Fanatics Among Us

Today one of my U.S. History students handed me a minister's blog entitled "Response to the Recent Presidential Election." The writer, who signs off as "Dutch Sheets" is a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church, formerly popularly known as the Dutch Refomed Church. The student indicated his general agreement with the pastor's views.

The upshot of the pastor's analysis is that because of the election of Barack Obama, the harsh punishment of a vengeful God is now about to fall upon the United States. In his section entitled "Judgment Will Increase" the minister begins "This is not a fire and brimstone warning from an angry, legalistic preacher." When somebody starts out that way it's a pretty clear indication of what is to come next. He does not disappoint, either.

Here is what the reverend forecasts from the Almighty as retribution for America's choosing Senator Obama: "More economic woes, more violence in an already violent nation, disease and death (satan, who is responsible for these things will have greater inroads to our nation), natural disasters (weather-tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, drought; fires; earthquakes; etc.), terrorism (they will fear us much less now), war, perhaps on our own soil, and judgments relating to the Court."

The list makes me wonder two things. First, what would he have forecast if he had been "an angry, legalistic preacher," and second, are not these predictions characteristic of what has been happening under the born-again President Bush whom this preacher no doubt supported the past two elections, and under whose reign, if this preacher's crystal ball and view of God is right, we should have expected earthly blessings day and night for the past eight years?

What is sobering to consider is that tens of millions of people are subjected to this picture of God, this world view and this view of the legitimacy of Barack Obama as president every week in churches across the country.

Was this the God Jesus spoke of? God as the big hit-man in the sky, indiscriminately laying waste guilty and innocent alike in an endless thirst for vengeance? Is the world view that is godly the one whose candidate supports unnecessary wars and sings and jokes about starting new ones? Is it really that clear and simple?

And finally, if millions of the faithful are weekly being exposed to an ideology that holds the recent election is not about the expressed will of the people but instead about a servant of "satan" whose "background, associations, beliefs and practices..." will set the causes of "God, life and morality...back years, possibly decades," then how long will it be before many of them feel it their celestial duty to eliminate him before these calamities befall us?

I do not mind saying that I frankly find this variety of religion very, very disquieting.