Fear God and keep His Commandments for this is the whole duty of man.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13
Part X. The Good News about Barack Obama, an American Christian PresidentThe following quotes from Christian President Barack Obama were taken during an interview conducted by Cathleen Falsani, a Chicago Sun-Times reporter, in 2004 when the possibility of him being elected President four years later would have been unthinkable. In the interview, Barack Obama's public honesty towards his Christian faith was far more pronounced than today in the year 2011. This is mainly because the Republican opposition's mockery and ridicule of his authentic and learned form of Christian faith has paid off with the American voters, many of whom are so delusional that they ignorantly believe him to be the anti-Christ and/or a secret Muslim lying about his Christian faith.
This interview goes far in proving that President Obama's adherence to Christianity is very informed and directly based upon the teachings of Rabbi joshua (Jesus) as recorded in the Gospels. Here is a direct comparison of Barack Obama's actual remarks and the relevant New Testament passage which clearly shows his authentic Christian faith to be just as rooted in Scriptures as any Republican believer, including ex-President George W. Bush. These comparisons also suggest that the ugly, vile attacks and brutal questioning of his religious beliefs since he became President has very little to do with the Bible and is most likely a subtle form of white racism in disguise.
THE OBAMA: (In Chicago's) South Side working class and lower income communities...it was in those places where I think what had been more of an intellectual view of religion deepened...I became much more familiar with the ongoing tradition of the historic black church and it's importance in the community. And the power of that culture to give people strength in very difficult circumstances, and the power of that church to give people courage against great odds. And it moved me deeply.
THE GOSPELS: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven....Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied...Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great. (Matthew 5:4-12)
THE OBAMA: But my mother was deeply spiritual person...her view always was that underlying these religions were a common set of beliefs about how you treat other people and how you aspire to act, not just for yourself but also for the greater good.
THE GOSPELS: In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.(Matthew 7:12)
THE OBAMA: I probably didn't get started getting active in church activities until I moved to Chicago...one of the churches that I became involved in was Trinity United Church of Christ. And the pastor there, Jeremiah Wright, became a good friend. So I joined that church and committed myself to Christ in that church. It was a daytime service, during a daytime service. And it was a powerful moment. Because, it was powerful for me because it not only confirmed my faith, it not only gave shape to my faith, but I think, also, allowed me to connect the work I had been pursuing with my faith.
THE GOSPELS: Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John...Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.' (Matthew 3:13-17)
THE OBAMA: I am a Christian. So, I have a deep faith. So I draw from the Christian faith. So, I'm rooted in the Christian tradition.
THE GOSPELS: “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." (Mark 11:22-23)
THE OBAMA: There are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there's an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.
THE GOSPELS: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)
THE OBAMA: I retain from my childhood and my experiences growing up a suspicion of dogma. And I'm not somebody who is always comfortable with language that implies I've got a monopoly on the truth, or that my faith is automatically transferable to others.
THE GOSPELS: Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, 'You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant.' (Mark 10:42-43)
THE OBAMA: I'm a big believer in tolerance. I think that religion at it's best comes with a big dose of doubt. I'm suspicious of too much certainty in the pursuit of understanding just because I think people are limited in their understanding.
THE GOSPELS: (Jesus) said, "Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers.' (Luke 11:46)
THE OBAMA: I think that, particularly as somebody who's now in the public realm and is a student of what brings people together and what drives them apart, there's an enormous amount of damage done around the world in the name of religion and certainty.
THE GOSPEL: Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. (Matthew 18:19-20)
THE OBAMA: Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he's also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher.
THE GOSPELS: Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' (John 14:6)
THE OBAMA: And he's also a wonderful teacher. I think it's important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.
THE GOSPELS: The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. (Matthew 10:23-25)
THE OBAMA: Some of the things I talked about...are channeled through my Christian faith and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
THE GOSPELS: He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. (John 12:44-46)
THE OBAMA: Alongside my own deep personal faith, I am a follower, as well, of our civic religion. I am a big believer in the separation of church and state...I am a great admirer of our founding charter, and its resolve to prevent theocracies from forming, and its resolve to prevent disruptive strains of fundamentalism from taking root ion this country. As I said before, in my own public policy, I'm very suspicious of religious certainty expressing itself in politics.
THE GOSPELS: Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matthew 22:21)
THE OBAMA: I can give religious expression to that. I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper, we are all children of God. Or I can express it in secular terms. But the basic premise remains the same. I think sometimes Democrats have made the mistake of shying away from a conversation about values for fear that they sacrifice the important value of tolerance. And I don't think those two things are mutually exclusive.
THE GOSPELS: So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.' (John 8:31-32)
THE OBAMA: I think that I am disturbed by, let me put it this way: I think there is an enormous danger on the part of public figures to rationalize or justify their actions by claiming God's mandate.
THE GOSPELS: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matthew 23:14)
THE OBAMA: This is something that I'm sure I'd have serious debates with my fellow Christians about. I think that the difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and proselytize. There's the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people haven't embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they're going to Hell.
THE GOSPELS: Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people. (Mark 16:15)
THE OBAMA: I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell...I can't imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity...That's just not part of my religious makeup.
THE GOSPELS: See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of my Father in Heaven. (Matthew 18:14)
THE OBAMA: When I tuck my daughters in at night and I feel like I’ve been a good father to them, and I see in them that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they’re kind people and that they’re honest people and that they’re curious people, that’s a little piece of Heaven.
THE GOSPELS: If anyone causes one of these little ones-those who believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matthew 18:6)
THE OBAMA: I am a Christian. So, I have a deep faith. So I draw from the Christian faith...So, I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place.
THE GOSPELS: John said unto him, 'Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followed not us.' But Jesus said, 'Forbid him not: for there is no man who shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us.' (Mark 9:38-40)
THE OBAMA: And I'd say, probably, intellectually I've drawn as much from Judaism as any other faith.
THE GOSPELS: Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)
May the LORD God bless you in the name of the Judeo-Christian Tradition.
