The importance of secularism. Obama gets it.

[RandFan]

This video lays out Obama's views of the importance of secularism in America. It's a great video and showcases Obama's gift for speaking and his common sense view of the founding fathers vision.



A longer video can be found here.

 

[Sir Robin Goodfellow]

That's a radical shift in worldview for the office of president. Not bludgeoning others with your churchiness. Impressive.

 

[dudalb]

Well done.
I think that Secularists have shot themsleves in the foot a lot by attacks on religon so over the top that they come off as no better then the "religionists" they despise so much.
This is a much better approach.

 

[DanishDynamite]

Obama clearly gets it. Yet another reason, if any was needed, to rejoice in his election.

 

[ravdin]

Wow. I hope that President Obama is willing to say the same things as Candidate Obama.

 

[Tin Foil Timothy]

Wow. I hope that President Obama is willing to say the same things as Candidate Obama.

I hope so too.

Does that mean the Pledge of Allegiance is going to get it's much needed revision with the removal of the words "under God" ?

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I hope so too.

Does that mean the Pledge of Allegiance is going to get it's much needed revision with the removal of the words "under God" ?

I would suggest in my most humble opinion and as an outside that you don't get hung up on symbols.

Obama obviously did not think that wearing an American flag pin really meant anything but added one when the chattering classes started making their grunting noises,

My favourite person from history is Galileo -- "Eppur si muove!"

 

[geni]

My favourite person from history is Galileo -- "Eppur si muove!"

1)didn't happen

2)Despite that you have to be impressed by his ability to steal credit from others. Galileo was a great PR guy. Scientist? So so.

 

[negativ]

WOW.

I had never seen or heard that before. I am genuinely impressed, not because of what he is saying, but because it's being said by the next President of the United States.

Jesusland, indeed...

 

[Tin Foil Timothy]

I would suggest in my most humble opinion and as an outside that you don't get hung up on symbols.

Obama obviously did not think that wearing an American flag pin really meant anything but added one when the chattering classes started making their grunting noises,

My favourite person from history is Galileo -- "Eppur si muove!"

'God' isn't a 'symbol' for most believers. He/she is a real entity that gives license for all kinds of sectarianist and prejudicial ideology.

The USA is not one nation under god. For a sizable portion of the population god does not exist. It should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. It doesn't mean that those who want to worship a god do not have to.

The beauty of secularism is that it provides not only "Freedom from Religion" it also provides "Freedom of Religion"

Both are equally important.

 

[CriticalThinking]

Obama also gets that the NWO is what sets the agenda. He got it way better than McCain.

 

[RandFan]

WOW.

I had never seen or heard that before. I am genuinely impressed, not because of what he is saying, but because it's being said by the next President of the United States.

Jesusland, indeed...

Well, I like what he is saying but I get your point and I agree.

As a former Bush supporter and defender I gotta say there really is a big contrast between the rhetoric and speaking style of the two.

I hate to be trite but it really does give me hope for my country.

 

[RandFan]

Obama also gets that the NWO is what sets the agenda. He got it way better than McCain.

CT, could you elaborate and give us reason or evidence for your position? Opinions are fine but tossing them like grenades just to be polemic doesn't help much.

 

[HarryKeogh]

That was great. Thanks for posting it Randfan.

Reminds me of JFK's comments on the separation of church and state that he made over forty years ago. I imagine if he made these comments today they would be attacked and he would be smeared worse than when he made them all those years ago.

 

[Father Dagon]

Well done.
I think that Secularists have shot themsleves in the foot a lot by attacks on religon so over the top that they come off as no better then the "religionists" they despise so much.
This is a much better approach.

Hear-hear! This speech (will see the full version later) was soo wu wei.

It's noteworthy that one word can have many different and often contradictory meanings. Some examples of what "religion" can mean:

• The US: Big words at speeches and guidelines for stem cell research.
• England: A non-threatening county vicar.
• Sweden: A de facto state church that is sometimes like a big, politically correct, wet blanket that wants to be buddy-buddy with everyone.
• Iraq: SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THAT WILL KILL YOU DEAD IN THE FACE!

Say what you want about the first three meanings, but they are quite bearable, as they are relatively un-radical.

So when you say that religion should play a role in the future political life of Iraq (as it now does with the theocratical constitution, thank you very much) you're sowing dragons' teeth. (Unless you want to implement policies in "the colony" over there that you can't do domestically.)

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

1)didn't happen

2)Despite that you have to be impressed by his ability to steal credit from others. Galileo was a great PR guy. Scientist? So so.

That's what all you anti-Galileoists say!

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

'God' isn't a 'symbol' for most believers. He/she is a real entity that gives license for all kinds of sectarianist and prejudicial ideology.

The USA is not one nation under god. For a sizable portion of the population god does not exist. It should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. It doesn't mean that those who want to worship a god do not have to.

The beauty of secularism is that it provides not only "Freedom from Religion" it also provides "Freedom of Religion"

Both are equally important.

An attempt to remove the word from the Pledge or "In God we Trust" from your coinage would result in a huge battle. IMHO it would be wiser to make an effort to change things that actually have an impact on people.

 

[SezMe]

RandFan, do you know the date/location/occassion of that speech?

 

[gdnp]

I hope so too.

Does that mean the Pledge of Allegiance is going to get it's much needed revision with the removal of the words "under God" ?

Obama is not that stupid. Such an attempt would open an ugly, divisive battle and Obama would lose. Hell, Congress was so concerned that the mint had moved IN GOD WE TRUST to the edges of the Presidential dollars (which no one uses anyway) that a Democratic congress passed a law moving it to the front. That should give you a clue about how likely they are to pass a law removing non-secular religious symbols from government.

 

[Tin Foil Timothy]

An attempt to remove the word from the Pledge or "In God we Trust" from your coinage would result in a huge battle. IMHO it would be wiser to make an effort to change things that actually have an impact on people.

I agree. but it all adds up. These messages on coinage and Pledges do have an impact albeit more subliminally than others but they do have an impact none the less.

But yes more practical things first.