That was really interesting. Am I the only one taken aback by such an intelligent and insightful dialogue? I guess I'm really jaded after eight years of "is our children learning".
I love what I perceive to be his honesty. I would love to interview him as a pastor. That helped me understand him better than everything else I've read. Our views of Jesus are very different and our lifestyles are very different, now I can understand why and also it causes me to respect him more. Thanks for the thread
we are all connected seems to be a major theme, which seems to conicide with the influence of eastern religiona/philosohies on him.
His theology is very... liberal. He seems to manage to keep the spirituality and lose the divinity in his interpretation of Christianity. When asked about prayer, he describes his talking to God as a conversation with himself. He seems to take custody of his own moral compass. He defines sin as being out of line with his own morals. He seems to equate the Holy Spirit with "the power of the recognition of God, or the recognition of a larger truth that is being shared between me and an audience," and perhaps not so much being part of the triune God. In his defense, he qualifies it by saying he may be over-intellectualizing it. He also refrains from calling Jesus God or Savior, calling him instead an historical man, a bridge to God, and a teacher. He doesn't believe in Hell, and seems pretty shaky on belief in Heaven too. Well, that's all fine, since it's all the same to me. I elected him to be a president, not a Christian. And, I know his beliefs are actually quite common and people will wonder what I'm complaining about. But, I've always had trouble understanding why people have time for this sort of Christianity.
I don't see it as you complaining. It just seems like you have a different perspective on Christianity than Obama does. I'm pretty close to Obama's views, though not identical. I definitely don't believe in a hell, and while I believe there is some sort of heaven, I'm not sure what it is. The bible says the Kingdom of God is inside of us, so maybe heaven isn't even some other place people go. I also don't see Obama as using only his moral ideas, but rather his moral ideas are based on his understanding of God, but not necessarily a list that God said, "You have to follow these rules." They come from exploration and trying to gain understanding of God's will.
It's interesting to have a President that shares almost identical views to my own on religion and spirituality.
separation between man and god there are all sorts of definitions one could give, i suppose. one could be super dogmatic and define it under the se7en deadly sins.
I found a lot of common ground and a lot of not so common ground. Both are ok with me. Having said that...like rhester, i like what i believe were some genuine answers. The one that impressed me the most was where he said, "I don't pray as much as I think I should" or something like that. The temptation would have been for him to say, "sure..everyday..." and not qualify it as he did. I find that refreshing.
What I'm familiar with is a theologically conservative "reformed" faith. For those who are not familiar with the conservative church, the things I pointed out are not in keeping with the basic tenets of their theology, with some being almost objectionable. What I see that's interesting is that most doctrinal disagreement comes from the PCA looking at everything from a God perspective that marginalizes the individual, whereas Obama does just the opposite. Small wonder that I get the feeling my church was leaning McCain (I'd love to get as clear a picture of McCain's christianity). In any case, I think looking at this interview gives a good flavor on why conservative Christians struggle to accept liberal Christians as real and why liberal Christians are suspicious of the motives of conservative Christians. There is a wide doctrinal gap between them. Comparing his answers to my church's (PCA) "right" answers looks like this (disclaimer: I do not in any way represent the PCA or even Christianity, being an unbeliever myself, but this is my best attempt to communicate what I've learned): On Prayer: * PCA: Community with God. * Obama: Monologue, I mean dialogue ( ), with himself. On Sin: * PCA: Separation from God. Acting out of accordance with God's Will. * Obama: Doing something he himself believes is wrong (probably informed by his knowledge of God, FB). On the Holy Spirit: * PCA: One of the persons of the triune God, co-equal with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, sent by the Father to those who are chosen by God for his flock, and the genesis of faith in God. * Obama: The recognition of God, or the Truth by a person or in communion with other people. On Jesus: * PCA: Also one of the persons of the triune God. Fully God and fully human. Sacrificed for the redemption of the sin of mankind. * Obama: Bridge to God. Good teacher. Uncommitted on Jesus' divinity (he didn't say Jesus wasn't divine, but to the reformed evangelical it is a notable omission. To actually deny it, obviously, would be blasphemy; "bridge" would be inadequate). On Heaven: * PCA: Being fully restored in God the Father and being in his Glory forever. The whole purpose behind Jesus' incarnation on Earth, his crucifixion, and his defeat of Satan; indeed the whole point of the arc of history and all of existence. * Obama: Noncommittal. May not exist. On Hell: * PCA: Being wholly separated from God the Father, which is apparently very unpleasant. Just desserts for all of mankind and all creation (if not for the Grace of God) for Original Sin and the innate sinfullness of all mankind and creation. The whole set-up to enable the redemption and increase God's glory. * Obama: Does not exist. Too cruel for "his" God to consider.
I didn't vote for him but it's all fine as well. I don't need him to be Christian. He is my country's president and that is all that need to be said. His faith is not as important as his heart and mind to me. That being said I find little in this article to indicate he is a Christian and much more to indicate he may not be. If this is the best information we have than I would have to say his words are a form of misguided Christianity at best. He mostly avoids the questions of Faith or sidesteps it. And in his strongest answer he denies it... In as direct a question as you can pose he laughs nervously and answers Jesus is historical... a bridge between God and man! Jesus is not a bridge... he is God. If you don't believe that fine, but you are not a Christian. Again I don't need him to be a Christian. I am certainly not a very good Christian and not worthy to cast any stones. I also don't know what Obama does behind close doors. But it appears he contradicts himself at times. And perhaps it's because he hasn't truly taken hold of even rational Christianity and prefers the part of Black Libertarian Theology that teaches of white Oppression and a need to rise against it. Black Libertarian Theology originated out of the 60's in a time that certainly justified such views. But many have said Black liberation theology is yet another form of Marxists seeking a way around the stubbornness of the ardently faithful. Many Black people stayed strong to their faith and were not ready to jump to muslim faith so Liberation theology was a way to find another bridge, a Jesus Bridge if you will. Sal Alinsky in his book Radical Rules says "speak softly... appeal to the opium of the masses" which is religion. Now whether that is Obama's views I cannot say but he was very proficient in the Alinsky Method of community organizing and became an instructor and teacher of the Alinsky Method to other community organizers. By the way Alinsky dedicated his book to Lucifer. Still this article brings up more questions than it supplies answers. And that is my overall understanding of Obama. More questions than answers.
