Barack Obama laughing
during a meet and greet.
Photo: BarackObama.com

What is Omama’s stance on such a precarious issue?

Barack Hussein Obama, the Junior Senator from Illinois, is making some waves outside of the normal democratic crowd with the articulation of his deep, confident voice declaring change in the way government will be run under his presidency. He has already proven that he is willing to shut out lobbyists and special interest groups, by not only refusing to accept money from them, but also by returning it if a mistake was made. But, what about other issues? Where does he stand on religion, a long time curiosity for many people, and its involvement with government? “Is he Muslim… you know he went to a muslim school in Indonesia right? Oh my God, will we lose our Christian values?! You know his middle name is Hussein right, and his first name rhymes with Osama?!” Alright, calm down now! Don’t get all xenophobic on me. Now listen closely because this is important. What I found out about Mr. Obama is really comforting to me.

When reading this article by Dangerous Intersection.org, I found out that he is very secular in his political ideology. Whew, what a relief huh? Here is what Erich Vieth says at Dangerous Intersection.org:

I have never before heard a politician speaking so frankly yet comfortably on the topic of religion. Obama’s speech gives me hope that we can find a way to work together as one country. He is one of the very few American politicians who has specifically invited good-hearted non-believers to sit at the same table as good-hearted believers. He is one of the very few politicians to say what needs to be said about religious zealotry: that the insincere believers out there, those who merely are invoking the name of God without showing good will, shouldn’t get a political leg up on anyone else. Obama makes it clear that using one’s own religion as a sword against non-believers or against those who belong to minority sects is unacceptable intolerant aggression, pure and simple.

In my opinion, this is one of the most important subjects that is so rarely discussed due to the fear of upsetting “The Base” — the millions of Evangelical believers that want MORE church in State. I have been really worried about religion’s involvement with our government during the last 6 years. Our nation was built upon the very idea that church has to stay separate from the State if we are to have a truly democratic, constitutional republic.

Let me quote from one of our major forefathers if you need a little review. Thomas Jefferson, “was the third President of the United States, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and one of the most influential Founding Fathers in the United States,”[1] was very outspoken when addressing this very issue. “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State,”[1] states Jefferson. So, who will be the candidate that will honor these very words that one of the most important men in our country’s history so eloquently states?

Photo: BarackObama.com

Obama may be this man. He has posted a video of himself during a conference in which he addressed an Evangelical audience about faith in politics. The 40 minute video is still viewable on his website. Here is a portion of the transcript from the video:

Given the increasing diversity of America’s population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

And even if we did have only Christians within our borders, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? James Dobson’s, or Al Sharpton’s? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Levitacus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount – a passage so radical that it’s doubtful that our Defense Department would survive its application?

This may be difficult for those who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, as many evangelicals do. But in a pluralistic democracy, we have no choice. Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality. It involves the compromise, the art of the possible. At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It insists on the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God’s edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one’s life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime; to base our policy making on such commitments would be a dangerous thing.

A columnist, E.J. Dionne, from the Washington Post wrote an Op-Ed about her perception of Obama’s statements. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the piece:

“(Obama’s speech on faith) may be the most important pronouncement by a Democrat on faith and politics since John F. Kennedy’s Houston speech in 1960 declaring his independence from the Vatican…Obama offers the first faith testimony I have heard from any politician that speaks honestly about the uncertainties of belief.”

I have to completely agree with what Dionne has to say. Obama, so far, has seemed to be the only one of the candidates who is willing to address this issue without the use of convoluted rhetoric, and without the fear of upsetting “The Base”. Now I am not a total fan of the democratic party, but if he can continue with this “straight talk” and be aggressive with what he is going to do to change this government for the better, I will definitely stand on his side. Now if you are ambivalent to the faith in politics issue, please, I encourage you to open your ears and eyes and be more aware of what is happening to your government. Here is a little analogy for you if you need one.

I always use the frog in boiling water to symbolize what can happen if you are not paying attention. We, the citizens of this country, are like the frog that is wanting to be cooked. Now, if the cook, the Evangelical right, takes the frog and throws it in the boiling water, the frog will immediately jump out because of the perceived danger since the water is so hot. But, if you put the frog in cool water then slowly increase the temperature until it is boiling, the frog never perceives the danger since the change in temperature is so slight. The latter is what is happening to us. We are not noticing what is happening with many, many things because of either distractions or the seemingly harmless nature of some issues.

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[1] Wikipedia.com