Pastor Prays for Death of President Obama

I was shocked and appalled to read that Pastor Steven Anderson has told his congregation at Faithful Word Baptist Church that he prays for the death of President Obama every night, and they should do the same. He said, "I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today." He also said, "I'm gonna pray that he dies and goes to hell when I go to bed tonight. That's what I'm gonna pray."

I am appalled for many reasons, but the main one is because he is of the illusion that God would violate his own laws for the purpose of hatred over a political issue. What would God say about this prayer request? Let's see what the Bible, that Pastor Steven Anderson evidently does not read, says:

¹FIRST OF all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, ²For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life ³For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior...(I Timothy 2:1-3 Amplified).

No where on that list does it say anything about praying for their death. However, it does say to the people seeking the harm of others: But [when these men set a trap for others] they are lying in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. (Proverbs 1: 18 Amplified)

Pastor Anderson does NOT speak for the majority of the religious right, but sadly, he does speak for a small fraction who believes their views are the only correct views. A narrow-mindedness that is indicative of not really knowing the nature and essence of God.

Fortunately there are other religious people who have set about to pray for our President, such as The Presidential Prayer Team . We may not agree on everything, but we can agree that praying for the demise of our leader is wrong and unbiblical.

The people should demand the leadership of the Baptist Church strip Pastor Anderson of his license to preach. Spreading hatred in the name of God should not be tolerated by someone in leadership. This is not an issue of Freedom of Speech, but inciting violence against The President of the United States, because someone will think they are doing "God's will" by killing the President. It is a lie, but vulnerable people can fall for anything.

President Obama has done nothing to deserve the "prayers" this pastor has poured out, and that he is encouraging others to pray. Thankfully, God knows when to turn a deaf ear.