November 2010

Should we Blame President Obama for Helping to Rescue the Working Class?

"In as much as you did it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me" (St. Matthew 25:40)

Where were the political conservatives to write books about how George Bush sank the economy of the nation? Was it not under President George Bush that many Americans lost their homes to foreclosure and their fortune in Wall Street diminished? What were the political conservatives saying about these woes they have caused the people? When will we learn to tell the truth to the people?

Concerns: We preachers need to be very careful! When we start to politicize the gospel of our Lord to feed our political ideologies, and to appease our political parties, we have lost the gospel message and the people. This is the reason why many young adults are presently walking away from Christianity. The gospel of Jesus is not about hyped up emotions to appease the audience by echoing their desires. The gospel of Jesus is about delivering and placing the good news on the hearts of people, not about advocating for politicians. I spoke to a young man in his twenties about Christ. He said, "When I saw and experienced the verbal abuse and the emotional violence in Christianity against others, this religion is not for me." I am still working on him. I have not given up. We preachers need to start watching our styles and who represents our opinions.

The sad situation is the predicament faced by religious conservatives who are being used and defamed by political conservatives whose actions indicate their lack of faith in God. More evidence is showing us that the political conservatives do not believe in the same religious values as the religious (Christian) conservatives. They are only using Jesus as a front for their political gains. The political conservatives have mastered the process of telling lies to the nation, and never to address the problems they have created. Sadly the religious conservatives are supporting them, such an alliance will eventually lead this nation to a great tragedy. Denials, lies, and lack of corrective actions are the active ingredients in a recipe for a failure and the collapse of any institution. This is the pathway of political conservatives. Their Christian images are based on falsehood, they do not believe in God based on their actions. Their alliance with Christian conservatives is to use them to gain votes. Once in office, they do as they please, and in some situations act contrary to the values of Christian conservatives. This is the more reason why Jesus said, "We shall know them by their fruits." These are the same people who opened the door for thieves to steal your money. Are they bearing good fruit?

Denials: Giving bail out money to businesses started under former President George Bush after he crashed the economy of the nation. Even Senator McCain stopped his presidential campaign to be sure Congress would pass the first wave of the bail out money for Wall Street. Yet, the same people want to blame President Obama for trying to clear the giant tons of mess that was left by the previous administration under George Bush Jr. We Christian conservatives need to speak up! It is like the case of a person who went to rob a bank. He was arrested and placed in jail. Then a kind-hearted friend was working to bail him from jail and set him free. The person who was in jail was angry and blaming the person trying to bail him out that he was not trying hard enough. Instead of being grateful after being bailed out, he went on a national campaign to tell the nation that the person who bailed him out was a bad person because he did not try hard enough. This is the same situation with President Obama trying to heal the economic woes caused by the political conservatives who are now blaming him for the economic crisis they created. Only the truth will set the nation free! We are a nation in bondage with denial!

The inability of the political conservatives to tell the truth while staying in denial is the primary reason the nation is in an economic mess. If they tell the truth, everybody can work together to fix the problem. But they are too worried about staying in office while using propaganda journalism as their weapon of choice. As a result, they started another "coffee Party" to deceive more Americans that are gullible. There are many thieves still stealing people’s money in Wall Street because the political conservatives protect them for business as usual. At the same time they want you to put them back in office. Instead of admitting to the economic problems they have created they started their usual diversionary strategy by shouting socialist government! No healthcare for all! Government is bankrupting the nation! People who follow them are so emotionalized and blinded that they become defective in thinking for themselves. While the entire nation of the U.S. is still in financial trouble, the Wall Street and banks are celebrating the looting of Americans – the greatest robbery in history. Mocking cheers to the political conservatives! What a crying shame!

Negative effects on students: For a long period of time, I was thinking the college professors are the ones misleading Christian students to the falsehood that there is no absolute truth. Later after listening to those students’ arguments, it is evident that the political conservatives are the ones drilling this idea into the students by their inability to tell the truth to Americans. They are used to twisting bad things they do to make them look good. The students are saying, if these so called political conservatives continue to lie to the nation and never own to the economic damage to America, then there is no absolute truth. Instead of working to fix the problem, the political conservatives as their tradition will blame somebody else and start another "Tea Party" to manipulate the minds of those who are unable to see through the veil of lies. American young students are saying they are not that stupid! Do you blame them? We are the ones who teach our children to take responsibility for their actions. But, in practice, we the parents and as politicians, we fail to take responsibility for our own actions. We therefore blame somebody else and refuse to address the issue let alone take responsibility for the financial disasters and pain we caused people. Consequently, people continue to suffer!

Ungodly Agenda: The main agenda of political conservatives is very ungodly. Although they preach against big government, in reality they hate the idea of somebody having the same access to opportunities as they have. They always want others less privileged at the mercy of the capitalists. The political conservatives thrive on watching other people suffer, and at their mercy. They believe in a cast system whereby some people are destined to suffer while the capitalists celebrate the looting of the people’s money. Although they preach freedom for all, but in practice, they keep people in economic bondage similar to the situation under President George Bush Jr. They believe that the capitalists should make money at all cost even if in the process human lives are lost - - bleeding people to death. Their position is that the capitalists will create jobs for the people. It is called trickle down economics. That policy failed under President George Bush’s administration. Instead, the capitalists become predatory and started to steal money from the people, and the nation’s working class started to suffer. When that idea failed and they crash the economy, President Bush told the nation that people needed to start spending. How can people start spending when the predatory capitalists have stolen all their money? Capitalism is not the problem but greed is a poison! Jesus supported capitalism in the parable of the talents, but he hates greed! God responded to the outcry of the working class and the financial burden placed upon them by placing a man of compassion like President Obama in office. You do not have to like him, but he is the modern Moses sent to rescue the working class.

Killing innocent people in the electric chair just to show we are tough on crimes for political gains and starting a war that killed innocent people, are part of the satanic adventures of political conservatives. They will say that, "occasional hanging is good for the troops." Let the person to hang be their brother, sister, or themselves, and see how quickly the rule changes. If the Christian conservatives want to regain respect, confidence, and trust with society, they must disassociate themselves from political conservatives. When the secular world looks at Christianity, the ungodly actions of the political conservatives becomes more prominent masking the good deeds of Christian conservatives. This is one of the major reasons why our children are not listening to us any more. They believe that we Christians are filled with hypocrisy. Help us Jesus!

Excessive Greed: The original American economy that built this nation was never based on greed but compassionate capitalism. Compassionate capitalism came alive during the industrial revolution in the U.S. leading to mass production of goods for the nation and to sell in other countries. The economy was based on producing goods for the consumers. When the economy of the U.S. changed from industrial economy to service economy, there was a giant rise in fraudulent schemes to increase profits at ALL levels. As a result, employers are pushing employees to the brink of emotional crash in the process of forcing workers to make more profits. However, we forget that there is a limit to how a single person can produce in a service economy. People are not machines! Consequently, this opens the door for all kinds of financial schemes to make money at the expense of the workers and the consumers. Bogus bills started to appear on regular phone bills. Fraudulent charges started appearing on credit card bills. Credit card companies are known for excessive interest rates without compassion with over the limit fees killing consumers. Ridiculously high late fees even if you only owe $5 on your credit card. The gasoline companies have taken American consumers to the cleaners when some workers are paying more for gasoline monthly than for their car payment. Real estate scams caused millions of Americans to lose their homes leading some senior citizens to commit suicide to prevent them from losing their homes to foreclosure. Wall Street thieves looted everybody and many people watched as they lost all their investments due to fraud. These companies stole all the money from people in the name of capitalism. It is not capitalism. Excessive greed is not capitalism but predatory capitalism! This is a sin before God!

Danger to Churches: I have heard some very few pastors both on the radio and on television lashing out to the government in an attempt to slow down the predatory capitalists and business frauds. These pastors are calling government’s efforts to slow down business fraud, socialism. I am not too sure if these pastors realize what they are doing and the dangers they are exposing their ministries. There is no doubt in my mind that these preachers are unaware of what they are doing or the implications of their messages to the public. Some people are already asking the government to start probing mega churches that are making big money from their congregations. The public wants to know how these large revenues are being spent. As a result, Congress has started to investigate some of the large and visible churches for financial misconduct. One of the reasons why there is an outcry from the public is what appears to be some preachers’ position of supporting predatory capitalists who are stealing money from them. They are asking the question, why should they be giving money to the church that is advocating and supporting fraudulent schemes disguised as capitalism. In other words, some people believe that these preachers fighting government’s crackdown on fraudulent business schemes are indirectly supporting business frauds disguised as capitalism. The public is outraged!

In defense of these preachers who are calling President Obama’s efforts to help the working class and slow down business frauds as socialism, are they aware of what they are doing? These preachers are not aware of the implications of their messages. Are these preachers aware that their messages may be contrary to the desires of Christ and may eventually force the government to place strict restrictions on the finance of the church? President Obama realized the pain of the working class and how the predatory capitalists are placing an average American in financial bondage. Should we blame President Obama for helping the least of these my brethren, according to the words of Jesus Christ?

Jesus’ Gospel Message: God hates for us to let the poor, the widow, and the under-privileged suffer. This is written throughout the Bible. It is the more reason why I do not believe that the political conservatives believe in the biblical values. Jesus himself was concerned about how we treat the poor people and cause them to suffer. Yet today, we have some pastors preaching that President Obama’s effort to help the working class regain their economic strength, after the Wall Street robbery is a socialist agenda. Tell that to Jesus!

"Go ye into the world and preach the gospel to all people" (St. Mark 16:15).

Jesus asks us to go and preach the gospel to all people. He did not ask us to go and fight with the government and call leaders names. Jesus’ main agenda that is failing today is for preachers to place the gospel message in the hearts of all people, not in the government arena. People are the ones responsible for sharing and spreading the gospel message not the government. The separation of church and state is to get government out of the affairs of the church, and not to protect people from God as it is currently used by the anti-Christian groups. Jesus knew that each government is transient and people’s spirit will abide with them for life. The twelve disciples of Jesus made tremendous achievements in preaching the gospel message despite they all faced intense hostility from the governments of their days. They placed the gospel message in the hearts of men. That was what Peter did in book of Acts chapter 2, leading three thousand people to join the church. Christians today have many opportunities to preach the gospel compared to the twelve disciples. Despite, we are blaming the government because our preaching inside the church has failed to change human behavior because some preachers are speaking on two corners of their mouths thereby misleading the people. Just blame the government so people can feel better at pointing their fingers elsewhere, and will never have to change their behavior and walk away from sin. The reason why preachers are failing to reach people is because of the hypocrisy of double tongues of preaching both Jesus and politics on the same pulpit. One day Jesus is going to line up all of us preachers both small and great, and he will ask the question, "What gospel message have you been preaching to the people, that of Jesus, yourself, or that of politicians?"

Honestly, we Christians have it so good today compared to the past experiences of Jesus disciples and what is coming down in the future. Instead of fighting the government, our present mission is to train those believers coming behind us who are going to face giant hostility from society and the government of their days. Many of them are going to be murdered for their faith, according to the book of Revelation, during the intense persecution of Christians when the anti-Christ shows his ugly face in the world scene. What are we going to leave as a legacy for those coming behind us to be able to withstand the intense persecutions they are going to face? Blaming the government at that time may mean instant death for many. How are we preparing these people to survive despite intense hostility against Christianity in the last days?

As the old saying, "A hood does not make a monk." Just because a person puts up an outside outfit as a Christian and carry the biggest Bible to church does not make that person a Christian. There are many people going to church as club members, but there is no Christ in them. What is the use in carrying a fake salvation card? How can we Christians justify the sufferings we have allowed on the working class due to GREED when Jesus himself preached against this selfishness? His judgment is going to be based on how we treated the least of these.

Contrary to what one preacher was preaching on the television, social security is not an entitlement program. Many people worked all their lives and put money away in the social security pot. Social security is the people’s investment in the government. After retirement these hard working people deserve the right to receive their benefits.

I just wish all the Christian preachers will tune to radio heavens and listen to the messages the Lord he is currently delivering to the people instead of coming up with their own personal gospel. Either you believe in the gospel message of Christ or you do not. There is no reason for us to preach contrary to the gospel message of Christ just for political gains. There is more to the mystery of President Obama than many people know. Read chapter 38 of the book, Closer Walk With Jesus as God himself uncovers the mystery revelation of President Obama as a Christian, and as a man to serve his purpose. Read about why God chose him! I do not believe President Obama is perfect, and I disagree with some of his public policies. But, this does not change the fact that God is using him for his purpose. That was what the Holy Spirit revealed to me before the election. I believe without any reservation that the Holy Spirit never lies. Sometimes the truth can be very painful. But, it does not change the fact. As Christians we either stand by the truth for Christ or we become advocates for the devil. God forbid!

Jesus said, "If you cause the least of these my brethren to suffer, you have done it on to me" (St. Matthew 25:40).

By ‘Yinka Vidal, author, Closer Walk With Jesus

(The book reveals fresh warning from Christ about greed! It is due in Christian stores in December just in time for Christmas 2010, but you can reserve your copy at a discount now visit www.closerwalk.net).