The Election

  This past Sunday there were two letters to the editor in the Paducah Sun warning that "Obama, Democrats have nation on brink of economic, social ruin"  and  "It's our Christian duty to vote for leaders based on biblical truth"  The first letter talks about a socialist agenda and urges us all to vote for freedom from the oppressive anti religious regime that is obamaism.  The second letter proclaims that if we continue down the same road (killing babies and same sex marriage) nothing but God's judgement awaits us and we may already be experiencing it. May god have mercy on us.  This letter was written by an 86 year old retired Baptist pastor. 
   These views should not surprise me because I hear them from coworkers all the time.  But they do alarm me.  I want to shout that I am a democrat and I am a Christian.  These two beliefs are not incompatible.  I'm also tired of being made to feel ashamed for being a democrat.  The second letter talks about biblical truth and anyone who has read their bible can immediately recognize that the bible is not a simple book.  It requires study and there are many conflicting stories.  There are biblical admonishments about divorce, lending money, women cutting their hair, having slaves etc etc.  The bible actually has very little to say about homosexuality. So why do some Christians hang everything on one verse while ignoring others?  What the bible does teach is that Jesus spent his time with the outcasts in society- the lepers, widows, the poor, the Samaritans.  He also taught that we should love our neighbors, which are not those people that are just like us.  Our neighbors are the lepers, the poor, widows, those from other countries, and even homosexuals.  How can man proclaim homosexuality a sin when scientists cannot even tell us the cause of homosexuality.  Would we condemn a child with Down' s syndrome? 
    I know that if we take the bible literally it doesn't all add up.  I also know that I am voting for a President of the USA not a spiritual leader.  I want a president that can lead this country through tough economic times.  Obama has been doing this for the last 4 years. Based on that, I believe he deserves another 4 years.