The Kingdom Come

As the American Presidential election heats up, we get to see a peek at the topic we're told never to talk about in public -- faith/religion.  Politicians have long sought to use religion to frame their messages, yet without using too much of it so as to be labeled a "fanatic".  The 2008 elections are no different.  First, we saw Barak Obama initially downplay the racist & anti-American ideas of his church of 20 years & then he finally had to distance himself from the church all together or risk sinking his campaign.  Next, Obama was depicted as a "messiah" because of his lofty promises of "change" & of "healing" things as massive as the entire planet.  Now, when Sarah Palin, the Republican Vice President candidate is energizing the core Christian base of the Republican Party & Obama sees his lead slipping away, Obama & supporters are using a new religious themed line:

"Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus. Pontius Pilate was a governor." (source1 & source2)

The comparison is meant to be a jab at the fact that though many question Obama's lack of executive experience, Palin's experience as a governor is equated with the supposed killer of Jesus Himself.

First off, you can tell whoever thought up this line has never actually read the Bible.  Maybe they have merely attended liberal churches where they put on passion plays around Easter & blame everything on the "mean, ruthless Romans".  But the Bible says different.

Pilate & the Romans cared a less about the religious squabbles among their provinces so long as they continued paying taxes & kept relatively peaceful.  As a matter of fact, Pilate went out of his way NOT to have to execute Jesus.

Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they [the Jews] cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”  When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” -- Matt 27:23-24 (see also Lk 23:13-16)

So as you see, the govenor was wise but had to yield to the mob demands...a mob organized not by Jesus but by lying, hateful, power-hungry men.  As a matter of fact Jesus NEVER wanted the job of "community organizer".  Once when the mob sought to force Him into being their king, Jesus turned down the job & fled (John 6:14-15).

If there is any comparisons here, Obama is seeking to stir up the mob not only against the government (by his claim to be some Zealot coming to throw-off the supposed oppressors), but Obama also seeks to stir up the common people just as did the evil men who stirred up that mob almost 2000 years ago. (Mk 15:11)