All Scripture Is God-Breathed…
First of all, this is not political, I just become intrigued when politicians become theologians, same as I am when preachers become politicians. I find Barack Obama’s citation of the Sermon on the Mount in defense of same-sex unions a curious, but not a surprising, maneuver. Most gay defenders cite John 8 about the woman caught in adultery, but the principle is the same (sinners shouldn’t judge sinners). This particular quote caught my eye: “I don’t think it [a same-sex union] should be called marriage, but I think that it is a legal right that they should have that is recognized by the state,” said Obama. “If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount, which I think is, in my mind, for my faith, more central than an obscure passage in Romans.” An “obscure passage in Romans”? Is not all Scripture God-breathed? To me, this is laughable, but remember, Mr. Obama is not a theologian. He is grasping at straws, theologically, trying to get votes. Honestly, I am not worried about him or Hilary. They are only symptoms of our national spiritual epidemic. They represent what the people want, just as King Saul represented the people of Israel. Obama is not a prophetic voice, but he’s the best we’ve got since the voice of Christ in His Church has gotten laryngitis.
Beyond Despair 
Obama is scary, but not because of his inaccurate interpretation of Scripture. Politicians, among others, have been misinterpreting Scripture for years! This isn’t new. But, if he is elected, our government will be huge and we will have no paycheck left after all the new taxes. THAT is what is so scary about Obama to me! I guess it’s times like these that we have to trust God’s sovereignty.
You know that I am the last person to be commenting about Politics…so I won’t either…I am just amazed by all that is going on in our world. The spiritual epidemic that you mention is something that falls into one of the characteristics of the “end times”, wouldn’t you say? Still…I think there is much more tribulation to come. That is, of course, if we believe what it says in Matthew 24…and I do. I agree that the Church has laryngitis, me included, and it is about time we take a large dose of God’s Word and get to work! It’s not that I’m ashamed of the gospel, God’s truth, it’s just that I hide in fear that I will be outwitted. God tells us that he takes what is foolish to confound the wise. So maybe it’s about time that I surrender my fears to my Lord Jesus Christ and allow His Spirit to do the work. If I were to stand in front of the Obama’s of this world or the Oprah’s with their new age spirituality would I reflect Christ’s light or would I be seen as just another person in need of this self made salvation that they profess.
I agree, the misinterpretation of Scripture is not new or uncommon, even among pastors. The citation of Jesus’ sermon on the mount is a curious one. I have a theological dog in this fight, since God never seems concerned or biting His nails about who gets elected. If Obama turns out to be Sennacherib, then it is the Lord’s doing in response to the people’s infidelity. I am outraged, however, that Obama is considered such a prophetic voice. But I guess a cat purring sounds like a lion roaring when hardly a sound has been made for years…