The Christianity Of Obama

[WinePusher]

In a recent poll conducted by some polling group, it said that 1 in 5 Americans believe Obama is actually a Muslim. Personally, I don't think he's a Muslim but I also do not think he is a Christian.

1) Is Obama a Christian or a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

2) What Do you think would lead 1 in 5 Americans to believe Obama is a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

[LiamOS]

[font=Times New Roman]

1) Is Obama a Christian or a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

"I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins..." - Barack Obama
Sounds like a Christian to me.

2) What Do you think would lead 1 in 5 Americans to believe Obama is a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

The same thing that leads 3 in 5 to doubt evolution and 3 in 5 to be overweight; they are quite ill-informed, however is happens.[/font]

[micatala]

In a recent poll conducted by some polling group, it said that 1 in 5 Americans believe Obama is actually a Muslim. Personally, I don't think he's a Muslim but I also do not think he is a Christian.

1) Is Obama a Christian or a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

Yes. He professes to be so, and my general philosophy is that a person who considers themself a Christian should be considered so by others. I apply this not only to Obama, but anyone.

This philosophy is based on Romans Ch. 14.

4Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

2) What Do you think would lead 1 in 5 Americans to believe Obama is a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

There are several principle contributing factors in my view.

Many people do not pay that much attention, and so sometimes tend to parrot whatever they have heard from others or the media.

There has been a lot of misinformation out there.

Some of that is pushed for political reasons. If he can be weakened politically by making such accusations, some will do it. Anti-Islamic feeling plays into this.

His middle name and the fact that his father was Muslim and he lived in Indonesia for a time provides people who want to push this narrative some facts to hang their hats on.

Distrust of Obama plays a part. Those prone not to believe him are more likely to believe the "Obama is a Muslim" narrative.


It is worth noting there is a huge disparity on the percentage between Republicans and the rest of the population.

[WinePusher]

Yes. He professes to be so, and my general philosophy is that a person who considers themself a Christian should be considered so by others. I apply this not only to Obama, but anyone.

This philosophy is based on Romans Ch. 14.

I agree to an extent. I certainly find it disdainful when I hear christians saying that Mormons and Catholics aren't really christian, and I am willing to accept Obama at his word. However, his actions cut aganist his claim. He does not currently go to church, and when he did go to church he went to a fringe, pseudo christian church. I thinks its safe to say he's not a practicing christian.

2) What Do you think would lead 1 in 5 Americans to believe Obama is a Muslim? Please Support Your Answer

Many people do not pay that much attention, and so sometimes tend to parrot whatever they have heard from others or the media.

There has been a lot of misinformation out there.

From who? The media has been bending over having "thrills up their leg" every time Obama speaks. There is no mis information except for a few very fringe right wingers. Not Beck or Limbaugh, people like Mark Williams.

His middle name and the fact that his father was Muslim and he lived in Indonesia for a time provides people who want to push this narrative some facts to hang their hats on.

I don't think his middle name influences Americans to think he's a muslim. It's ironic at the very least.

Distrust of Obama plays a part. Those prone not to believe him are more likely to believe the "Obama is a Muslim" narrative.

Yea. That distrust is warrented. Someone who tells NASA that their goal is not Space Exploration, but making Muslims feel good about themselves is troubling. Someone who writes "I will stand with the Muslims if there is a change in the political wind" (not an accurate quote) is troubling. And someone who for whatever reason, refuses to disclose his actual birth certificate is troubling.

It is worth noting there is a huge disparity on the percentage between Republicans and the rest of the population.

Maybe cause republicans are not in love with the man and can think reasonably. From what he has said, and his associations, I think that American's are right to distrust him. Little things like not putting your hand over your heart during the pledge, or not rebuking your wife when she says "America is a downright mean country" or "This is the first time in my adult life that I have been proud of this country." Maybe there should be a requirement of "minimal patriotism" before one can run for the presidency.

[micatala]

Yes. He professes to be so, and my general philosophy is that a person who considers themself a Christian should be considered so by others. I apply this not only to Obama, but anyone.

This philosophy is based on Romans Ch. 14.

I agree to an extent. I certainly find it disdainful when I hear christians saying that Mormons and Catholics aren't really christian, and I am willing to accept Obama at his word. However, his actions cut aganist his claim. He does not currently go to church, and when he did go to church he went to a fringe, pseudo christian church. I thinks its safe to say he's not a practicing christian.

It is true Obama has not been attending church services very often. However. . .

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/presiden ... id=9689272

"My Faith and Neighborhood Initiatives director, Joshua DuBois, he has a devotional that he sends to me on my BlackBerry every day," Obama said. "That's how I start my morning. You know, he's got a passage, Scripture, in some cases quotes from other faiths to reflect on."

Keeping the faith in quiet moments of worship may be the best Obama can do given the realities of the presidency that make it nearly impossible to join a church without inflicting a heavy burden on taxpayers, fellow churchgoers and his own spiritual life, sources say.

Security concerns mean costly and complicated measures to ensure the president's safety on church outings, including screening every member of the congregation for weapons and sweeping the church building and areas around it for threats.

Incessant media attention is also distracting for any president trying to commune with God, exposing what is traditionally a private practice to public scrutiny, Wallis said.

"I don't think for them [the family], it's a political decision," he said of Obama's church dilemma. "I think for the media, it's a political issue. Where they land and get their nurture, care and formation; that's very difficult for the first family to find."

and

When President Barack Obama took office, I promised in this post to keep you informed of his decision to select a church home in Washington, D.C. The last definitive news I had was in early July 2009, when I explained that Obama had decided, like George W. Bush, to make the Evergreen Chapel at Camp David his primary place of worship.
Today, in an exclusive interview with Today's Matt Lauer, Obama confirmed that he will not settle on a particular congregation in Washington. Rather, the Obamas consider Evergreen Chapel at Camp David their "favorite place to worship" as a family. Obama told Lauer, "What we've decided for now is not to join a single church, and the reason is because Michelle and I have realized we are very disruptive to services."

and Obama is far from unique in not attending church regularly. Bush did not either, and Reagan apparently even less so.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200811240019

•In a November 17 article, the Associated Press' Matthew Barakat reported that Obama "could choose, as many presidents have done, not to attend services at all. President George W. Bush, for instance, has only infrequently attended services in Washington, occasionally going to St. John's [Church, near the White House]."
•In a November 14 article, Time magazine senior editor Amy Sullivan noted that "Ronald Reagan didn't go to church at all" and reported that while "[t]he Clintons drove down the street every Sunday to Foundry United Methodist ... George W. Bush never became a regular member of any local church, preferring to worship most often at the chapel at Camp David."
•In a November 11 article, The Hill's Jordy Yager wrote: "President Bush is widely known for his religious beliefs, but for eight years has not frequented a local church, at times citing security concerns." Yager added that "security does not make regular worship impossible. Both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, for example, attended D.C.-area churches. Clinton's church, Foundry Methodist Church, installed metal detectors because many tourists attended services on Sunday -- some simply to catch a glimpse of the president."

Distrust of Obama plays a part. Those prone not to believe him are more likely to believe the "Obama is a Muslim" narrative.

Yea. That distrust is warranted. Someone who tells NASA that their goal is not Space Exploration, but making Muslims feel good about themselves is troubling. Someone who writes "I will stand with the Muslims if there is a change in the political wind" (not an accurate quote) is troubling. And someone who for whatever reason, refuses to disclose his actual birth certificate is troubling.

Do you have a citation in context of the NASA policy. To me, this seems a small matter.

Same on the next quote. It seems to me Obama is probably saying he will not stand by while people try to inappropriately go after or demonize Muslims.

On the last, I again call this for what it is, false and ridiculous.

Obama provided a physical copy of his BC to at least one third party for inspection. It's been on two different websites. It's been attested to by the Republican Governor of Hawaii and two high ranking health department officials. I am not aware of any of the numerous law suits on this issue getting anywhere. Orly Taitz recently had to pay a fine for her actions in this regard, as I recall.

Anyone who is still making Obama's citizenship an issue is either not aware of the evidence, or is so severely biased against Obama that they are unable or unwilling to examine the situation objectively.


On the general trust issue, this would be difficult to measure objectively, but can you document that Obama is less trustworthy as far as his statements than other Presidents?

It is worth noting there is a huge disparity on the percentage between Republicans and the rest of the population.

Maybe cause republicans are not in love with the man and can think reasonably. From what he has said, and his associations, I think that American's are right to distrust him. Little things like not putting your hand over your heart during the pledge, or not rebuking your wife when she says "America is a downright mean country" or "This is the first time in my adult life that I have been proud of this country." Maybe there should be a requirement of "minimal patriotism" before one can run for the presidency.

Well, we can disagree about who is biased and by how much. The pledge issue is again often inaccurately portrayed and it is also interesting that these small items are magnified into mountains by many on the right.

It is very clear, if you look at the facts and what is said, many Republicans and those on the right are not acting reasonably. Birthers are acting extremely unreasonably, period. So are those who accuse Obama of being a socialist or espeically a marxist.

[cnorman18]

As JRosemary has pointed out, when a Jew says of another Jew, "He's not very religious," it has nothing whatever to do with the strength, authenticity, sincerity or indeed the content of that person's religious belief. It means specifically that that Jew is not observant, that is, he does not keep the ritual laws - kashrut, the "Family Purity" laws, fasting, and so on. He may or may not attend services; he may or may not believe in God. Those are separate issues.

We don't feel that we have the right to pass judgment on whether or not any Jew is a "good Jew," at least not based on his level of observance, his level of attendance at shul, or the content of his beliefs (if anyone even knows them).

I don't think it's anybody else's damn business whether or not Barack Obama is a good Christian, a practicing Christian, a "pseudo-Christian," or any other kind of Christian. "With what measure ye judge, so will ye be judged also." Are you sure you want your own Christianity judged by everybody from a Mississippi snake-handler to a High Church Anglican Bishop? Is your approach to your own belief any of their business?

As far as that goes, I don't think it's even anybody's business whether he's a Christian at all. We believe in religious freedom in the United States, and you can believe and profess whatever you like here.

In any case; the man says he's a Christian, and so does his wife. That ought to be the end of the matter. Anyone who wants to pursue it further better have something more than innuendo, fiction, bigotry, and a political axe to grind to prove his case, or be rightly labeled a hypocrite and a character assassin.

[East of Eden]

He's a RINO - religious in name only.

[cnorman18]

He's a RINO - religious in name only.

Do you drink poison and pick up venomous snakes and dance around with them?

Ever go to a doctor - or do you have faith in God?

Do you worship on Saturday, or Sunday? Either way, there are those who think you're wrong.

See, you're a RINO too, according to some people I have met.

Who says your standards are God's standards?

And if "judge not" isn't about what you're doing, what IS it about?

[WinePusher]

I don't think it's anybody else's damn business whether or not Barack Obama is a good Christian, a practicing Christian, a "pseudo-Christian," or any other kind of Christian.

This comment would be warrented if Obama was a private citizen not serving as the president of America. But he is the president, and the people who elected him to that office have a right to know what his religious faith, and if it is genuine.

"With what measure ye judge, so will ye be judged also." Are you sure you want your own Christianity judged by everybody from a Mississippi snake-handler to a High Church Anglican Bishop? Is your approach to your own belief any of their business?

No, I don't like passing judgement on others christianity, which I stated above. But I have no problem passing judgement on a public servant, lest it be the president.

As far as that goes, I don't think it's even anybody's business whether he's a Christian at all. We believe in religious freedom in the United States, and you can believe and profess whatever you like here.

So the question of a candidates or presidents personal beliefs should not be made known to the American people?

[Nilloc James]

I don't think it's anybody else's damn business whether or not Barack Obama is a good Christian, a practicing Christian, a "pseudo-Christian," or any other kind of Christian.

This comment would be warrented if Obama was a private citizen not serving as the president of America. But he is the president, and the people who elected him to that office have a right to know what his religious faith, and if it is genuine.

"With what measure ye judge, so will ye be judged also." Are you sure you want your own Christianity judged by everybody from a Mississippi snake-handler to a High Church Anglican Bishop? Is your approach to your own belief any of their business?

No, I don't like passing judgement on others christianity, which I stated above. But I have no problem passing judgement on a public servant, lest it be the president.

As far as that goes, I don't think it's even anybody's business whether he's a Christian at all. We believe in religious freedom in the United States, and you can believe and profess whatever you like here.

So the question of a candidates or presidents personal beliefs should not be made known to the American people?

Why does an individual's religion matter to the public?

The AMERICAN constituion (or bill of rights forgive the Canadian) grants freedom of religion; should not the AMERICAN president be free to beleive anything and not be prosecuted/condemmed because of it?