Greetings and Salutations readers!
I would like to kick-start this blog with the review of a book discussing the crucial debate of the current time; will Barack Obama be President of the United States of America?
This book does not make an argument for whether or not he will, it simply discusses what we will do, regardless of the election’s outcome.
Senator Obama is not going anywhere, that is for sure. He will have no trouble getting re-elected to the U.S. Senate; in fact, not securing the presidency may nearly guarantee it if you consider other influential politician’s careers that contain a failed bid for the White House.
What if he does get elected? Will he do what he says? Can we tell what kind of man he is? Does he have ulterior motives or a typical political agenda? Do we have a way of looking into the well-orated stories and concise rhetoric, a method to peer inside the performance and see what he really feels?
Stephen Mansfield sugests that there is a way and that it is through on faith; that faith is a looking glass into the soul and the mind.
Perhaps it is; however, there seems to be plenty of exceptions to the rule. I do not think that Obama is an exception, I think he is an example.
This book discusses the significance of Obama’s religion and explains in brief enough chapters that he is strongly involved in his Christianity. This Christianity is not of the popular denominations, it is based in Black Theology and civil religion, a new denomination, and it is very secular and intense.
Although his beliefs are unorthodox for the typical beliefs of our nation’s leaders, it seems to hold a lot of promise for declaring loud and clear that there is a Religious Left for the renowned Religious Right. This faith-based political stance is part of the change that he calls for as it introduces a character-centric approach to policy, where religion affects the thought process and substantiates a moral foundation, but democratic convictions cause a broader acceptance for the realities of society and the many Bibilical laws it breaks.
Democracy, the practice or principles of social equality, the battle cry of this Republic and the catalyst for great change from inception to present-day.
This concept was there from the beginning and will continue with this election, stronger than it ever has, for the sake of unity. Healing.
Religion offers much healing, especially religion of the Christian flavors; salvation through Jesus Christ.
Jesus did not descriminate or show preference; he loved all and died for everyone’s sins that they may be saved.
Barack Obama will not die for his cause, unlike Jesus, but he will certainly, based on his beliefs, not discriminate in his fight for the equality people and social justice, like Jesus.
As the many healers before him, he realizes the necessity to make the hard choices and push through advancement by addressing the reality that there is a rift in true equality amongst the citizens of the United States, particularly in the rift we call race.
Lincoln knew it; although there are many causes of the Civil War, he fought to end slavery and unite a nation nearly split right down the middle on this issue.
Dr. King knew this in the Civil Rights movements. He fought segregation and hate, inequality and unappreciation and united millions of the greatest varieties of socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Both Lincoln and King died for their beliefs; both men accomplished their dreams and prayers based on the faith they had that it could only be done in America and that God put them in their positions for a reason.
Barack Obama is potentially of the same ilk, only at another pivotal point in time where the nation needs to unite to move forward; a time when we need to heal the open wound of the social divide. He has now doubt that this presidency is his destiny and I have no doubt that his faith will direct him into only the strongest attempt to accomplish his mission.
Stephen Mansfield knows this and makes for an informative and inviting read of only 150 pages or so; I would give you the exact number but I gave Lisa D. my copy. He goes into much greater detail on Obama’s history and the concepts of civil religion and Black Theology, once again, in a short read that provides a great starting point for those interested in learning more, but knowing enough to make an informed decision.
I recommend not only this book, but any piece of literature you can get your hands on about the candidates and policies; knowledge is, of course, power.
I would like to thank Lindsey Nobles, Director of Corporate Communications for Thomas Nelson, Inc, the publisher of this book for allowing me to review this book, for free.
I also thank any of the thousands of listeners that heard me discuss this book on KAMA 750 AM in El Paso.
Lastly, if you are reading this, please feel free to leave a comment, but consider yourself obligated to go and vote on 11/4/08 
David Porter
El Paso Conservative
