Palin…The World Has Questions
This election begs the question to professing Christians: Do you believe the Bible to be the inerrant, living Word of God, the sound doctrine and instruction that guides every area of life?
Below is part of an article published by USA Today, asking questions that unfortunately, Christians are refusing to ask themselves.
If you think Obama is the biggest threat to our country right now, you have never met the wrath of God upon a nation who rebels against His Word, and follows the dictates of their own hearts rather than what He has ordered. He has spoken. We will obey and receive blessing, or we will disobey and evoke the judgement we deserve.
It’s time to draw a line in the sand…I am crying out to God–and to you…that’s all I know to do.
USA Today asks:
“These same conservative Christians who agree with Palin’s political views and are thrilled by the idea of her serving just one heartbeat away from the presidency would argue that it would be inappropriate for her to exercise leadership in her marital relationship at home. Instead, as the CBMW says, she should “grow in willing, joyful submission to (her husband’s) leadership.” Many of the conservative Christian leaders who have so warmly endorsed the nomination of Palin, mother of five with a grandchild on the way, have spent most of their careers arguing that the primary responsibility of women is to tend to their homes and families.
They have questions…
Is it now your view that God can call a woman to serve as president of the United States? Are you prepared to renounce publicly any further claim that God’s plan is for men rather than women to exercise leadership in society, the workplace and public life? Do you acknowledge having become full-fledged egalitarians in this sphere at least?
Would Palin be acceptable as vice president because she would still be under the ultimate authority of McCain as president, like the structure of authority that occurs in some of your churches? Have you fully come to grips with the fact that if after his election McCain were to die, Palin would be in authority over every male in the USA as president?
If you agree that God can call a woman to serve as president, does this have any implications for your views on women’s leadership in church life? Would you be willing to vote for a qualified woman to serve as pastor of your church? If not, why not?
Do you believe that Palin is under the authority of her husband as head of the family? If so, would this authority spill over into her role as vice president?
Do you believe that women carry primary responsibility for the care of children in the home? If so, does this affect your support for Palin? If not, are you willing to change your position and instead argue for flexibility in the distribution of child care responsibilities according to the needs of the family?”
Click HERE to read the full article.
Related posts:
Uncategorized | Word Warrior | 
September 17, 2008 5:47 pm
Audio available soon!
Wow – it is amazing that the media is asking these questions but “conservative” Christian leaders are not. Amazing. People fear the liberals more than they do God.
This article SEALED THE DEAL for me. I have wrestled and wrestled with this. I have flip-flopped more than a fish out of water. But once I read the questions from the U.S. Today article about having a woman being the authority of ALL the men in the nation, I just KNEW, KNEW, KNEW this does not line up with my Biblical worldview. I wasn’t sold on the Titus argument, but this particular question and perspective DID IT for me. I would NEVER in a million years attend a church with a woman pastor or preacher. I wouldn’t preach in church or teach men because of how I interpret scriptures and my husband certainly wouldn’t sit under a female authority in the church. So why in the world would I allow a woman to be the “head” over men in government. And it does appear quite hypocritical to an unbelieving world that we would allow this. Your article and the U.S. Today article finally gave me the clarity I have been seeking outside of the Titus verse.
I decided that at the end of the day, I am responsible to God alone for my vote or lack of a vote. The outcome will be the outcome and I TOTALLY trust God’s sovereign hand, but I have to stand before Him and make sure that my choices of a leader lined up with HIS word. And if there isn’t a choice that lines up, I won’t choose. And it will be how it is (the end result) and I will live with it without complaint or problem. But I can stand before God with a clear conscience that I did NOT vote in a candidate that clearly did not line up with scripture.
I feel relieved to have reached this conclusion.
Praise God! I can rest now. Unless my husband says I HAVE to vote.
Jessicainperu,
Loving it! Isn’t it the greatest freedom–it’s what I’ve said on so many issues even before this one…true freedom is following God’s simple truth, and leaving the results up to Him!
We would not have been able to vote in the times that Isiah or Titus were written, as women. So in keeping with the gospel, we really should not vote at all. That’s settled.
I almost sent you a link to this article yesterday, Kelly! I just didn’t get the time.
I’m glad you found it anyway!
I do find it interesting that we are being asked to re-evaluate our stances on women’s roles in light of this. It makes sense!
What many people lack is consistancy. Thinking their beliefs through, living them out. I have NOT perfected this by any means, but it is something I try to be aware of and vigilant about.
Amen, Jessicainperu!!! We answer to God, no one else.
Ashley
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/Jonash2004
It is a SHAME on the "churches" & Christians of America that a secular and very liberal newspaper has to ask the questions that should be thundering from the pulpits and preachers/teachers of our "churches" today!
But, then, those same "churches" & teachers left off believing the Word of God a long time ago…
As I am learning even now, standing on the word of God is NOT popular – it WILL cause division – between family members, between fellow believers, between Christians and "church" leadership – any time one stands on the firm foundation of His Word and others don't or won't.
Just becase Sarah palin has a Higher profile job than her husband does not mean that he is not the HEAD of his family…..In the book Captivating……they talk about how satan is so afarid of woman….he has been trying to keep her down from day one……I find it so sad that Christians use the Bible to keep a person down…..it is know different than the south buying into slavery and calling it godly…..know matter how you look at it if the man is the head the women turns the head anyway she wants……Sarah Palin is for babys….she is for life…..that is what God is for…….We are called to respect our husbands…..and husbands are called to love there wives…..There is so much of the Bible that is written in the time and custom….and do not forget man was the one how translated the book…..WE are Queens…….Sarah diserves our prayers…God is in control…..If people dont vote for Sarah because she is woman and vote for Obama who is for aboration……I think if makes Christians especial Christian woman look very silly….We are not here to judge…that is Gods job……HE will be our defender……I suffer daily on judging someone for one reason or another…so I get the judging thing….but it is not our job to judge other christians…we become the ecusor of the brothern….who needs satan when he has us to do his dirty work for him…..
….I wonder what Pat Roberson thinks….I havent heard of any big name pastors talk against her…..She is just following the path God has set before her…..It is very thought provocking…..What About Joyce Meyer and Beth Moore…they out shine there husbands but a spreading God’s word and wisdom to million…..The word submit means to prefer one another…If we are ALL to become Chrisit like…..we honor each other….It is a equal playing field…man has missed this one up to keep women down.
-Amy, Wife, Mother to 5, and a daughter of Christ
That opinion piece does not mean that we are “a laughing stock to the world”. That might be a tad over-reacting, I feel.
That piece was written by David Gushee. He’s a Christian professor and theologian. My husband was required (and I read it just because it was interesting and good!) to read one of his books that he co-authored with my husband’s seminarian professor, called Kingdom Ethics.
This piece wasn’t “the world [seeing] contradiction in the evangelicals belief system.” It’s a fellow Christian evangelical asking some thought-provoking questions. We need to examine journalism in context. This was an OPINION piece, not a news story. And an opinion piece is just that, someone’s opinion–not a judgement by the world at large.
Written in love,
Daja
A very wise minister said one time that the devil doesn’t care which ditch he gets us into just so he gets his way. In this case he doesn’t care if we are way liberal or way conservative just so he gets his man in the White House. He will work anyway he can to destroy America. I think that we really need to consider what Obama will do if he gets in. And to not vote is to actually vote for Obama. The media is luaghing up their sleeve because they are causing dissension in the “evangelical circles” thus making sure Obama will get the vote. Again the devil doesn’t care which ditch he gets us in.
Daja,
That is certainly a fair consideration…however, that columnist isn’t the only one *with questions*…the CNN clip brought it up (“what’s up with the flip-flopping Christians?”), and I’ve read it many other places, so my comment was encompassing more than just that one article.
“to not vote is to vote for Obama”
“to vote third party is to vote for Obama”
“to not vote for John McCain is to vote for Obama”
This line of thinking is driving me CRAZY!!
The only way to vote for Obama is to put a checkmark next to his name on the ballot (or whatever voting system your state uses). If I do not check next to Obama’s name then I am not voting for him. If I check off next to Chuck Baldwin, then I vote for Chuck Baldwin. If I check off next to McCain, then I vote for McCain, if I check off next to Obama, then I vote for Obama.
We vote FOR candidates. Your vote is for who it is for, it’s not “for” someone else.
This is a faulty argument that it seems like people use to try and guilt us into voting for one of the two highly-profiled candidates, and frankly I am jsut sick of it.
I will be voting FOR the man who I believe to be best qualified for the position. I will be voting FOR the man whose values are in line with my own. There is nothing wrong with this- isn’t that what we are supposed to be doing anyway?
If I vote for a third party candidate and Obama wins the election, it won’t be “my fault” because I did not vote for him.
OK, sorry to go on about that, a bit off topic, I just noticed that line of thinking in a comment and wanted to respond, I guess I just hadn’t felt up to it before.
Whew- I certainly feel better now that I have put it into words!
Amy:)
There is a third choice in this election. Chuck Baldwin and Darrell Castle (VP) will be on the ballot in 40 states, including Alabama. If you will visit the Baldwin2008 website, you will find that he not only lines up scripturally but also is the only true conservative on the ballot. And for those who are so worried about Obama, you might want to take a closer look at John McCain. I have been researching this man; he is very, very frightening in many different respects. God has given us a choice by giving us a third candidate who is not only a Christian with strong pro-family values but a man who will defend the constitution and, therefore, defend us. I have recently thought, “God loves us so much that he is SHOUTING at us regarding this election.” How many more signs must He give us? Those who do not vote for McCain ARE NOT the ones who will put Obama in office (if he goes in); those who vote for Obama will put him in office. And they will be the ones who will be held accountable by God. But we need to also consider that we will be held accountable for a vote for McCain. Sarah Palin is one very good Biblical reason not to vote a McCain/Palin ticket, but there are many, many others as well. I think Christians are so afraid of Obama that they are not taking an honest look at John McCain. I often remind myself, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord”. I plan to vote according to God’s word and then leave the rest to Him.
Thanks for posting this I was AMAZED at the blogs “dedicated” to women being keepers at home that fell all over themselves with arguments about Esther and Deborah to say that the whole Palin thing was an act of God. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! It really helped me flesh out those who are false. This is just to basic and obvious an issue. I never completely got the whole “so the word of God is not blasphemed” thing until now. YES, the unbelievers are calling our bluff. We are showing we don’t obey God unless we feel like it, why should they.
Many Blessings
Ace
Ace,
Great points that I agree with…to dismiss that “little verse about being a keeper at home” is to also dimiss that “little” part about blaspheming the word of God….whoa.
Amy W.,
Thank you for emphasizing this point…it has driven me crazy too.
Oh Ace, I agree with you, but in reverse. I feel like those who would put a verse in Titus 2 or Isiah over the 2 GREATEST commandments, straight from Jesus’ mouth, are the ones who are False, and I mean no disrespect here, but I wonder if they are truly born again. I know so many people who have gone to church their whole lives, and somehow “missed” the whole point. They were too “busy at home”, reading blogs, and growing their “home” businesses, instead of seeking God in all things, and loving their neighbor like themselves. I guess, like Martha. Makes me wonder…..
We all need to keep Matthew 22:36-40 on our hearts in all things.
If we can keep those 2 commandments, we have kept all the others.
I appologize for the “pinch of salt”. I listened to the interview with Kevin Swanson that you have now removed, Kelly. I was never so ashamed of another fellow christian as I was of that Venom spraying man. I think he may be one of the ones I was referring to above, he is missing the whole point. He needs our prayers.
Anon (don’t you want to pick a name?)
This goes back to a subject I’ve discussed at length before, and seems to be an ongoing debate among believers. There are ditches on both sides…you can claim to embrace Matthew 22 while walking around living a life that completely ignores the actual commands of Scripture (“If you love me, keep my commands.”)
There are those, though, who are great at following some commands while ignoring the overarching one-”Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself”.
We must all be careful to keep our love for God pure and focused. Undying devotion to the Savior prohibits us from “falling in a ditch”…we keep His Word zealously–all of it, and the world sees, and the Word is not blasphemed.
I have been waiting for more of these questions. We teach our children that as Christians we have to be an example. The world is watching closely to spring on anything they can to drag us down and prove we don’t have anything special. We’ll lets just put it out there for them.
This whole thing grieves me. I am a mother of 3 young girls. I am doing all I can to influence them to grow up to be wives, mothers, and keepers at home. Everywhere I turn the world is battling me on these three things. My whole heart breaks at church when my little girls say they want to be mommies when they grow up and some “caring” adult smiles sweetly and says “What else? You can be a mommy to, but what do you want to do?”
Now we all jump on the bandwagon of “Anything you can do I can do better!” Girl vs. boy in this election. My girls here Christians they respect and admire cheering for a woman VP and they turn confused eyes on me.
I am so thankful for men like Voddie Baucham. For women like the Botkin sisters. For young ladies like Jasmine Baucham. People I can steer my girls towards. We listen and read. My girls are starting to understand a little more about why it’s so important to guard our Biblical roles so carefully.
My heart still breaks.