I saw this comment on the post about Obama’s presumptuous weekly address (where he takes on the trappings of the job before he actually has it):

You know, Rush Limbaugh has to retire someday. I’m thinking Guy Arthur Thomas and Michelle really ought to team up to replace him. They so perfectly capture what it means to be Republican, and to be Reformed Christians. I wouldn’t be surprised that various churches in the Reformed tradition link to Michelle’s blog from all over the internet, because she is such a wonderful spokesperson for their tradition.

While I was writing a reply I thought of John Knox and laughed and figured I’d share the joke with you. John Knox was a pretty tough guy and didn’t give much ground to rulers, he wasn’t afraid to call them idolaters when he had to. He even went so far as writing a tract against women rulers (at the time when their were queens ruling England and Scotland), The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women. He wrote it with Mary Tudor and Mary Stuart in mind but Elizabeth was pretty ticked off at him when she assumed the throne. Mary reportedly said of him, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.” I think what I said about Obama is pretty mild in comparison, don’t you? 🙂
So, I think Reformed Theology can withstand the black eye you think I give it by criticizing the Democrats. I think that the guys who went before me would understand and probably approve. They knew what I do, that the government isn’t the final authority and that those in power will face the judgment of seat of God and will have to give an account for how they used that power. Did they use if for good or to feather their own nest? Did they use it to help the oppressed? Or did they use it to continue the oppression?
BTW, for you guys who think that’s pretty tough, how about this from Martin Luther King:

“Congress sees the problem [of poverty] every day. But they won’t face it. And I hate to say it. But this Congress, if it does not come to itself, is going to hell.”

And another btw, I’m not the only one who will be criticizing the future president, from an interview with Jim Wallis:

You have an open letter to Obama on your blog stating that “prophetic vocation will require us to challenge your administration.” What do you mean by prophetic vocation?
That we offer you our prayers and our support, but we will challenge you when it’s needed. The prophets of the Bible always did that. They didn’t normally live in the quarters of power. And they weren’t afraid. They were out in the wilderness, and they were willing to challenge the king. And as I said in my blog post, most politicians now can’t deal with that sort of direct confrontation, but I think Obama may understand that a challenge is, in a way, the deepest form of support.