A friend linked me to an editorial by Charisma Magazine founder Steve Strang because of it's ridiculous title- Life As We Know It Will End If Obama Is Elected.
The content of the editorial depressed the living snot of out me so I moused down to quickly scan the comments, thinking I might need to click out to cuteoverload for a boost of happy afterwards.
Although many of the comments are pretty much what we've come to expect following this level of divisive discourse, a surprising number of the commenters chime in with statements filled with... well, I can only describe it as hope.
God is love and this article is down right shameful and racist. How could you write something like this and call yourself a Christian. I voted for George Bush twice, and all the issues you raised against Obama, Bush has supported or turned a deaf ear to. -Ann from Texas
More comments and, dare I say it, hope behind the cut.
Steve Strang
If the biggest issue you think facing the US and the world for that matter is abortion, gay rights and increasing YOUR personal income tax then shame on you. Never miss an opportunity to sling mud and then at the bottom of an email try and sell a book! You are irrelevant.
The litmus test of your column for me is whether it sounds like something Jesus would say to His followers -- for me, I am afraid, it sounds more like someone who has more in common with Joe McCarthy or other far right wingers, hardly known for their compassion than with the common folk and sinners with whom Jesus was so criticized for spending time with.
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Daly de Gagne
You never cease to amaze me Mr. Stang. What do you mean "Life as WE know it ?'" You mean Life as YOU know it ! Your arms are too short to box with God my friend ! God will be true to HIS WORD and HIS PLAN. The good thing is... YOU don t have to like it ! The Heart is deceitfully wicked Mr. Strang... Yours is showing and it has nothing to do with taxes ! Bless You ! GOOOO OBAMA Go !!! If the devil is this mad ... there must be VICTORY UP AHEAD !
-Lawsy40
What a fear-mongering commentary, and shame on you for aligning yourself with a campaign who's rallies recently have been more like riots- with people calling out 'KILL HIM', and/or 'TERRORIST!'
That is what you SHOULD be commenting on Mr. Strang.
I've been a conservative Christian for almost 30 years, and have voted as such: But this time the antichrist spirit which has been operating within the McCain/Palin campaign is not something i can support or cast a vote for.
And there are many Christians who love Jesus, and feel the same way. I know because i hear from them daily.
What happened to your faith Mr Strang...do you no longer believe in the sovereignty of God?
It appears by the title of your fear based commentary, you don't...and i say that with sadness.
What a sad day for the Church of Jesus Christ when those Christians with 'voices' have sunk to fear mongering and smearing others for political reasons...
God help us all
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Juanita
Sen Obama is running a campaign on substance, Sen McCain is running a campaign on hate. Perhaps if we had a more sensitive Republican agenda, the millions of children, primarily african americans who are having abortions, could have avoided them if their parents didn't have to be absent, in most cases, as a result of working multiple jobs just to keep food on the table. Perhaps if there was more concern about creating an economy where working parents could make a decent wage and be home to spend time with their children, rather than leaving their children to raise themselves, people would not feel so hopeless about the republican agenda.
Whew. And they keep on coming.
Sure, there's a good deal of thickly spread wingnuttery, but as I kept reading, things stood out to liberal, blue state, agnostic little me... People talking about faith in humanity, in hope, in working class people trying to make a good life for their families. Many of these folks sound as if they might be posting here- drumming up support for the grassroots, volunteering in shelters and getting out the vote.
I will admit to holding fear in my heart for this election. I am afraid that no matter how hard we try and how good Obama and Biden are, the Republicans will find a way to pull the rug out from under the country.
Divisive culture is all around us. Obama's great strength as a candidate is his ability to bring people together. In supporting him these right wing evangelical Christians are speaking with faith based eloquence about the basic principles of equality and doubting thomasina me is beginning to hope that we might all start to work towards a better future tomorrow, just a little bit.