Rebuttal to Not by a Cause

Wow! That is all I can safely say to the response to my latest blog posting. I have never received so many responses, assertions, and questions to any of my blogs. I hope to craft my responses to your concerns and questions as carefully as possible. One thing I will say is that I never pretend or assume that I have all the answers. That would be pious and ludicrous on my part.

As I stated when I started my blog through the Facebook group, “I’m on a journey, come with me.” And I do appreciate everyone who reads my blog and comments. The blog is about growing through the ebbs and flows of life, not necessarily asserting my own opinion (but I rest assured that my opinion will always be present, you can never fully separate objectivity from partiality – at least that’s my opinion). Therefore, I hope to share some more of my thoughts regarding the “Not by a Cause” blog, my rational for writing it, and respond to the concerns of my audience.

I wrote “Not by a Cause” because I wanted to be able to remember such a historical night. I meant what I wrote when I looked into the sea of people and saw Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” coming to life before my very eyes, with black people and white people and Indian people and Asian people joined together in unison. Though I do not agree with President Obama’s politics, I will not apologize for seeing such a beautiful occurrence in America and remembering it in my own words. To quote Sam Cooke, “Its been a long time coming,” and I am quietly ecstatic that “a change has come.”

One of the comments to my post stated that I need to be more careful parsing the scriptures together that I used. I understand the concern for using scriptures out of context, and I am especially confident given the historical background of the texts used (and as I explicated towards the end of my post) that when Paul and Peter wrote those scriptures, they were speaking of a repressive Roman occupation to their country that was calling for every citizen to acknowledge Caesar as God. When you read such phrases in Phillipians as, “Jesus is Lord” and “Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords”, Paul took those phrases from the modern day vernacular of Rome and Phillipi. Let me explain: The original phrases were “Caesar is Lord” and “Caesar, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Paul did not instruct the citizens of Phillipi to revolt. He did not instruct them to raise up an army or militia to take on Rome. Paul basically tells the Body of Christ in Phillipi, “Hang in there, baby. I know it’s gonna get rough.”

Caesar at this time is Nero. Nero is burning Christians at the stake. He eventually beheads the Apostle Peter. And with Peter’s death very immanent, Peter does not tell Christians to revolt. He tells them to honor the king. Peter literally says, “Honor Nero.” And that is tough for us to reconcile in our Western mindset. We don’t like to be told what to do, and we are not accustomed to being oppressed.

Governments, in general, set up laws that usually (except for extremely oppressive countries that we find in continents like Africa and Asia) benefit and protect their people to some greater degree. For example, China oppresses Christians, but China still has laws that protect its citizens. It is still illegal to murder without a cause. No, China is not the most moral nation, but the government has been instituted to protect its citizens.

In conclusion to this response, I was warned to not take the passage so literal.

I take the passage literal. I would encourage the concerned commenter to study the historical setting of those passages. I think it will bring richer meaning. When it says, “For the Lord’s sake” I take it as saying, “because God has asked you to honor the government, then you should honor the government for the Lord’s sake.” I do not take it to mean that when a government is operating on “Behalf of the Lord’s sake,” that is when you should honor them. I don’t see that in that passage and I don’t believe it will be found to be historically relevant to the author’s intent. Call me on it if I’m wrong.

However, I will say, God has always made a way of escape. Jesus instructs his disciples to “flee” (Matthew 10:22-24). If you feel in your heart that the government has become so oppressive of your Christian faith to the point that you need to flee, I commend you to flee. Godspeed. Get outta’ here. The best example would be that of the Pilgrims who were partially fleeing for religious reasons. Currently, I don’t see persecution as a problem with President Obama’s presidency.

I believe that you are right though when you say that Christian’s are reserved a right of resistance. I think the first right of resistance is prayer, though. We don’t struggle against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. Fortunately, for us, in the US our government affords us the right to freely express our disagreements through peaceful, constructive objection. This is our second right of resistance. However, the first right of resistance, in my opinion, is prayer. We forget that it is prayer that changes things.

To the second post: I disagree that Obama does not have vision or character. I think that he is a good person trying to do good things. He spent his post under-grad years organizing communities to vote and helping destitute communities in the south side of Chicago. In my opinion, that takes character.

The issue with vision is that you and he do not share the same vision. Obama has vision, its just that his vision is different from yours. And that’s okay. I don’t share in some of Obama’s vision myself, but it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t support him or stand by him. Biblically, I believe we have a mandate to do so.

I don’t necessarily have a response to the rest of your post. Although, I will say, let’s pray for him. God changes hearts, not rhetoric or people. It is the Holy Spirit who brings peace, not dissension. Let us all come together in prayer and let God do the rest. It is not by might nor power, but by my Spirit says the Lord (Zechariah 4:6).

I understand your concern for the Constitution and it being slowly dismantled. That’s why I wish we had strict constructionists in the Supreme Court. However, I find the assertion that all Godly men constructed the constitution a tad incredulous. Thomas Jefferson was a Deist who edited his own Bible to take out all the healing references. So, I made that statement to say, we have had a lot of people influence our government. Some good, some bad, but that is life. I choose to look through a brighter lens regarding the future of the U.S.

As far as Ayers and Khalidi and Obama’s association with such individuals, all I can say is that most allegations are unsubstantiated at this time and still at the hear say level. If you want to connect Obama with Khalidi (who do not share the same views regarding Middle Eastern affairs) then I think you also need to take into account the fact the Bush administration undeniably did allow members of the Bin Laden family to leave the U.S. during 9/11 while every other airplane was grounded. That has the makings of a conspiracy theory in and of itself. My goal is not to get into conspiracy theory, but I do believe that we need to call a spade a spade when it comes to matters such as these.

I received the following quote, “Aaron, can you look me in the eye honestly and say Obama is a God-Fearing man who should lead this great country?” I don’t know where Obama is at in his faith. I know where I am at and I am the only one who can answer for myself. I find it curious that no one question’s John McCain’s faith. Perhaps it is because he is a Republican, and the consensus among church goers is that Republican equals God’s Righteousness. McCain is pro-life. But simply because you agree that murdering unborn children is wrong, does not make you a Christian.

Should Obama lead this great country? Let me answer that question with a question: should Thomas Jefferson, a Deist, have led this country? Should Abraham Lincoln, whose wife sought mediums to speak to their dead son, have been allowed to lead this country, if indeed Lincoln is guilty by his association with his wife (Obama and Khalidi)? I say pray for Barack Obama. It is prayer that changes things.

The last posting is super tough and I can only address it honestly through this means: I don’t know. I laughed when I wrote, “I don’t know.” I’m one of those people that will disagree sometimes and not be able to explain why I disagree. It’s just a conviction that I have at the time.

I do know the Apostle’s wrote and said to respect the authorities. I do know Christians were being martyred. I do know that Christians today have a hard time reckoning their spiritual lives with their political view points (I’m not saying they should be separated, I’m simply implying they should be reconsidered). I do believe there are times when God will allow people to break way from their governments due to severe oppression, but I cannot in good conscience state what the criteria for such an uprising should comprise. I seriously consider everything I say and realize the severity of what I write and the implications that could arise due to my assertions.

I knew that when I wrote “Not by a Cause” that there would be objections. In my own mind, I had trouble reconciling those scriptures with the Colonies breaking away from King George III. Honestly, I don’t know if it was right or wrong. Looking back from a historical vantage point, I’m not sure the Colonies broke away for strictly religious reasons or for tax and governance issues, and if a seeming difference should be considered anyway. There might be a difference. There might not be a difference.

To my last poster, no, I don’t think you missed anything. I’m troubled sometimes, too. I can’t explain everything. I would not call the instances you listed as possible sin a sin in my own book, either. You have made great points and it is something that I am still wrestling with myself. I would actually recommend some of Thomas Aquinas’ writings. He addresses the issue of just war and obviously did a much better job with it than I could ever do.

In closing, my intent is really for everyone to heed the scriptures I listed in “Not by a Cause” to the fullest possible. My concern is a spiritual concern, it is a concern to do what is mandated to us by the scriptures. I am afraid that sometimes we pick and choose which scriptures we are going to follow and then explain away the ones we don’t like. I think Christians do a great job of this especially when people are elected into office we don’t agree with completely. I am becoming a broken record and an annoying echo: let’s pray for Obama. If you could pray for Bush, you can pray for Obama.

I think it is interesting that I received more comments and questions regarding this post than any other. In no way am I defensive or licking any wounds. (I will state that despite what comments or concerns I receive from here-on-out, I don’t plan to address them publicly in my blog. I will probably address them via Facebook or through another means. I might change my mind if it is something that maybe I feel that I’ve been inaccurate or led someone astray due to my personal theology. I want to be considerate of my readers.) I wish I got as many responses and concerns over my other postings. If you haven’t got a chance to read my other writings, I encourage you to do so. I would love to receive more feedback on those. But maybe they are not as controversial or as fun as “Not by a Cause” 


(C) Aaron Brown, 2008.

Not by a Cause

I couldn’t help but smile as he spoke. He exhumed confidence, assurance, candor, hope, belief, conviction, and unity. He spoke to a crowd of approximately 125,000. He was a beacon of light illuminating the night.

Though I whole heartedly disagree with his politics, I noticed something unique about his crowd. The crowd was an amalgam. Black standing next to white; Hispanic shoulder to shoulder with black. It was truly a moment that I thought was reserved for the hallows of Eternity when all the Church would be gathered for its eternal reward.

I pray that history will not simply remember that Barack was the first black president. Though the accomplishment of a minority attaining the greatest and most powerful office in the world is unprecedented, in my eyes it was greatly diminished by the crowd that gathered in Chicago, IL to hear the president elect give his acceptance speech.

I pray that history will remember in that particular crowd that there was young and old, black and white, Spanish and Indian, all the colors of the rainbow representing, for the first time since 9/11, a united America. For the first time in a long time, the United States was personified in the masses of unified ethnicities who had banded together, lifted up their voices, set their hands to the plow, and made a unanimous decision to be led by one individual.

How beautiful and breathless and mesmerizing was it to see all those different shades of humanity stand side by side, united not by a cause, but by a dream.

The Apostle Paul told us to pray for those who are in authority over us. I Corinthians 13:1-2 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Barack Obama has stepped into the office of President of the United States of America and is now ordained by God to lead this sovereign nation.

I Timothy 2:1-3 states, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.

If you want to please God, you will pray for President Obama and that God’s hand will be on his presidency. It is sin and devilish for you to do otherwise.

Peter writes in I Peter2:12-14, Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

When the Apostle Peter wrote this, he was not telling Christians to pray for the Emperor of Rome that everyone had come to love and did the will of God and was kind and generous to every citizen, captive, and slave of Rome.

Peter was telling Christians to pray for Nero, the Emperor who martyred Christians by using them as human torches at his parties. We are nowhere close to Martyrdom here in America.

Be RIGHTEOUS! OBEY God! HEED the words of the Apostle’s Paul and Peter! SINCERELY PRAY for President Obama. Just like myself, I’m sure he can use every one of your prayers.

(c) Aaron Brown, 2008.