The National Prayer Breakfast is an event held annually in Washington and sponsored by Christian evangelical fanatics in government, most notably “The Family” aka The K Street gang. That club is comprised of Republican politicians who see their political role as spreading the word of Jesus.
President Obama attended his first Prayer Breakfast in 2009. There he gave a speech that was ecumenical in nature, non-religious and clearly intended to be healing and inspiring without being overtly religious. Here is a very brief extract from his 2009 address to the attendees. :
President Obama attended his first Prayer Breakfast in 2009. There he gave a speech that was ecumenical in nature, non-religious and clearly intended to be healing and inspiring without being overtly religious. Here is a very brief extract from his 2009 address to the attendees. :
“... far too often, we have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another – as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance. Wars have been waged. Innocents have been slaughtered. For centuries, entire religions have been persecuted, all in the name of perceived righteousness.”
“There is no doubt that the very nature of faith means that some of our beliefs will never be the same. We read from different texts. We follow different edicts. We subscribe to different accounts of how we came to be here and where we're going next – and some subscribe to no faith at all.”
Two years later President Obama had a different message. This year, in early February, he discarded his designer suit and donned his hair shirt. He took off his hand made cordovan oxfords opting instead for Jesus sandals. And he carried in his hand not the torch of freedom, but a shepherd’s crook and a Bible. Here are some extracts from his 2011 address to the attendees;
"I came to know Jesus Christ for myself and embrace him as my Lord and savior."
"My Christian faith, then, has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time,"
"When I wake in the morning, I wait on the Lord, and I ask him to give me the strength to do right by our country and its people, and when I go to bed at night, I wait on the Lord, and I ask him to forgive me my sins and look after my family and the American people and make me an instrument of his will."
So what’s happened here? Has the President become born again Xtian over the past two years? Has he come to Jesus, seen the Light? Hell no, he’s too intelligent for that nonsense. The bottom line is he has been stung by criticism for his lack of public religiosity and by the continued undertone of rumors of his Islamic belief which is still accepted as fact by millions of the faithful.
Most Christians see atheists as unworthy to hold office. The Pew Forum survey of 2009 showed Christians would sooner vote for a homosexual or Muslim for president than for an atheist. And we all know how a very large number of Christians feel about those two groups. It wasn’t all that long ago that George Bush Senior referred to atheists as "... not patriots and possibly not even Americans." That perspective is shared by many Christians.
Obama’s new found religious fervor is a product of the criticism and doubts cast by religionists; it’s a way for him to blunt the Muslim accusation nonsense, but it's also a way for him to establish he isn't a non-believer, either of which would be the kiss of death in 2012. Am I disappointed he doesn't just out himself; just admit he’s agnostic; declare that religion is fine for some but isn’t important to him, of which I am largely convinced is the fact based on subtleties of things said and promises made (and broken) before his election ? Yes, I am disappointed. Yes, it’s hypocrisy.
But the religious virus is so deep in this country that for him to continue to stone wall the demand for declaring his Christianity would be political suicide. He has to play the game lest that famous "Christian love and tolerance" guarantee him to be a one term President.
I’m a realist. I'd rather see him dance the dance, play the game and sell his dignity and credibility to satisfy the Christian majority than to be counted out of the race before it begins and watch a real K Street Gang member take the presidency. If that makes me a hypocrite as well, I can live with it for the next six years.
But the religious virus is so deep in this country that for him to continue to stone wall the demand for declaring his Christianity would be political suicide. He has to play the game lest that famous "Christian love and tolerance" guarantee him to be a one term President.
I’m a realist. I'd rather see him dance the dance, play the game and sell his dignity and credibility to satisfy the Christian majority than to be counted out of the race before it begins and watch a real K Street Gang member take the presidency. If that makes me a hypocrite as well, I can live with it for the next six years.
I echo your thoughts. I've felt for a while that Pres. Obama is an atheist, but he's also smart enough to know that an out and out admission would mean the end of his political career. I'd far rather him play their game and get re-elected than run the risk of one of *them* being in office. I'm just curious to see what happens in 2012 after the election if he wins.
ReplyDeleteIt's just the official religionization of Mr. Obama. His handlers are doing it so that he is seen by the religious republican right as a true christian(tm). Yes, it's pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI have also wondered how someone as intelligent as Obama, raised in an open religious environment could have converted to xianity. I've often wondered if it was for political reasons alone. But then I wonder how religious Michelle Obama might be, and how that would influence his beliefs or desire to appear to believe. Interesting questions. Probably the answers only reside within the mind of the President. But what promises are you referring to? That you say are hints of his agnosticism? I was aware of his acknowledgment of non-believers in his inauguration address. Is there something else?
ReplyDeleteNormally, hypocrisy is something I cannot abide, but in this case I agree with you. The ends justify the means. Thanks for raising the issue. I've been curious about Obama's real beliefs for some time now
Testify!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can see through Obama's new veil of false faith myself. We all know that in order to hold any political office in this country, you have to be "christian". If you're able to initially win an office without your agnosticism or atheism being exposed, only later Admitting it publicly, they will attack you and try to run you out...ie; Cecil Bothwell.
I was surprised to see that America hates us more than Muslims, but I'm fine with that. I've never been one for conformity, and usually cheer for the underdog. As Greenday says: "Down with the moral majority - I wanna be the minority."
Due to the fact that at least half of America is made up of dolts, Atheists are often lumped in with satanists, simply because of the lack of understanding of what Atheism means. That, and the constant vilification of our non-belief by evangelicals. If they had their way, we'd all be in rounded up and gassed. Ah, yes...christian love and kindness.
Yes, unfortunately we live in a country of "believers"...but their numbers are slowly dwindling....and they know it.
I don't think Christians will fall for it.
ReplyDeleteHe's just demonstrating the lengths politicians will go to get re-elected to office.
Do you honestly think that those who currently make an issue of Obama's religious faith are going to be swayed by this? Not in the least. It does not matter to these people what Obama says. He's a Democrat, therefore, he can't be a "real" Christian. And facts mean nothing to them. Moreover, Obama's words and his actions just don't jibe.
ReplyDeleteThe Obamas don't go to church with any regularity since moving to DC, just like millions upon millions of Americans, and rather than own THAT, he pulls his, "I pray every morning and night" BS. Gah!
And the really pathetic part of this? This shtick won't sway one single religious rightwinger. The rest of the country will be looking at their pocketbooks, job prospects, etc in November 2012, not Obama's religion.
Hump,
ReplyDeleteSad but true. I hold out one molecule of hope that in the second term Obama will back burner the religious accomedationalism and give stronger support to secularism. But as Bob Marley says, "I don't want to wait in vain..."
Think we're waiting in vain?
Rick Santorum, future presidential candidate, was interviewed on CNN last night. Asked about separating religion from governing, he stated that there is no separation between governing the country and imposing moral values on its citizens, gulp.
ReplyDeleteCheers Hump! President Obama is the closest we may get to an atheist in the Oval Office any time soon. When I heard his inaugural speech and he mentioned nonbelievers along with naming off religions--it was the first time I felt included by an American president--a long way from Bush 41 saying that atheists shouldn't be considered citizens, patriots or whatever that bullshit was he said. Obama is the first president in a long time to champion science as well--and that alone speaks volumes. :)
ReplyDeleteHey everyone. I see we are on common ground with this one.
ReplyDeleteLonghorn: he promised a complete revamp of Bush's "faith based initiatives" religious boondoggle. He promised to ensurr all govt money would be maintained separately from the organization's regular monies. They still aren't.
He also promised that a religious org taking tax money for their "programs" could not discriminate based on religion when it came to hiring practices. he backed away from that as well.
He also directed his people to fight the court ruling on the unconstitutionality of national prayer day. Why did he have to do that? for the same reason's he ignored the other things and donned this mantle of religiosity.
Analog..I'm with you. f they didn't hate us atheists for our rationality and refusal to believe their idiocy, it would mean we weren't doing our "jobs" ;)
Lynn / Blu.. no, the evangelicals and conservative religionists won't give a damn what religion he professes. BUT, to the moderate Christians, his exhorting jesus et al works in his favor, and helps them back away from the muslim thing.
Or to look at it another way: Much like chicken soup, his sudden religiosity may not help, but it can't hurt.
Laurie... it's hard to say. I think he'll have is hands so full with the economy and averting a financial implosion that religion issues won't even be on his radar.
Lisa... Santorum belongs in a Sanatarium.
Rachell.. yes we all applauded his early ecumenicalism. then it went bye bye. Agreed on the science thing. One more reason to believe he's in the closet.
I am not on common ground. I hope Obama is actually xtian. If he is atheist and comes out then it is a shame as his example would be atheist=liar.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I would rather have an honest president than deal with the meme that the world's leading atheist is a liar.
Lu...
ReplyDeleteI hear what you're saying. But by your logic every homosexual who never came out of the closet or even those who eventually did, confirms "homosexual= liar" ?
Every light skinned Black who ever "passed" for white in order to pursue a professional career in a racist country justifies the statement that "Blacks=liars"?
Lets take it a tad over the top for analogy sake: every European Jew who "passed" as a gentile in order to work with the underground during WWII causes the equasion "Jew = liar"?
Your equasion would be fair if atheists and believers were considered on equal ground in politics. Then, deception would be dishonest. But in this country, in this age, and with our religious demographic, "passing" for a believer for a greater good gets a pass in my book.
"Somehow I would rather have an honest president than deal with the meme that the world's leading atheist is a liar. "
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had an honest president since Harry Truman.