My original post went like this: “What would it take for an Obama supporter to change their mind?” There was the occasional thoughtful comment and also unthoughtful ones, but near the end, as of writing this, I get the following comment of which I will make my own comments throughout. (Bold = Them)
What would it take for you to stop provoking arguments and support your president?
This is a good question. I thought long and hard about it because I think I should take a dose of my own medicine every now and then. I thought about coming back with something stupid like, “Answer my question first,” but in hopes of keeping peace, I will answer. (also in hopes that my original question is answered as well)
I did answer it. Unless of course you mean stop supporting him altogether. I do not, nor have I ever supported “everything” that he has said or done. I would not have voted for him had there been a viable (in my mind) candidate to choose over him. Romney definitely was not! The question itself seems ambiguous at best, antagonistic at worst. What would it take for me to stop supporting Obama, America, air or God??? A better choice. Sometimes I have issues with all of those stated, that doesn’t mean I abandon any of them. Why would I stop supporting Obama? You ask what it would take…perhaps a better answer than choice would be a reason to.
Not much coming from the right source.
- If God asked me to, I’d stop
- If Keely asked me to, we’d have a conversation about the dangers of my actions and if she still persisted and in light of loving my wife, I’d stop.
- If a friend whom I deeply cared about asked me to, we’d have a conversation about it as well. We would place our ideas on the table together and talk about it like adults, knowing that we each have our own right to our opinions and the right to voice those opinions. If it was decided that by “provoking arguments” (of which I always view my questions I pose as conversation starters instead of arguments. Argument implies that I have nothing to learn, of which I will never concede to, or that I am always right, also which I won’t concede to) I am laying a stumbling block to my brothers in Christ, then I’d stop.
Let’s talk about supporting the President of the United States. Support implies agreement. What would it take for me to agree with the President? Knowing that his ideals and decisions line up with Christ’s. So, by this standard you never have supported and voted for a candidate for president? Respecting the president is something I will always uphold. He has been placed in the that position by God and his authority has been given by God as well. (Romans 13:1-7)
Seriously, when Bush was president everyone on the right screamed treason if we didn’t walk in lockstep with everything he said because he was after all, THE PRESIDENT of THE UNITED STATES!
My response to this is, “Did you support Bush all the time?”
I voted for him 2 times. Did I always agree with him? No. But I prayed for him by name and supported him, yes. At the end of his 8 years I was very unhappy with the results and sad that I had indeed voted for him…twice.
Now that Obama is in office those same people are singing a different tune.
They’re people. We’re fickle. We want to see what we want and ignore what we want to. My desire is to see the truth and that comes from God, possibly through different forms than what I’d like it to.
OK, that is fine, but seriously, why change my mind about Obama at this point?
There are several reasons why that I can think of.
Your pride. This isn’t an attack on you but of all people. We don’t want to change our minds about our decision because our pride will get in the way. I have to swallow my pride and go back to my friends and relatives sometimes because of my bad decisions. It’s humbling and annoying, but it shows more strength than living through a decision you don’t believe in.
Because you can do something about it. We are all influential people. If we see the light of our past decisions and realize that we were wrong, then we have the opportunity to show grace to those who believed as we once did and be useful in convincing them of the truth.
His term limit means even his most ardent supporters will not get to vote for him again.
Unless this bill gets passed. (Doubt it will, but it’s there … and it’s scary)
Do you honestly think this is about Obama? Or that this is the first time this has been tried? It has been proposed MANY times, including during Reagan, Clinton and Bush. I love how things get attributed to Obama as if this sneaky Muslim/non-American wants to be King for life.
So then what? What would it take for a ????? supporter to change their mind? What would it take for ????? to happen?
A humble society that is informed. That will take education and support of people like you and me.
I think the better questions is what would it take for anyone to just do their part to make the world (or their little corner of it) better and stop bashing somebody else?
You mean like calling other people idiots?
Are you speaking of me? Who did I call an idiot? In truth, I think some people are idiotic for their refusal to be educated and informed. But, as the old saying goes, you can’t fix stupid. I confess, I bash too much. My sarcasm gets the better of me or my rage leaks out and I respond in less than loving ways. Therefore, I admit that I address this question to myself as well. I am trying to make the world better. I don’t bash as much as I used to or want to. I hope one day I won’t at all.
I agree. It was posted earlier from a friend to “question everything.” I think it’s a good idea for us to do that, both on a local (little corner) level and on a national level. Bashing other people? I think you’re right that it’s time to stop. But saying it to someone else is easy; or put more poetically, “talk is cheap”. Bashing others is never my intent. However, I will admit that it is a problem I have in my own head, and one I continually struggle with.
Everyone is so great at raising questions or damning the system, but where are these people when it comes to providing feasible solutions?
I’m right here. Do you have feasible solutions? Let me know what they are and I will be your biggest supporter and if it falls in line with my own God-given purpose, you will even have someone to walk the steps with.
If I had the solutions, I would not be writing this email, I would be publishing my book on the solutions and planning my retirement. I just know the answers are not to be found in foolish arguments or even on facebook. (I hope that doesn’t get me banned from facebook.)
Me personally, I’m searching for my own feasible solutions. Has God called me to only worry about my immediate circle of influence? Perhaps. Has he led me to care about our nation and it’s future? I believe He has. Has he given me clear instructions on how to act in order to make a difference on that level? Not yet. He tells me to wait and I patiently do. In the mean time, I find it enjoyable to engage in conversation with those that think like I do and also those that don’t.
When somebody comes to me and says, “what our church needs is…”
More food events. =)
My response is usually, “great idea, why don’t you make that happen.”
If only …
What I find is that suddenly it might not have been a great idea.
No, no, don’t give up on the food idea. It’s a good one. =)
Yes, I see your point and I do try to make sure that if I have complaints that I have solutions. For now, I hope that you will be gracious in my time of education. I look for ways everyday to make a difference; in me, in my family, in my community, in my country, and in my world … for the glory of God.
Lee, even though I published my rant under your post, not ALL of it was directed at you or a personal attack on YOU. (yes, some of it was, but not all). I am done…or rather I wish I were. I probably would be better off being done and either closing facebook forever or refusing to read and respond to posts. I know I won’t quit…but I might. I keep the threat open. **Oh man, I just realized that even though I highlighted my quotes in red when typing this, it doesn’t come out that way in here. That bites. Fix it!
OK. I”m done now.
Don’t stop now. The conversation is just starting. =)