Current Events — HabitableZone

Current Events » in reply to re: The Republican smear campaign against Barack Obama has begun

Religious beliefs
Robert — (archived)

The Snopes analysis goes into considerable detail on the question. Some kind of browser malfunction is preventing me from copying-n-pasting right now, so I'll have to summarize: He joined the United Church of Christ in the 1980s, well in advance of his entry into politics in 1996. There's more material which goes into detail about the basis of his religious beliefs, including working with inner-city churches on job-training and after-school programs. He said "I became much more familiar with the ongoing tradition of the historic black church and its importance to 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."

It might be fair to say that Obama had a conversion experience. Perhaps he couldn't be called "born again", and to his credit he doesn't seem to exploiting it for political points. It's just there, a fact that explains something about him. Nothing more, which, as you imply, is how it should be. I agree. Even if he were Muslim, it's no more legitimate to hold it against him than the Congressman who was recently sworn-in with his hand on the Koran. Religious bigotry should have no place in American politics.

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