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Background and actual working faith are two different things.

Reader comment on item: Obama a Muslim? Tales from the Campaign Trail

Submitted by Peter J. Herz (Taiwan), Jun 25, 2012 at 05:33

Speaking as someone who has never voted for Obama nor ever plans to, I make the following observations on Kincaid's interview with Wright:

(1) I think it's universally known that Obama has a Islamic background chiefly through his mother's marriage to Lolo Soetero and Obama's childhood years in Indonesia, where he was seen as a Muslim.

(2) However, Obama's Islamic background is not necessarily incompatible with having an actual Christian faith NOW. Numerous people become Christians, remain such, and die such even though they may have been born and raised in other religions. I know very many such people. To speak of their Islamic, Daoist, Buddhist, or Evolutionary Materialist backgrounds is quite permissible.

(3) A theologically liberal church such as the United Church of Christ believes it possible to be a Christian and "a something else" at the same time. It would be more problematic if Mr. Wright's congregation (and he himself) been of a more Evanelical/small-o orthodox bent.

(4) Wright's failure to baptize Obama means nothing at all. Even highly conservative churches (especially those that observe paedobaptism) routinely accept members who were baptized in other denominations without requiring re-baptism. Further, as a theologically liberal UCC minister, Wright may even believe that baptism is unimportant--but let him clarify the point.

The more important thing that raise the possibility of Obama's now being a Muslim is his ading the formula "Peace be Upon Him" when speaking of Jesus to the Islamic leaders at Cairo; for a Christian who believes in Jesus' being God and Man in one person and as risen on the third day from the dead (the reason why we observe Sunday rather than Saturday), the deeply ingrained spiritual reaction would be to seek peace from Jesus Christ rather than wish ours upon him. This "Peace Be Upon Him" when speaking of Jesus makes sense only as a Muslim formula or if someone believes that Jesus stayed dead (which, Paul assures us in I Corinthians 15, is incompatible with the Gospel).

I did not pay enough attention to Obama's Easter comments to know if he believes that Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried for our sins (the necessary prelude to the resurrection) or not. If he has no belief in the actual death by crucifixion of Jesus, then he may well be a Muslim; for the Qur'an denies Jesus' death on the cross.

It's my understanding that Obama has visited some churches in the Washington area since taking office. If it was for spiritual nurture first and political points only secondarily or not at all, then he may well have at last something of a Christian orientation. Still, my suspicions are that his real working religion is whatever enhances his political career.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (34) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
truth [57 words]warinnerJul 22, 2016 13:07230719
1Even if he is not a Muslim, we will make him one [167 words]PrashantSep 28, 2012 00:18199246
An open Apology [44 words]kerusso alethesOct 3, 2012 21:28199246
1Is there something in the water supply? [668 words]Jules PostenSep 26, 2012 10:28199203
Further noted: [186 words]Peter HerzJun 25, 2012 05:41196660
Background and actual working faith are two different things. [453 words]Peter J. HerzJun 25, 2012 05:33196659
"Peaceful" jihad Q's [41 words]infosifterJun 12, 2012 18:18196277
2Muhammedism [136 words]DONVANMay 23, 2012 22:34195810
Muslim Obama [98 words]moJun 3, 2012 06:04195810
reread [41 words]donvanJun 3, 2012 20:02195810
2He must be a "stupid" Muslim [67 words]Ibn IsmailJun 10, 2012 14:36195810
1Is Obama the Mahdi or the 12th Imam to Muslims?? [52 words]evenstarApr 27, 2012 18:58195289
4Whether or not [35 words]PrashantApr 30, 2012 08:51195289
Obama's religious affiliations [173 words]Nelson D'SilvaJun 23, 2012 09:56195289
Will not change the voting [85 words]stranchanApr 22, 2012 22:15195229
2Campaigning in Moskva in Absentia [355 words]M. ToveyMar 27, 2012 17:38194817
1Muslim? [32 words]AlbertE.Mar 18, 2012 23:59194503
Beauty [7 words]kerusso alethesMar 21, 2012 01:38194503
The Enemy Within: [81 words]kerusso alethesMar 15, 2012 00:03194397
2If re-elected, Pres. Obama will act even more islamic ! [211 words]Phil GreendMar 4, 2012 10:01193882
Fruits Of A Christian [54 words]Clifford IshiiFeb 29, 2012 20:03193787
Dear Mr. Ishii [108 words]Debanjan BanerjeeMar 24, 2012 10:40193787
1Fruits of a Christian - Observing the Differences [407 words]M. ToveyMar 26, 2012 18:42193787
Joel's life [21 words]JimOct 8, 2012 16:20193787
2Obama [71 words]NickFeb 26, 2012 20:06193696
Probably not a Muslim by now, but certainly an islamophile [195 words]ArmandFeb 26, 2012 03:48193659
6Obama's religion is political expediency [181 words]Kepha HorFeb 25, 2012 19:22193644
2Really! [115 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Godfrey deBouillonFeb 23, 2012 21:19193599
Even if he is not a Muslim, he will lose many votes [34 words]PrashantFeb 25, 2012 00:11193599
Why? [84 words]SuzanneDFeb 26, 2012 14:45193599
The Truth Hurts and has consequence [83 words]SojourningFeb 23, 2012 11:52193586
7By His Own Words and Deeds Candidate Obama Tells All That is Needed to be Known [455 words]M. ToveyFeb 23, 2012 11:01193585
5Obama a Muslim? Tales from the Campaign Trail. Producing Bad Fruit! [157 words]AnneFeb 25, 2012 09:45193585
Muslim faith [29 words]yogimanApr 1, 2014 07:56193585

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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