Barack Obama says that Christianity has been“hijacked” by “so-called leaders of the Christian Right”. Read the story about this here.
The truth is that many liberal churches and their leaders have crafted their own brand of Christianity based on popular “feel good” values, not on the Bible.
The “so-called leaders of the Christian Right”, as Obama calls them, are being maligned for being faithful to the Bible and traditional Christian values.
Liberal, “so-called leaders of the Christian Left” (and Dems) are generally pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-destroying living embryos for research, pro-euthanasia and against teaching intelligent design and praying in public schools.
Before I started reading and believing the Bible, I might have agreed with many of these liberal “values”. But now that I actually have read and believe the Bible, I disagree with all of the same values. The Christian Right leaders didn’t tell me what to believe, I merely came to agree with these leaders.
It is more accurate to say that liberal, “so-called leaders of the Christian Left”, not Christian Right leaders, are trying to hijack Christianity.
If Barack Obama would look carefully at the polls, he will find that most Americans agree with the traditional values of the Christian Right. If he continues demonizing these same leaders and the voters they represent, he will soon find in the polls that his chances of becoming President are diminishing.
My bet is that Hillary Clinton is too politically savvy to make the same mistake.
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Dan England’s posts can also be found at Getting Elected Blogline and Townhall. Dan’s website is GettingElected.com and he is the author of So You Want to Run for Political Office and Welcome to the Real Corporate World.
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18 users commented in " Opinion: Barack Obama’s Attack on Christian Right Leaders May Backfire "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackWhere in the bible does it say these are the most important 5 commandments {be against abortion, gay marriage, destroying living embryos for research, and teach intelligent design and pray in public schools}
Can someone tell me, he/she obeys all 10 commandments and any other commandments in the bible?
No one is perfect, we’ve all “sinned” one way or the other and should never think someone else’s “sin” is greater than ours. Most often we Christians pretend to be perfect and think we have the right to judge someone using verses in the bible to support our argument and trivializing the verses that rebuke our “sins”.
Remember the greatest commandment: Love your God with all you heart and mind and love your neighbor as yourself
God loves all of us. if it not crime let God be the judge
I believe the title of this blog is “high quality commentary”? We could argue all day about the meaning of the words in the Bible, but suffice it to say, Senator Obama was right on when he stated the hard line right wing conservative branch of the religious right seem to think they can dictate what happens in government. It is a goverment for ALL PEOPLE, not just the Christian Right. And no matter what one believes, we are all ONE AMERICA and it appears you seem to have dismissed this fact. He has a right to his beliefs as much as you have a right to yours. Who are you to cast a stone because he disagrees with you. I would like to know exactly where in the bible that if one believes in God and worships and lives a Christian life, that they in their POLITICAL views come up with an opinion you feel damns me to hell and going against God. I am just as much a Christian as you are, and if you are truly a christian, you respect ALL beliefs and tolerate ALL of your brothers and sisters who are loved by God equally. See, it is God who loves and forgives, not commentators who think they know what SHOULD be. That is what is wrong with this country. Just because Senator Obama gave a speech to his church, which he had committed to a year ago, and he PERSONALLY feels that the Christian right have “hijacked” the political process, does not make him a sinner to be damned. The difference in some churches and religions is that some of us are more tolerant of the beliefs of others. I tolerate your opinion, though I disagree with it. That is how God taught me to behave. To treat others as I would want to be treated. But the religious right has such a stranglehold on the Republican party, they think it is their RIGHT to dictate how laws are written so they are written to how they want them rather than think about ALL US citizens, not just themselves. The religious right hard line so-called Christians, and I have met many, are a “cult” of their own and woe be anyone who dares to attend one of their churches and disagree with something. They are so intolerant and are from my experience the LAST to jump in and help someone in need. I have seen it for myself. So I believe it is time to do some soul searching among yourselves and think about what it TRULY means to be a Christian.
And I don’t believe as the other person stated that there is a commandment that says it’s a sin to pray in public schools, or that love between two people MUST be man and woman. I was taught in bible class that God loves us all equally, and if we sin and ask forgiveness, he takes the sin upon himself and forgives. The religious right wing seem to forget that when it comes to politics, except of course when you are pouring money into your special interests groups to get a President to go to war and lie to the American people.
I certainly agree that I am a sinner. No one, save Jesus is sinless. I also believe that if one confesses their sin, that God will forgive them. This is Biblical. However, traditional Christians will vote against those who refuse to acknowledge sin that is clearly defined in the Bible. The argument I hear most from my liberal friends and family members is that the Bible is not relevant. I have yet to find a person who believes in the Bible literally that favors same sex marriage. Obama has taken a position that will make it very difficult if not impossible to win in the general election. This is opinion, but based on my academic background and practical political experience. Thank you for the well written and thought out comments.
Remember God through Jesus went to Zacharus, he talked to prostituate. What Dobson is doing has nothing the God that I know. They morning from Jack Abramoht and Bob Ney to give the churches. Yes I am agianst abortion, gay mariage because I believe In Bible but my heard is Broken when I see kids die in Africa. Maybe you always have food and you do not understand. AIDS are you concern? illeteracy in America, are you concern? Lie in white house, are you concern? poor people cannot get health care, are you ok with that?
Citizen has it right! We seculars have our rights that the reactionary right resents ; they are so used to their being alone in the political process,it seems. As an atheist, I cooperate with secular religionists and gladly so. I praise those others who use reason and real facts rather than old fables,although some do use the better parts that speak of concern for the poor.I prefer Paul Kurtz and Arthur Caplan over Jim Wallis,but he is so far above the religious right wing nuts!
It’s sad that some believe the Bible is full of “old fables”. What hope does an atheist have? As a starting point to investigate the claims of Christianity and the Bible, I recommend reading a book written by Lee Strobel titled “The Case for Christ”. Strobel, a former atheist, was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a Yale Law School grad - hardly a religious right wing nut. He set out to seek the truth about Christianity and as a result became a Christian and wrote the book. Later he became a pastor. Check out this link for more information:
http://thewaywarriors.blogspot.com/2007/02/case-for-christ.html.
Great article Dan. I’m dumbfounded that people who believe in the Bible (that of course includes the whole bible, not isolated chosen sections) have somehow become labeled as right-wing, ultra conservatives. I’m just a Christian. I believe that its impossible to be a Christian and pick and choose what you want to believe from the Bible. The Bible very clearly states that some things aren’t ok. That doesn’t mean that any one sin is worse than any other. I’ve committed many sins in my life, but I love the Lord Jesus Christ and its obvious to me and anyone who knows me that He is working in my life and helping me to confess my sins and grow into a better, more loving person. Its my prayer that everyone would come to know Christ and find the Freedom and Fullness of life that can only be found in Him.
I’m not sure if there’s been any hijacking or not, but Dan is right, Liberals have attempted to distort the teachings of Christ into something they are not. Obama has been deceived and is being deceitful. Christ’s greatest commandments are to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. That’s awesome, hopefully we all can agree on the importance of Love. To say that loving everyone means that you have to ignore wickedness and evil in the world is just plain silly. Many people act like noone should ever tell anyone else they are wrong. If somebody is making poor decisions such as using drugs or driving drunk, then it’d be hateful to sit by, do nothing, and watch them destroy themselves. The loving thing to do would be to confront them and try to help them find Truth and meaning in their life.
The issues listed above (abortion, gay marriage, no prayer in school…) are important issues that Bible believers have an opinion on. Gay marriage and abortion are not necessarily worse than other sins, but they are anti-biblical, and therefore people often have a strong opinion on them. These are not the most important issues, disease, poverty, corruption, starvation are clearly important matters that we all need to strive to combat in the course of our daily lives.
Many people have a hard time coming to grips with the simple reality that there is right and there is wrong. Good and evil both exist. I wake up every day determined to combat evil and be the strong, loving person that God has called me to be. My source for these definitions is the teachings of Jesus Christ. Barack Obama’s attacks on the beliefs of Christian leaders are an attack on my beliefs. I think Dan is right that this behavior will have negative political consequences for Obama.
Oh please. It wasn’t a stunt that might “backfire”. Most people believes the right wing religious are just a bunch of disingenuous political hacks willing to use Jesus for their own powerseeking agenda. Obama was just articulating it in his well spoken way.
The author is obviously entitled to his opinion, but I disagree. I defintely do not consider myself a “Christian”, but rather a spiritual person who realized the sacredness of all religious traditions, and I believe that God is much to big to be confined to one religion. Moreover I am a thinking person, interested in the future of this country and our world. I have gay and lesbian friends who are warm, loving, conscious individuals whom I dearly love and would not think to call “sinners”. I believe abortion should be legal (although, personally I’m not in favor of it and would hope any woman would very carefully the consequences). I believe that a respect for the sacredness of ALL religions in school (i.e., school prayer) should be kept and honored and may likely help our secular society, IF it does not subjugate different religions to being “less than” other religions. I definitely believe there is a Higher Power out there….I just don’t think Christians (or Americans, for that matter) have a monopoly on it, and the Christians who live their lives in tolerance and love are the ones who live true Christian values. I am like Ellie, I don’t think Obama’s statements will “backfire”, or at least they don’t for me. Many of the “so-called Leaders of the Christian Right” as he called them do exactly what he said, and many American’s such as myself certainly aren’t blind to that. They remind me of the self-righteous Pharisee’s in Jesus’ day, who were written about in the New Testament books. (I was raised as a bible-thumping, hell-fire and brimstone Christian, so I still recall a bit about the Bible). In the end, I think Jesus’ biggest message was about love.
It’s interesting that the comments Obama made about “the religious right” (only several sentences in his entire speech) are the only ones that are sought out and repeated over and over across the web, although much more of his speech explained his personal journey and his beliefs in his faith. Unfortunately, that’s about par for the course on the blogs these days.
June 25th, ‘07
For telling the truth about those right wing religious extremists who DO mis-use religion for their political gain–and there’s no shortage of them for they include everybody from Dr. James Dobson and his Focus On the Family rants to Mormon religious extremist operatives like David McConkie who’s a Mormon religious political extremist lobbyist plus all the Catholic and Baptist including many other “kill-the-’commie’-for-christ” types who NEVER shut up and stop ranting about “their” moral rightness and even worse never stop using Jesus as their excuse not only to collect money but also oppress people–Senator Barack Obama should NOT catch any flack. He’s doing right by telling the truth about these religious extremists so-called do-gooder moralists, most of whom these religious extremists are loud-mouth chronic complainers who find fault with everyone and everything and never would be satisfied if Jesus walked up and stood in front of them because they’re so corrupt!
Too many of these people do exactly as Senator Obama asserted which is to say indeed they do cause division. These religious extremists don’t care if they divide. No one hears these blasphemers preaching unity! Instead they sow division by proclaiming everybody’s doing something or another wrong against one group or another and by this incite hostility of people and groups against each other.
Barack Obama has it right, absolutely when he says people wrongly use religion to divide people from each other. This is precisely what people who are religious extremists do–everybody from the Baptist moralists to the Mormon church operatives like David McConkie who ruthlessly shoves Republican Mormonism down peoples’ throats and calls a person a heathen if she or he is not Mormon all peddling Jesus as their brand–and they know they do.
Good job, Senator Obama
Sincerely,
Kathy Caudle
Salt Lake City, UT
I can respect someone who admits they are an atheist or not a Christian. At least they are being honest.
However, I am concerned about someone who claims to be a Christian and discounts the Bible. That is what has happened in liberal Christian churches. Jesus warned about being lukewarm. “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Revelation 3:16-17 (NIV). Pretty strong stuff.
The point in my post is that to say that the Christian Right has hijacked Christianity is 180 degrees from the truth. Liberal Christian churches have watered down Biblical truth to conform to “the world” so much that they would be more honest if they started a new “church” without the Christian name. A majority of Americans still hold to Biblical truth and as a result, Liberal church atttendence is shrinking.
John McCain took on the Christian Right and George Bush was elected President. I believe Obama is making the same mistake that McCain made.
Senator Obama said he doesn’t know what Bible Christians are reading. I’m reading God’s Word, the Bible, the only Bible. God said in Jeremiah 1:4-5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; … In Psalm 139:13-16 For You formed my inward parts, You covered me in my mother’s womb …My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written. The days fashioned for me When as yet there were none of them.” God knew us before we were born, He formed us, and we are murdering God’s creation.
The Bible also says that for a man to lay with a man is an abomination and in I Corinthians 6:9&10 “Do you not kow that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals nor sodomites, nor theives, nor covetous, not drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” That’s what God says in the Bible Mr. Obama, so what Bible are you reading?
The Bible is God’s Word and it also says the way to heaven is narrow and few there are that go that way, and wide is the way to destruction and many will take that wide (liberal) way. So Christians may be narrow minded, but so is the Lord. Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through (by) Me.” The Bible also says “every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD.” You can bow now using your free will knowing the truth of God, or you WILL bow later when it is too late.
A Conservative Christian in California
The bible is nothing I want my children to read. It has the same sketchy background of all other religious books. We can recognize mythology as such, except when we believe it to be absolutely true. The Bible is disgusting, telling you to kill anyone who tries to convert you from christianity. But that’s the old testament, we skip that part. Start Thinking for yourself.
Seth, you may not like God, but He lives. Jesus is His son and the only way to salvation - and He lives too. I pray that the Holy Spirit will draw you and your family to the truth. I suggest you read the book “The Case for Christ”. See my June 24th comment above. God Bless.
I completely respect you for writing so intelligently and honestly about what you believe. To do so in a society such as ours is not as easy as some would make it out to be.
But the fact remains, that the beliefs of Bible believing christians cannot dictate the laws of a country. God graciously gave us free will to decide for ourselves to follow his will or to reject it. To strip citizens of their right to marry (even if it is a sin), or even to murder what you may consider to be an unborn child, takes away our freedom to decide how to lead our lives. A man marrying a man does not effect you, it is a choice that some may consider sinful and against God’s will- but a choice nonetheless that God gave us the right to make.
God didn’t make it easy for us. He didn’t make the world black and white. He made faith a requirement to follow him.
The danger in basing political madates on the Bible lies in the very facts that you stated in your post, and have been demonstrated various times in the responses to it: People will always interpret the Bible from their own gloriously independent and (sometimes) self-serving view point.
God bless.
its funny how all these political and religous leaders on the right say that they are upholding the values of Christ. sure they uphold some but not all, and if ur not going to uphold all then whats the point? this is why religion and politics dont mix. Yes it says thou shall not kill and being homosexual is stench under Gods nose but the fact of the matter is, Jesus loves the poor and says that it easier for a camel to pass through an eye of an needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but yet members of the religous right dont give a damn and support tax breaks to the rich, want to cut education budgets and welfare. is this the will of God? God loves the Meek. what we witness with the religous right is sheer hypocrisy!!!! neither party fully uplifts the laws of the Bible.
I work two jobs, so have to depend on others at times for info. Is it true that Obama wants to swear in on the Koran, rather than the Bible, if elected President?
Barack was saved in his 20’s after being raised by an atheist Mother. To that end, he is truly one of God’s chosen children. There is nothing Christian about spreading lies and gossip. Barack is a politician and a Christian. That means that personally he must put Christ first and find a way to balance that with the needs of all Americans. Not just those who are Christian.
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