Throughout this campaign much has been done to try to slander Barack Obama, including accusing him of really being a Muslim instead of a Christian, as he has said in many occasions. Though the Rev. Wright controversy kind of put his "choice of faith" to rest (proving he was actively involved in a Christian church for 20+ years), I was still really encouraged by the following article. I know this "Muslim vs. Christian" issue will most likely come up again in the general election - especially from shady news organizations like Fox news.
Ekklesia is a Christian think-tank out Cambridge, England (interesting that they are writing about Obama in England). This is an excerpt of a recent article they published. You can go here to check out the full article.
"...Obama is also clear about the practical difference that his faith makes. “I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful….Accepting Jesus Christ in my life has been a powerful guide for my conduct and my values and my ideals.”
Whether or not we would agree with all the conclusions Obama reaches as he applies his faith to his life, it seems certain that the man has an authentic relationship with Jesus. Of course, we could be cynical about all this, thinking that his protestations of faith are merely to win over the electorate. However, the Rev Jim Wallis, a leading US evangelical, writes “I have known Barack Obama for more than 10 years, and we have been talking about his Christian faith for a decade.”
Whatever we think of him as a possible future President, we should always stand against lies that are spread about any candidate. So, despite the reports, Obama is not a Muslim. He is a follower of Jesus, and one that makes clear that faith must make a difference to life. Amen to that!"
2 comments:
Great post-- You're right, whether folks are for or not for Obama, it seems almost silly to question his faith.
It is sad to me that emails are still circulating that Obama is a Muslim and that some of our Christian friends are forwarding them to us. My hope would be that we would read what he has written or listen to what he has said himself before judging him. I don't see how you can do the above things and judge that he is a Muslim.
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