Presidential campaign ad: “That day Obama felt a beckoning of the spirit and accepted Jesus Christ into his life”

It’s a beauty of a campaign ad, actually two, with a mighty fine cross in the background in one of them. Not a wimpish subliminal one like the one the media took Mike Huckabee to task for.

This is a fun campaign. I love to be pandered to. Only one criticism of the campaign ad: it would have been better to word it: “a beckoning of the Holy Spirit.” We evangelicals are easily conned, but nonetheless sensitive to details like these.

For Mark Twain’s response, go here. For a Jewish response go here.

Comments

[Mike Heiser]

Was it the the Jesus of liberation theology as articulated by Jeremiah Wright?

[JohnFH]

Actually, Mike, I don't think so.

Barack's conversion account in his autobiography makes an interesting read. I'm not saying that Barack Obama has a deeper understanding of Christianity than did Ronald Reagan, though of course the former probably has a stronger intellect, and the latter, better political instincts.

But I would wager that Barack becoming a Christian makes him a better person, and better equipped to be president of the United States (a very un-PC thing to say, I suppose, please don't make too much of it; I would vote for Joseph Lieberman over Barack Obama for president if those were the options in front of me).

[Stephen (aka Q)]

I suppose this is pandering. But given that something like 10% of Democrats (Democrats!) still think Obama is a Muslim, you can hardly criticize him for making his faith explicit in a campaign ad.

Even after Obama's former pastor dominated the news for weeks, people still can't get their heads around the fact that Obama is a Christian.

[Stephen (aka Q)]

Re Mike's question —

I suspect that Obama has a pretty clear understanding of liberation theology (better than he lets on when he's asked about it). And he rejects it.

I think Obama is rightly placed in the "social gospel" camp, which is not quite the same thing as liberation theology. Obama follows quite consciously in the footsteps of Martin Luther King, Jr., so he's a bit of a throwback to an earlier era, theologically speaking.

[JohnFH]

I think you're right, Stephen, that Barack Obama is more of a social gospeller than a liberationist.

However, he is also a born-again Christian, which means his faith is not a hand-me-down from others. His relationship with God and acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Savior will tested by fire, wherever his political career takes him. I wish him well.