Friday, February 20, 2009

(1) Obama, (2) Jesus

So a poll came out today from Harris Interactive of who Americans view as heroes. I'll give you a hint, the title to this blog wasn't something I came up with...it's how America ranked 'em. True story.

As far as commentary is concerned, all I'll say regarding the order of the first two spots is this: I'm excited (honestly) about Barack Obama's presidency. This really is an historic moment for our nation. Do not read this post as a knock on this event for our country. This poll just underscores the increasing secularization of our society and the overwhelming need for gracious biblical proclamation and teaching to take place.

Here's the top 15:

1. Barack Obama
2. Jesus
3. Martin Luther King, Jr.
4. Ronald Reagan
5. George W. Bush
6. Abraham Lincoln
7. John McCain
8. John F. Kennedy
9. Chesley Sullenberger (pilot that landed the US Airways flight in the Hudson R.)
10. Mother Teresa
11. God
12. Hillary Clinton
13. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
13. Billy Graham
15. Mahatma Ghandi

A few observations:

-Interestingly, God made the list twice. God the Son came in at number 2 and God the Father (at least I'm assuming that's who they're referring to) came in at number 11. I'm trying to find the positives here, people.

-While John McCain lost to number 1, Barack Obama, in the elections, maybe it's comforting for him to know that he could've beaten John F. Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and George Washington (who came in tied for number 16), three of America's most prolific and influential presidents.

-Somehow, America's least popular president ever (depending on which media source you listen to), George W. Bush, made the top 5. Maybe the guy wasn't viewed as so bad after all, ey?

One more thing:

As for reasons given to call someone a "hero", the number one answer given (89%) was this: "Doing what is right regardless of personal consequences."

Isn't this a funny answer coming from our relativistic, "what's right for you isn't right for me" society? Maybe there is an embedded sense of right and wrong after all...

1 comment:

Brad Jones said...

I appreciate the comment you left on my blog in regards to the post I put on Justin Taylor's blog. It is encouraging to know that people are reading what I am writing.

I would, in many ways, consider myself still "in recovery" from many experiences I have had involving church and unbiblical teachings, and am still sorting through all of it.

I thank God that He is continuing to break my heart to see that we desperately need Him and have no good thing apart from Him.

While I do find Reformed Theology/Calvinism to be the most biblical, I have found many gracious, God-centered, bible-saturated Arminians who have a deep love for Christ and making Him known.

I pray that more people who come to the Doctrines of Grace will become broken people who will love and bear with others, serving them like Christ and putting the Word of Truth before others in humility rather than becoming self-righteous with the revelations that God is giving to us. May God have mercy on all of us.

Once again, thanks for the encouraging comment.

By the way, I also live in NC; around the Winston Salem area.