GOP Nominee
Former Candidates
Today, Dr. James Dobson, a psychologist and founder of Focus on the Family, took Obama to task for comments he had made in a June 2006 speech.
Dr. Dobson focused on Obama’s comments describing America as no longer a “Christian nation”. Obama also equated psychologist James Dobson with Reverend Al Sharpton.
“And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson’s, or Al Sharpton’s?”
I agree with Obama that America is not a Christian nation and hasn’t been for many years.
However equating Dr. Dobson and Reverend Sharpton is just foolishly ignorant.
Al Sharpton led racist mobs to a fevered pitch. His racist haranguing led to the death of a Jewish student in Crown Heights, New York. Dr. Dobson leads an organization that mainly focuses on helping parents to raise their children and helps spouses with their marriages. A look at Focus on the Family shows politics is a tiny part of Dr. Dobson’s activities.
Obama also engages in rank hypocrisy in his speech (remember this speech was in June 2006):
“No matter how religious they may or may not be, people are tired of seeing faith used as a tool of attack. They don’t want faith used to belittle or to divide. They’re tired of hearing folks deliver more screed than sermon. Because in the end, that’s not how they think about faith in their own lives.”
So Obama decries pastors who deliver screeds and not sermons. It’s amazing he said that after decades of sitting under Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s racially tinged screeds.
June 24th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
I hope people start to get engaged with Barack’s positions. What does he actually believe about his own faith? I wonder if we would all be perturbed at the vapidity.
Political expediency and liberalism rule with this guy
June 24th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Here is another article:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gnLulDbwWGYGLiXlDW5hPiNMGMRQD91GDOM00
Dobson took aim at examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy — chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, “a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application.”
“Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles,” Obama said.
Dobson and Minnery accused Obama of wrongly equating Old Testament texts and dietary codes that no longer apply to Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament.
“I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology,” Dobson said.
“… He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter.”
June 24th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
“I agree with Obama that America is not a Christian nation and hasn’t been for many years.”
On this, I disagree. While the Liberals and the SP allies have successfully driven prayer out of our schools, and waged war on any kind of Christian display not confined inside a church, I think we are still a Christian nation.
June 24th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I agree with #3 and act-blog. Just because our so-called leaders don’t think we’re a Christian Nation doesn’t make our citizens non-Christians. While we don’t force people to be Christian at gunpoint, we’re still a Christian Nation. This may be less so each and every year as the “me first” attitude begins to prevail, but at heart, we are a Christian Nation.
June 24th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
A lot of us take offense at the idea we are a “Christian nation.”
We were a nation founded on an idea, not a religion. The idea of individual rights.
Despite the fact that many believe these rights were endowed by a Creator, that does not necessarily translate to Christianity. And a good number of the Founding Fathers were Diests.
Today America is very much a secular nation, which is evident if you study the internals of this Pew Poll:
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/876/religion-america-part-two
June 24th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
#5, like it or not, we were founded on a number of ideas, including most definitely the freedom to worship. Of course, one can accurately argue that should also incude the freedom to espouse no religion, but the founders themselves were a religious lot for whom our rights were endowed by a Creator. Our religious affiliations as a whole do not — and should not — only include christianity — but as it turns out, since the beginning of our nation, the USA has been predominantly a Christian, protestant nation.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Metro, yes, there were deists, but the majority seemed to be devoutly Christian. Consider these quotes:
John Adams said:
The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.
George Washington said:
While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.
Patrick Henry said:
The Bible… is a book worth more than all the other books that were ever printed.
Righteousness alone can exalt America as a nation. Whoever thou art, remember this; and in thy sphere practice virtue thyself, and encourage it in others.
More can be found here:
http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=8755#FN1
As to whether we are still a Christian nation, I fear that we are becoming more and more post-Christian as a whole.
June 25th, 2008 at 12:22 am
John Adams, George Washington, and Patrick Henry = The Majority, WiseGuy?
June 25th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Alex, I found this table that might be helpful:
http://www.adherents.com/gov/Founding_Fathers_Religion.html
(not sure of the veracity of the web site)
June 25th, 2008 at 4:31 am
You guys should read the whole speech. Obama was dead right at nearly every turn. Key points:
1. We should not leave morality out of politics, or religious morality.
2. If you want to legislate morality, you have to find a way to communicate it pressing the religious reasons.
3. The pledge’s “Under God,” is fine, and faith-based programs can be helpful.
His views on religion are remarkably close to mine.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:09 am
“A lot of us take offense at the idea we are a “Christian nation.””
…and I’m sure many more take offense when athiests and liberals try to drive any evidence of faith behind locked doors.
—-
As for a secular nation, I don’t buy it. No religion is a permenant part of our government - our laws are, somewhat, secular (though with religious origin). But look at the poll - 92% believe in some kind of God. 71% have an absolute belief in God as most people refer to him. More than half of all people say Religion is an important force in their lives. 40% attend religious services at least once a week - and among those who believe in God, the percentage is much higher. Almost 80% of Americans are Christian. Religious beliefs continue to have a big impact on their party affiliation, their voting patterns, and their beliefs about key issues.
Our laws are secular w/ religious influence and origin, our society is far from secular.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Nice link Wiseguy. For far too long we have heard people attempt to act as if our nation’s founders were not necessarily Christian.
I think whether or not USA is considered Christian would depend on the definition of “Christian’.
For example what percentage would it take to warrant such a title, 65%, 75%, 85%?
Also, how inclusive one is in his/her definition of “Christian” would change the percentages greatly.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:54 am
I think that these statements by Dobson may indicate that he is finally ready to get on board and enthusiastically support Senator McCain. Even though I have been skeptical about Dobson’s actions and motivations ever since he pooped on Fred Thompson’s head as he headed out of the gate for the Primary, I think that Dobson could help McCain out enormously. McCain should go on Dobson’s show and secure his support. It might set up a useful contrast of the moral and biblically correct Republican nominee vs. the immoral and heretical and blasphemous Democrat.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:06 am
11. If a social liberal is offended than we must obey.
8. Way to miss the quotes and create a straw man out of his argument.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:20 am
I guess I don’t understand how Obama could be interpreted to have equated Dobson and Sharpton. If anything he was using them as contrasting strains of christianity, meaning they’re pretty dang close to opposites. And, even if the founders were christians as a majority, why does that guarantee we’re a christian nation today? The founders were racist as a majority, does that mean we’re a racist nation? (Michelle Obama, anybody?)
June 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am
“If a social liberal is offended than we must obey.”
…of course, because discrimination and intolerance in all forms is unacceptable except when directed at christians or those who still maintain some sense of traditional values.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:27 am
“why does that guarantee we’re a christian nation today?”
It doesn’t, but the fact that the overwealming majority of the country is christian, that our laws are based on christian principles, etc…
that does.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:38 am
#15, I’ll have to agree with you regarding the Dobson/Sharpton remark. He could have used his Rev. Wright, and if he is the Christian church example, I don’t want any part of it.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I think what bothers me most is that he, Barack Obama, a politician, tries to interpret the Bible in a political speech.
His interpretation, no matter what it is, will offend many people. It shows deep down Obama is divisive.
He also rails against preachers who “deliver screed not sermon”. What a hypocrite. He had no problem with Reverend Wright’s screeds for decades until the middle of a Presidential campaign.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:03 am
“A look at Focus on the Family shows politics is a tiny part of Dr. Dobson’s activities.”
I strongly disagree. Politics is the primary motivation of Dobson, FOF, FRC, and their related state affiliates. If not for politics then what is their mission and reason for existence? The organizations and their leaders are very involved in advocating certain public policy issues and in supporting and/or opposing candidates or Parties with whom they agree/disagree. Come on, who’s kidding who here, they are all about politics. Further, I believe that Dobson has much in common with Wright and Sharpton with regard to style, temperment, and penchant for political sensationalism.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Dobson’s a raving lunatic, and represents the worst kind of religious nut jobs we have in America. Having Dobson actively backing McCain is only going to drive the independents away.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:38 am
21, show me a you-tube clip where he raves.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
#21 - Is he backing McCain? He consistently said that he would not under any circumstances.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
#23 I was referring to #13’s conjecture on Dobson.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
#23 I was referring to #13’s conjecture on Dobson’s possible support.