• Obama says draws from Christian faith to craft policy
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[release](Reuters) - President Barack Obama sought to emphasize his Christian faith on Thursday, telling a key election-year voting bloc that he prays every morning and [b]has crafted elements of his economic policies in line with Jesus' teachings.[/b] Obama, who rarely goes to church and speaks far less about his religion than his White House predecessors, told about 3,000 people at a National Prayer Breakfast that the challenges facing the United States required him to listen to God, avoid "phony religiosity," and pursue "bold action" in the face of resistance or indifference. "I wake up each morning and I say a brief prayer, and I spend a little time in scripture and devotion," Obama told the annual gathering at a Washington hotel, also saying that pastors periodically stop by the Oval Office, phone him and send emails so they can pray together. "I don't stop there. I'd be remiss if I stopped there, if my values were limited to personal moments of prayer or private conversations with pastors or friends," he said. "I must try to make sure that those values motivate me as one leader of this great nation." American voters care deeply about religion, with two-thirds saying it is important for a presidential candidate to have strong religious beliefs. When he emerged on the national stage, many Americans were uncertain about Obama's religion and as many as one in five thought he was a Muslim. The president has previously said that although he did not grow up in a religious household, he became a Christian as an adult "by choice." On Thursday, he described a 2010 meeting with evangelical leader Billy Graham as transformative to his religious thinking, saying he had "prayed from the heart" at Graham's North Carolina retreat and frequently thereafter. "I have fallen on my knees with great regularity since that moment - asking God for guidance not just in my personal life and my Christian walk, [b]but in the life of this nation and in the values that hold us together and keep us strong," he said.[/b] OBAMA CITES 'BIBLICAL CALL' Mitt Romney, Obama's most likely opponent in the November 6 election, is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, whose followers known as Mormons espouse socially conservative values and believe Christ appeared to founder Joseph Smith in America. Obama, a Democrat, did not reference Romney in his remarks to the prayer breakfast but emphasized his own attention to the poor and fight against inequality. He was clearly trying to draw a contrast with the Republican front-runner, who was widely criticized on Wednesday for saying he was "not concerned about the very poor." Obama cloaked his economic platform - including a push for higher taxes on the wealthy, which Republicans in Congress have resisted - in religious scripture, adding a new layer to his re-election stump speech. "I actually think that's going to make economic sense. But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus' teaching that 'for unto whom much is given, much shall be required,'" he said, also referencing "the biblical call" to help poor and marginalized people as reason for his foreign aid choices. Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican who ended his White House run last month, had accused Obama on the campaign trail of leading a "war on religion," saying the president's decision to support gay rights overseas was "not in America's interest and not worth a dime of taxpayers' money." Obama avoided mention in his prayer breakfast remarks of his administration's new rule requiring religiously affiliated non-profit groups to provide birth control to women, a decision that spurred fury from social conservatives and the Catholic Church. Later on Thursday, White House spokesman Jay Carney sought to blunt criticism about the policy, which Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner decried as "unconstitutional." "The policy does not require any individual to take or provide or prescribe contraception. It simply requires employers to offer insurance coverage that provides that," Carney told reporters. "It is not requiring any individual to in any way violate his or her conscience." (Additional reporting by Samson Reiny, Thomas Ferraro and Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Deborah Charles and Eric Beech)[/release] [url]http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/02/us-usa-obama-religion-idUSTRE8111TZ20120202[/url] So much for separation of church and state.
I wish we could have an irreligious president. I don't care if you believe in some sort of god, just don't use it in public policy. Maybe one day we'll get an atheist president.
[QUOTE=johnlmonkey;34520961]I wish we could have an irreligious president. I don't care if you believe in some sort of god, just don't use it in public policy. Maybe one day we'll get an atheist president.[/QUOTE] Openly atheist? Not likely with all the hate that receives in God fearing America. Who knows though, you might have already had one that only used the Church for votes.
seems like a preemptive election move thing. I remember during the 2008 run he was adamant about separation, though a lot of those videos where he was talking about the issue were taken down.
Economic policies from Jesus? So, socialism. Clever. Obama sure is a crafty bugger isn't he
the choice to not close Guantanamo bay was based on jesus' teachings of love and charity
Campaign mode: ENGAGED
[QUOTE=Zeke129;34521034]Economic policies from Jesus? So, socialism. Clever. Obama sure is a crafty bugger isn't he[/QUOTE] Oh yeah man I remember when Jesus said "and then the laborers will own the means of production and follow socialism as Karl Marx and others will envision 1800 years in the future" (Mark 666:69)
[QUOTE=Lonestriper;34521103]the choice to not close Guantanamo bay was based on jesus' teachings of love and charity[/QUOTE] To be fair, he tried to close it but he got strong bipartisan opposition, which turned down the bill that was going to close it by a landslide.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;34521034]Economic policies from Jesus? So, socialism. Clever. Obama sure is a crafty bugger isn't he[/QUOTE] Where do people get that Jesus was socialist? His whole thing was that he basically just ignored Earthly economics and government. Which is why this article makes even less sense.
[QUOTE=johnlmonkey;34520961]I wish we could have an irreligious president. I don't care if you believe in some sort of god, just don't use it in public policy. Maybe one day we'll get an atheist president.[/QUOTE] Our entire government is built on all kinds of philosophies, some that are non-religious and some that are; but the fact that our entire history of government has religious movements interwove throughout should be the first clue that having any kind of belief doesn't affect the public in a negative way.
[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;34521542]Where do people get that Jesus was socialist? His whole thing was that he basically just ignored Earthly economics and government.[/QUOTE] Just ignore him, he obviously knows nothing about Christianity or is exaggerating It takes quite a leap to equate approval of charity and condemnation of greed with the destruction of private property rights and forced redistribution of wealth.
[QUOTE=SomeRandomGuy16;34521453]Oh yeah man I remember when Jesus said "and then the laborers will own the means of production and follow socialism as Karl Marx and others will envision 1800 years in the future" (Mark 666:69)[/QUOTE] because communism = socialism (it doesn't) (even though you were probably joking anyways so who gives a shit)
[QUOTE=john_pelphre;34521599]Our entire government is built on all kinds of philosophies, some that are non-religious and some that are; but the fact that our entire history of government has religious movements interwove throughout should be the first clue that having any kind of belief doesn't affect the public in a negative way.[/QUOTE] But it does, honestly as a non-believer I've noticed some terrible things done by the government with religion in mind. I mean look at the whole gay marriage debate, the fact that creationism is taught in some classes and that they have to put stickers in textbooks in TX that state "EVOLUTION IS ONLY A THEORY". Look at George W. Bush using Jesus Christ to justify the war in Iraq. Religion does actually have a negative impact on our public policies in many cases. Furthermore our government was founded by some men who were very much anti-religion and anti-Christianity: "What is it the Bible teaches us? -- rapine, cruelty, and murder. What is it the Testament teaches us? -- to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith.” -Thomas Paine ""There is not one redeeming feature in our superstition of Christianity. It has made one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites." - Thomas Jefferson "Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise" - James Madison There exists a separation of church and state for a very good reason.
I can't see an openly atheist president in america for a long long time. It was even a big deal to people when we had a non protestant president. (JFK)
God bless the United States of America.
[quote]President Barack Obama sought to emphasize his Christian faith on Thursday, telling a key election-year voting bloc that he prays every morning and has crafted elements of his economic policies in line with Jesus' teachings. Obama, who rarely goes to church[/quote] You know who else speaks with a forked tongue?
[QUOTE=johnlmonkey;34520961]I wish we could have an irreligious president. I don't care if you believe in some sort of god, just don't use it in public policy. Maybe one day we'll get an atheist president.[/QUOTE] the majority of Americans would not vote for an openly atheist president so they would have literally a 0% chance
[QUOTE=NightmareXx;34521712]the majority of Americans would not vote for an openly atheist president so they would have literally a 0% chance[/QUOTE] I agree with you, unfortunately they still seem to have an issue with Atheists. Its a shame.
[QUOTE]crafted elements of his economic policies in line with Jesus' teachings.[/QUOTE] This is actually a good thing. Jesus is a pretty nice guy, it's a shame that the large majority of people who follow him and his dad are cunts.
[QUOTE=johnlmonkey;34521756]I agree with you, unfortunately they still seem to have an issue with Atheists. Its a shame.[/QUOTE] Nothing would really be different if a president would be atheistic or not. He would still use philosophies in his presidential campaign that would influence him. You're striking religion as this grand corrupter but that's incorrect; nothing would be different in these highly debated acts, where the country makes the decision. You're implying that a president who's atheistic would much better, but that's simply not true.
[QUOTE=Djentleman;34521780]This is actually a good thing. Jesus is a pretty nice guy, it's a shame that the large majority of people who follow him and his dad are cunts.[/QUOTE] Jesus was pretty chill, he grew hemp. He also advocated slavery, child abuse and murdering of family members in his name. But yeah, still pretty chill. [editline]2nd February 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=john_pelphre;34521823]Nothing would really be different if a president would be atheistic or not. He would still use philosophies in his presidential campaign that would influence him. You're striking religion as this grand corrupter but that's incorrect; nothing would be different in these highly debated acts, where the country makes the decision. You're implying that a president who's atheistic would much better, but that's simply not true.[/QUOTE] Honestly theres no way of knowing how an Atheist president would change things. I mean Bush used his religion to justify Iraq, could you imagine the difference it would've made if he were an Atheist? All I'm saying is that America would be a better place if politicians would just put aside their damn religion.
[QUOTE=johnlmonkey;34521824]Jesus was pretty chill, he grew hemp. He also advocated slavery, child abuse and murdering of family members in his name. But yeah, still pretty chill. [/QUOTE] Let me just. hmph. Twist. This. Arm a bit harder so it suits my values.
[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;34521542]Where do people get that Jesus was socialist? His whole thing was that he basically just ignored Earthly economics and government. Which is why this article makes even less sense.[/QUOTE] Democrats = Socialists according to Fox News so it's close enough. [img]http://i.imgur.com/GwTJx.png[/img]
[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;34521542]Where do people get that Jesus was socialist? His whole thing was that he basically just ignored Earthly economics and government. Which is why this article makes even less sense.[/QUOTE] Yeah, he sure did ignore money like when he said rich people won't be going to heaven
[QUOTE=Zeke129;34522254]Yeah, he sure did ignore money like when he said rich people won't be going to heaven[/QUOTE] not if they pay their way in
[QUOTE=SomeRandomGuy16;34521453]Oh yeah man I remember when Jesus said "and then the laborers will own the means of production and follow socialism as Karl Marx and others will envision 1800 years in the future" (Mark 666:69)[/QUOTE] You're thinking of communism, not socialism.
[QUOTE=johnlmonkey;34520961]I wish we could have an irreligious president. I don't care if you believe in some sort of god, just don't use it in public policy. Maybe one day we'll get an atheist president.[/QUOTE] Many of the early presidents including Washington were Deists, that's about as close as you'll ever get, especially in this day and age when many people think Athiests are worse than communists and homosexuals.
[QUOTE=Melkor;34522443]You're thinking of communism, not socialism.[/QUOTE] No, socialism is defined as a political system in which the laborers own the means of production
[QUOTE=SomeRandomGuy16;34522491]No, socialism is defined as a political system in which the laborers own the means of production[/QUOTE] This is true.
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