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, the president is unlikely to abandon his quest for a middle way for faith in government and politics. "My sense is that these efforts give a fairly accurate portrait of what the president really believes," says John Green, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. "Some conservative Christians worry he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. I think that's overblown."
Obama's most substantive move on religion so far has been launching his own version of Bush's faith-based initiative office, tasked with helping religious groups get federal dollars for social service projects for the needy. Less than one month into office, while presiding over two wars and a struggling economy, Obama took time to roll out his Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Its expanded mission includes reducing the need for abortion, promoting responsible fatherhood, and facilitating interfaith dialogue, particularly with the Muslim world. While giving the office more influence, the Obama team has strived to placate its secular critics by pledging greater accountability. "We're not judging success by the amount of money that flows out," says Joshua DuBois, the office's executive director, "but by how we're helping those most in need: the number of folks who received mortgage counseling or have been trained for jobs."
But in a sign of how politically fraught the faith-based office is, the administration has delayed making the most contentious decision surrounding it: whether to allow religious groups to hire only fellow believers with federal funds, as they could under Bush. "This is the 800-pound gorilla," says Americans United's Lynn. "Bush's office completely disregarded the separation of church and state, and nobody sees any change from that yet." Resolving the issue is an early test of Obama's ability to bring the culture wars' two sides together.
Differing opinions. The other big test on that score is whether the office can succeed in its goal of reducing the need for abortion while avoiding new limits on abortion rights. The faith-based office is partnering with the White House Council on Women and Girls to find common ground among abortion-rights opponents and supporters around abortion reduction. "If these policies are enacted and the number of abortions actually declines, it would really help the president because he'd have a tangible result," says the Pew Forum's Green. "The pro-life community would have a much more positive view of the Democrats and might work with them more on issues like poverty." If the administration fails to deliver on abortion reduction, however, cultural conservatives who helped Obama win in red states like Indiana and North Carolina may abandon him in 2012.
As it works to bring religious leaders and concerns into the policymaking process, the administration has probably paid even closer attention to faith-based symbolism and messaging. Gay rights groups and liberals pressured Obama to rescind his inaugural invitation to Warren because of the pastor's support for a gay marriage ban in California. Obama's refusal sent a clear message to evangelicals and other cultural conservatives that he respected their values. And in announcing he would lift federal limits on embryonic stem cell research by executive order, a move that riled religious conservatives, Obama laid out a faith-based rationale. "As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering," he said, citing the research's potential to yield cures for debilitating diseases. Like Bush, Obama included religious leaders at his signing ceremony on embryonic stem cell research.
Such overtures are unlikely to gain the support of most white evangelicals, 73 percent of whom backed John McCain last November. But they may win some over and will very likely appeal to political moderates from other faith traditions, especially Roman Catholics, whom Obama won last year. That kind of stagecraft can also help prevent the evangelical animus that plagued Bill Clinton in the second half of his administration and John Kerry in the 2004 election. "This administration understands that they can't actively antagonize religious groups or be seen as insensitive to religious concerns," says Southern Baptist Convention public policy chief Richard Land, who has worked with presidents going back to Ronald Reagan. "They get that in a way that the John Kerry and Howard Dean wing of the party don't." This helps explain why Land, a religious conservative who was close to the Bush White House, gets regular phone calls from DuBois, Obama's faith-based office director.
The administration's sensitivity on faith is also evident in the types of messages it avoids. When he reversed the Mexico City policy, a ban on federal funds for family planning providers abroad who offer or support abortion, Obama did so quietly, on a Friday evening. When Clinton lifted the same ban shortly after his 1992 election, he scheduled it on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, inflaming anti-abortion groups (George W. Bush reinstated it). "Obama's something of a puzzle to evangelicals who don't like some things he's done on abortion but can't bring themselves to hate him," says William Martin, author of With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America.
But whether Obama can bring together a diverse coalition of ordinary Americans to get past the culture wars is the question. So-called values issues are among the deepest dividing lines in the electorate. Many antiabortion groups have already attacked Obama's abortion-reduction plan as all talk. Liberal groups, meanwhile, recently blasted the administration for inviting former Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy, who endorsed a gay marriage ban in Indiana, to join the faith advisory council. Dungy, an evangelical, declined the offer, citing scheduling conflicts with council meetings. For now, such setbacks are unlikely to deter Obama. As someone who said last year that he prays "to be an instrument of God's will," the president appears to be operating as a true believer.
Source: US News & World Report
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What a load of garbage!!! "King" Obama is the most anti-Christ Presdient ever. He has insured that the slaughter of innocent babies will continue..not just here..but worldwide. He is the most gay-friendly President ever, insuring thsoe who choose this perverted form of sex will have their agenda further advanced as they seek to force society to accept their perversion as normal. He sides with the enemies of Israel. He is NOT smart enough to be the anti-Christ. He is simply a modern day tool of satan who masquerades as a "man of fatih." Jesus said if you love me, you will OBEY me, not operate in rebellion to Him and His Word. Of coruse, "King" Obama loves the Qu'ran more than the Bible!!!
You have got to be kidding. View the attached, not taken out of context 18 minutes. He proudly hosted the LGBT Pride reception at the White House.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmEpD2sh0HA
We have got to get out of religion and get into relationship with the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. You need to read the New York Times article about and see who some of his backers are. Hugh Hefner's daughter, then vice president of the Playboy dynasty, was one of his number one supporters and funders. He supports abortion, homosexuality and denied and totally ignored National Day of Prayer but he and Ms. "Fashion-plate" Michelle, hosted the Homosexuals and further their agenda on a daily basis.
Don't drink the Kool-Aid? Don't be brainwashed!
God is LOVE and God is still righteous!
John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
President Obama believes there a many ways to God. He once stated that Christians should stop telling people Jesus Christ is the only way to God. In other words, he wants us to stop carrying out The Great Commission. How sad! He said his grandmother was not a believer, but he believes she is in heaven because she was a good person. Titus 3:5 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost"
President Obama is influencing our children big time, and we are allowing him to do so. We need to tell our children the truth, or they will surely be led astray. We lift President Obama up in our black churches and never tell our kids that he speaks a false gospel. The children need to know that this country is being led by an occult leader. I'll bet you the white churches are telling their children the truth. This is a very serious matter… a matter of life and death. (A new life/a second death.)
Let's pray that President Obama comes to know Christ for who He is... The Son of God... The Savior of all. Let's pray that he develops a close relationship with the one who died for him.
Lorraine
President Obama is the president of the United States of American, and should be respected as such according to the word of God. The Bible tells us to honor all that are in authority, the good and the bad. Any president of our country should be honored. However, I am in agreement with all of you. This man was chosen of God, I believe, to do God’s will for a specific purpose which none of us knows about until that time has expired. He is not a true Christian. Let the fruit be properly identified. There are no Christian fruit. Let us be careful, ‘touch not my anointed, and do my prophet no harm.
People, even the very elect will be deceived. We should know what the scriptures say if we are worshipping the Father, not Obama, not Michael, not the world system, etc. etc. etc., I respect the "office" of the President of the United States of America, but I am always baffled at how far too many, I dare say most African Americans are deceived and worship even their race, our race more than we worship the word of God. I personally did not and would not have voted for Obama because of what he represents.
Yet, I celebrate the fact that he was elected as president. I don't have an opinion, I simply line up what he believes in with what my WORD tells me.
Just because you honor a person or his office doesn't mean that you become ingnorant and put blinders on. Truth is still truth. Obama is on a definte mission to steal, kill and destroy the fabric of what Christianity represents. Our belief system is in the process of becoming so watered down that we get caught up emotionally and totally ignore what the word says. The bible even says in, Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
I pray for the president often...for light. Enough said.
So what is his faith?
Christian or Muslim?
He already identified the USA as not a Christian nation. So what do you think he is?
However you identify him to be, just don't be fooled to claim him what he is not.
There were many evil kings in Israel and that was the will of God. If he is going to be used by God to bring this nation down in fulfillment of prophecy, "Let God's will be done." Praise the Lord for He is accomplishing His purpose according to His will even through this man.
Very well said. I agree with your comments. We must pray and trust only in God. God's purpose and plan is at hand. His ways are not our ways. My trust is in God. I respect his position because God commands it, and I don't have to agree with all that goes on, but I do honor God and give Obama the deserved respect of his office.
An earlier comment was made that they bet all the the white churches were telling the truth. Well, not true when they add the word "all" because they have no way of knowing if all are. I heard that it was mostly white voters that put him in office. Blacks are just proud to see the change and be reassured that anything is possible through faith in Christ...whether Obama believes it or not. I don't know for sure if he does or not, but I know and believe in Christ and He IS the Almighty Lord and Savior, Triune being...God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost/Spirit. Trust in God
Psalms 118: "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." verses 8-9
God uses even the unrighteous to carry forth His plans.
Examples: Hitler, Judas, Jim Jones, Pharoahs, etc. These men were not anointed of the Holy Spirit when they carried out their evil deeds, but they were definitely used by Satan and allowed to be used by God. We must teach this to our children. They must know that everyone who says, "I'm a Christian" is not. Otherwise, our children might follow the ways of the ungodly who say they're Christians but are not, as so many others have done.
We can thank God that in the end, as He has promised... All things work out for the good of those who love Him. It is our responsibility to teach our children to love, obey and trust God no matter what.
I could not watch the whole video Karen. It just makes me sick to see the path this country is taking. Ignoring the Day of Prayer and lifting up the homosexual and perverted agenda. If ever our country needs to drop to our knees it is now. There is true evil in the White House and he is leading many away from Truth.
Yes, God is and has always been in control of all things, including the appointment of our political leaders. However, it is not God's will for Christians to remain silent when Biblical priniciples are broken by this nation. It is not God's will for us to support laws that compromise God's Word. Who are we putting our faith and trust in when we do? Surely, not God, but man. If we truly love God, we will stand up for what we know is right. If we truly love man, we will do the same. Souls are at state. Heaven and hell are both real. Do we really care about others? Do we desire that all men be saved as God does? If we don't, we're out of God's will.
Franklin, where did you read the word, "all" in that comment that I wrote earlier? You must have accidently inserted it there while reading it." I didn't say "all" the white churches. I know better than that! But, I forgive you. Just a mistake. We all make them. I understand.
Lorraine
P.S. If whites love their children, they're telling them the truth. I do. Do you?
I know the Bible tells us to pray for all men, leaders first, mainly so they will make the right decisions. It's in God's Word. Could someone please give me the scripture where it says to "honor" our leaders? Thanks!!
Love all,
Lorraine
P.S. President Obama definitely needs our prayers.
Lorraine, that wasnt me. I havent responded to any comment on this blog. I personally commented at 10:40 AM. I'm sorry. Thanks and God bless.
Lorraine, I Tim 6:1, Rom 13:5-7, Malachi 1:5, and I Peter 2:17
Let us pray for our President. It has nothing to do with Black or White. It has everything to do with morality. Even though we have examples of rulers being chosen to do God’s will, but in the course of that they did there owe thing. We have to pray against those immoral acts, so that God can bring about a change. These acts of President Obama regarding sexual expression rights, and killing babies are not right and we must never sit and be quite. I am writing an objection to same sex marriage in my state. I will not stop until there is a massive cry, and possibly an overturn of this evil. The pin and voice must never become silent. The blessed country of America will continue to be blessed as long as the Church is in it. The Church will never be silent, therefore I can never be silent; I am in the Church.
Thanks for the verses, Franklin. I'll look them up.
Sorry "Anonymous" and I made mistakes, not you. Please forgive me. Hopefully, "Anonymous" will read the reply I sent to you. He/She added the word "all" to the comment I made earlier.
Amen to your message above.
Lynn,I read and agree with your comments except where you stated that "the very elect will be deceived" the truth is, "if it were possible,they shall deceive the very elect". But the anointing which we have received of him abideth in us,and is truth,and is no lie,some will not be deceived nor ignorant of Satan's devices.God bless and let's continue to accept the truth as God reveals it to us.
Obama's self-chosen disability.....
Deterministic systems, ideological symbols of abdication
by man from his natural role as earth's Choicemaker,
inevitably degenerate into collectivism; the negation of
singularity, they become a conglomerate plural-based
system of measuring human value. Blunting an awareness
of diversity, blurring alternatives, and limiting the
selective creative process, they are self-relegated to
a passive and circular regression.
Tampering with man's selective nature endangers his
survival for it would render him impotent and obsolete
by denying the tools of variety, individuality,
perception, criteria, selectivity, and progress.
Coercive attempts produce revulsion, for such acts
are contrary to an indeterminate nature and nature's
indeterminate off-spring, man the Choicemaker.
Until the oppressors discover that wisdom only just
begins with a respectful acknowledgment of The Creator,
The Creation, and The Choicemaker, they will be ever
learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth.
The rejection of Creator-initiated standards relegates
the mind of man to its own primitive, empirical, and
delimited devices. It is thus that the human intellect
cannot ascend and function at any level higher than the
criteria by which it perceives and measures values.
Additionally, such rejection of transcendent criteria
self-denies man the vision and foresight essential to
decision-making for survival and progression. He is left,
instead, with the redundant wreckage of expensive hind-
sight, including human institutions characterized by
averages, mediocrity, and regression.
Humanism, mired in the circular and mundane egocentric
predicament, is ill-equipped to produce transcendent
criteria. Evidenced by those who do not perceive
superiority and thus find themselves beset by the shifting
winds of the carnal-ego; i.e., moods, feelings, desires,
appetites, etc., the mind becomes subordinate: a mere
device for excuse-making and rationalizing self-justifica-
tion.
The carnal-ego rejects criteria and self-discipline for such
instruments are tools of the mind and the attitude. The
appetites of the flesh have no need of standards for at the
point of contention standards are perceived as alien, re-
strictive, and inhibiting. Yet, the very survival of our
physical nature itself depends upon a maintained sover-
eignty of the mind and of the spirit.
It remained, therefore, to the initiative of a personal
and living Creator to traverse the human horizon and
fill the vast void of human ignorance with an intelli-
gent and definitive faith. Man is thus afforded the
prime tool of the intellect - a Transcendent Standard
by which he may measure values in experience, anticipate
results, and make enlightened and visionary choices.
Only the unique and superior God-man Person can deserved-
ly displace the ego-person from his predicament and free
the individual to measure values and choose in a more
excellent way. That sublime Person was indicated in the
words of the prophet Amos, "...said the Lord, Behold,
I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel."
Y'shua Mashiyach Jesus said, "If I be lifted up I will
draw all men unto myself."
As long as some choose to abdicate their personal reality
and submit to the delusions of humanism, determinism, and
collectivism, just so long will they be subject and re-
acting only, to be tossed by every impulse emanating from
others. Those who abdicate such reality may, in perfect
justice, find themselves weighed in the balances of their
own choosing.
"No one is smarter than their criteria."
Jim Baxter
semper fidelis
- from "2010 AD: The Season of Generation-Choicemaker"
http://www.choicemaker.net/
MIND Over glands
The defenders of homosexuality continue the oxymoron
contradiction of attempting to use the mind to justify the
rule of carnal glands.
Thinking Americans still don't give 'a tinkers-sham' what
homosexuals do with their body-parts. An individual or
a society which is by law and tradition committed to the
natural human hierarchy of mind over body will not, how-
ever, ever sanction glandular rule over the human mind.
Undisciplined human desire can induce distorted perception.
The disturbed personality or inverted character can be
considered to be cognitively confused. This description is
confirmed by the work of English psychoanalyst Money-
Kyrle, who indicates that it is more accurate to recognize
such a condition as the result of distorted perception.
Neurosis, psychosis, stunting of growth, etc., are all, from
this perspective, cognitive diseases contaminating not only
perception but thinking, learning, remembering, valuing, and
decision- and choice-making.
Money-Kyrle affirms that scientific truth is not attained by a
trendy self-serving fashion, confession of inadequacy,
abdication, or collective majority-vote. There is no excuse for
professional ignorance willfully maintained.
By definition, a standard that is flexible is not a standard at all.
The human mind requires a standard of comparison that is
invariable. A criterion must be greater than the value measured
in order to supply value-meaning in a predictable direction of
survival and progression. The mind thus equipped is enabled
to maintain a natural dominion over the body and its appetites.
The very survival of the body itself, therefore, depends upon this
maintained intellectual authority. Romans 8:6
Our posterity cannot respect what it does not perceive, and it
cannot perceive that which has been abandoned or inverted to
an appetite of physical expediency by the equivocal person.
With confidence in the laws of human nature, we can know that
in the clash between carnality and intellect, the 'man of the mind'
will always prevail.
That is nature and GOD's way and intent all along.
"No one is smarter than their criteria." selah jfb
Jim Baxter
Teacher - 30 years
pointman/follower of The Lion of Judah
Santa Maria, CA
semper fidelis
Sgt. USMC
WWII & Korean War
+ + +
Jim, I don't know any foreign languages. (Smile)
Have a blessed day.
Lorraine-I think Jim is on our side. But, we really have to ask him to change his methodology to discuss the issue at hand.
I've never submitted a comment to this website before, but feel compelled to today. I'm white; I read this website because I'm a Christian and I think it's interesting and informative. I have often wondered what black Christians really think about President Obama. I didn't vote for him, but not at all because of race -- because I was very afraid of his stand on issues important to Christians, and especially because of his viewpoint that there are all kinds of ways to get to Heaven, or that "being good" can somehow "grandfather" someone in. I want to support a Christian leader, and I'm very upset and frightened by a president who says we are not a Christian nation. I just wanted to say it is very comforting to me to hear the intelligent and well thought out opinions of black Christians in this forum. If you listen to the mainstream media, they make it sound like all black people are worshipping President Obama, no matter what he does. (shoot, the media is in love with him regardless of color) I am so glad to know that the truth is, there are people out there putting Christ first and race second -- whether they are black or white. I know I have no idea what it's like to be a black person, but I also know I was raised to believe that inside we are all the same and God sees our hearts not our skin. I'll try to remember your sensible and positive attitudes -- pray for the President, because he sure needs it -- and TRUST GOD. There is no prejudice in Heaven, and I really don't understand how it came to be here -- God made people in so many different molds, no two the same, and all in His image. And if you look at it logically, judging by where Jesus was born, what did He look like on earth? Most likely dark, shining eyes, and beautiful golden brown skin. I sure look forward to seeing for myself. Hope President Obama figures out there's no other way to Heaven except through Jesus, for his sake as well as for this country.
Katherine | July 7, 2009 6:48 PM, thanks very much. God is not color blind. He sees and understand how ethnicity can cause people to form opinions. Wrong is wrong and right is right regardless of the person it resides in. I am praying for our President and his Cabinet members. But I say to all, let us who are of the Day not sleep as those that call themselves Christians. We must keep fighting.