Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Really? I mean, really?
Look, I'm not mocking the man if he does. And I'm in no position to criticize him if he doesn't. (I don't, for the record.)
But it's one of those things that's sort of hard to believe. This feels like marketing, like repositioning. Like trying to get the center back. Or I don't know what, because it just doesn't ring true. And it's a shame, really, that he's making such clumsy swipes at redefining himself, because by now, he's been defined.
The only way for him to reclaim the center is to redefine what he does during the workday -- cut taxes, shrink government, reduce pointless regulations, control the border, protect Americans from terrorism, that sort of thing. What he does after the workday, before he climbs into bed, is really not important.
Especially because, come on! You know he doesn't pray every night.
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Jul '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
If I had to share a bed with Michelle Obama, I'd be praying fervently, too.
Nov '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Next thing you know, he'll be clinging to his gun every night.
Oct '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Maybe he's re-reading Genesis so he can get the part about being "my brother's keeper" right next time.
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
He might, Rob. We've got no idea. I don't really want to know. It's between him and God.
Jul '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Or between him and Allah...we've got no idea.
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Kenneth
Or between him and Allah...we've got no idea. · Nov 29 at 8:59am
Someone's back and in full form ; )
Edited on Nov 29, 2010 at 9:03amNov '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
I seem to remember a Hitchens diatribe about politicians (he was referring specifically to HRC) constantly talking about their "faith", how their faith gets them through the trials of life, etc., and he detested those types of statements, which is no surprise there.
Do non-religious conservatives care about the faith of their politicians?
Jul '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Calicocaptive: I seem to remember a Hitchens diatribe about politicians (he was referring specifically to HRC) constantly talking about their "faith", how their faith gets them through the trials of life, etc., and he detested those types of statements, which is no surprise there.
Do non-religious conservatives care about the faith of their politicians? · Nov 29 at 9:04am
As a somewhat non-religious conservative, I can say that I am inclined to detest politicians who exploit their putative religious devotion. So you're a Christian? So what? So are the majority of Americans. I don't want to hear about how your policy positions are informed by your faith - I want to hear how they're informed by your fidelity to the Constitution.
Nov '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
"As a somewhat non-religious conservative, I can say that I am inclined to detest politicians who exploit their putative religious devotion."
Yeah, I'm curious about what exactly non-Christian conservatives would like to "conserve" about the country, given how much of the culture was steeped in religion for the past 200 years. Do we take the stable cultural values and appropriate them as just good ole "secular humanism", or whatever they call it?
Aug '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Kenneth
I don't want to hear about how your policy positions are informed by your faith - I want to hear how they're informed by your fidelity to the Constitution.
As a fairly religious conservative, I feel the same way.
Let's be honest, there are a lot of stupid ways in which your faith can inform your politics (Christian Socialism, Mike Huckabee...)
Quite possibly, after deep theological and economic reflection (and how many of us are capable of both?) you might sort out that, by allowing your faith to inform your politics stupidly, you're also dishonoring your faith (as we're called to be wise according to our capacity, as well as "good").
But how reasonable is it to expect most politicians to get that far? They're too busy being politicians.
(Full disclosure: I call myself "fairly religious", and I ought to pray every day. But I don't. I ought to read my Bible on a better schedule than I do... If I were President, though, it might be different: I'd be so nervous about doing something to screw up the country that it might be hard to get me off my knees.)
May '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Given the O's cavalier disregard for the truth on any and all subjects (if you want to keep your doctor/insurance et al) why would any sentient human find this credible?
If it is true, either he is praying for different stuff than I would hope, or he has done something(s) to really upset the big guy upstairs.
Sep '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
There is no way this guy prays every night. Just –- do – not – buy – it. Makes no sense next to his off-the-cuff "guns and religion" comment, which rang true when he said it and rings true now. And I don't think it's merely a personal thing, inasmuch as he made the claim in an interview that he hopes will be heard by millions of people and so cannot back off after the fact and act as if his religiosity is solely between him and his maker, Totally agree with Rob's comment: "it's a shame ... he's making such clumsy swipes at redefining himself, because by now, he's been defined."
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
You know, maybe I'm not giving Obama enough credit! That's a great point: maybe there's something about the presidency that just compels some kind of need to appeal to a Higher Power.
Nov '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
"...when you pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will render it to you."
Being secret about one's prayer does seem to come through.
Edited on Nov 29, 2010 at 10:14amJun '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
I have no doubt the he prays, something like this:
Lord, this is President Barack Obama. You really need to do something about McConnell, take the scales from his eyes. As Your "chosen people," I think that You have a particular responsibility to bring Netanyahu and the rest of that bunch back to their 1967 borders. You should also pay particular attention to those who bitterly cling to their misapprehension of Your Word to thwart good public policy and show them the error of their ways. Bless me Lord as I transform this nation in my image. Amen
Edited on Nov 29, 2010 at 11:53amRe: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
This doesn't sit well with me.
In his rigorous prayer life and studying of the Bible how does he reconcile being the most pro-choice President we have ever had with Scripture?
This is coming from the guy who says there are many paths to heaven.
I don't know which God Obama is claiming to pray to, but I am quite confident it is not the God of the Bible.
I doubt Obama is a Christian, and highly doubt he is a Muslim. Odds are he is a closeted atheist and therefore tries to be God himself. If he really believed in a God that championed individual responsibility, he wouldn't support the agenda of a nanny state so wholeheartedly. And every now and then he would admit to making a mistake. Not likely to happen anytime soon.
May '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
LOL. Reminds me of what they taught us in the Infantry when a trooper refered to his weapon as his gun. With hands appropriately positioned, they had him recite: "This is my rifle, this is my gun. One is for fighting, one is for fun."
Thanks for the chuckle.
May '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
I'm reasonably adept at both theology and economics and am a religiously inclined conservative, and I do not place a high priority on a claim of religious fervor of any kind unless it follows on the heels of appropriate, well thought out actions. Indeed, a claim such as Os raises the standard for those actions higher. And it usually is more likely to result in the perception of hypocrisy than anything else.
May '10
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
Kenneth
Or between him and Allah...we've got no idea. · Nov 29 at 8:59am
Someone's back and in full form ; ) · Nov 29 at 9:02am
Edited on Nov 29 at 09:03 am
Welcome back, Kenneth! I missed you.
Re: Obama: I Pray "Every Night"
Y'know, Rob, when I saw this, I thought, "Gee, how come the left doesn't become hysterical about this the way they did when Bush prayed?" And then the answer came to me: "Oh yeah. Because Bush wasn't lying."