Obama Mentions Jesus More Than Bush but Acknowledges the Godless More, Too
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
In reporting on Obama's Cairo speech last week, two influential evangelical figures told me that it was very important that the president trumpeted his religious identity early on in the address, saying, "I'm a Christian." In engaging the Muslim world, these leaders said, American Christians want their leaders to reaffirm their Christianity.
This morning, Politico reports on President Obama's willingness to invoke Jesus and his Christian faith, juxtaposing it with George W. Bush's relative reluctance to do so:
As president, Barack Obama has mentioned Jesus Christ in a number of high-profile public speeches—something his predecessor George W. Bush rarely did in such settings, even though Bush's Christian faith was at the core of his political identity.
In his speech Thursday in Cairo, Obama told the crowd that he is a Christian and mentioned the Islamic story of Isra, in which Moses, Jesus and Mohammed joined in prayer.
....Obama's invocation of the Christian Messiah is more overt than Americans heard in the public rhetoric of Bush in his time in the White House—even though Bush's victories were powered in part by evangelical voters.
That's all true. But it's important to note that Obama also recognizes other religious traditions—and actively recognizes nonbelievers—more than Bush.
Last week's Cairo speech was a good example. Bush never engaged the world's ordinary Muslims so directly.
At his inauguration, meanwhile, Obama described the United States as "a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus—and nonbelievers."
In his remarks at February's National Prayer Breakfast, the president again touted America's religious diversity: "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."
Obama is both more overtly Christian and more outwardly appreciative of the nation's religious diversity.
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Tags: Egypt | speeches | Barack Obama | religion | Christianity
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Reader Comments
Obama's acts not Christian
Although the Bible teaches that it is good to give to the poor and help others, at no time does the Bible instruct a government (Christian or otherwise) to take care of the poor, sick, or any other disadvantage people. The Bible speaks of the church taking care of its own and reaching out to unbelivers in order to share the gospel. The government is not part of the church, so the Bible cannot be used to validate its "humanitarian" effors. The Bible also says that "God loves a cheerful giver" (not a forced giver) and it says that those who don't work should not eat. Sure, the government should help the truly disadvantaged get on their feet, but not in the name of Jesus or Christianity. When I hear that Obama mentions the name of Jesus to support his destructive spending programs, I just want to cry "HERESY!!". Christians should be praying that President Obama will seek the truth of Jesus Christ, and stop portraying a false form of godliness that tickles the ears of the sheep-like masses.
Obama's False Gospel
A true Christian would not put Jesus Christ on the same level pain as mere mortal men which is what Obama does. God entered this world in the person of Jesus Chrit and died that all might receive eternal life in heaven. Obama believes there are many ways to God. He proclaims a false doctrine which is not the true Gospel-The Good News of salvation which Jesus Christ alone.
Obama is influencing many to think as he does. He is leading many to eternal damnation.
Obama certainly no "overtly christian"
He has done nothing since I've known of him that would lead me to believe he is a Christian at all. Saying Jesus does not make you a Christian. Being a Christian (seeing abortion as murder, seeing homosexuality as a sin and abomination, leaving a racist church before it's politically expedient, etc.) would be "overtly Christian". Saying "Jesus" when your actions bear no relationship whatsoever to Jesus' actions, means you're "overtly political".
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