Some Random Thoughts, Not Intended to Offend

I changed my mind. I’m not going to get ready for work just yet. I have a few things on my mind. I’m watching the news and the following things are going through my head:

1. What is with the love fest between the media and the new President? I’m not making a secret about the fact that I didn’t vote for him because I have STRONG RESERVATIONS about many of his plans and his position on several topics including, but not limited to, abortion and equal rights for homosexuals.
2. I see some huge inconsistencies in the way he is being treated vs. the way previous Presidents (Democrat OR Republican) were treated. One example that is evident today is President Obama’s nomination for Treasury Secretary. The guy who would be charged with “fixing” the nation’s current economic crisis somehow “forgot” to pay HIS OWN personal income taxes. But is this a problem? Doesn’t appear to be since they’re going ahead with the confirmation process. If you look back to 1993, President Clinton’s nominee for AG, Zoe Baird, withdrew after it came to light that Baird had hired illegal immigrants as household employees and did not pay SS taxes on them. This was a HUGE deal. In 2001, President Bush’s nominee for Labor Secretary withdrew after it was revealed that she had given housing and financial assistance to an illegal immigrant, but the FBI found that she had not committed any crimes.

Here’s the problem though. I have many friends who were constantly disparaging President Bush while he was in office. My response to them was that,while they didn’t have to like him personally or even his policies, you have to respect the office that he holds. So, I have to do the same for President Obama. One other thing I feel compelled to do, as a Christian, is to pray for him. I was listening to the local Christian station on inauguration day and the DJ made the point that even if we are concerned for where this country is headed and for the things this President might do, we are still called to pray for him. He used the illustration of Shadrach, Meschach and Abednigo and their prayers for King Nebuchadnezzar, a man who was 180 degrees from God but because of the prayers of those men, he came to believe. Please note that I am NOT saying that I believe the President is 180 degrees from God - I don’t know that and it’s not for me to say. He may be, or he may be a very devoted Christian (although his views on many subjects compared to what the Bible says would make me wonder about that, but again, not my place to judge). So, I will pray for him, and I will respect the office, and I hope that our country will thrive during his time in office.

I know that some of you reading this will completely disagree with me on these issues and that I may not have presented my thoughts in the most clear and concise manner. And that’s fine. I just wanted to vent a little and see if anyone else had any thoughts on these matters.