The Salty Peanut Gallery

Since starting this blog I’ve tried for the most part to steer clear of politics as much as I can. Not that there’s anything wrong with that mind you, it’s just not what I want to talk about. However, I am willing on occasion to make an exception, particularly when politicians are caught trying to use scripture in public, usually in an attempt to bolster their social agenda. Such was the case this past weekend with Barack Obama at the Saddleback Church presidential forum. When asked to identify America’s greatest moral failure, here’s what he had to say:

I think America’s greatest moral failure in my lifetime has been that we still don’t abide by that basic precept in Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. And notion of — that basic principle applies to poverty. It applies to racism and sexism. It applies to, you know, not having — not thinking about providing ladders of opportunity for people to get into the middle class. I mean, there is a pervasive sense I think that this country is wealthy and powerful as we still don’t spend enough time thinking about the least of these.

First of all we should address the context of the passage Senator Obama is attempting to cite. Jesus is prophesying about his second coming. It is a day of judgment in which He will separate the sheep from the goats, rewarding those who have received Him and judging those who have rejected Him. The evidence of their acceptance or rejection will be in their willingness to serve the followers of Jesus Christ. It’s not that Christ is rewarding service and condemning those who don’t serve. Jesus explains that serving Christ’s followers is the same as serving Christ himself, the point being that failure to serve Him proves one does not really belong to Him.

La Shawn Barber is a Washington, DC-based freelance writer, blogger, and blog consultant, a political conservative and an outspoken born again believer. Her recent post at La Shawn Barber’s Corner on Barack Obama and Matthew 25 touches on Obama’s misrepresentation of scripture that results in what I think is a very interesting contradiction. She explains, “I think what’s clearly in view here is not charity for all the less fortunate. It’s about Christians attending to the legitimate needs of other Christians.” She then goes on to challenge Obama’s inconsistency in citing this passage:

With a straight face, Obama chastised others for not abiding by the precepts of Matthew 25, when he had a chance to do the same and failed. For example, instead of choosing to protect and care for the least of his brothers, the unborn, by supporting a bill that would protect those born alive after failed abortion attempts, he voted against the bill.

Who among us is more vulnerable and needy than an infant, unborn or otherwise? Obama the “Christian” said he would not yield when it comes to a woman’s right to have her baby slaughtered.

Excellent point! It’s unimaginable that Obama can presume to preach to us about not doing enough “for the least of these” (i.e. not paying enough taxes) in the face of his own voting record on the abortion issue. It’s not enough that he has little understanding of the scripture he’s trying to use. He isn’t even consistent in the way he uses it.

And by the way, did you happen to catch his wishy-washy response to the question of when life begins? “Whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity … is above my pay grade.” Above your pay grade? Are you kidding me? Dude! You’re not running for dog catcher. It’s the presidency of the United States for crying out loud. Whose pay grade DOES it involve?

Look, there’s no question where Obama stands on abortion rights. He’s made that perfectly clear. No doubt he was uncomfortable voicing his position in front of a crowd of religious conservatives. I just find it remarkable how Senator Obama’s distorted understanding of scripture is not only incorrect, it’s inconsistent.