If the news story I read today is correct (and, who knows if it is ...) then there is a little tussle brewing between Dr. James Dobson and presidential candidate Barak Obama. Obama wants to reach out to evangelical Christians. Dobson is in no mood to endorse Obama. That will unfold however such things unfold. I'm not too interested in that.
What does interest me is that the article reports that in a speech Obama wondered what kind of Christianity we would teach in schools, even if that were an option. "Would it be Dobson's or Al Sharpton's?" He asked. Adding that "the Sermon on the Mount is so radical that it's doubtful the Department of the Military would survive."
I don't recall ever hearing a presidential candidate mention the Bible as anything but a way to curry nostalgic favor with a semi-religious electorate. If nothing else, I appreciate Obama's grasp of the challenge of Jesus' sermon. The Sermon on the Mount is radical. If we aren't going to try to follow it we should at least admit that we don't have the courage to try.
Obama's speech appears to have been touching on the issue of why it's impossible to introduce Christianity into schools because of the disagreements within the the Christian community. He's right about that. I really wouldn't want Dobson or Sharpton in charge of my kids' education (although, with the music my children are forced to hear on the bus, either Dobson or Sharpton have the potential to protect my children better than the current "no moral stand" climate in school systems).
What I would like to hear him discuss (and maybe he has) is how that is any different than the disagreements we face in the secular scientific, artistic, and historical schools of thought. If complete agreement on issues is essential then we best disband schools now.
The secular educators don't disagree less than Christian disagree. Should they get a free pass while religious people are told to be quiet in public and keep their "private" opinions to themselves?
My challenge to Obama (and I KNOW he has time to read unknown blogs!) is to take what appears to be a first class intellect and apply it to Christianity and the NEA equally. The problem is that if he challenged them the way he challenged Christians, he would immediately become unelectable.
3 comments:
Personally, I like how Dobson basically says Obama isn't a Christian. I know he doesn't *say* it, but to the followers of Dobson - he said it.
Amen and amen, in soooooooooooo many ways.
Reaching out to people who don't like you---now there is an strange concept for a Christian. Wonder where Obama got an idea like that? Guess he will only be a "real" Christian when he practices Dobson's brand of Christianity.
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