American readers may not realize it but if Prime Minister Harper had spoken at an event such as this he would have been in Canadian media:
Especially had he said something along these lines:
…
Speaking at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Obama said his Christianity has been a “sustaining force” during times when doubt have been raised about his faith and that of his family.
“We are reminded that ultimately what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we’re being true to our conscience and true to our God,” Obama said…
If Harper had spent 20 years as a member in good standing of Jeremiah Wright’s congregation, getting the interpretation of the Bible that that man believes in, I think he should be crucified in the press.
Oh, right, he was just voting “present” while he was there, not really taking in the message.
I’m more inclined to think the Obama is mouthing platitudes to the masses. If he really believed, would he not attend church on a regular basis? “(Reuters) – President Barack Obama, who invoked his own Christian faith recently in seeking to quell anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States, attended church in Washington on Sunday for the first time in about five months.” http://life.nationalpost.com/2010/09/19/obama-makes-rare-church-appearance-in-washington/
“A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious.”
Aristotle
Bet he’s been golfing more than he’s been attending church.
I for one am glad President Obama showed up this years’ event. If I remember right, he didn’t last year – that bothered me even more.
As far as being a Muslim, you can’t be both a Muslim and Christian. Seems to me the President is trying to work both sides of the isle.
Maybe this might enlighten you.
video of Obama in an interview discussing his faith
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslimfaith.asp
If you are christian or muslim or whatever you don’t then correct yourself to say the other; You are either or other.
My take is Obama is trying to gain votes from the Christians to remain in government.
Heh. Yeah, Snopes is going to convince these zealots that they’re wrong. Sure.
larben at 11:06: Did Martin or Chretien ever get public rebukes from the Catholic Church for their support for gay marriage and abortion (aside from that feisty bishop in Alberta)? Did Catholics swing support for Stockwell Day in 2000 for his prominent stances on Christian issues, especially abortion? Nope. Too obviously Pentecostal — not in on the whole Roman Catholic connection thing. I can respect some things about the Catholic church, but the pass it’s gives its Catholic politicians all these years, even Trudeau, makes me very cynical about how much the Roman Catholic church apparatus enjoys and wants worldly power (I’m not talking about the average, observant and obviously living-their-faith Catholic in the pew).
OT, and sorry if this is redundant (no time for all the comments) BUT
Obumba is NOT a Christian. Black Liberation Theology is marxism — with pews.
He is a poseur in EVERY aspect of his personality.
mitchel44: “If he really believed, would he not attend church on a regular basis? ”
Obama said that he didn’t go to church on a regular basis because he didn’t want to offend anyone — that is, he didn’t want to offend anyone in denominations, other religions, who might find his going to one particular Christian church offensive.
HUH?
That’s a sure sign he’s not a believing Christian. Believing Christians worship the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, no matter who’s offended by their worship — and are willing to be persecuted and be spoken ill of.
When it comes to matters of faith, Obama wants to be all things to all people — or nothing to anybody — which just doesn’t pass the smell test. He’s a phony pseudo-Christian, aka no Christian, and, I suspect, a Muslim practising taqiyya, as lookout points out.
batb – nah, he’s just a campus Marxist.
Ann – And, if the R.C. church, the biggest in the world starts condemning politicians and demanding that the flock vote as they say, they lose their tax status and as in England, Mexico and even France, their seminaries and, in many cases, their lives. The Church cannot speak out too boldly even in Quebec (or especially)because there will be repercussions; serious repercussions. If you want to criticize someone, criticize those Protestant Churches that have sold out to secular society. That said, I think the world of what Harper’s doing but many are angry and have withheld support because he too, must be very cautious of what he does.
MND, we agree exactly, which you might not know, as you probably didn’t read my earlier posts here.
Obama is, as Gollum would say, “tricksy”: he’ll say WHATEVER he thinks will sell—even if it’s 180 degrees removed from something else he’s said. Truth means nothing to this impostor. IMO, any Christian who falls for Obama’s taqiyya is a dupe—and there are lots of those on all sides of the aisle these days.
Our society is so open minded, its “brains have fallen out”. “Pride—and stupidity—go before a fall.” “Sow the wind. Reap the whirlwind.” The West is so full of useful idiots and appeasers, I don’t think this is going to end at all well. We shall see . . .
batb, we’re on the same page too. And, larben, you make a very good point about how the state threatens the churches—the Liberals did it explicitly a few elections ago (specifically, re the “gay marriage” issue)—re church’s charitable deductions status. Hmmm . . . Muslims are very much against “gay marriage”: I wonder if mosques (or synagogues or temples) were threatened with the loss of their charitable deductions status if they spoke out in this issue. The double standards here are an utter scandal.
Churches deliver a HUGE amount of charity at a fraction the cost of government and with much more personal service and dignity for the receiver. (With respect, I don’t see mosques, temples, or synagogues providing “Out of the Cold” and other social services to all comers the way the Christian churches do.) If the state removed the charitable giving status of the churches, I believe the ordinary person would be shocked at the fallout. (But then, the lefties would just appropriate more of our tax dollars for cr*ppy, expensive services that wouldn’t begin to fill the gap left by the churches.)
Black Mamba, Obama attended a madrassa for years. It’s very possible that his student records are sealed, not just because of low marks, but because he may well have been an Indonesian national, studying in the USA as a foreign student. His many comments about Islam show a certain, very positive commitment. On the other hand, his allegiance to Christianity appears to be non-existent. (And, yes, he’s a Marxist too.)
“Black Mamba, Obama attended a madrassa for years. It’s very possible that his student records are sealed, not just because of low marks, but because he may well have been an Indonesian national, studying in the USA as a foreign student.”
Now why in the world would anyone think that this site is full of insane idiots?
Oh, as for the cost effectivness of charity, let’s do some math.
Assume 360 million Americans, 80% Christian. That gives us 288 million christians. Assume 1% of average income donated at $30,000 per person – that 86 billion dollars per year. I’d say secular organizations can do a bit better than that. You find me a charity that has that kind of funding.
The words have been said before. “”We are reminded that ultimately what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we’re being true to our conscience and true to our God,” Obama said…”
Santa
Now, why in the world would anyone need to SPECULATE about Obama?
I guess it’s because he’s spent $ millions keeping important aspects of his life off the record. Why might that be?
Obama is anything but transparent, despite his promise that his administration would “creat[e] an unprecedented level of openness in Government . . .” (See below.)
This is from the White House web site:
“Transparency and Open Government
“Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
SUBJECT: Transparency and Open Government
“My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.”
To quote another American politician: “How’s that working for ya?”
larben – I’m not trying to pick fights with you, but I agree with most of what Ann said. The Church would not lose it’s tax exempt status (and what if it did, BTW? What are its priorities?), let alone have bishops being massacred, if it took its own teachings on, say, abortion seriously as they pertained to powerful politicians who call themselves Catholic. Ted Kennedy’s funeral was presided over by a Cardinal.
There was a time when people who were, say, divorced, that the Church would refuse them to be buried in hallowed ground (a Catholic graveyard) even though they were baptized Catholics. If they were to refuse to bury all serious sinners in hallowed ground there would be little need for hallowed ground! The Catholic Church is the largest organization in the world, last I heard, and it makes a lot of mistakes and some bad decisions, but, I wouldn’t want to live in a world without that entity. And, as lookout said, unlike many others, they give to the needy of all faiths and beliefs, or unbeliefs.
P.S. I love a good fight!
If the churches lost their tax exempt status, there would be very serious fallout—like if a family lost its source of income. Being able to raise enough funds to carry out the churches’ multiple ministries IS an important priority! Yes, one can’t “live by bread alone”, but the bread is a necessity!
IMO, the tax exempt status, which encourages people to give more generously, is a bargain for society: churches provide a HUGE number of services to society at large. The fellowship, alone, the beautiful music, and sense of purpose churches provide are healthy and help to keep up the spirits of multitudes of people. And then there are the truly needy who are assisted by the many outreach programs the churches provide. And, as I’ve said before, these services are provided at a fraction of the cost of government programs, and usually with more dignity accorded to the recipient.
Re the Ted Kennedys of this world: I believe Black Mamba makes a valid point. A man like that should have been called out while he was alive. (What’s excommunication for?) The fact that the RC Church turned a blind eye to his public apostasy about such important issues as abortion and adultery is a scandal.