AP: Obama A Muslim? Rumors Gain Steam, Defying Facts

AP via NPR ^ | August 19, 2010 | HILLEL ITALIE

[maggief]

"President Obama is a Muslim." "He's not an American citizen." "He wasn't even born here."

None of this is true. But to surprising levels, it is believed.

Blame it on the media, or on human nature. All presidents deal with image problems — that they're too weak or too belligerent, too far left or far right. But Obama also faces questions over documented facts, whether it's because people want to believe the lie or simply don't know any better.

"Trust and distrust — that explains almost all of it," says Nicholas DiFonzo, professor of psychology at the Rochester Institute of Technology and an expert on rumor and gossip research. "We are in such a highly polarized political environment. Our country is sorting itself into more closely knit, opposing factions each year" — factions, DiFonzo suggests, that in turn become "echo chambers" for factoids that aren't fact at all.

Nearly one in five people, or 18 percent, said they think Obama is Muslim, up from the 11 percent who said so in March 2009, according to a poll released Thursday. The proportion who correctly say he is a Christian is just 34 percent, down from 48 percent in March of last year.

The White House even felt compelled to respond with a terse knockdown from spokesman Bill Burton: "The president is obviously a Christian. He prays every day."

Obama is the Christian son of a Kenyan Muslim father and a Kansas mother. Born in Hawaii, he lived from ages 6 to 10 in predominantly Muslim Indonesia with his mother and Indonesian stepfather. His full name, Barack Hussein Obama, sounds Muslim to many.

[maggief]

Associated Press

FILE - In this 2006 file photo, then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, is dressed as a Somali Elder by Sheikh Mahmed Hassan, left, during his visit to Wajir, a rural area in northeastern Kenya, near the borders with Somalia and Ethiopia. All presidents deal with image problems _ that they're too weak or too belligerent, too far left or far right. But Obama also faces questions over documented facts. Nearly one in five people, or 18 percent, said they think Obama is Muslim, up from the 11 percent who said so in March 2009, according to a poll released Thursday, Aug. 19, 2010. The proportion who correctly say he is a Christian is down to just 34 percent.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Oh, the irony .... see reporter’s name above...

[omega4179]

His Father was Muslim. That makes him Christian by birth!

[the invisib1e hand]

I am NOT a RAT!

[Darkwolf377]

Wow, Ap is REALLY obsessed with this issue. Nice to see they’re now lecturing people for having the facts wrong, when before they had a “Hey, we’re just here to report” attitude on Iraq, our treatment of prisoners, “looting Iraqie museums,” making Abu-Grahbe the tragedy of the century instead of what it really was, etc. etc.

[combat_boots]

That is 1000-lb line on an Marlin lure you hear spinnnnnnnnnning. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

[The Good Doctor]

"None of this is true."

As if this "reporter" has any idea as to the truth.

[Ouderkirk]

Hey numbnuts from AP....his citizenship has not been documented to the satisfaction of a great many. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt on the muslim thing, but the citizenship has actual documents that have been sealed.

[Paladin2]

"But Obama also faces questions over documented facts"

Weak documentation, if any. It's all about Faith.

[the invisib1e hand]

Oh, the irony .... see reporter’s name above...

I didn't see that...but I did see that it was NPR, and so should I be surprised that it's a farcical apologetic flight of demented fancy?

[John W]

Being worked MSM-wide. Chuck Todd did five minutes on the shameful beliefs tonight on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.

[cruise_missile]

[nascarnation]

None of this is true

[LS]

Which is more likely-—that Obama is not a Muslim or that there were no WMDs in Iraq?

[2ndDivisionVet]

Actually, it’s 1-in-4:

1-in-4 Americans Believe Obama is a Muslim; Here’s Why
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2573895/posts

Uh, Sorry, TIME, Technically Obama IS a Muslim (Debbie Schlussel Skewers Hot Air & Time)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2573956/posts

[cruise_missile]

[Sarah Barracuda]

I go by Obama’s OWN words when he talked about “My muslim faith” he admitted he’s a muslim, but of course with the liberal kiss Obama ass media, they are like “Nothing to see here, moving on”

[JSDude1]

Fundamental Muslims ARE allowe to “lie” to infadels, and if Obama claims to be a Christian then it says (Matthew 7:16):

By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Young’s Literal Translation From their fruits ye shall know them

Plus it also tells us in 1 Tim. Ch. 2 to pray for Obama (for his salvation & wisdom in ruling).

[Renderofveils]

None of this is true. But to surprising levels, it is believed.

Show me the fatwa. Otherwise, I don't believe he converted from Islam.