A New Role for Religion in Obama's White House ("Faith has played a larger role than any other Pres)

US News & World Report ^ | July 1, 2009 | Dan Gilgoff

[presidio9]

The conventional wisdom was that George W. Bush was the most faith-based president in recent history, by a long shot. Citing Jesus as his favorite philosopher and Billy Graham as a mentor, Bush won evangelical voters in numbers not previously seen. In office, he launched a controversial office of faith-based initiatives and consulted religious leaders in developing science policy. Bush routinely opened cabinet meetings with prayer and acknowledged conferring with "a higher father" before going to war in Iraq.

How remarkable, then, that religion might be playing an even bigger role in Barack Obama's administration. While Bush invited megapastor Rick Warren to low-key White House functions, Obama had him deliver the invocation at his internationally televised inauguration. Bush encouraged White House prayer groups, but Obama begins public rallies with the recitation of a White House-commissioned prayer. Obama has quickly expanded Bush's faith-based initiatives to include an advisory council of religious leaders weighing in on matters as diverse as abortion and Middle East peace. "This administration has used faith more overtly than any other in its first hundred days," says Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "That includes Bush." But rather than appeal mostly to evangelicals as Bush did, Obama is reaching out to a broad spectrum of believers and nonbelievers.

Early decisions. He is carving out a bold new role for faith in the White House, which aides say aims to dial down the decades-old culture wars. The project may wind up drawing more religious voters into the Democratic fold. But it also threatens to alienate the Democratic base, which polls show is much less religious than the GOP's. Given the important role that religion and church-based organizing have played in Obama's own biography, though,

[Antoninus]

Absolutely. This is what the Notre Dame speech was all about--to generate positive buzz among the religious but uninformed. Obama is meeting with Catholic newspaper editors this week for much the same reason and will have a photo-op with the Pope, no doubt, when he visits Italy in the near future.

All this is aimed at the crowd who is nominally religious but can't bother to inform themselves of the facts.

We can counter it by getting the facts out to as many as we can. We have the tools, we just need to use them.

[dasboot]

No. Obama knows to keep his enemies close, well-fed, and proud of the tie that binds them. Obama exploits the weaknesses in the character in men: ambitious men; ambitious for themselves, their causes, their personal legacy.

In order to pull this off, Maximum Leader must be a masterful liar, and unburdened by conscience. Surprised?

[lentulusgracchus]

I don’t believe Mr. Obama has any religion. I doubt that he has much of a concept of a Higher Power either.

Worth-noting-and-repeating bump.

In this he follows Lincoln, who is said to have been (by various people) an agnostic, a deist, or even an atheist, despite his use of commonplace religious references in his speeches -- even important ones, such as those in which he spoke of the Civil War's being the work, and the judgment, of heaven.

[El Cid]

Re: Posts 15 and 18

eh, maybe he's also pro death penalty, so he doesn't like the pro-Life label.
I subscribe to the LORD's admonishment to choose life and live -- and I have no problem with the 'Pro-Life' label... But I'm also pro death penalty (Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.)... so some could quibble with my pro-life self-labeling.
Anti-abortion, pro-death penalty also works with me... I'm not hung up on the labels.

[Robert A Cook PE]

True: All this is pure propaganda. All lies. Exaggerations.

[Mr. Silverback]

Some in this thread have said they don’t believe this story. I say if you think it’s impossible for Obama to be a religionist, you have forgotten this verse:

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.—2 Timothy 4:3

[posterchild]

Compensating for sincerity.

[txhurl]

This is what what really was meant by taking the Lords’ name in vain, using it for personal profit.

0, Rahm, David, you better back off this right now.

Or don’t and see what happens.

[sig226]

So, when will the libs will start trashing Obama for his religious beliefs?

Never?

[OldArmy52]

Wow! Talk about news so much a barf as to induce hurling.

[BonRad]

now I’m really getting woosie...searching for pail...

[kb2614]

Obama’s “God” is the image he see’s when he looks in the mirror. He is a self worshipper.

[Eagles6]

Barf!

[downtownconservative]

The great O’zer is just using religion as a canard to cause people to take their eyes off of what is real; to try to make people see what he wants them to see.

The O’zer is a Marxist. Marxist do not believe in God. But they will use an abstract concept of God as a distraction from the truth in order to win over the weak-minded. Enter: the USN&WR journalists, et al.

[dasboot]

I believe Lincoln was sincere in his Christian beliefs and ideals: That his pride caused him to stumble is fairly apparent. He was human.

It's difficult to know what God intends in one's life, if that one is blinded and deafened by pride and impatience. Lincoln felt he had the direction and approval of God. Maybe he did. A good bit of historical evidence shows that he was, rather, led by other men's passionate persuasions; worried about shameful legacy; got in too deep, driven by his self-inherited righteousness, to the point where he could not back down. Pride. He used slight-of-hand and deceit when dealing with the Confederacy...treating it as a criminal enterprise, rather than another nation...a status to which those states were entitled; a status which was legally obtained with consent of the citizens of those breakaway states, in accordance with law and ideals. The end justified the means, however, for Abe; although he seems to have had many regrets, and a troubled conscience.

But I cannot read his words without a genuine feeling that he meant what he said..when he said it...about God.

Many profess, all fall short. No exceptions.

MHO

[Salvation]

**George W. Bush was the most faith-based president in recent history, by a long shot. Citing Jesus as his favorite philosopher and Billy Graham as a mentor, Bush won evangelical voters in numbers not previously seen. In office, he launched a controversial office of faith-based initiatives and consulted religious leaders in developing science policy. Bush routinely opened cabinet meetings with prayer and acknowledged conferring with “a higher father” before going to war in Iraq.**

Obortion Obama is nowhere near what Bush was.

[Cvengr]

"This administration understands that they can't actively antagonize religious groups or be seen as insensitive to religious concerns,"

If one is acting through faith in Christ, it really doesn't matter if one openly and actively antagonizes religious groups, because religious groups are NOT the power of faith in Christ. The power comes through faith in Christ, not by any worldly counterfeit placing faith first on anything other than Him.

[Art in Idaho]

Obama is a Marxist. He is an atheist by definition. Period. The Black Liberation hate ranted by Wright is just another Marxist cover. The fake Muslim contrition is just that, a cover to appeal to other tyrants. He looks the part of the haughty empty narcissistic atheist. All his elitist buddies are atheists including the Clintons. What a crock, presenting him as anything even resembling a religious, moral and ethical man. . .

[GloriaJane]

The difference between President Bush and obama is that President Bush didn’t “use” religion to further his objectives. Religion is a part of President Bush’s life.

obama on the other hand, “uses” religion. It isn’t a part of his life. He just “uses” it. Even to the point of “using” it to push his abortion ideas on the world.

[Mr. Silverback]

With all due respect, you’re wrong:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_liberation_theology

http://www.conservapedia.com/Black_liberation_theology