"Do Americans not understand communism?"

The following is an email I sent to our church mailing list:

Darkhan, Mongolia - November 4, 2008 - 10:30 AM

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings from the church in Mongolia. They are praying for you and thankful that you would allow me to come and teach them about the Holy Spirit.

I'm writing from the future (15 hours ahead) and I wish I could tell you how the election is going but we're all going to have to find out together. I wanted to take a moment and share how the Mongolians view our election.

When I arrived last Tuesday almost immediately the people began asking me about our election and who I thought would win. I told them it was too close to call and then they wanted to know who I was voting for. For the sake of this email I won't get into that but they were especially interested in Barack Obama. They could not figure out why America would be interested in such a man.

(Before I continue let me make this clear. They were asking me, I didn't bring it up. They weren't responding to anything I said because I didn't say anything. They were responding from their own studies and reading and what they were hearing in the press.)

This really interested me. As they spoke I could tell they had keen insight into his ideology, philosophy, background, education, and proposals. And they all had the same question for me: "Do Americans not understand communism?"

Americans are repulsed when anyone suggests a major American candidate could have communist ideology. Mongolians, on the other hand, have lived for decades under communist rule. They know what it looks like, sounds like and how it is implemented. Thus, as they study Obama the question they have is: "Do Americans not understand communism?"

I asked what they meant and the leaders had quick answers. I won't take time to get into all they said but they were concerned about Obama's tax and redistribution policies. They worried about his plans for a national civilian police force and his underlying anger when anyone challenges his policies. They were very concerned about the chilling effect his people have on those who speak out against his policies. They are shocked by the virtual worship they see in people's eyes when they are around him. They have seen how his lawyers put pressure on television and radio stations to stop playing advertisements that he doesn't like and it reminds them of past communist strong arm tactics. They all wonder if Americans are simply blind to what's happening right before our eyes. These are not my personal feelings; this is what the leaders here are telling me.

The leaders wanted to know if Americans have gone so far away from the original intent of our Founding Fathers that we are making a conscious decision to accept communism. (Most of you will be irritated with the word communism so let's use the word socialism.) They wanted to know if we are making an informed decision to accept socialism.

I told them that many Americans, especially the young people in colleges and universities, have been slowly indoctrinated in socialist ideology and have no idea what the Founding Fathers taught because our history books have been sanitized of their original principles of freedom. What amazes them is that in Mongolia, the children study the teachings of our Founding Fathers and look at America as the champion of personal freedom. They are concerned that if we are seriously thinking of electing Obama we seem not to know what the principles of freedom are anymore.

I asked them who they were hoping America would elect and they said John McCain. They said he had wisdom and experience. They said they felt he would defend America from its enemies and continue to defend weak nations from communism and tyranny. They also felt he would hold to the Founding Fathers ideology and wouldn't restrict American's freedom of speech. And they also felt that McCain would be a friend to Christians. (This is how the Mongolians see John McCain. I am not adding my personal thoughts.)

I thought you might enjoy hearing their thoughts.

As you prepare to vote I encourage you to vote for the candidate that best represents your desires for the future of our nation. Please exercise the right to vote that was paid for in blood, the right to a peaceful transfer of power every four years.

This is the first time I can remember that I will be on foreign soil to witness our election. I will let you know how the people in Mongolia respond to what happens in our great nation. I'm certain they will have plenty to say.

However you vote, may God bless each one of you and may God bless the United States of America.

Love in Him,

Pastor Chris

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