Disrespect for our President

[TadQueasy]

It bothers me to hear the disrespect that many believers today have for President Obama. I have recently heard a fellow believer proclaim in a SS class that he was not her president and she did not have to pray for him since she did not vote for him and did not agree with him. I have heard others say similar things and have read things on this very board that sadden me. I did not vote for Pres Obama and will more than likely not vote for him this fall, but he is still our president and he deserves respect, especially the respect and prayers of believers whose lives have been transformed by Christ.

 

[Jerome]

Fred Luter, who will ascend to the SBC Presidency in just a few weeks, said this on PBS:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/may-18-2012/rev-fred-luter-jr/11034/

"Luter acknowledges that racism is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed, in the denomination and across the nation. For example, he says while he doesn’t agree with all of President Obama’s policies, he has been troubled by what he sees as a lack of respect for the president in many quarters.

LUTER: A lot of the things that this president has faced has not necessarily been because of his politics or his decisions, but unfortunately it’s just only been because of the color of his skin. And that’s what lets me know that we have a long, long way to go in America as far as racial reconciliation.
. . . . .
As long as those kind of things keep happening and the Trayvon Martin thing in the Florida situation like that, we have to deal with it. Even some things maybe within the convention that we need to talk about and address."

 

[mandym]

Here is an appropriate Prayer.


Psa 109:8 May his days be few; may another take his office!



Obama is an evil, evil man. The office gets my respect, the man will get nothing.

 

[webdog]

If the president doesn't respect the office...why should I respect him holding the office?

I disagree with not praying for him, and him not being my president (I am a US citizen and he is the president of the US)

 

[TadQueasy]

Believers are bound by the Word, not how Obama views the Office or any other standard.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

 

[webdog]

Believers are bound by the Word, not how Obama views the Office or any other standard.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

That is speaking of being under the authority of others, not respect.

 

[TadQueasy]

So when God says to give to everyone what you owe them and then specifically references respect after telling people to submit to the governing authorities you believe that He would not want believers to give respect to the President of the USA?

 

[webdog]

So when God says to give to everyone what you owe them and then specifically references respect after telling people to submit to the governing authorities you believe that He would not want believers to give respect to the President of the USA?

I'm failing to see your leap from submitting to respect. Do we respect the authorities when they tell us not to speak of Jesus and we do anyway? Apparently respect is qualified.

 

[TadQueasy]

I made no such leap. Respect and submitting were both clearly referenced in the above text. A simple reading of the text shows that. Just because you disagree with the man does not mean you should disrespect him.

 

[webdog]

I made no such leap. Respect and submitting were both clearly referenced in the above text. A simple reading of the text shows that. Just because you disagree with the man does not mean you should disrespect him.

No, it is our duty to oust wicked men who are in office...not respect them. To respect the wicked is to approve of their wickedness.

You state respect was referenced, yet it says nothing of the sort.

 

[TadQueasy]

No, it is our duty to oust wicked men who are in office...not respect them. To respect the wicked is to approve of their wickedness.

You state respect was referenced, yet it says nothing of the sort.

What text tells us it is our duty to oust wicked men from office?

Respect was referenced very clearly. Let me restate it for you: This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

The text says authorities are God's servants. That means Obama is God's servant, does it not? So we are to not have respect for God's servant?

 

[webdog]

What text tells us it is our duty to oust wicked men from office?

Respect was referenced very clearly. Let me restate it for you: This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

The text says authorities are God's servants. That means Obama is God's servant, does it not? So we are to not have respect for God's servant?

Did Jesus respect evil leaders when He referred to Herod as a "fox"? (Luke 13:31-35). Did Peter and John respect the authorities when they told them to judge if they should obey God or them? (Acts 4)?

Respect in the passage you brought up is an "if /then" type. If the president feels it is ok to allow gays to marry, I will not respect that stance or him for holding it. If he feels it is ok to give Islam equal footing with Christianity, I will not respect that nor him. If he feels it is ok to take (steal) money from one person and give it to another, I will not respect that nor him.

 

[TadQueasy]

What text tells us it is our duty to oust wicked men from office?

 

[Steadfast Fred]

Believers are bound by the Word, not how Obama views the Office or any other standard.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

The rulers that God puts in office are terrors to the evil and not to the good.

Thus far, Obama has been a terror to the good... proving that God did not put him in office.

How then, you may ask, did Obama get elected if God did not put him in?

Simple... God gave the people their king even though God did not want that king ruling... as He did in the Old Testament when the people did not want a righteous judge to rule over them. God allowed the people who wanted a "change" to put Obama in office. Obama brought a change all right... but it sure wasn't the change he promised.

Obama deserves no respect from God's people. God doesn't want His people serving a godless man.

 

[webdog]

'

What text tells us it is our duty to oust wicked men from office?

You need a Bible text stating that? Really? Isn't that common sense for a believer?

If there is an evil person in office, and we have the power to remove it, we are accountable for just that. The whole of Scripture tells us to do that which is right.

"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" -Psalm 94:16

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." - Proverbs 8:13

"...Hate what is evil; cling to what is good". - Romans 12:9b

 

[TadQueasy]

'You need a Bible text stating that? Really? Isn't that common sense for a believer?

When you make a statement that it is our duty to do something, yes I need a Scripture.

"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" -Psalm 94:16

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." - Proverbs 8:13

"...Hate what is evil; cling to what is good". - Romans 12:9b

And you stated I was making a leap.

I do appreciate the fact that a few of you are proving my original point.

To respect the President does not mean we agree with him or want him to stay in office. We can disagree with the President. We can want him out of office. But we still should give him our respect and our prayers. Believers should live to a higher standard than the rest of the world.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I feel as thought President Obama is a horrible president - and has done more to cause the American morale to plummet than anyone I can think of. He's divisive and has no more respect for the average American than the president of foreign country.

Yet, he is my president and I feel burdened to pray for him.

I find myself praying for him, his wife, and his children almost weekly. I pray in earnest for his salvation, his protection, his deliverance from evil, his submission to what is right, and his submission to God. I pray a hedge about his family. It would grieve me if some nut case put them in harm's way.

If I were given the opportunity to meet him, I would shake his hand and smile. I would tell him that while I did not vote for him and am not going to vote for him, that I am proud to meet my president and that I pray for him and his family.

Why am I not allowed to have an opinion of him AS a president and still maintain a respect for the office that he holds?

Why is racism always brought up when people claim not to appreciate him as a president?

As a Christian, I am allowed to believe and state that my leader is a wicked leader. I am also obligated to love him and pray for him. And I am blessed to be able to voice my opinion at the polls.

Why do I have to keep my mouth shut about his ineptness as a president to respect his office and be respectful to him personally?

My opinion of his horrid leadership and my willingness to pray for him and respect him, personally, are NOT mutually exclusive.

 

[saturneptune]

I feel as thought President Obama is a horrible president - and has done more to cause the American morale to plummet than anyone I can think of. He's divisive and has no more respect for the average American than the president of foreign country.

Yet, he is my president and I feel burdened to pray for him.

I find myself praying for him, his wife, and his children almost weekly. I pray in earnest for his salvation, his protection, his deliverance from evil, his submission to what is right, and his submission to God. I pray a hedge about his family. It would grieve me if some nut case put them in harm's way.

If I were given the opportunity to meet him, I would shake his hand and smile. I would tell him that while I did not vote for him and am not going to vote for him, that I am proud to meet my president and that I pray for him and his family.

Why am I not allowed to have an opinion of him AS a president and still maintain a respect for the office that he holds?

Why is racism always brought up when people claim not to appreciate him as a president?

As a Christian, I am allowed to believe and state that my leader is a wicked leader. I am also obligated to love him and pray for him. And I am blessed to be able to voice my opinion at the polls.

Why do I have to keep my mouth shut about his ineptness as a president to respect his office and be respectful to him personally?

My opinion of his horrid leadership and my willingness to pray for him and respect him, personally, are NOT mutually exclusive.

Scarlett,
You have a very good and precise understanding of thie issue. I could not have said it better. The level of misunderstanding of our government, history, and Scripture on this board, and how they relate to each other, is putting it nicely woefully lacking. Paul is quite clear for us to obey our leaders, obey our laws, and pray for our leaders.

God's purpose in putting him in office is really not our business. It could be what we deserve, or it could be some other reason. You clearly understand the distinction between respect and praying on one side, and not supporting his policies and reelection on the other. Most put this in one big catagory.

 

[Arbo]

Very good post, Scarlett. I think many who have never been outside of the U.S. don't realize how good they have it, lousy President notwithstanding.

 

[blackbird]

I feel as thought President Obama is a horrible president - and has done more to cause the American morale to plummet than anyone I can think of. He's divisive and has no more respect for the average American than the president of foreign country.

Yet, he is my president and I feel burdened to pray for him.

I find myself praying for him, his wife, and his children almost weekly. I pray in earnest for his salvation, his protection, his deliverance from evil, his submission to what is right, and his submission to God. I pray a hedge about his family. It would grieve me if some nut case put them in harm's way.

If I were given the opportunity to meet him, I would shake his hand and smile. I would tell him that while I did not vote for him and am not going to vote for him, that I am proud to meet my president and that I pray for him and his family.

Why am I not allowed to have an opinion of him AS a president and still maintain a respect for the office that he holds?

Why is racism always brought up when people claim not to appreciate him as a president?

As a Christian, I am allowed to believe and state that my leader is a wicked leader. I am also obligated to love him and pray for him. And I am blessed to be able to voice my opinion at the polls.

Why do I have to keep my mouth shut about his ineptness as a president to respect his office and be respectful to him personally?

My opinion of his horrid leadership and my willingness to pray for him and respect him, personally, are NOT mutually exclusive.

B ---- I ------ N ------ G ----- O!!!!!!!!


Maybe our lone poster who favors "O" can tell us why it is that any sort of oppsition to "O" constitutes an automatic RACE card!!!!

I'm even gonna disagree with what Luter has to say about holding the race card and the sitting President!!!

Just because I disagree with "O" doesn't make me a racist!!!

I mean---its to where calling the Prez "O" makes me a racist??????