After All He IS a Christian

From Politico.com the other day....

Obama invokes Jesus more than Bush
By EAMON JAVERS

He’s done it while talking about abortion and the Middle East, even the economy. The references serve at once as an affirmation of his faith and a rebuke against a rumor that persists for some to this day.

As president, Barack Obama has mentioned Jesus Christ in a number of high-profile public speeches — something his predecessor George W. Bush rarely did in such settings, even though Bush’s Christian faith was at the core of his political identity.

In his speech Thursday in Cairo, Obama told the crowd that he is a Christian and mentioned the Islamic story of Isra, in which Moses, Jesus and Mohammed joined in prayer.
--Link

My first response- Doh! He's been saying he's a Christian. No surprise. But that he actually talks about it as if it were important as more than a talking point.. Ah, there's the issue. That and the fact that he's not selling an ideological/theological agenda makes a huge difference. His view of Christianity is obviously somewhat different from Bush.

He's comfortable with his Christian faith as a foundation of his life and politics. It informs his personal morals, but he also knows that he cannot impose that on others. He sets it out there as something for all to know and see about him as a person. He explains what he needs to in order for it to make sense. Then lets it be.

Many right-wing Christians will obviously disagree with his interpretations. In the article, Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Christian group Family Research Council sees it as a politically motivated issue and is a veneer that is being used to cover up "anti-Christian" policies. As is so often the case among us humans we tend to believe those we agree with and distrust those we don't.

In reality Obama and Bush have quite different ways that faith works in their lives. It takes them to different places with different results. Does that mean that one is a real Christian and the other a fake. No. I believe that both are sincere, and that both will utilize their faith in ways that support them politically.

And remember that there are still those out there who believe that Obama is truly a Muslim. So his continuing invoking of Jesus makes sense if he is trying to overcome that ongoing gossip.

In any case, as a Christian (admittedly a left-wing, liberal one) it is good to have Obama raising the name of Jesus as something other than an okay to go to war as so often has happened in history.