6/9/14 Does OBAMA HAVE A SECRET MISSIOLOGICAL AGENDA re MUSLIM EXTREMISTS et al? I've been mulling over Obama's job as president for some time now,daily listening to criticism of him on almost all the right-wing radio stations. And being somewhat conservative myself ("compassionate conservative") my first tendency is to agree with the radio guys (Limbaugh,Hannity,et al with whom I often,but not always, agree on many matters). However,as I've been trying to figure out Obama I have begun to wonder if he has a covert missionary/evangelical agenda/strategy that may or may not work. The typical American reaction to terrorism & especially extremist Muslims is to try to "eliminate" them (ie an "eye-for-an-eye").Even Christians generally join this bandwagon, including myself at times. And the radio guys repeatedly mock any thought of "befriending" extremists or the notion that they can be won over by kindness or "turning the other cheek". Yet, the Bible tells us that we are supposed to at least attempt to turn the other cheek. Yet at the same time from a strictly secular & national defense point-of-view the ONLY criteria is defending Americans from physical death or harm.Thus,a president in some regards,legally & constitutionally, is constrained from trying to effectuate an evangelical/missiological approach to the enemy. However,this is my only possible way of potentially understanding Obama if we are to assume he has a strategy or agenda. The question is whether extremists can be "won over" by evangelicals? Or do they see everything thru the lens of winning/losing? Do they only understand force & death? My other long-term scepticism towards Obama has to do with his pro-choice agenda..very much in favor of abortion. And my only way of possibly understanding those who favor Obama from a remotely possible argument is that unwanted unborn babies are better off dead given that they will be saved by God for eternity (given they can't make a conscious choice for or against God at such an age and can't be held accountable; the Bible does not state in any concrete way the fate of unborn souls). As for gay marriage,another problem I have with Obama, is the possibility that allowing gay marriage at least minimizes the chance of a gay "witch hunt" & being "terrorized" by the religious right & that we should leave morality & judgment issues to God alone (there are those that argue the 10 commandments et al apply to believers only). I am not gay but every now & then have felt the brunt of a gay-basher (who for whatever reason mistreated me as gay, & I didn't like it).
Once again,let me repeat that I am NOT defending Obama,but simply offering a possible way of understanding his actions from a theological perspective,even if it is somewhat "out there". But back to the main point: Is Obama attempting an evangelical/missiological approach to muslim extremists & will it work? What if we completely emptied out Guantanamo & handed them all back to their tribes? Would this be viewed by them as an act of grace & mercy & thereby acquiesce to peaceful co-existence or would they laugh & say/think that they "defeated" us, and gear up for more attacks on America? Will Obama be the first president to "experiment" in this regard? Sure,he will be ridiculed & it may backfire,but what if it works? What if it doesn't? That's the big "what if". If it doesn't work, the status quo will continue. We will continue to fight terrorists & muslim extremists & will lose soldiers.If it does work,maybe there will be long-term peace. Or is that wishful thinking? What would Jesus do? WWJD?
As for the criticism of Bergdahl's dad speaking in Arabic @ the Whitehouse, that would also fit in with a missionary agenda. Any missionary worth his or her salt is going to learn the language of the people to whom they are sent & is going to try to be friendly with them,without compromising non-negotiable values & beliefs. Some of the critical radio personalities may not understand the missionary agenda & are seeing everything solely thru the lens of being American (even though some of these same radio guys also periodically show deference to Christianity). I'm just wondering if the missionary approach to foreign relations & terrorism might work? But if "they" (terrorists,et al,as they say, do listen to the media,whether some of these radio personalities may,ironically, fuel their fire? If the missiological approach could work,and save more lives in the long-term,would some of these radio people be willing to stifle their criticism for a while to see if,in fact, it will work? Is there a remote hope for success via "friendship evangelism" by our president and our nation? If so,it would only work if we all work for it together,united ("one nation,under God,indivisible..." this is a pledge that everybody takes as an American).If we could achieve world peace via a missiological approach as a nation,how many billions or trillions of dollars would we save (from military expenditures) that could go towards so many other good ventures (education,infrastructure,technology,medicine,etc). That's a lot of "ifs" and "what ifs" but is it worth a try?
-VK-
*****
"For it is by grace [we] have been saved ,through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of GOD — not by
works, so that no one can boast."
Ephesians 2:8,9,posted by vk
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