June 23, 2007
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Barack Obama and the Christian Right
Sen Barack Obama said that right-wing religious leaders have caused division in politics and faith.
He said, “Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked.” He also said, “Part of it’s because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who’ve been all too eager to exploit what divides us.” Here is the link: Link
Have the religious right hijacked the faith?
Comments (109)
It’s so much more complicated than that.
omg obama!
no – I’d say Obama’s comments are indicative of the true wedge-drivers.
I don’t even know what that means!
no – I’d say Obama’s comments are indicative of the true wedge-drivers.
<LI class=itemtimestamp>6/23/2007 10:56 PM
<LI class=itemsubmitter>JJ_Ames (message)
agreed.
–amanda.
No-ha.
I haven’t a clue!
i won’t generalize and say all of them have..
but some of them have def taken a skewered view of the bible..
in my opinion at last
Of course. If I were religious myself I’d probably use my beliefs in political opinions- subconciously or not. Obviously your faith is going to affect the way you think, negatively or positively.
I probably even do it somewhat as an atheist.
No, organized religion only serves to divide and separate. Division starts in Genesis and just continues throughout the Bible.
I’m gonna have to agree with JJ_ames…
in any case, his stance on the whole issue can’t be summarized in a little blurb..
the media likes to do that, just give snippets of information.
if you’d read obama’s full positions, which are outlined in his books and on his websites, you would see that there’s more to what he’s saying
what the hell does it mean to “hijack faith?” And how do the religious right hijack it? It doesn’t even make sense.
People vote for other people who represent what they believe or want in their government. Pro-choice will vote for pro-choice. Pro-life will vote for pro-life. What’s wrong with that? Have the non-Christians hijacked democracy? These statements don’t even make sense.
I think politicians should stop fucking talking about religion.
what the hell does it mean to “hijack faith?” And how do the religious right hijack it? It doesn’t even make sense.
People vote for other people who represent what they believe or want in their government. Pro-choice will vote for pro-choice. Pro-life will vote for pro-life. What’s wrong with that? Have the non-Christians hijacked democracy? These statements don’t even make sense.
Boy do I feel better after reading that!
no. Everyone will continue to believe whatever they want, so the “religious right” can’t be blamed for everything.
I don’t know about them necessarily hijacking the faith, but unfortunately, Christianity has become a political tool, and that tool has caused a lot of division.
No. They are standing up for, you know, what the Bible actually says rather than what they WISH that it said. Oh yeah, and they are looking at the whole thing, not just the touchy feely parts, mmkay? Obama needs to get a friggin life. And I agree that polititians need to quit talking about which religion they are because it doesn’t make a crap of a difference if you’re not following what your religion believes (like supporting ABORTION). So just say what you stand for, say what you stand against, and actually DO what you say you’re going to do, and call it good.
Standard Liberal Gibberish
Whoops. I misread this. I don’t think they’ve “hijacked the faith.”
Wow, quite the comment. I expect the Christian Right to stand up for the essentials of the faith and for moral issues that have an importance in politics. I consider that their responsibility.
They did hijack the faith. They do not represent all of Christianity, certainly not my faith. They represent their slant on it, one I often do not find to be very Jesus like.
His statement presupposes that unification is the ultimate goal of all religion. If it is, he can truly say they have hijacked the faith–but if it is anything else, he’s in danger of hijacking it himself.
Besides, in saying this the way he’s saying this, isn’t he himself being a bit divisive? Isn’t specifically targeting “right wing religious leaders” for his own political purposes also focusing on what divides us? Had his goal really been unity, I imagine he would have said something more like “There are those that… do X” rather than narrowing his statements to a specific political/religious persuasion.
I’m starting to lose my initial respect for Obama.
Read the sermon on the mount and then look at the way most Christians behave. Christianity hijacked the faith over 1900 years ago.
Assholes.
Leaders in both the religious left and the religious right have tried to use the faith for their own agenda.
Faith brings us closer to God first of all, each other secondarily. Division has been part of Christianity from the start (Luke 12:51-53).
yes they have. they have made it so that if you are a christian you are automatically supposed to be part of the “religious right”. well….i know a whole bunch of christians that are not a part of the religious right. myself included.
Ya, it makes no sense in this article, but I’m thinking this article cherry picked his comments, so it may make more sense if we see the full text of the speech, which I was unable to find just now.
I just say that in the spirit of fairness. I’m not particularly a fan of Obama and have no reason to defend him. I think his comments are divisive in themselves, and he should worry about the bigger problems this country faces than right-wing Christian leaders he doesn’t like.
Yeah. You cannot force someone to have faith, that act is redundant. The religious right have taken religion and used it as a weapon to intimidate others. There is nothing wrong with being a religious person, just leave me alone and let me find my own path. If I am eternally dammned to burn in hell then so be it.
Standing up for stuff the truth such that it causes division with those who don’t care about the truth is not hijacking the faith. Jesus Himself said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword… Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:34, 37) In other words, no matter who it is, avoiding division is not worth a compromise if it means denying Jesus Christ.
If anyone has hijacked the faith it is the political left. They do more to convert faith into something to be used than anything else. The Christian Right as I see it is really trying to return the faith to something that is based on the Bible instead of man.
The political left would obviously hate the likes of Jerry Falwell who did not accept people hijacking Christianity for their own means. Christianity is a call to serve God not for God to serve us as many people on both the right and left believe it to be.
Until I hear something to indicate that Obama actually believes in something larger than himself I will not even consider listening to the man.
Pretty much
In some cases, I suppose, yes.
Yes.
DEFINITELY. Politicians are so busy declaring their faith to get votes from the religious right that they forget politics. People vote based upon the candidate’s belief system instead of their plan of action. It’s sickening. They use religion as a weapon against what they do not like and as a tool to fuel the fire of issues. Religion is definitely being used to drive people apart and rarely ever brings different groups together.
it wasn`t nesecessarily ” hi – jacked ” persay , but just there are too many little reforms that it jumbles up the big reform.
kind of like when you mix a simple color with another simple color .. like red and yellow. but add a few drops of other colors like blue and black and white trying to improve the color, and you`ll have a mushy, nasty looking oliveish color, which takes away from the original orange it was meant to be.
Hijacked an entire faith? No. Changed how different Americans with differing views of faith view each other, certainly. Everything seems to be at polar ends these days.
hmm, i thought it was the liberal left who wanted seperation of church and state and did not like religion in political afairs. wow, that is so odd and seemingly just a way to smear the right who obvously try to relate faith and politics, thats why they are usually seen as conservative. oh the world we live in.. lol
Daniel (doubledb)
i remember when al gore walked around with a bible.
I don’t understand why people hear another opinion and immediately choose to dispose of it as trash. I’m on the right and even I can understand with what he’s saying – it doesn’t mean I agree with it, but it’s not wrong…
Democracy doesn’t discern what’s right, neither is it the best type of government. It’s a fairly easy way of discerning how stupid we are at certain times in history.
Yeah, right. Is he looking at himself?
It’s the religious left who’s to blame.
One thing I will agree on him is this -
Religion is about loving life, not hating people. Too often I believe both radical and mainstream religion ignores this concept.
no but the liberal media loves to attack the religious right in service to the democrats
Jesus said, “I came to divide, not unite.” You can’t put lies and truth all into one melting pot and expect it to bake into something tasty.
What ever happened to seperation of Church and State. I guess it’s state tho, not Seperation of Church and Country. I think ALL religion should be strictly kept out of politics.
Bess
another thing I agree w/ Obama on…
Sometimes I think Christians hikacked Christianity. Whatever it is, you can’t point fingers at one group of people and say “you ‘hijacked’ this religion,” because I dare say you’re on the other side doing something just as “terrible.” There is no “right” Christianity in any one person’s eyes, because we all see it different ways. There’s the Christianity Jesus came to set up, and then there are us.
And the Christian army is the only one that prefers to turn on itself more than its enemies.
I don’t know but, they should let religion stay out of politics. Religion is something personal and politics is business. They should not cross each other. It’s like mixing pleasure with business.
people are just insecure, if they would just think for themselves than there would be no need for religion
I remember reading something about the “seperation of church and state” in some boring, old, document that our country is apparently supposed to follow. I guess it was more of a brainstorm than anything else.
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!?!?!?! The word “God” in any form should never come out of a politician’s mouth! Our government is supposed to be unbiased when it comes to religion. Why is it that whenever I see our president giving the media an update on anything involving our country, it sounds like a sermon?
I don’t give a damn what my president believes in. It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter! The president could have his own crazy ass, poisonous cool-aid, “here comes a comet, let’s all kill our selves”, cult and I wouldn’t care as long as they got our country out of debt, fed the hungry helped the poor, taxed the rich, and really took advantage of alternative energy sources!!!
I remember reading something about the “seperation of church and state” in some boring, old, document that our country is apparently supposed to follow. I guess it was more of a brainstorm than anything else.
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!?!?!?! The word “God” in any form should never come out of a politician’s mouth! Our government is supposed to be unbiased when it comes to religion. Why is it that whenever I see our president giving the media an update on anything involving our country, it sounds like a sermon?
I don’t give a damn what my president believes in. It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter! The president could have his own crazy ass, poisonous cool-aid, “here comes a comet, let’s all kill our selves”, cult and I wouldn’t care as long as they got our country out of debt, fed the hungry helped the poor, taxed the rich, and really took advantage of alternative energy sources!!!
When a religious order becomes more about politics and power then yes it interferes with Faith…Give unto Ceaser
I need a fake ID so I can vote for him
In some ways. When people try to politicise faith in any way it’s stupid. They only speak on the topics (in their faith) with which they agree. The best way to show your faith is just to be a very good person, not yell at people about it.
The word “God” in any form should never come out of a politician’s mouth!
–Lithium98
We also have freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
In a way he’s right. Instead of focusing on what people agree upon the most, the politicians of today focus and drive on the most heated topics based around religion. Like Abortion, stem cell research, gay rights, etc. All of these are based on religion, and aren’t what our politicians should focus their campaigns on. Bush drives in the fact that he is a christian, and basically gives off the vibe that everyone else should be christian, too. A good leader would accept that different people DO have different beliefs, and that is the CORE of what America stands for. A good leader would focus on the economy, environment, and defense, which is exactly what a government is formed to do in the first place, not to dictate beliefs.
I think there have been many people in the history of religion that have used it as a way of condemning people and causing divisions rather than as a way to lead a better life.
However part of this is b/c Christianity sort of contradicts itself in this manner even in the Bible. On the one hand, we should love our neighbor and forgive them and be kind always. On the other, there’s things like the sermon on the mount and the gospel of John, I think it is, that are very harsh and can definitely be seen as justifications to look down upon others who aren’t as “worthy” or following the “rules” as well as others do.
I agree to an extent,
but I believe the “wedge-driving” works both ways.
♥
durrrrr
Ugh….Obama needs to stop being such a leftist douche bag.
You bet your patootie they have. And it’s time for the madness to stop. Christian does not = super right wing Republican. Spread the news.
Translation: You’ve let the “religious right” tell you what to think and how to vote. You should instead allow us Democrats tell you what to think and how to vote.
I wouldn’t say anyones hijacked any faith, but religion is an excellent control device, ever since the olden days when police couldn’t monitor everything, so instead you had a God monitor you – and thus, religion is already a tool of the politicians.
I do wonder of a lot of voters. I’m sure some of them feel very differently than their religion, and vote against how they feel because of the way their leaders are influencing them.
Like stem cell research. I’m willing to bet most all would be for it if they knew everything about it. But instead, they just hear “Stem-cell research=Against The Bible” from some politician such as Bush, and give their vote.
-David
There are two sides to this issue. It is true that religious leaders have been emphasizing what we believe and that the issues they speak out on are important. However, it is also true that they have begun emphasizing politics as a means to enforcing their views to such an extent that politics is replacing preaching and outreach to transform lives as the Church’s primary task. Also, you cannot put your full support behind politicians because they always disappoint, and neither party has a pure message (caring for the poor is a moral issue too!). I’ll post the outline of one of my old lessons later today that dealt with this very issue. In short I don’t think that faith will ever stop dividing (beliefs always divide), but I think the real problem is the current emphasis on politics. We can change lives without the State’s help.
No. The may be a driving force to unite conservatives, but they are not dividing anything. They only make it harder for the left-wingers who would socialize this country to sneak stuff by us.
NO
A political statement about a polital statement. How pointless can you get?
yes.
Christ said that he came not to unite but to divide. To pit mother against father and son against father.
Religion is just a disease now..no matter how you look at it.
Out of the mouth of a Muslim raised Socialist. People are different. People have different beliefs. He is saying “If you don’t follow the way I think, you’ve been hi-jacked.” Sorry Mr. Barrack Hussein Obama, I was given a brain and know right from wrong. Your assessment of this is WRONG! I do not believe the American people will ever march in unity behind one leader and belief system. If they do, it will be a very dark day.
I think it’s silly that there is a split like there is today. There is obviously things on both sides of the fence that have good values. There isn’t one side that the “religious right” should be standing on.
It’s very confusing to me actually. Example, capital punishment and prolife is on the same side. (I realize most will say it’s a difference of innocence and guilt, but I still see killing).
I think his statement is a little extreme and putting blame on only one group, when in reality, the left wing and the right wing seem to work equally hard against each other. I don’t believe he’s completely wrong however. I think the Christian community needs to watch out because their leaders are becoming more and more exclusive and dogmatic.
I believe it has.
I think it’s become the norm to think that republicans are christians and democrats are heathens. I don’t know if I’d use the word “hijacked”, but I think that there has not been a deeply religious democrat in the public eye for a very long time.
*agrees with dreamsofsweden*
“I remember reading something about the “seperation of church and state” in some boring, old, document that our country is apparently supposed to follow. I guess it was more of a brainstorm than anything else.”
# 6/24/2007 2:09 AM
# Lithium98
Find that for me, then, because I sure don’t.
Definitley.
in my personal opinion & experience, yes.
I find that interesting because I spent my childhood in a fundamentalist church, and still interact with good number of fundamentalists in my family and community. I am personally NOT a fundamentalist. I am a Christian, and I’m politically moderate.
I think sometimes the religious right speaks as if their views are the only correct ones – that all Christians should believe and vote like them, for instance. But it seems to me that liberals sometimes come closer to Jesus’ message – John Edwards’ anti-poverty platform, for instance. Of course there’s a wide range of beliefs within the “religious right”.
I think that the “battle” terminology sometimes used by
fundamentalists is extremely unhelpful, and certainly doesn’t lead to unity.
Anyway… those are my long, disconnected thoughts…
I don’t think any one has hijacked anything…it’s just that those who are Democrat and claim to be “Christian” seem to have forgotten what the Bible says about many things. They say they love Jesus, but they are not necessarily following him.
yes
I think that there is so much more that can be discussed about law and religion that to simplify it into something like that and to simplify the motives and beliefs of every Christian conservative when there are so many different people with different roles, backgrounds, influences, ideas, priorities, and values, is unjust and close-minded.
I think that he is reaching out to a leftist audience, and that is not the way to win a presidency. Yes, he will receive attention, but it will be both positive and negative. I think he is only hurting his campaign by doing so. The presidency is won by the electoral college, and it is the swing voters that make the difference. They swing because they are not loyal to either party, and I think that such moderate voters will not swing towards a candidate who is willing to alienate so much of the country.
You get hundreds of comments on these questions. Do you really read all of our responses? How do you feel when you read some of them?
Christian faith isn’t to bring people together. (That’s the AnitChrist ;]) He ha a totally false view of Christianity.
Someone was on crack.
Religion’s hijacked my life.
In a way, yes.
Leaders in both the religious left and the religious right have tried to use the faith for their own agenda.
Faith brings us closer to God first of all, each other secondarily. Division has been part of Christianity from the start (Luke 12:51-53). –YourOuterCritic
A lot of people said a lot of good things, but I think this quote fits me the most.
I think there have been some big names in organized religion that have perhaps gotten involved too much in politics for my taste, but they see it as their responsibility so I’m not going to bash them for that.
I wish going to the polls was more about voting for small/big government and less about moral issues since I think the government shouldn’t be regulating morality anyway.
Just as a final fun fact, Jews and blacks vote more consistently for democrats than Christians vote for republicans.
man obama sure is one smooth-talkin’ democrat. don’t fall for him, people.
i’d say the “leaders of the Christian right” want us to all come together under God. which, of course, would be the ideal situation.
I am not apart of a Religion, I am part of a Relationship.
But really my family is known as the Far Right-Religions fanatic. o-o
yes, Luke 12:51-53. good example.
Jesus Himself said He came to bring about spiritual warfare.
I don’t know who”hijacked” it…I have, in the last 25 years, seen established churches change so much, it was one of the reasons I became ordained myself. There is alot not right in the churches. God still has his flock though, and thats the Important thing:)
No, not the religious right, THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT. Thats who have hijacked it and shoved the same shit down our throats
“Oh you’re going to hell if you do that, or if you do that . . . Jesus won’t love you if you do that!”
Honestly, take all your religious crap and shove it.
I think some politicians on both sides have been guilty of using God to advance their careers. However for Obama to try to indict the whole Conservative movement and say that they are dividing the country is irresponsible and typical of his stance so far.
He seems to think things like abortion, gay marriage, freedom of religion in schools, and other issues are not imprtant. Who is he kidding? Go to my site for more and let me know what you think.
barack obama is a VERY smart man.
Yes, it has been hijacked! It has been hijacked by ecumenists, political polytheists, and Protestant pluralists. Pragmatism is the way of the day, and the lesser-of-two-evils always wins….
I’d have to say, in some ways, yes. I myself am a Christian, and feel that the Christian right, or “moral majority” has managed to somehow say that if you are a Christian, you must be a down-the-ticket republican. I don’t agree with that.
I don’t have enough information. Right now that just sounds like bullshit.
Obama is right! Religious zealots seek control of America’s political process in an effort to impose their own Christian beliefs on all citizens. Lost in all of this is that our forefathers fled to this country for precisely that reason – to escape their governments’ intolerance of any religious beliefs but their own.
not all… but most, yes
Not anymore then the Civil Rights movement did.
Not true faith.
to an extent…as a Christian, I’m realizing that some people will blindly support the right wing without realizing that it’s just as flawed as the left wing. just because one has leftwing views doesn’t mean that person is less of a Christian than a rightwing one.
>>No, organized religion only serves to divide and separate. Division starts in Genesis and just continues throughout the Bible.<< from ronlawhouston.
yeah, it’s true. i mean, God killed everybody but Noah that one time because they didn’t please Him. but it is also in a sense unifying because of the deep truth that God has likes and dislikes too. i believe the religious right have “steered” the faith in one direction… the moral questions. I don’t think God is happy that they forgot to talk about the poor. but somehow, i can’t bring myself to say that putting these moral questions back in the closet and only focusing on the social questions is going to do any better. God loves social justice, but He also loves His creation (in reference to same-sex marriages). Religion needs to stop turning down one-way streets… or even driving on streets at all.
Well, it appears that way. I don’t know how much they’ve actually corrupted the faith for the everyday person, but they certainly make a lot of noise.
I think the way the religious right behaves alienates a lot of people. They try to force their standards on people who don’t agree with them, and naturally, that pisses people off. They have a right to their opinions like everyone else, but some of them make the mistake of using the name of God to further their own agendas. Saying that God wants whatever it is they want. That’s what scares me.
i do believe it has.
No — I just think no one like people being different and that our society has become too judgmental.
Yes. Ironically, these flat-earth bible-thumpers are the same ones who demonize all Muslims as extremists.