An African American or female President of the United States? To even be able to ponder such a thing is an amazing and inspiring advancement for this country.
The first time I can vote in the presidential election and two facets of my identity are represented in the Democratic candidates - unbelievable. But I am immensely torn in this election.
Before Barack Obama announced his candidacy in 2007, I watched him appear on Oprah's show, and was instantly hooked. To see someone speak with such intellect and talk about faith and changing this country was truly inspiring. But my admiration for him quickly faded after reading the incipient pages of his book "The Audacity of Hope." I discovered that Obama's concept of faith was not solely based in Jesus Christ, but is more of a universal faith. Furthermore, he believes in evolution. How can someone that talks about faith not believe the first line in the Bible? I am not talking about a scientist; I am talking about someone who professes their Christianity and faith in God yet doesn't believe God is the Creator.
Moreover, he is a part of the United Church of Christ, and according to The New York Times, The United Church of Christ prides itself on its inclusiveness of racial minorities, gay men and lesbians. In 1972, it became the first mainline Protestant denomination to ordain an openly gay minister, and two years ago it passed a resolution in support of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.
The Christian faith has been put in a tough position to open its arms to everyone as Jesus did, but not to relinquish its strides towards purity in doing so. It is clear what side of the fence Obama has chosen to stand on. Obama has said that "faith has been hijacked" and I could not agree and disagree with him more. I agree that it has been hijacked, but I think people like Obama are the hijackers; professing to have faith in God, yet going against what the word of God says. Everyone should be ministered to and told that we can be forgiven for our sins, but to allow sin to pitch its tent in the house of the Lord is completely different.
Discovering Obama's distorted concept of faith led to the decline in my support for him, and I put his book down after reading that. Let me be clear, I am not saying that if someone doesn't share the same faith as I do than I have no regard for them. But my issue with Obama is more personal. In general, I am so disappointed when I hear someone say they are a Christian, but then realize they do not mean that they are surrendering their lives to God and striving for perfection daily. In the case of Obama, I am disheartened because when I saw an African American, Christian politician I felt that I had found a potential mentor, but I realized that we do not share the same faith - I am not a lukewarm Christian.
So I can't support him. I can't be moved by his speeches. Maybe I am biased. Maybe I am making my decision based off faith and not politics. I voted for Hillary Clinton. I cannot attest to her faith, besides her being raised Methodist, and I disagree with her stance on abortion and other social issues. But because she has not made faith and hope - concepts I view to be rooted in God - central to her campaign, my support came from agreement with her policies for healthcare and the economy. Some people may find this confusing because I disagree with both candidates on social issues yet I voted for Clinton. Well, as a registered Democrat with the race winding down to Clinton vs. Obama I knew who I did not want to win.
But I did not vote for Clinton simply by default; I think that between Clinton and Obama, Clinton will be a better president. I think a lot of black people are supporting Obama because he is black, and young people are so excited by his speeches, but I just don't think he can really get the job done. I believe that because this nation is in such a valley of despair everyone wants this wave of change to come, and while Obama talks about creating that wave, I'm just not buying it. Maybe I am skeptical of him because of his wavering faith, which is something that I think some Americans are not really examining.
Initially, I intended to write a pro-Clinton endorsement and discuss why Obama just is not right for the job, but as I began to write, I realized I couldn't support either candidate 100 percent. They all have their faults and skeletons in the closet.
If I had my way, I'd elect a Democratic version of Mike Huckabee, which would be the epitome of a national leader. As a Christian, I would love to have a President with conservative views on social issues, combined with Democratic policies which benefit the lower and middle classes, and above all, one who operates under the authority of God.
Some people think Christians are overly concerned with where candidates stand on social issues, but I disagree; voters would like to support the candidate that shares their perspective and with whom they most identify with. I want a Christian president because I walk by faith and not by sight, and I want a leader that echoes that same sentiment, because that tells me they recognize their knowledge is limited but God is omniscient.
I am not saying that in order for someone to be a leader they must be a "Jesus freak." But they do need spiritual eyes, because a leader that lacks the guidance of the Holy Spirit is like the blind leading the blind.
But I am not so quick to support a "Christian" president because of that identification alone; George Bush's failures have a lot to do with my leeriness. I have to consider whether the policies they propose in dealing with areas like the economy and healthcare coincide with my views. So although I support the Republicans and their stance on social issues, I am more apt to vote Democrat, because declaration of faith in God by former presidents has not meant success for the economy and the social and ethnic group I identify with.
Come November I will truly seek God's direction on who to vote for, Democrat or Republican. But I will still not put my trust in man, believing that they will be able to fix the economy or fully provide for those in need. I will not hope that a man or a woman alone will bring the redemption that this nation truly needs, because hope - that is not in God - is not a plan.
Staff columnist Caresse Spencer is a 6th-semester journalism and political science double major. She can be reached at Caresse.Spencer@UConn.edu
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