Recently I heard a young woman express surprise that she had Christin friends who were supporting McCain and others who were supporting Obama. Her surprise took me by surprise but I guess it shouldn't have- after all we have been surrounded by the culture wars for over 30 years. Whether we are bystanders or soldiers in this hideous conflict we are supposed to believe that Christians vote Republican and Liberals are atheists. Of course this is silly but sadly it is the way many people see the world. And while Americans have been distracted- fighting over abortion, gay marriage, prayer in schools and other "culture" issues- the deficit has soared, we have accumulated massive debt to China, we are fighting two wars in the Middle East and, as the economy craters, we are rapidly changing the fundamental structures of our economy. Somebody better yell "fire" cuz we are all in danger.
It is time to stop arguing about differences and to start building coalitions based on common values.
In his book, "Dreams of My Father, Barack Obama describes his personal spiritual journey. In his 2006 speech to the Call For Renewal Conference he shared his faith story and his vision for how faith should be embedded in public life. Here are the quotes from his speech which I find inspiring:
His spiritual journey:
"Faith doesn't mean that you don't have doubts.
You need to come to church in the first place precisely because you are first of this world, not apart from it. You need to embrace Christ precisely because you have sins to wash away - because you are human and need an ally in this difficult journey.
It was because of these newfound understandings that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity United Church of Christ on 95th Street in the Southside of Chicago one day and affirm my Christian faith. It came about as a choice, and not an epiphany. I didn't fall out in church. The questions I had didn't magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt that I heard God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth."
His understanding of the historical roots of Fundamentalism:
"it wasn't the atheists or the civil libertarians who were the most effective champions of the First Amendment. It was the persecuted minorities, it was Baptists like John Leland who didn't want the established churches to impose their views on folks who were getting happy out in the fields and teaching the scripture to slaves. It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religious, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith as they understood it."
His vision for the role of faith in politics:
"Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality. It involves the compromise, the art of what's possible. At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It's the art of the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God's edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one's life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime, but to base our policy making on such commitments would be a dangerous thing"
"I said a prayer of my own. It's a prayer I think I share with a lot of Americans. A hope that we can live with one another in a way that reconciles the beliefs of each with the good of all. It's a prayer worth praying, and a conversation worth having in this country in the months and years to come."
You can read the entire speech.
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