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Sunday, November 22, 2009

USING BIBLE QUOTES TO PRAY PRESIDENT OBAMA DIES, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Listen up. This morning, The Daddy is having feelings which seem to fluctuate between anger and sadness. It's about what appears to be an increase in slogans which speak to President Obama-- our president, America's president!-- being dead. These slogans can be found on bumper stickers, mugs, even teddy bears. What's more, the slogans come from biblical quotes.

The slogans actually talk of President Obama dying or hoping he dies real soon. But here's the question that keeps turning in The Daddy's head: how can the mind of a fellow American be so twisted that he or she would want their own president dead?

Trying to wrap my arm around this question, I came across this interesting article in Think Progress by journalist Amanda Terkel that talks about this phenomenon. Check it out:

Using Bible Quotes to Pray That Obama's 'Days be Few'
by Amanda Terkel
November 20, 2009

A new slogan is making its way onto t-shirts and even teddy bears: 'Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8,' which reads, 'Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”

The newest far-right craze is an anti-Obama slogan that is making its way onto t-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs, and even teddy bears: “Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8,” which reads, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.” The meme is also taking off on Twitter, with conservatives calling it “hilarious.” Commentators have noted that it’s unclear whether the intent is to hope for an end to Obama’s time in office — or an end to his life. But a look at the lines in the rest of the psalm hint at the latter:

Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labor.
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Diana Butler Bass at Beliefnet explains that Psalm 109 is one of the “imprecatory” prayers, “a lament in the form of petition to destroy one’s enemies.” While perhaps intended to be a joke, she notes that the psalm actually “entreats God to destroy the president”:

It is the personal prayer of an individual, someone who has been dealt an injustice by another–and usually more powerful–person. The words of Psalm 109 are those of deep agony, the longings of a victim for retribution and justice. This psalm is considered one of the most difficult of all the psalms–full of violent images of vengeance and death.

Quite a few of the “Pray for Obama” items are being sold at CafePress.com, although many of them have been taken off of the site (here’s a cached version of some of them). Cafe Press representative Margene H. told ThinkProgress that while the site took down some of the “Pray for Obama” items today, it is now in the process of reinstating them:

We initially pulled the Psalm 109:8 content from our products today because broader media dialog indicated that these designs potentially suggested violence towards the president. Based on current public discourse and further review of the actual content, we have determined that it is fair political commentary and we are in the process of reinstating this merchandise. As with all of our content, these designs will continue to be reviewed and if at any time their meaning is construed as advocating violence we will revisit our decision.

On Tuesday, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow spoke with “Patience With God” author Frank Schaeffer, who said that while the psalm was “frightening” in a secular context, it’s even “more threatening” in a biblical context.

Can you believe there are Americans who actually want to see their president dead?

15 comments:

RiPPa said...

Religion and politics... the worse marriage of ideologies in my book. Pretty soon I think they're gonna march around the White House in hopes of it falling like the walls of Jericho.

Mike said...

Of course I can believe it. Obama wants health care for all, and a repair of the United States' international reputation for arrogance and lawlessness. That's simply too much for rightists who value "personal responsibility", liberty and U.S. power above all else.

♥ CG ♥ said...

Yep, it's a shame, misusing scriptures to advocate the man's demise when they're the most hateful people on earth.

Unknown said...

Reading this caused a heaviness in my heart. It is shocking, sad and exposes the ugliest side of America. As a Christian, I have disagreed, protested and petitioned, but never prayed for the death of those with whom I disagree. I have, however prayed for my nation's leaders regardless of party affiliation. I'm all for disagreement and debate but this is a travesty and I am hanging my head in shame and sorrow for these people who call themselves Americans.

Anna Renee said...

Maybe we ought not be too upset with these hate filled people. Many will claim to be Christians but their "fruit" will cause Jesus to say to them "depart from me for I never knew you"! We should just pray Psalm 37! Amen! wrestlegod.blogspot.com

Oso said...

MacDaddy,
A year ago this would've shocked me, not now.
But you know what?Those same Christian wingnut types are the first to condemn Muslims for being fanatical, without seeing the fanaticism in themselves.

rainywalker said...

MacDaddy,
Yes & Yes. Along with the sellouts come the nutballs who can't leave the election behind them. They are introducing an America where some nutcase is going to act on what he believes they mean. I will wait until the president has finished office before I decide his term in advance. I never was much of a mind reader.
rainy

Mac Daddy Tribute Blog said...

Rippa: When they try to marry the two, that's when problems arise. The only exception I see is when, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the ideology centered around justice and peace for all people.

Stimpson: We're trying to get what you already have. Living in Canada, you must find some of these debates incredibly arrogant and elitist politically and indefensible morally.

CurvyGurl: You are correct. No doubt about it. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Mac Daddy Tribute Blog said...

Oso: It's sad that it doesn't shock you and, increasingly, me either.

Rainy: I hear you. With the sellouts come wingnuts indeed; And they're in full force now. Glen Beck should be happy.

Kit (Keep It Trill) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kit (Keep It Trill) said...

The first verse of Jasmine Sullivan's song, Bust Your Windows plays in my mind whenever I run across this story.

msladyDeborah said...

This is just another example of the insanity that people have rolling around in their minds. I am not surprised that they are using the Bible to justify their twisted ideas. There's always a group somewhere within this nation that has found a way to do this.

I am tired of them and their so called religious morality. I firmly believe that you should be careful what you ask for-least God decides to give it to you. They may find that if their so called prayer is answered that things afterwards may be far worse for them for that request. These people are foolish and they are definitely not representing any Christian values.

Mac Daddy Tribute Blog said...

Vernita: Welcome. And thanks for becoming a follower of daddyBstrong. Looking forward to you coming back and making comments. Thanks again.

patti t said...

Today I am just sad that this is way too common a reality. Hopefully tomorrow I can get angry again or focused, but I will still be sad.

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