November 28, 2008
The Faith of Obama
Here in Brazil one of the questions I get constantly is "Do you think Obama is a Christian?" My usual response is to ask them if they think someone who is in favor of systematically dismembering an unborn human being and sucking it through a vacuum tube could possibly be a follower of Christ.
A few days ago I read an interview that Cathleen Falsani did with Barak Obama when he was a state senator in Illinois. It is a fascinating piece, not only because it gives a window into the soul of our president elect, but also because it shows just how much he mirrors the spirit of the age.
Indulge me for a couple minutes in an evaluation of some of his statements.
FALSANI: What do you believe? OBAMA: I am a Christian.
Flat statement. "I am a Christian." What believer would not be happy to hear those words? The interesting part comes in what follows.
OBAMA: So, I have a deep faith. So I draw from the Christian faith.
Ok, his definition of "Christian" is "one who draws from the Christian faith". He then continues:
OBAMA: On the other hand, I was born in Hawaii where obviously there are a lot of Eastern influences. I lived in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, between the ages of six and 10. My father was from Kenya, and although he was probably most accurately labeled an agnostic, his father was Muslim. And I'd say, probably, intellectually I've drawn as much from Judaism as any other faith.
So, he also "draws from" Islam and Judaism. Does this make him a Moslem or a Jew? By his own definition of his Christianity, it would seem to.
He summarizes this whole discussion this way:
OBAMA: So, I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people. That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there's an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.
A more nebulous statement was never concocted. Here is what he has to say about some specific issues:
On who Jesus is:
OBAMA: (laughs nervously) Right. Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he's also a bridge between God and man(italics mine), in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher.
On Hell:
OBAMA: I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell.
On Heaven:
OBAMA: What I believe in is that if I live my life as well as I can, that I will be rewarded. I don't presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. But I feel very strongly that whether the reward is in the here and now or in the hereafter, the aligning myself to my faith and my values is a good thing.
On the definition of sin:
OBAMA: Being out of alignment with my values.
On his spiritual role model:
OBAMA: I think Gandhi is a great example of a profoundly spiritual man who acted and risked everything on behalf of those values but never slipped into intolerance or dogma. He seemed to always maintain an air of doubt about him.
So let us summarize: He does not hold to the Christian view of Christ, Heaven, Hell, or Sin. When asked for a role model, he picks a Hindu. Now it seems to me like a reporter that was after the facts would be able to summarize this for Obama and then pose the question to him again: In light of all this, can you still call yourself a Christian?
Please note: I do not believe that being a born-again Christian is necessary in order to hold public office. I try to vote for people based on their leadership qualifications--not on religious convictions. However, for Obama to try to pass himself off as a Christian--and for certain Christian "leaders" to play along in this little game--is the height of deception.
Posted by Andrew on November 28, 2008 11:59 AM.
Comments
Posted by: Daniel at November 28, 2008 3:02 PM
Thanks!
Posted by: Andrew at November 28, 2008 3:04 PM
Respectfully, there is more than one valid "Christian" view of Christ, Heaven, Hell, or Sin (one could argue that there are as many or more different views as there are Christian denominations). Although most Christian can agree about some of the basic tenets of our religion, equally sincere and devote people of faith have debated and argued about these things for 2,000 years.
Perhaps it's a little disingenuous to suggest Obama isn't Christian and/or is somehow deceiving people simply because he doesn't subscribe to one person or a group's interpretation of Christian doctrine? Being an admirer of Gandhi doesn't make you somehow not Christian (at least I hope not...because otherwise I guess I'm not either) nor does an informed study of Judism, after all Jesus was a Jew!
As soon as people of faith decide to "play God" and present themselves as the judge of the validity of another person's faith, they are violating one of the most basic fundamental tenets of Christianity - do not judge/condemn your neighbor.
Posted by: Andrew at November 28, 2008 4:55 PM
Andrew,
Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. Your puppetry blog is on my regular reading list, and I consider it an honor that you would stop by here.
It is true, as you say, that Christians disagree over different aspects of doctrine. This cannot be denied. However, when you have someone who denies most or all of the basic tenants of Christianity, you are forced to say at some point that that person is not a Christian.
It is important to keep in mind the context of the interview. In the beginning he flat out stated, "I am a Christian". Then he proceeded to define that as "I draw from the Christian faith". Almost immediately following this, he said "I draw from the Muslim and Jewish faiths" (my paraphrase). So...by the same token, it would seem that he is a Muslim and a Jew.
I guess my question would be, what Christian doctrine DOES he subscribe to?
Far be it from me to play God. The only thing I have to go by are Obama's words and actions. I hope you did not take from this post that I think I am somehow better than Obama. Far from it, I am a debtor to the grace of God. My concern is that Obama does not understand the grace of God or his need for it. His definition of sin (being out of line with my values) would lead one to that conclusion.
There is a difference between judging someone hypocritically and evaluating what they say and do. Remember that the same Jesus that said "judge not" also said "by their fruits ye shall know them"--and it was in the same sermon.
Thanks again for commenting. Please feel free to visit and comment as much as you like.
Posted by: Andrew 
at November 28, 2008 5:14 PM
Andrew,
I appreciated your comments and those of the previous writer, as well...both insightful. Mostly, I am appreciative of the reminder of "by their fruits ye shall know them," which of course applies to every one of us, including Obama. I am thinking we all need to pray for the Lord to help Obama in all things, and for Obama to come to the Lord, if he doesn't know Him. Interestingly, people may come to the Lord because of Obama's faith or because of his lack of it. People, one way or the other, may actually turn to the Lord BECAUSE of Obama's policies...perhaps more than we can imagine at this time.
Thanks for being thought provoking!
Karen Smith
Posted by: Karen Smith at December 2, 2008 9:47 AM
Karen,
Thanks, and that is a good reminder. Sometimes, in exercising their right to free discourse, Christians forget their biblical obligation to pray for those whom God has ordained to positions of power.
Posted by: Andrew at December 2, 2008 10:15 AM
You MUST read "Socrates Meets Jesus." In fact, it would have been good if the reporter could have read it before doing the interview. It would have given some good questions to ask to deal with the irrationality of claiming to be something when one denies the up-front revealed truths concerning that something. But, of course, in the post-modern mind there are no dots which need to be connected. All dots lead to heaven, and dot settles it. :-)
Posted by: hhcomings at December 2, 2008 7:55 PM
The book is going on my Amazon list right now!
Posted by: Andrew at December 3, 2008 7:01 AM
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Good stuff!