I don't believe anyone's pronouncements of faith, even the most fervent preacher or minister.

The culture in this country so demands a belief in God that to me it's an easy and understandable rationalization if someone wants to play the game, say all the right things and stay in the closet. If you don't, I think it's obvious that you're shutting yourself out of major opportunities. If I didn't have far worse skeletons in my closet I'd be tempted to play the Christian game for a hand in politics.

We're brought up in this "white lie" society where we are raised up through early teenage years in many cases to believe there's this dude that flies all around the world in a few hours, squeezes down chimneys, and delivers toys to all the boys and girls while rating their entire behavior for a full year to see if they're deserving. Those same children are told there's this magical fairy that replaces their ejected teeth for coins while they sleep.

It is deeply ingrained in us that it's alright to be a phony if the intentions are good and done with the best of intentions. Obama may very well believe in all the religious hocus pocus and the whole Jesus fable but everyone I've ever known with that type of analytical outlook on life and diverse background has confessed serious doubts when you get them one on one in conversation. Maybe that's just my own wishful thinking but it feels more like intuition and experience talking here.

I also think there's a ton on closeted atheists in all walks of life and on both sides of the political spectrum. The peer pressure to fit in is immense and it can even be considered an act of self-preservation and survival (something we're all programmed with) to rely on a charade to be part of the majority.

Bottom line is we'll never know at least during his administration. I'd love it though if some high level politician one day after retirement, leveled with us all.

Art