Comments on: Obama and Faith Based Initiatives

By: Gforex

Gforex — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:56:18 +0000

Gforex…

i do agree but i don’t think that’s completely true. I’m so confused!…

By: i need your help god

i need your help god — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:11:47 +0000

[...] household. But my experience in Chicago showed me how faith and values could be an anchor in mhttp://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2008/07/obama-and-faith-based-initiatives/McCain sings a new song MSNBCRepublican John McCain has never been the best friend of Christian [...]

By: sermons about believing god

sermons about believing god — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:36:38 +0000

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By: Black Voices on Barack Obama’s Presidential Bid | A Slant Truth

Black Voices on Barack Obama’s Presidential Bid | A Slant Truth — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:20:59 +0000

[...] Rijyrah at Jack and Jill Politics: I have written several posts about Obama courting the religious vote. I have no problem with this, mainly because I’m not a secularist. I’m a Christian who has been pissed at the Democrats completely ceding the ‘religious’ vote and the ‘religious’ voice to the GOP. Allowing them to narrowly define Christianity on two issues: abortion and homosexuality. [...]

By: Anderkoo

Anderkoo — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:10:09 +0000

Late to the party here, but as someone strongly committed to secularism, and married to an evangelical faith-based organizer, I not only have no objections to but support this move. I agree with several of the previous comments that the media are incorrectly interpreting this as a move to the “right.” The “right” does not equal religion and the “left” secularity. Some of the craziest, left-wing, outright communist groups have been religious, e.g. liberation theology Catholics.

I do believe that Obama can unite this country, but I'm naive enough to think that unity will last. But I do think that the next time the country divides, it won't be along the current fault lines, and by gosh I want the religious majority to be on MY side next time when it comes to the environment, poverty, fair labor…

By: Jonzee

Jonzee — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:31:48 +0000

ACORN and Common Ground Collective are seen as best practice–not all of ACORNS chapters are…but I digress.

It's clear he does not think that non-profits with religious affiliations will over take, folks like Catholic Charities or Abyssinian Development Corporation.

By: Anderkoo

Anderkoo — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:10:09 +0000

By: Jonzee

Jonzee — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:31:48 +0000

ACORN and Common Ground Collective are seen as best practice–not all of ACORNS chapters are…but I digress.

It's clear he does not think that non-profits with religious affiliations will over take, folks like Catholic Charities or Abyssinian Development Corporation.

By: TruthSeeker

TruthSeeker — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:04:25 +0000

Religious faith is the null object of the masses. You can project whatever you want onto it and it will respond…faithfully. Does the paedophile and the preacher worship the same god?

By: CraigHickman

CraigHickman — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:41:40 +0000

A distinction with a difference.

Thanks, RonnieB

By: CraigHickman

CraigHickman — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:40:37 +0000

By: CraigHickman

CraigHickman — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:38:47 +0000

I'm a secularist and I don't have a problem with this. It's who he is. It's how he started community organizing, through churches.

And the Separation of Church and State is mythology in my mind. Folks swear into public office on the Bible, In God We Trust is on our currency, and no atheist could ever be elected president.

Barack's never had a problem with faith-based community organizing and if he didn't introduce something like this, I'd have been more surprised.

By: The_Black_Snob

The_Black_Snob — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:30:10 +0000

I'm fine with him wanting to tweak faith-based initiatives (even though I am strongly for a separation of church and state, mainly because too close relations ruins both). I'm more concerned with this move in conjunction with his changes on FISA (immunity for the Telecomm's that broke the law) and some additional moves to the right on issues. While I understand the move to the center in order to make yourself more electable, I don't think these actions necessarily helped past Democratic candidates like John Kerry and Al Gore.

There needs to be clear distinctions between the two party candidates otherwise you end up in Ralph Nader's “Never Neverland” where the two parties become indistinguishable with the exception of a few issues like abortion and maybe social justice separating the two.

By: bigassbelle

bigassbelle — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:57:59 +0000

Jesus was about helping those less fortunate. Helping those in need. Helping those least amongst us.. . .

that is the "old" religion. more typically today, churches preach the "gospel of prosperity," which amazingly seems to come with an attitude of condenscension toward those less fortunate.

the get-rich-thru-prayer school started with oral roberts in the '70s and was quickly adopted by hucksters of every ilk, who recognized the potential boon to their personal fortunes made possible by taking this approach.

ironically, back in the day of the do good for the less fortunate churches' reign, i didn't hear much of the hate-based rhetoric that seems to fuel the religious right today.

i believe inside every true christian is a spiritual being aware of the truth, and the truth is that love is the thing that makes everything good possible in this world and that was the message in the bible. all of the rest is just manipulative bullshit.

By: Nardwilly

Nardwilly — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:01:49 +0000

Some secularist beleive faith is for the ignorant and unsophisticated. I believe uin the saving Grace of the baby jesus, but I also understand my denomination or theology is my interpertaion of the Godhead. I am tolerant of others. I practice a religion of love and service. I believe all have sinned and come short of the glory and comparing relative value of sin with God is like compaing the distance from New York. and Los Angeles to the distance from earth to the sun. All of us sinners are so far from a perfect God, our individual sins are immaterial.

Sorry about the lesson, I lost track of my thoughts.

Many Christians practice a religion of inclusion and love, not exclusion. Abortion and homosexuality are insignificant to many Christians, serving the needy, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoners, and healing the sick is what we are called to do.

By: RonnieB

RonnieB — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:04:31 +0000

Your criticism of religion is appreciated … and not altogether untrue. But faith and spirituality are deeply singular and personal things. Faith can inspire a person to lead a people toward peace and prosperity, whereas religious adherents can and do create war and poverty to achieve their own ends.

Perhaps O can indeed inspire people toward faith … and away from religion.

By: AnthonyMason2k6

AnthonyMason2k6 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:59:29 +0000

Damn! I didnt see it that way, but thanks for bringing me into the light. BO did say that he was going to bring people together! Cant be mad at him for doing what he said he was going to do.

By: RonnieB

RonnieB — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:56:51 +0000

I'm glad that a prominent Democrat finally took advantage of the opportunity to speak on issues of faith and values, beyond the tired meme of sex and abortion.

Will Barack single-handedly wrestle the issue away from the holier-than-thou Right? Not likely. They're busy revising our caricature: where we were once godless hethens, we're now racist, white-hating Black theologians.

Still, props to Barack for doing what neither Harry Reid nor Nancy Pelosi would ever do.

By: evita

evita — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:55:35 +0000

For the entire campaign Obama has been saying he wants to unite the country. Bring people together. Now he extends an invitation to what mainstream has pigeon holed into the RIGHT and now they say he is courting them only for votes. I think he is doing exactly what he said he was going to do.

For many people the issue with religious organizations is not the help, its the proselytizing. Remove that and unfair hiring to the mix and you DO have the opportunity to mobilize lots of people to get up and do some good work. If the work gets done in a way that doesn't require participants or recipients to buy in to a particular perspective, then GET IT DONE!

This is CLEAR example of who Obama will bring people together as POTUS.

Remember ya'll that it cannot be "our way or the high way" in such a diverse land as the US. I think Obama is on the right track and I am NO CHRISTIAN.

Hallelujah Holla Back!

By: blksista

blksista — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:10:35 +0000

All I am saying is, don't let the haters get the money.

And no, the churches and the mosques (for example) do not always have a pulse on what is happening. Will he give money to say, Common Ground Collective, or ACORN? I mean, let's get real. Some organizations spring up not because of religious conviction, but because government and even charities aren't doing--or outright refusing to do--the job.