Posted on 10/22/2008 5:18:06 AM PDT by dennisw
Nobody, except Obama knows if his conversion to Christianity is real or not. Although some reports and even Obama have referred to a "baptism", there doesn't appear to be any record of a baptism.
Chicago-based journalist, broadcaster and critic Andy Martin, when asked about Obama's baptism, wrote, "I have never been able to obtain any evidence that he was baptized, although I asked for those records."
It seems that Obama's conversion occurred when he answered one of Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright's altar calls by walking down the aisle of Trinity Church to make a formal commitment of his faith.
Cathleen Falsani, religion columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, writes, "He (Obama) described his conversion experience in his mid-20s, how he walked the aisle at Trinity United Church of Christ one Sunday in a public affirmation of his private change of heart."
"I came to Christianity through the black church tradition where the line between evangelical and non-evangelical is completely blurred. Nobody knows exactly what it means."
"Does it mean that you feel you've got a personal relationship with Christ the savior? Then that's directly part of the black church experience. Does it mean you're born-again in a classic sense, with all the accoutrements that go along with that, as it's understood by some other tradition? I'm not sure."
"There are aspects of Christian tradition that I'm comfortable with and aspects that I'm not. There are passages of the Bible that make perfect sense to me and others that I go, 'Ya know, I'm not sure about that.'"
"It wasn't an epiphany," he says of that public profession of faith. "It was much more of a gradual process for me. I know there are some people who fall out. Which is wonderful. God bless them.... I think it was just a moment to certify or publicly affirm a growing faith in me."
Falsani warns us that Obama’s walking the aisle at Trinity is poles apart from what Christians commonly refer to as being "saved, transformed or washed in the blood." In other words, it’s not to be confused with what Jesus called being "born again." As Mr. Obama himself explains, "It wasn’t an epiphany … but just a moment to certify or publicly affirm a growing faith in me."
In another account of this event, Manya Brachear, writing in the Chicago Tribune, describes the event thusly: "When Obama sought his own church community, he felt increasingly at home at Trinity. Before leaving for Harvard Law School in 1988, he responded to one of Wright's altar calls and declared a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Falsani wonders, "What kind of faith is it that is growing in Barack Obama? Is it the historic Christian faith? Not according to the good senator, who describes his faith as: (1) Suspicious of dogma (2) Without any monopoly on the truth (3) Nontransferable to others (4) Infused with a big healthy dose of doubt, and (5) Indulgent of and compatible with all other religions."
Unlike traditional Christianity, which Mr. Obama bemoans for its "call to evangelize and proselytize," the good senator’s faith is strictly a personal and private affair. Although he has no qualms about parading it in public in hopes of bolstering his political career, he would never dream of preaching it to others in hopes of converting them to Christ.
At the core of Obama's faith -- whether lapsed Muslim, new Christian or some mixture of the two -- is African nativism and Obama's having pledged allegiance to the Black Value System raises political issues of its own.
Request for info: If anyone, anywhere, can validate Obama's baptism, please contact me via feedback or email with a source, link or other documentation.
The absense of a baptism is not condemning, but it is rather telling. It means Obama's conversion was not an important enough event to properly ritualize nor to even remember details of.
Perhaps a more telling truth is the way Obama refuses to admit that he was born a Muslim to a Muslim father, and that he was initially raised and schooled as a Muslim. That much is known and documented, but Obama denies it.
What is Obama's true faith? I would have to say that it is a tolerant, universalist pan-Christianity that believes there are many equal paths to God.
Baptism, I don’t believe is a hard-fast requirement to be a christian. Some denominations, may think so, but as far as I can tell, biblically, it does nothing for your souls destination, per se. One can be saved and go to heaven without babtism.
That said, no way do I believe that Obama has ever earnestly turned his life over to Christ, just like almost all Dem Pols, no evidence there was any conversion at all. My test, abortion. I can’t see how any saved person can allow themselves to be seen as appearing to support it, let alone actually openly, and publically supporting it. Almost all Dems FAIL this test.
When they open his Mother’s crypt, they’ll find a hyena.
No one seems to be able to validate anything about The One.
WOW! Actually, that’s not very shocking at all... considering his name and his affiliations. And it’s just like everything else he’s ever done in his life. Obama has this tencency to partially defect to oneside with being impartial to the other, that’s one of my criticisms of the Messiah, is that you never know what his intentions are. Just like Jeremiah Wright, after 20 years of an affiliation with this nitwit, he speaks down to him initially, as if they dont harbor the same “black power, down with whitey” views. He only abandons him AFTER the pressure becomes to steep. That amongst other things prove that Obama’s not to be trusted with anything, he’s been pressured into everything he’s ever done throughout his career and lifetime. I dont believe that he’s ever made a conscience decision about anything, I dont believe that he has the ability to do that...... he’s a little liberal mouthpiece for the left, and an ally to muslim extremists around the world. The left can take it however they want it, however facts far outweigh opinion.
Oh and allow for me to set the record straight for any lib. who just happens to be snooping around in this here conservative website. Im 18 and black... so dont even attempt to play the race card.
If you are born a Muslim, then by Muslim tradition you remain a Muslim unless you renounce Islam. Simply saying you are a Christian does not state that you have renounced Islam. A baptism into a Church would be considered such a renouncement.
Now has anyone ever seen Obama eat pork?
That's the way I see it. Obama is very casual about his coming to Jesus. He's a faker
I'll bet the Muslim world considers him to be a Muslim who has gone a bit astray but can be corrected
That renouncement may be an Islamic requirement, but from my studies, the Bible doesn’t require any renouncement of some other religion, to become a saved child of God.
That was the point of my post. Please don’t mistake any part of it as a defense of the O. Even if he were baptized, I wouldn’t believe his faith was real. His fruits, firstly defense of abortion and many other things besides that as well, show me what I need to know.
If there were a record of his adult baptism or if he were seen taking communion in a Christian Church, I suspect that his Muslim fan club would disband.
People think only nutcakes would say that Barry Stanley Dunham Sotero is a Muslim. Well, if he hasn't renounced it and shown his committment to Christ as his Savior by being baptized, then he IS a Muslim. I guess that makes me a nutcake.
A Muslim may Lie , Cheat , Steal and Murder if it advances the causes of islam . I’m certain 0bama hasn’t murdered anyone , but he sure has covered all the other bases .
If you want to know if 0bama is a muslim ask Geo. Stephanopulus who help straighten him out when he told Geo. , “ It’s true John McCain has never questioned my muslim faith “ . Geo.S. stopped 0bama in mid sentence and said , “ you mean your Christian faith , right ?” , eyes batting lips fumbling 0bama replies , “ yes, My Christian faith “ . If you would like to reference said quotes Google , “ 0bama admits muslim faith “ on YouTube . I am a Christian and could never make such a gaffe in a million years . People know their faith as well as they know their name .
The Bible says to turn from false prophets and from ALL FORMS of idolatry.
And claiming you are a Christian does not make you a saved Child of God. No saved Child of God would have the political views about abortion that Barry Stanley Dunham Sotero has. His abortion stance is evidence that if he has a religion, it is Anit-Christ.
We agree here.
We will know he’s a Christian by his fruits.
We will know he’s a Christian by his love for fellow believers.
We will know he’s a Christian by his ever increasing knowledge and wisdom gained from rightly dividing the Word of God. Uh....strike three.
Obama is an unknown person and no one seems to care. I think the requirement is constitutional, so those who run for the Presidency, by constitution, must prove their natural born status.
To whom must they prove it?
Since it is Constitutional, and since the Chief Justice receives the oath of office, then I’d say it’s up to the Scotus to speak to the eligibility of anyone receiving that oath.
It must be the Scotus.
Here’s an interesting scenario. If Obama is ruled ineligible to be POTUS before he is given the oath of office, then I would suspect that the electors for Obama would be ruled ineligible and since McCain would not have enough electors to be elected on the first vote, then the election would fall into the house of representatives. If the election is dropped into the lap of the house of representatives, there is only one likely candidate to emerge as POTUS. And we all know who she is.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.