Don't get your HOPES up

The nomination of Barack Obama is practically a reality now.

I've done my best to remain immune to the fascination it seems that everyone under 30 has with the man. He is doubtlessly a great orator, and has a phenomenal message, that despite the world we live in, we can have HOPE.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately that tries to explain Jesus and early Christianity within the social realm of the Roman Empire. The message of the Empire was HOPE. In Caesar, there is peace and prosperity. They even had a saying that went roughly like this "There is no other name on Heaven or Earth by which we are saved but Caesar."

Early Christians, in their attempt to show their neighbors the truth of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, stole the saying away from the Empire, and made it their own.

In that vein, I want to encourage my readers, especially my peers who find themselves entranced by a politician, that hope cannot be found in Obama. I believe Obama would make a fascinating president. However, Obama will not solve AIDS, reverse NAFTA, stop outsourcing, eliminate bureaucracy, heal your broken heart, give you your daddy back or save you from your sins.

Does that mean I have no HOPE? Does that mean I don't think we can change.

In the spirit of the early Christians, I would say:

With Jesus, YES WE CAN!