I have been positively stressing over how to construct my thoughts on the very different ways in which McCain and Obama addressed Rick Warren’s question on evil.  If you don’t know what I am talking about, check here.

Rather than attempting any sort of biblical/theological argument or position, I will simply speak plainly and try to articulate the way I felt as I listened to the 2 responses.  Perhaps the biblical/theological defense will come later if necessary.

Obama answered first and I thought, “Wow, I am not sure I am even imagine someone giving a better answer.”  He spoke to the diversity of ways in which we see evil in the world, he offered an answer that wasn’t on Warren’s contrived list (confrontation), acknowledged that final task of erasing evil from the world was God’s task, and emphasized the need to approach confronting evil from a posture of humility.

McCain answered later with one simple phrase, “Defeat it.”  My gut response to this was, “Are you kidding me?  How incredibly arrogant, presumptuous, and narrow-minded.”  In typical “We’re the United States and therefore what we say goes” sort of fashion, McCain didn’t even feel the need to qualify his answer.

To be clear, I am saying that I think Obama gave the better, and not necessarily Christian, or right answer.  What really frightens/saddens me is that so may who profess to follow Jesus think that McCain did.  I am not seeking to comment here on the whole range of political stances that each candidate takes, but let me be honest, how these candidates answered this question instantly became a big deal to me and I have no reservation in saying that if this was all it came down to (and surely it’s not), I am much, much more comfortable as a citizen of the United States following a Commander-in-Chief who both acknowledges the limitations and pervue of the government and is willing to approach issues with humility.

Related posts:

1. What To Do With Evil