Well, put, Collin. If Obama wins, we're going to hear (more) messianic allusions from the left, and more apocalyptic language from the right. It's ridiculous. A president is trapped in a democracy, so his influence is seriously constrained. That's the point of democracy. People act like we're electing a dictator for life.

Thanks Collin - very well said. I hope more Christians can act as a voice of reason in the days/months/years to come, rather than contributing to unfounded hysteria. No matter who wins this election . . . tomorrow I and all Christians are still about the business of the Kingdom of God.

Focus on the Family is an effective example of sincere Christians who, I hope, will feel shamed when they review their behavior over the past few years. Jesus never spoke of imposing God on others. The only comments about others, i.e. "outsiders", were instructions for his disciples to show love. He reserved his harshest comments for those who claimed to follow God but did not live out that claim.

It is a sad day when politics divides the body of Christ. It is a sadder day when the body of Christ disparages its own character by resorting to the very same rhetoric to which the world resorts. I've heard it on both sides and am simply tired of it. Regardless of who wins this election, I will be happy that it will be done and thankful for who God has given us as our President.

Thank you for these wise words. I guess what saddens me the most about this brand of Christianity is that it rarely crosses their minds that perhaps the Church should be addressing the needs and hurts and issues of the very people they seem to fear.

In Dobson's world, only a "godly" President and Supreme Court can usher in the Kingdom. Who needs Jesus?

And it's a frail, pitiful, little Gospel that must be shielded and protected from serious scholarship and scientific scrutiny.
What a strange irony, that those who practically worship the Bible do not believe the Scripture is up to the challenge of open-minded reason.

And, even if Uncle Sam cleaned up his less than stellar act, he will never make much of a messiah. That's okay. The future is in much bigger hands.

"I still believe that God is sovereign over all history, and though I don't know why he has allowed these events to come about, it is still his purpose that will ultimately be accomplished."

"...allowed these event to come about..."?? Don't "we the people" elect the president with the electoral college? This is idea that God elects every leader of every nation is a little disturbing to me.

Collin, I can certainly appreciate and respect other opinions and perspectives, and I think that is one of the marks of wisdom and age--hopefully! On the other hand, I am often intrigued by comments like yours. I have lived many years as a lost person and many years as a Christian, and I am aware that people like James Dobson do not usually fall ignorantly and blindly into the actions and words you have observed. Biblical righteousness has a sense of responsibility for what is just as well as right whether in the body of Christ or in secular society. This can be seen in the Old Testament as well as the New, and I doubt that Jesus or Paul would expect us to simply accept the wrong in a democratic society where Christians can make themselves heard. We truly do not live under a Nero, but neither do we live in a dictatorship. We have a right and obligation to fight for the rights of unborn children, the preservation of marriage, and other biblical values, and complacency has shown what change inaction may lead to if we are simply quiet and loving. Many godly people fought for our rights as people and Christians to speak out for change and righteousness, and I for one believe that we have an obligation to do it. I would rather be outspoken and loving because it can be done. No doubt Dobson and others have traveled far enough down the path their faith has carried them to feel the same way. Obviously we do not all follow the same path when following our faith, but I seriously doubt that Dobson has not long since worked through the issues that trouble you to the point that he made a decision. I certainly respect your different path, but I also hope we can be Christ-like enough to honor those who follow Him, whether it has been a few years or many years. Doesn't the same Bible speak of honoring the elders among us? God bless you, and keep up the good work!

I just returned from India where I met with a Christian leader from Orissa where a democratically elected radical Hindu party is openly persecuting Christians. They are involved in relief efforts as well as political efforts to stop the killings. He shared that the darker things become in Orissa, the brighter the light of Christ shines through Christians & the more Hindus come to Christ.

I am not equating murderous Hindus to Obama! I am saying that I believe God is allowing the Church to fall upon darker times which will only allow us to shine more brightly. It is more painful for us but more glorifying to God.

The use of hate-speech laws to oppress the speech of Christians is quite plausible given what has happened in recent years in Canada and Australia.

If you want to villify someone (even if done genteely, lending it an air of intellectual superiority) because they have no doubt that snuffing out infant life in the womb or just out of the womb is going to anger a holy God, then I doubt you should be writing on a web site called Christianity Today. There is room in cyberspace for all thoughts and expression, but you're demonstrating an understanding that is elementally opposed to Christianity.

Collin, I am concerned with your views towards christian responsiblity of defending biblical principles in ones socity as wrong.
You never addressed the question of the unborn ,who doesn't have a voice, and calling abortion a sin rather than saying that it is the woman's choice to terminate a life.
I think you have disconnected from your christian responibility to defend those that can't defend themselves.
I guess God will judge those who stood by and said or voted their conviction. According to God's Word, We will be held accountable for all our deeds good or bad.
Maybe, I need to ask the question, do you believe that God's Word is without error and it is absolute truth?
Please answer that question and then I will know the intent of your words above.

Hello, everyone.

We've been receiving a host of comments that express concern that Collin doesn't believe the absolute truth of the gospel or that he didn't address the issue of abortion assertively enough. We won't be clearing any more of those comments, because they're repetitive and because they distract from the spirit of the conversation Collin was hoping to spark. I'll let him speak for himself, of course, but bear in mind that he is not giving commentary on particular issues, but is rather speaking about fear and faith as it relates to the results of yesterday's election.
Thanks,
Brandon

As a Canadian (and someone with a keen interest in politics), I've been following this election with great interest. And I realized, upon hearing the results last night, that as good - very good! tremendous! this changes everything! - as good as I think is is that America has a black president, my gut reaction to Obama's win was fear. I feel as though, in 22 months, he hasn't laid out any firm intentions or positions. As a citizen of a country whose interests and security are so firmly entrenched with America, this makes me nervous.

But, as a disciple of Christ, I know this fear is invalid, unhealthy. If anything, having a U.S. president who fills me with uncertainty is a good and relatively easy test of my faith, to put Christ's admonition to not worry into practice.

And, as an armchair politician, I am excited about what his presidency will do for foreign relations. Perhaps Canadians at large will even lay aside the general knee-jerk reaction to vilify the States. Our PM has taken a lot of flack for good relations with Bush, but he's no dummy and has been, presumably, planning for an Obama white house as he said back in August that he believed Obama would win. This will change everything (for now, anyways). And I'm excited in general to see what kinds of actions in all areas President Obama will take. If nothing else, I predict he'll be the most interesting president in my memory. I mean that in a good way.

As an Australian Christian I can assure RM that Christian proclamation is not oppressed in Australia. There was one strange court decision which was overtruned on appeal. There are concerns that have to be watched, but not great conspiracy nor terrible oppression. Did you know that in many states in Australia churches have the right to conduct classes in public schools and this remains a great oppourtunity to proclaim the gospel. I understand that would be impossible the in US.

This is to comment on the comments... I do not agree with Focus on the Family and their article. I think that it is to instill fear and shame in people that voted for Obama and it, in itself is shameful. I voted for McCain. I did not vote Obama, because of my personal beliefs about the person he really is. I do not pretend to like the choice that the American Populace chose for president; however I will support him because I am told to in the WORD. To point fingers is wrong. To be in disagreement is another thing. A friend told me that you can't “legislate” morality. I agree that this will never happen. I agree that abortion is wrong, but on the flip side it is a woman’s choice. There is no way that I will push my beliefs on someone that wants to make that choice. I will do what I can to let them know where I stand on the issue and advise against it, however I will love them the same no matter what choice they make... THAT is being a Christian. Pushing "Gods Agenda" is not something that I want to be known for. I want to be known for showing Christ's love to ALL people and winning them through that love, not pushing legislation on what I THINK is right. God is an Out-of-the-box God. Don’t think that for one second He can’t and won’t use our new president for good. Look at King Saul if you want a “Biblical Example” of how God uses people.

Not having seen, or even heard about the Focus on The Family piece referred to here, I won't pass judgement on it. However BrandonK takes the continual Christian cop-out of saying, "you can't “legislate” morality". Well, all legislation is based on somebody's morality. Whose will it be? We all vote to legislate morality whether it's good or bad. Why would we vote to legislate bad morality?

I will always have a difficult time voting for someone who is pro-choice. I believe abortion is the human rights/civil rights issue of our day. As segregation was the civil rights issue of the 60s, I believe abortion is the issue today. "But you can't legislate morality." I have had several well-meaning Christian friends tell me the same thing when I vocalize my hesitancy to vote for a pro-choice candidate. My thought is this- were people crying the same thing when one Governor George Wallace ran for president in the 60s?
I pray that Obama's heart would change on this issue of abortion and I am hoping for the best in the next 4 years. I join millions in prayer for our next president.

Thanks, Collin, for your insightful, biblical words.
The testimony of Scripture is that the Body of Christ is a bright, salty city on a hill. Because the Body is the Bride of the Lamb, it doesn't need to be propped up by government. The Body will leaven and affect government, but it is not dependent upon it or thwarted by it. There is no need to recount here the many occasions in history when the Bride was the brightest in the midst of the worst despotism.
I understand Focus' problem; they're fundamentally Constantiniastic in outlook and can't imagine a thriving Chrisitanity in a hostile world. We shouldn't be surprised at this. Jesus said the scarcest thing in the Last Days would be faith. Focus just lacks faith. Therefore, we should pray that they acquire more faith. This will result in a more perfect love that casts out all fear. Then, perhaps, they will have a more mature testimony in facing the age.

Is this a democrat only web site? You're all congratulating each other for group think!

I hear many of you speak about the love we as Christians need to share, and how this love we all claim to have for each other should be first among the things by which we are represented. This article has seemingly caused a perceived need for stone-throwing and "mud-slinging," yet as I read in scripture, Jesus said "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone." It was also our Savior who said that we are to love one another as we love ourselves, and as He loved us, which by the way was and still is a whole bunch!
This is a very simplistic way to look at the situation at hand, yet all I read over and over was a lot of anger and back-biting, and not-so-good feelings for each other. I would imagine this breaks the heart of our Creator.

Democrat? Who's a Democrat? Not me.

Focus is a public organization. It claims to speak for Christianity. It has "prophecied" with its "Letter from 2014." Scripture exhorts us to work out our salvation, and, test all prophecy to see if the prophecy accords with the Word. This kind of critique is not loveless; in fact it is motivated by love. I want to see Focus become a better organization. I want to see the Bride go from her tattered condition to become the river that Ezekiel talked about in chapter 47.
Read Revelation 2 and 3. There are harsh words for those who call themselves Christ's and yet miss the mark. Our Lord continually raises the bar, because the world deserves nothing less. And, I ask nothing from anyone else that I don't ask from myself.

I find this conversation very interesting...here again is an example of Christianity in North America focused on two main subjects. We as church are focused abortion and gay rights/marriage. But when the issue of oppression, violence, and poverty arise or a change in our lifestyle the church “leadership” is silent. Our view of what God has called the church to focus and address as been narrow over the last decade.

For 8 years we had a “Christian leader” who waged war and made life more difficult for those less fortunate in this country I didn’t hear Dobson and other “Christian leaders” challenge the president. Rather they gave him a ringing endorsement. What’s wrong with this picture?

Rather than call people to pray for God’s guidance in the selection of leadership we are telling people who to vote for or using scare tactics to sway voters. I hope and pray that God use Obama in might and powerful way so that farce of Christianity that exists in North America can be exposed for what it is and we can truly return to God responding to his call. We are more pharisaic and legalistic than we like to acknowledge.
These are new times for the church and in as much as I respect my elders I will not blindly follow their lead. I will seek God’s guidance and wisdom and not the wisdom of man.

The interesting thing is that in Collin's post, no denial is actually made of the concerns raised by the Focus On The Family letter. I finally found a copy of it and though the presentation is made creatively in the form of a fictional futuristic letter, all of the concerns are documented and are very real. They are based on CURRENT legislation, CURRENT judicial rulings, and documented statements of our president-elect. Many of these things have already happened at the state level. Choosing to be naive about one's favorite politician is inexcusable. For you to say that, "... the letter stokes fear and encourages faith in government as the ultimate arena for advancing the gospel and promoting biblical morality." is disingenuous. You either know nothing of the ministry of Focus or you choose to ignore it. A favorite quip of the religious left, when defending one of their own, is to say, "but you're quoting him/her out of context". This seems to be what is happening here. After reading the 'letter' I see it as little different of the Biblical warnings of what was ahead of true Christians in Pauls day. Collin says, "No matter who becomes the next president, he won't be more hostile to the Christian faith than Emperor Nero, who ruled over the Roman Christians who received this letter. And yet the apostle Paul told them "he is God's servant for your good" (Rom. 13:4). Is this supposed to make us feel better? Here's a taste of what Nero did to Christians: Nero used all kinds of punishments against the Christians. He had some sewed up in the skins of wild beasts, and then turned savage dogs loose on them until they were chewed to pieces. Other Christians were dressed in shirts dipped in wax, tied to poles, and set on fire in Nero’s garden. Many were shot with arrows, and many others were thrown into the arena, where they were killed by savage lions and other wild beasts. The implication is that since our new governing authorities don't have plans as bad as these we should just shut up and take it? The Christians in Nero's day didn't have the option to elect him to office. We have chosen our own destiny.

It continues to amaze me how despite a pastor actually praying from the pulpit for the president and his administration, individual members of a congregation are hostile to doing so when it's not a Republican president. In fact many of them are now expressing that it's the end of the world, we are now facing the Antichrist, we're headed for Marxism, etc. Some didn't even acknowledge the newly elected president, as if what was one of the most historically important events in our country never happened.
How can we expect non-believing people or marginal believers to BELIEVE IN JESUS when many intelligent believers are displaying in full force that they are being exactly what the skeptical call "CRAZY CHRISTIANS"?