November 14, 2011

Presidential Candidates Using God?

While Herman Cain seems besieged by women claiming harassment, his comment about God may have gone without much notice. In an interview about why he is running for president, he said that God wanted him to. Then he compared his "conversation" with God to Moses'. Presumably, God had to convince a reluctant Cain just like God had to convince a reluctant Moses.

I'm really not sure how I feel about a presidential candidate announcing this. It feels unsettling. While I am glad that Cain is a person of faith and that he has a close relationship with God, it troubles me that he would use God to bolster his appeal. Perhaps I'm just too skeptical, but I've heard too many people justify their position by saying that it was God's will. But I also suppose that just because God wants Cain to run, doesn't mean God wants him to be president?! What if Cain says that God wants him to lead us where we don't want to go? Is a vote against Cain a vote against God? I don't think so.

Please do not misunderstand. I pray for our leaders and I pray that God will lead them in righteousness, but like Martin Luther said, "I'd rather be governed by a smart Turk than a dumb Christian."

What do you think?

Kathy

1 comment:

  1. Many, MANY people have claimed to be doing God's will (many of George Bush's actions were undergirded by faith language). Many people also conveniently hear things from God that are always what they want to hear. Not knowing him personally, it's hard to determine the sincerity of such a statement, or how deep his relationship with God is. I think these are situations where we have to "test the spirits," pray about it, and decide for ourselves who God is calling us to support.

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