity of His Law, and that we seek His truth through His Law.

Peace and Grace

2 Timothy 4:3,4–”For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

It is not a requirement for a candidate to be a Christian to be a great president.  but when a candidate courts religious people and claims Christianity, he then is put under the scrutiny of such claims.  A person cannot claim foul when after they say… I am a Christian if their policy is not informed by faith.  What many applaud Obama for is what many others decry Christianity for. 

We teach out kids to be consistent with belief and behavior, even at a high cost.  Psalm 15 says the man of God swears even to his own hurt… In other words, his walk ad talk line up even if it costs him.  This is my struggle with Obama. 

This is not the standard we hold for preachers but not politicians rather it is the standard for those who say they know Christ.

LS, and others, Cal Thomas is NOT right here.  It is just plain wrong to claim that someone is not even really a Christian because you believe their theology is flawed or incorrect in some way.  And to me the fact that Thomas’ claims are so over the top is evidence that this is a political hatchet job by a party hack.  This was not journalism.  Some people lose all sense of fairness and decorum in the political season.

Thomas accuses Obama of not being a Christian over quotes like; “I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.”

And yet Cal Thomas loves President Bush who said in an interview with Charlie Gibson of ABC about 4 years ago;

Charlie Gibson: Do we all worship the same God, Christians and Muslims?

President Bush: I think we do. We have different routes of getting to the Almighty.

Charlie Gibson: Do Christians and non-Christians, do Muslims go to heaven in your mind?

President Bush: Yes, they do. We have different routes of getting there.

And later, less than a year ago on Oct 4 2007, Bush said: I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God.

If that’s not a universalist statement I don’t know what is.

Whether you like Obama or not, and I’m not a big fan, claiming that he’s not really a Christian is wrong.  I presume he believes that he was taught in his church, so to say that he’s not even really a Christian because of flawed theological beliefs is to make the same claim about every member of his church because they were taught the same thing.

Personally, I trust that as he matures as a Christian the Holy Spirit will correct any flaws in his beliefs.  I also trust the Holy Spirit will do the same for me.

I disagree with the Episcopal Church (and parts of several other denominations) on their beliefs and teaching about homosexuality being acceptable to God, but I won’t go so far as to claim that everyone in the Episcopal Church is not really Christian.

Cal Thomas, and Baptist Press, is biased and just plain wrong here, imho.

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan.

I find it a bit “curious” that so many evangelical Christians (of which I am only one) consider Obama not a “true” Christian because of some “liberal” beliefs—but at the same time rant and rave about our nation being a “Christian” nation.  Is there a different standard for an individual to be a Christian as opposed to a nation?”

If we spent more time actually “doing” the work of evangelism; and less time on finding fault with non or new-evangelicals—the whole thing could become moot.

Do we practice what we preach—or believe what we practice.  I’m confused.

I can’t believe anyone calling themselves a christian would vote for someone who favors abortion. 
There is a very clear difference in voting records.  Mcain, christian or not has the good sense to be against killing babies.  Obama has the most liberal voting record in the entire Senate, even more so than Nancy Pelosi.  You will be guilty of their blood on your hands.  This election will settles the issue by determing the fate of the Supreme Court.  A vote for Obama is a vote for killing the innocent.  God will not hold guiltless those who kill or condone the killing of the innocent.

Well for what it’s worth - we’re not a Christian nation. Maybe sad, but definitely true. We have a lot of Christians, or at least people who claim to be Christians, but we don’t have the fruit as a nation.

As for picking a candidate based solely on faith - I think that would be foolish. Of everyone I remember running, Mike Huckabee probably was the most “Christian” candidate, but probably one of the worst choices for president. Mr. Obama invites us to consider him as a Christian, and we have done so. I find that whatever he has been taught is Christianity does not line up with the Bible.  That being aside, I wouldn’t vote for him even if most of what he said did line up with the Bible because his voting record does not fall in line with God’s word. I would also not vote for him because I feel that a lot of his ideas, while maybe well-meaning, would actually hurt our society more than they would help.

Change just for its own sake is not always good. We have a lot of people who don’t like where we are right now as a nation and figure that anyone in the opposing party would be good because it would be “change”.  However, that same change will most likely lead to higher taxes, more judges who make decisions based on current trends rather than actual law, and creating a mess of our health care system on the order of Social Security (which is scheduled to be FAR in the red within the next 40 years).

Sadly, I don’t think either of the major candidates are the best person to lead our country, so I’m once again forced to choose the lesser of two evils. In this case, it’s going to be harder for me to vote than it has been in a while - just because I don’t really like my choices but I can’t justify throwing away a vote to Mr. Obama.

Whistleblower Jill Stanek, a Chicago nurse, described the practice of killing babies in what is now known as “live-birth abortion.” Illinois tried to stop the practice. But in 2002, as state legislator there, Obama voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected babies who were “accidentally” born alive during attempts to abort them.

“I could not bear the thought of this suffering child dying alone in a soiled utility room, so I cradled and rocked him for the 45 minutes that he lived,” Stanek told the U.S. Congress, describing one such case. “He was too weak to move very much, expending any energy he had trying to breathe. Toward the end he was so quiet that I couldn’t tell if he was still alive unless I held him up to the light to see if his heart was still beating through his chest wall.”

Amen to mnphysicist.  I have been voting for Republicans for over 20 years over the pro-life issue, believing that they would work to reverse Roe v. Wade, or put in Supreme Court justices that will.  Nothing has changed, nor do I believe that it will via legislation.  As mnphysicist said, it’s a matter of changing hearts.  If any of the above commenters think that McCain is going to reverse abortion law, I think you’ll find you’re sadly mistaken.  McCain is not so much pro-life as pro states rights.  At best he will kick the issue back to the states.  How many states, then, do you think will put in place a comprehensive abortion ban?

We all do realize that Jesus elected Obama don’t we? “The powers that be are ordained by God...” Seeing this is irrefutable, Obama will either be a vessel of honor or dishonor. Our job is to pray for him to be a vessel of honor. I he is not, God will derive glory whether he be a Pharoah or a Joseph. This discussion about his faith should pretty much be over by now, eh?