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Messiah complex: Obama and the danger of a divinized ruler
WORLD ^ | August 23, 2008 | Gene Edward Veith

Posted on 08/15/2008 7:17:46 AM PDT by rhema

Critics accuse Barack Obama of presenting himself as some kind of Messiah (see "Hurry Up and Wait," WORLD, March 22/29, 2008). His speech upon clinching the Democratic nomination claimed for the event a cosmic significance that future generations would look back upon: "This was the moment," he said, "when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal." His campaign slogans exhort us to "Believe." One of his posters gives biblical concepts a new object: "Faith. Hope. Change. Barack Obama for President."

But Obama's messianic image is more than just over-the-top political rhetoric. Many Americans are actually giving him religious veneration. Some are even hailing him as savior.

Conservative Catholic blogger Christopher Blosser started an entire website, Is Barack Obama the Messiah? (obamamessiah.blogspot.com), to track the spiritual devotion to the presidential nominee. The site shows how media photographs portrays the candidate bathed in heavenly light or adorned with halos. More telling are the testimonies of Obama's disciples.

Says U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., the son of the civil-rights activist, of Obama's pending nomination: "The event itself is so extraordinary that another chapter could be added to the Bible to chronicle its significance." Movie director Spike Lee goes further. After the presidential election, "You'll have to measure time by 'Before Obama' and 'After Obama.'" Lee added, "Everything's going to be affected by this seismic change in the universe."

"A black man with a white mother became a savior to us," proclaimed Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam. He "could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall."

Established journalists have embraced the new religion. "Barack Obama isn't really one of us," reports Mark Mortford of the San Francisco Chronicle. He is, in fact, "a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve."

At Obama rallies, such is the religious fervor that people often pass out, like being slain in the spirit at a Pentecostal revival.

Democrats have been warning against the danger of mixing religion and politics. They fear the influence of conservative Christians on a secular state. But influence and mixing is far less of a danger to a free republic than the union of religion and politics in the form of a divinized ruler. Human beings have a tendency to revert to that kind of ruler, as we see in the god-kings of ancient Egypt, the divine emperors of Rome, the divine-right absolute monarchies of early modern Europe, and the cult of the Leader in today's totalitarian states.

The real Messiah, though, was despised, rejected, and crucified. He gives salvation from sin, death, and the devil and opens the way to the kingdom of heaven. And He allows for no other Messiahs.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; blueturban; issues; obama; obamamessiah
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To: spintreebob

Is this the time where ‘progressives’ complete their transformation of the US?
In the 70’s, they started the crusade to unleash man’s conscience from God Laws (10 commandments) and replace it with man’s law. (We know how the issue of the day can make the rules fickle.)

We talk of the seven deadly sins, but no mention of the seven virtues. The ‘golden rule’ is also ignored.
All that is left is direction from the state.
The left doesn’t want religion in politics but promotes politics in religion.
The US has lost its soul. The US is in a death spiral. Will we have to hit bottom before we recover?


21 posted on 08/15/2008 8:13:09 AM PDT by griswold3 (Al qaeda is guilty of hirabah (war against society) Penalty is death.)
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To: aggie21
“Maybe he's the Antichrist?”

I won't go that far, but with his Humanist Moral relativism theology he without a doubt has the Spirit of Antichrist in him. And it shows how easy it is for the real one to enter the Worlds stage someday. And he will fool multitudes, even many of those that should know him when he arrives, wont.

22 posted on 08/15/2008 8:19:07 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
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To: rhema
Says U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., the son of the civil-rights activist, of Obama's pending nomination: "The event itself is so extraordinary that another chapter could be added to the Bible to chronicle its significance."

Blasphemy. Apparently, the "Reverend" Jackson didn't teach his son about the Lord. Of course, it could be that the "Reverend" doesn't know about Him either.

23 posted on 08/15/2008 8:52:57 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: kcm.org
Nonesense as the most simple of the sheeple are against Osama and for McCain.

You might want to read your own tag line.

24 posted on 08/15/2008 8:54:11 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: Eagle Eye; kcm.org
The most simple minded of people are for McCain!

Maybe you should read kcm's tagline.

Let me ask you a few questions. Are you recommending that people not vote at all or vote third party? Do you realize that either of those options will result in an Obama victory? Are you willing to live the rest of your life paying high taxes in order to fund socialized medicine?

25 posted on 08/15/2008 9:00:26 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: IrishMike

That’s just creepy. But then, Barrack H. Obama is creepy.


26 posted on 08/15/2008 9:10:21 AM PDT by fullchroma
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To: NavyCanDo
"Maybe he's the AntiChrist"

Maybe he's just an AntiChrist

27 posted on 08/15/2008 10:22:05 AM PDT by atc23
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To: vietvet67
A media created nobody..

Barack Obama = Max Headroom

28 posted on 08/15/2008 10:51:07 AM PDT by Dr.Deth
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To: MEGoody

I can’t envision any way that I can vote for McCain.

It is close to a mental illness for the GOP to support the man who helped ruin the GOP majority, the man who kicked the GOP in the shin time and time again, the man who boasted of being a maverick, the man who consorted with the GOP’s opponents.

I’d be ashamed to be called a GOP supporter or a Republican.

Look at the list of shameful candidates that they run!

A McCain administration will require you and his GOP supporters to support all kinds of initiatives that you’d otherwise oppose. And he has a track record of blatantly un and anti Constitutional legislation and positions, so you know he can and probably will do it again.

O, btw, I did read his tagline and am essentially calling him on it.

McCain’s supporters don’t like to deal with the facts regarding their hero’s severe character flaws as a person and politician, so they have to propogandize by calling criticism ‘bashing’. That pretty much says that they are unable to face the truth and are attempting to marginalize and silence those with opposing opinions. It is a tactic learned and perfected by liberals.

So if you support the man who opposed the GOP are you really a GOP supporter or anti GOP?

I just think that people that support McCain are just like Hillary in that they will endure any humiliation just to be close to power.

If GOP supporters truly cared for the country instead of just political office holding they’d dump McCain.

But they dont so they won’t.


29 posted on 08/15/2008 11:04:20 AM PDT by Eagle Eye (I'm a RINO cuz I'm too conservative to be a Republican. McCain is the Conservatives true litmus test)
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To: Red Badger

With youth voters, almost all the minority voters in the USA, feminists, gays, union people and many voters who just hate Bush, conservs, Gopers, and real Christians, BO really does have a huge constituancy though they really are very historically, culturally, stupid. For a Party that never has courted GODLY values or the Biblical God, this looks look suspiciously following the Golden Calf.


30 posted on 08/15/2008 11:17:38 AM PDT by phillyfanatic
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To: Eagle Eye
I can’t envision any way that I can vote for McCain.

That's your choice of course.

It is close to a mental illness for the GOP to support the man who helped ruin the GOP majority.

What do you propose we do? He won the nomination. How can we constitutionally get rid of him? What impact would that have on the election?

A McCain administration will require you and his GOP supporters to support all kinds of initiatives that you’d otherwise oppose.

Hmmm. . .I'm a supporter of Bush, but I certainly didn't support the amnesty effort - and I and many others let him and our Congress critters know that. Didn't pass, did it?

McCain’s supporters don’t like to deal with the facts regarding their hero’s severe character flaws as a person and politician

I certainly hope you aren't attempting to paint all who are planning to vote for McCain with that broad brush. I'm voting for him because I'd rather have a President I can agree with 50% of the time than one I could never agree with.

That pretty much says that they are unable to face the truth and are attempting to marginalize and silence those with opposing opinions.

LOL You're a bit of a drama king or queen, aren't you?

If GOP supporters truly cared for the country instead of just political office holding they’d dump McCain.

Once again, he won the nomination. How can we do so constitutionally, and what would be the impact of doing so?

31 posted on 08/15/2008 11:52:29 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: MEGoody
How can we constitutionally get rid of him? What impact would that have on the election?

You gotta be joking!

Do you really think that the Constitution describes the primary process? LOL...there is no Constitutionally protected process involved!

LOL You're a bit of a drama king or queen, aren't you?

Ah...Phse II of the plan...when you can't marginalize by diversion (calling criticsm "bashing") then you go after the messenger while denying your most recent actions! LOL..right on schedule, right out of the playbook!

Once again, he won the nomination. How can we do so constitutionally, and what would be the impact of doing so?

That is not correct, he has not be nominated yet. And as before, the nomination process is not described in the Constitution so the GOP could do anything they want to do inside some smokefilled room.

Obama is going to self destruct if Hillary doesn't do it for him. He is a hollow shell of a candidate. He is so weak that he should be tromping and stomping on McCain but he's not.

McCain is a terrible candidate that has scorned a good portion of the party about to nominate him. He is also such a weak candidate that he and weakass Obama are running neck and neck, not to see who will win the election but to see who will narrowly avoid losing it!

Almost any solid politician with decent credentials could beat Obama. That candidate need not be a sparkling superstar to do it, just someone people feel safe voting for.

What would happen if McCain died, became disabled, or for some reason chose not to run. Any of those could happen and then the GOP would have to find another candidate.

So whoever that candidate is, find him or her now and replace McCain now.

32 posted on 08/15/2008 1:42:03 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (I'm a RINO cuz I'm too conservative to be a Republican. McCain is the Conservatives true litmus test)
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To: MEGoody
Talking about the SHEEPLE--you don't know who they are? Mind-numbed robots who vote how the TV leads them. Who jump on fads tv presents them--you know, "everybody's doing it."

Even these SHEEPLE aren't buying into the Osama hard sell and hype. Got it, FReeper?

Any more questions?

33 posted on 08/15/2008 1:51:52 PM PDT by kcm.org (Conservatives bashing Sen. McCain has Ronald Reagan spinning in his grave!!!)
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To: spintreebob

I do not believe in any change that the POS Obama could bring. I do think that a lot of religions have fallen away from what their true teachings should be. They are afraid they will lost parishoners and money unless they are PC. That is the reason I have quit going to church.


34 posted on 08/16/2008 6:01:47 AM PDT by Piquaboy (22 year veteran of the Army, Air Force and Navy, Pray for all our military .)
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To: kcm.org

The way your post read, it appeared you were saying you had to be more simple minded to vote for McCain than you had to be to vote for Obama. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who read your post that way, but I apologize for the misunderstanding.


35 posted on 08/18/2008 9:07:37 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: Eagle Eye
there is no Constitutionally protected process involved!

So again, what do you propose be done?

. . then you go after the messenger while denying your most recent actions!

To what most recent actions of mine are you refering?

That is not correct, he has not be nominated yet.

Not formally, but he has more than enough delegates to get the nomination. So, how do you propose that the ones who don't like McCain convince the McCain delegates to vote for someone other than who they were named to vote for at the convention? Even if you were able to convince them, how do you propose the resulting backlash from the voters be handled?

36 posted on 08/18/2008 9:14:35 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall cause you to vote against the Democrats.)
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To: MEGoody

It takes a real person [man or woman] to admit they are wrong; therefore, it is my honor to have met you, and may you be greatly blessed beyond your right to enjoy.


37 posted on 08/19/2008 6:05:27 AM PDT by kcm.org (Conservatives bashing Sen. McCain has Ronald Reagan spinning in his grave!!!)
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