Comment: You Only Voted for Obama Because He Is Black

I tried to post this comment at the Black and Reformed Ministries blog article, "You Only Voted for Obama Because He Is Black."

Dear Lionel,

Thanks for this sightful post. Although I am white, I do not vote based on race. Of course we all have our cultural biases. I personally disagree with 90% of what I see on Fox News. Unfortunately, I do not agree with socialism either so I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.

As far as it goes, President Barack Obama has done a fine job thus far and has shown himself to be an able leader. I do not agree with his stance on abortion, gay rights, immigration, entitlement programs, etc. But that says nothing at all about him as a man, an intellectual, and a leader.

I'm glad that we finally have a black president. I find it sad, however, that his politics and his religion are liberal. I would love to have a conservative black president. But that may not happen because of the socialist biases instilled in the majority in the black community.  Of course, the political right is in many ways inherently racist and still embodies a prejudice against anyone in the lower classes as inherently ignorant, lazy and anti-intellectual, particularly if you happen to belong to a racial minority. 

Growing up poor and white I can tell you that race issues have not gone away. I tried to practice tolerance and did my best. But no matter how hard I try many black folks will say that I am just a redneck racist because of where I was born and because of my social status. I can no more choose my parents, my birth place, my race or my gender than any black person could. Those things are in God's hands.

It has been my observation that the doctrine of total depravity is a corruption common to every individual of every race proceeding from Adam. Thus, racism is inherent to us all and is sinful. Can anyone ignore the genocide perpetrated in Rwanda?  Where one black tribe was trying to annihilate another?

If blacks were somehow to gain a minority control of the white majority here, what sort of retributions would we face as white people? You say that couldn't happen here. Perhaps you are right. But the point is black people are sinners like everyone else. We are all in this together. I suppose Rodney King was naive when he said, "Why can't we all just get along?" He didn't realize that all men are corrupt to one degree or another by Adam's original sin and the curse of depravity.

I have had many black friends over the years. In fact, one of them helped me get back to the Lord. He was a Missionary Baptist deacon named Sam Johnson, who has since gone home to be with the Lord. I have visited and worshipped in many black churches over the years and I have always felt welcome there. Although I must admit that visiting there gave me at least a sense of how black people must feel being a minority in the outside world. Most times I was one of only a handful of white folks in the service.

Anyway, I find it a bit disappointing that the most integrated churches in the USA are pentecostal. I would hope that more Reformed folks of all races could have integrated congregations and find a unity in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Our citizenship is in heaven and politics here below should not be the basis for fellowship (Philippians 3:20).  We are all in this together (Galatians 3:27-29).  Thanks for blogging, Brother Lionel.

Sincerely yours in Christ,


Charlie J. Ray, M.Div.