America: A Nation Divided Over God

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America: A Nation Divided Over God

What did the DNC fiasco on the floor reveal about America?

“The president believes as much that God should be taken off [U.S. currency] as he does that aliens will attack Florida.” That was Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki’s unusual way of describing the president’s apparent stalwart faith in God. The reason that President Barack Obama’s view on God was in question had to do with what happened earlier in the week.

As Democrats held their national convention to nominate Barack Obama as their candidate for re-election, news broke that they had removed the last remaining specific references to God and Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel from the party’s official 70-page platform. After receiving fierce criticism, Democratic National Committee leaders decided to reinstate the references, hoping that would put the issue to rest until after the election. All it required was a quick and easy vote on the convention floor.

The dnc chairman, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, brought the amendment to the floor on Wednesday evening. He asked the delegates present to respond with a verbal “aye” to approve the change. But the “no’s” were just as loud and numerous, if not more so. The visibly conflicted mayor didn’t know what to do. So he asked again. What sounded like about half of the room said “aye.” The other half or so shouted “no.” The mayor wanted to move forward—the teleprompter was already loaded with the script telling him to approve the measure—but it was apparent to anyone listening that two thirds had certainly not voted in the affirmative. So he asked a third time. Same thing.

“In the opinion of the chair, two thirds have voted in the affirmative, the motion is adopted ….”

Loud jeers and boos from the spurned half—or majority—of delegates filled the stadium.

It was the room that booed God. At least half of the national Democrat leadership literally and vocally went on the record to make it clear: They were—and are—opposed to mentioning God in their party manifesto even once. Nor did they want Israel to have sole right to Jerusalem as its capital.

The Democratic party hasn’t quite gotten its story straight on its obvious fumbling of the issue. Some are saying the omissions were an oversight. But the references had been in past Democratic platforms; someone went in there and removed them. This is a document that lays out your party’s vision, your talking points, your advertisement to the American people to vote for you, your face to the world. Oops—accidentally deleted God. I don’t think so. Ted Strickland was the platform drafting committee chair. He is also an ordained United Methodist minister. How odd that he would’ve “forgotten” God.

But even if “sorry, we just forgot about God” is true, how sad a state of affairs is it that He could be so easily nixed?

There are conflicting reports that President Obama himself was the one who decided that the words “God” and “Jerusalem” needed to go back into the platform. But if that’s true—and it might be—then why do I get the feeling that this came less from the president’s stalwart faith and more from his sense of political strategy?

President Obama believes God should be in our politics. But candidate Obama believed that marriage was between a man and a woman—until he was elected. If he wins re-election, will we see his beliefs “evolve” on this one too?

These representatives are to be voicing the beliefs of their constituents. That means at least one quarter of all Americans. God was intentionally ejected from the platform by the party in control of the U.S. federal government. The highest official approved it. How do you sneak something like that past the White House?

America has changed dramatically over the last eight years. In 2004, God was mentioned seven times in the Democratic party platform. In 2008, when President Obama won the nomination, He was mentioned only once. This year all mentions of God were removed completely, before they were dictatorially and very politically reinserted against the wishes of what sounded like about half of voting delegates.

Republicans love to point out that in their platform “God” is mentioned 10 times. But Republicans can quit slapping themselves on the back. What is worse: openly admitting that God isn’t important to you, or making a big show that He is, then proceeding as if He is not?

In some ways, the Democratic National Convention just highlighted how anti-God all of America is becoming.

Why all the hatred for God?

The same day Democrat delegates were jeering the addition of God into their party platform, they were applauding a historic speech from a young lady named Benita Veliz. Benita Veliz is currently a university student. She has earned two degrees. And she was also valedictorian of her high school. She is probably also a very nice lady. But none of that is what qualified her for a podium address at the most important democratic convention in at least four years. What qualified her was that she is an illegal alien. According to the Los Angeles Times, Veliz’s speech was a historic moment for America: It is the first time an illegal immigrant had ever been given the stage at a major political convention.

One half of America’s lawmakers don’t care enough about America, to respect the rule of law. They stood and cheered her as she made her speech against deporting illegals.

Veliz’s speech was historic, not because of her status, but because it illustrated a historic disregard for the laws of the land—by those charged with upholding it. When the lawmakers publicly flout the laws of the land, it doesn’t take long before everybody is doing the same. It is an omen for the nation.

Why do people hate God so much? Perhaps it’s because they don’t want to be reminded that they are subject to a higher law—a law that no amount of legislation or executive orders can nullify. Banning God from your party platform, from society or from your mind does nothing to change that reality.