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Obama Nails his Faith

The Atheist

The Grammar Tyrant
The Atheist
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Jul 3, 2006
Messages
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I've seen lots of posters trying to claim Obama as some kind of "pretend theist" who's really an atheist in disguise.

Let these words refute that idea forever:

President Barack Obama said:
It was on those streets, in those neighbourhoods, that I first heard God’s spirit beckon me. It was there that I felt called to a higher purpose - His purpose.
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link
 
Personally I don't have a problem with somebody believing in god, if it helps them in their lives.

I have two issues that REALLY piss me off though:
1) When theists try to use god or their religious beliefs to excuse their actions (god hates fags, and therefore so can I)
2) When theists try to force their religious beliefs and doctrine on others (creationism, etc)

From what I have seen of Obama, he does not seem to fit into either of these two groups, and I am quite happy about that.

While I think his belief in god is wrong, as long as he does not harm others with his beliefs, I could care less if he believes that jesus walked on water, mohammad talked to god, john smith read gold plates, l ron hubbard wasn't a complete nutbag, etc...
 
The Atheist said:
I've seen lots of posters trying to claim Obama as some kind of "pretend theist" who's really an atheist in disguise.

Let these words refute that idea forever:



link
Click to expand...

No politician would ever lie about his faith to win support. Must be true.
 
I don't claim to have a true insight to Obama's beliefs or lack thereof, but he is a politician and he was at a "Prayer Breakfast". Perhaps he was playing to the crowd?
 
I think this sharp atheist/theist distinction is unrealistic. Perhaps living in a country of lukewarm theists helps me. There is not just theists or atheists, there is a whole continuous scale from fanatic theists to dogmatic atheists, and most people fall somewhere in between.

Judge people by their actions, not by their beliefs.

Hans
 
MRC_Hans said:
Judge people by their actions, not by their beliefs.
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I want to agree with this. But I'm not sure I can 100%.

Take for instance somebody who believes the earth is 6000-10000 years old. While in all other respects this person may be a "good" person. And this person may not share the other beliefs of the bible I have issues with (such as hating gay people, etc).
But I would have a hard time taking seriously somebody who has a belief so absurd, so out of touch with reality, so dogmatic, so frankly just wrong, that I am not sure I could ever see them in the same way that I see somebody who does not have such an absurd belief.

While I agree actions are MORE important than beliefs, I do think that some beliefs are so out of touch with reality that a person can be judged if they hold on to that belief in spite of the evidence.
 
MRC_Hans said:
Judge people by their actions, not by their beliefs.

Hans
Click to expand...

I am.

Standing up and making the deliberate comment: "It was there that I felt called to a higher purpose - His purpose." is an action. It shows that the person saying it believes a god has a purpose for him.

I'd rather a president act on the belief that he's there for the purpose of helping his fellow man.
 
The Atheist said:
I am.

Standing up and making the deliberate comment: "It was there that I felt called to a higher purpose - His purpose." is an action. It shows that the person saying it believes a god has a purpose for him.

.
Click to expand...

Of course the person could be lying.
 
BenBurch said:
If a President acted in exactly the manner that is defined by the fictional Christ's parables and teachings, few of us would find a problem with his actions even though we know there is no god.
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Such as 'I come not to bring peace but a sword'?
 
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BenBurch said:
If a President acted in exactly the manner that is defined by the fictional Christ's parables and teachings, few of us would find a problem with his actions even though we know there is no god.
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I can't say that proclaiming that we should love our enemy would go down well with a majority of Americans.

And if George Bush had stood on the rubble of the Twin Towers and asked us to find it in our hearts to love Osama Bin Laden, he'd be impeached.
 
RobRoy said:
I'm curious, are you assuming that God's purpose for Obama is not "helping his fellow man"?
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Probably is, but I don't like the idea of someone who has to be told by their sky-daddy to do so.

BenBurch said:
If a President acted in exactly the manner that is defined by the fictional Christ's parables and teachings, few of us would find a problem with his actions even though we know there is no god.
Click to expand...

I'd agree, although the responses in the meantime give the lie to "few of us".
 
Undesired Walrus said:
I can't say that proclaiming that we should love our enemy would go down well with a majority of Americans.

And if George Bush had stood on the rubble of the Twin Towers and asked us to find it in our hearts to love Osama Bin Laden, he'd be impeached.
Click to expand...

IMNSHO; That would have been just the thing to say and it would have pretty much deprived OBL of his victory. That is a statement that would have made us friends in the Arab world, and likely would have gotten us enough cooperation to actually capture him and bring him to trial.
 
The Atheist said:
Probably is, but I don't like the idea of someone who has to be told by their sky-daddy to do so.
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Well, you're not just an atheist, you're The Atheist. I wouldn't expect you to like the idea. But if we're talking about how Obama is taking the messages from up above, I'd be willing to wager their pretty rationally received. At least that's been my impression of the man so far.
 
BenBurch said:
IMNSHO; That would have been just the thing to say and it would have pretty much deprived OBL of his victory. That is a statement that would have made us friends in the Arab world, and likely would have gotten us enough cooperation to actually capture him and bring him to trial.
Click to expand...

Perhaps. However, I doubt most of America would agree.

If Bush had publicly offered the other cheek of the United States, rather than firebombing the caves of Afghanistan, treason -let alone impeachment- would be the likely outcome.
 
The Atheist said:
I've seen lots of posters trying to claim Obama as some kind of "pretend theist" who's really an atheist in disguise.

Let these words refute that idea forever:
Originally Posted by President Barack Obama
It was on those streets, in those neighbourhoods, that I first heard God’s spirit beckon me. It was there that I felt called to a higher purpose - His purpose.
Click to expand...

link
Click to expand...

The link seems to take me elsewhere.

But, let me just say:
Many are called but few are chosen.
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;)
 
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