(NY Times)
Ignoring the pleas of many detractors, President Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday (along with sainted quarterbackTim Tebow).
In an address that called called on people "of all faiths and no faiths" to come together with civility and grace, Obama said political discourse has become a "Tower of Babel" in which "we lose the sound of God's voice."
During his first year in office, Obama's faith has not been on public display in the way that his predecessor's was. He hasn't chosen a home church in Washington and has only attended Sunday services in the capital four times since his inauguration. (Ronald Reagan was much the same way.)
But sources tell the Washington Post that the president's faith plays an important role in his decision-making, "less often for his own personal guidance than for help walking through major public decisions."
Obama sought religious counsel when he was weighing the implications of increasing troop strength in Afghanistan, and he often quotes Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr on just war theory. Passages from Niebuhr's work are sometimes featured in the daily devotional e-mails that Obama gets every morning from Joshua Dubois, director of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Obama takes a shot at the Birthers
It's always interesting to see things like this and then look back almost two years ago now, to see how stupid people were to have panicked over the statements of a controversial reverend.
It sort of goes to Obama's message about civility, grace and level-headed rationale, which we allow to be drowned out by hate-driven fear mongering. When are we going to learn that lesson?
Where are all the terrible things this administration has done because Obama "listened to those sermons for 20 years"? What idiocy.
None of that has happened and none of it will.
Further, the Washington Post piece notes that Obama's spirituality is "largely private." Good. What business is it of ours how a politician interprets, practices and seeks spiritual guidance? A person finding solace in faith who does so privately suggests a person who understands how their faith needs to influence their personal choices, but also suggests a person who realizes that the decisions made for our country cannot be solely determined by his or her religious preferences. Isn't that the way it oughtta be?
Bonus video: Orrin Hatch gets a call
Comments
Racist comment coming in 3...2...1...
GO GATORS!! GO TEBOW!!
"Obama calls for civility"
With Dead Fish Rhambo and the other Chicago thugocrats on his staff?
Good luck with that one. May as well ask the retards to act normal.
I believe people should live their faith...Faith is a principle of Action....not compartment-alism.
"Obama calls for civility ..."
Now THAT'S funny.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!