Congratulations to Barack Obama on his convincing win! The people of the USA have spoken, and the peoples of the world will be glad, because Obama promises to seek peace and reconciliation worldwide, and to act on climate change. Here are some of his international and environmental policies as summarised by Avaaz.org (in an e-mail I received):
- Reduce the US’s carbon emissions 80% by 2050 and play a strong positive role in negotiating a binding global treaty to replace the expiring Kyoto Protocol
- Withdraw all combat troops from Iraq within 16 months and keep no permanent bases in the country
- Establish a clear goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons across the globe
- Close the Guantanamo Bay detention center
- Double US aid to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015 and accelerate the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculoses and Malaria
- Open diplomatic talks with countries like Iran and Syria, to pursue peaceful resolution of tensions
- De-politicize military intelligence to avoid ever repeating the kind of manipulation that led the US into Iraq
- Launch a major diplomatic effort to stop the killings in Darfur
- Only negotiate new trade agreements that contain labor and environmental protections
- Invest $150 billion over ten years to support renewable energy and get 1 million plug-in electric cars on the road by 2015
Now I don’t agree with Obama on abortion. However, abortion was not a real issue in this election, but the matters above were real issues, and ones about which Christians should be just as concerned as they are about abortion. Let’s pray for Obama and press him to put into practice policies like the ones listed above which will make our world a better place.
Peter,
Yes I hope that Obama will make change, and unite us once again.
It’s a proud moment for many Americans and even for many around the world, and also a very historic moment. Let’s pray that God will give Barack Obama the wisdom and strength to do what is right and lead America in this global community.
Why was abortion not a ‘real issue’ in this election?
I personally believe that life begins at conception, and because of this, it is my belief that we murder innocent children every day in my country….that’s about as ‘real’ as an issue can be for me.
Rhea, I consider an issue to be a real issue in an election when one or other of the candidates has made it a real issue and proposed specific action on it. As far as I can tell neither Obama nor McCain proposed any action which would have any definite effect on the number or wrongness of abortions in the USA. This was only an issue for those who chose to make it an issue, and were perhaps dreaming that VP Palin or supreme court judges whom McCain might have appointed might do something about abortion, which is in practice highly unlikely to have happened. Perhaps slightly more likely is that Obama’s social policies will have a side effect of reducing abortion, but for that we can only hope and pray. But I do consider it irresponsible that many Christians were deciding their vote largely on the abortion issue when in fact there was so little to distinguish the candidates on this issue.
Yes, congrats! Yes, I hope he is able to unite us.
Just wanted to add my voice to the growing number of socially conservative Christians who are disaffected with the religious right in America. I live in Washington State and received a “voter information” mailer from several pro-life groups that was intended for distribution in churches. It listed six issues to judge local candidates on, and showed their voting records on those issues. The first four issues had to do with life (embryonic stem cell research, etc.) but the last two were “Domestic offshore drilling” and “English as the official language of the U.S.”
I received that mailer a few days before the election, and that was when I finally decided to vote for Barack Obama, who promises to not exploit wedge issues.
It is my belief also that Obama and his family are good people and of good character as Martin Luther King said a man or woman should be judged not by the colour of their skin or indeed whether they are a republican or a democrat but by their character.. Whatever Obama’s previous voting record on abortion. He has pledged to listen to all the people and represent all the people whether democrat or republican, black or white etc. So give the man a chance I say and pray for him. In his hard fought victory, he deserves our respect to become the President of the USA against all the odds. Where is your faith Oh Christian, or your belief in the power of prayer; that all things are possible for those who believe.
Don’t listen to the false prophets of doom who would seek to divide the nation by coming out with such outrageous statements as ‘Obama is the anti-christ’. Such talk just confirms how extreme and unbalanced some parts of the Christian right in the US have become. Even to Christians their wild imaginings, false accusations and fear tactics have become so scary that many Christians believe they have lost the plot and forgotten the basis of their Christian love for all, and isn’t it true as that with true Christian love ( a love that I didn’t recognize in most of the Christian right scare mongering before the election, indeed some so called Christian leaders should hold their head in shame at some of the blind prejudice and hatred they spewed out prior to the election, it certainly wasn’t Christian), remember all things are possible for those who have faith in the living Lord Jesus Christ..
Obamas victory has given hope to millions not just in the US but around the world. Most of these people had no hope before as they never dared to dream one day a black man would become president of the USA.
Simon, thanks for your well stated comment.
Mr. Kirk
You are mistaken about abortion not being a issue of significance in the election. Obama has long said that he would sign into law the “freedom of choice act” which in effect would wipe away what restaints remained in abortion law in America. Untold millions will lose thier lives in additon my money will be used to help kill infants. So yeah its an issue, those who voted for Obama did our country a great disservice. With all do respect if citizens of other countries such as your self want to enact the above policies press your own presidents or prime ministers. I find the number of Christians who voted for Obama a real sign of the moral decay of our country, i can only pray that the man repents of his ways and turns from his agendas which seek to make us our governments instead of the government being the peoples. As for those that seek to find a new hope in Obama i would say hope is in Christ alone, and God fobid obama unite us if it means submitting to his agenda