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,

[TheWasteLand]

Pravda looks at this propaganda with envy.

[aberaussie]

Just because they say it doesn’t make it true.

[Cementjungle]

Obvioulsy the administration is now issuing some heavy-duty recreational drugs to key players in the media.

[Freedom56v2]

Pravda looks at this propaganda with envy.

---

Wow, I did not know US News & World Report was in tank for the bamster too :(

[hsalaw]

I don’t believe it. Obummer’s only religion is a belief in his own superiority. His arrogant narcissism is inconsistent with a true belief in God’s love and mercy.

[presidio9]

I wrote in an earlier post, and I meant to add here, that I don’t believe Mr. Obama has any religion. I doubt that he has much of a concept of a Higher Power either. For twenty years, he attended Jeremiah Wright’s black liberation political rallies. He did so, because to be seen there was helpful to his political aspirations. At these rallies he heard Mr. Wright sermonize concepts that were directly opposed to Christianity. Presumbaly he agreed with what Mr. Wright had to say, but I take him at his word that he wasn’t listening.

None of this sounds anything like putting God first in your life and including Him in your decision-making process. Barak Obama doesn’t need God, because Barak Obama’s God is Barak Obama.

[himno hero]

You are so right! actions are louder than words... look at the taxpayers money he is pumping into the islamic world.

It doesnt matter what sideshow Bob says....

[presidio9]

See post 7.

[ETL]

"God D*** America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11"
--Rev Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for twenty years

"America’s chickens... are coming home... to ROOST!"
_______________________________________________________

For all you'll ever need or want to know about
Wright's "Black Liberation Theology",
see my FR Home page:
http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/

Hint...

"Their founding document [the Weather Underground's] called for the establishment of a "white fighting force" to be allied with the "Black Liberation Movement" and other "anti-colonial" movements[1] to achieve "the destruction of US imperialism and the achievement of a classless world: world communism."..."-Berger, Dan (2006). Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity. AK Press, 95.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weatherman_Underground#cite_ref-Berger_0-0

Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity (Paperback) by Dan Berger
http://www.amazon.com/Outlaws-America-Underground-Politics-Solidarity/dp/1904859410
_______________________________________________________

From the New York Times, August 24, 2003

"they [the Weather Underground] employed revolutionary jargon, advocated armed struggle and black liberation and began bombing buildings, taking responsibility for at least 20 attacks. Estimates of their number ranged at times from several dozen to several hundred."

Article: Quieter Lives for 60's Militants, but Intensity of Beliefs Hasn't Faded
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04E4DE1539F937A1575BC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2
_______________________________________________________

Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright and Dr. William Ayers
are greeted by Rebekah Levin with the Committee
for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine.
(Chuck Berman/Chicago Tribune / May 17, 2009)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ayers_wrightmay18,0,6689521.story

[McBuff]

Barry Lynn says. . . .the dear leader’s useful idiot. . .my God this is awful. . .a triple bucket barf alert needed for this one!

[wardaddy]

what an absolute crock

[MichiganConservative]

What, they’ve set up a child sacrifice altar to Baal?

[penelopesire]

This is just an age old trick of the progressive movement to conflate religion with the state. Read ‘Liberal Fascism’ by Jonah Goldberg for an excellent explanation of the tactic.

[wardaddy]

Mortimer Zuckerman ruined USNWR

turned it from fairly conservative 40 years ago to the tripe it now is

much like Mort hisself

[taxesareforever]

I’m surprised they didn’t say he recites the koran on a daily basis in order to show his inclusiveness.

[hsalaw]

Agreed.

[presidio9]

I don’t get your tagline. What do you have against the term “Pro-Life?”

[MichiganConservative]

I’ve read some of the Koran. Allah (piss be upon him) sounds like a white-trash drug and alcohol addicted loser and Muhammad (piss be upon him) like a drug using gangster pedophile.

[lentulusgracchus]

The writer makes it quite clear that the motive here is competition -- political competition.

Which hasn't anything to do with faith, spirituality, religiosity, or witnessing of any sort.

Same old politics, just another angle to play.

It's all about competing for every last Republican vote, to compete the GOP down to nothing and destroy it -- to take away ALL their voters. Which is what LBJ is recorded as having said to (among other people) Bill Moyers. Leading by a wide margin, someone in the staff group asked LBJ why he was pushing so hard, competing so hard for every last voter. LBJ rounded on the guy and told the group, "I want it ALLLLL!!!" Thus Theodore White, in The Making of the President 1964.