The President Is Muslim(ish) Again
ABC's Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller note that Obama's campaign worked overtime to keep him Christian in the public's eyes, with this from their Fight The Smears website:
"Barack Obama is a committed Christian. He was sworn into the Senate on his family Bible. He has regularly attended church with his wife and daughters for years. But shameful, shadowy attackers have been lying about Barack's religion, claiming he is a Muslim instead of a committed Christian. When people fabricate stories about someone's faith to denigrate them politically, that's an attack on people of all faiths. Make sure everyone you know is aware of this deception."
Suddenly, whaddya know, he's rediscovering his Muslim roots. (That was fast!) Tapper and Miller write:
The other day we heard a comment from a White House aide that never would have been uttered during the primaries or general election campaign.During a conference call in preparation for President Obama's trip to Cairo, Egypt, where he will address the Muslim world, deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Denis McDonough said "the President himself experienced Islam on three continents before he was able to -- or before he's been able to visit, really, the heart of the Islamic world -- you know, growing up in Indonesia, having a Muslim father -- obviously Muslim Americans (are) a key part of Illinois and Chicago."
When people talk about Obama's Muslim roots, that's opportunism. When he later does it...opportunity!
Lucky thing is (since Muslims put people to death for apostasy), he never explained when he left Islam and became a Christian (the campaign maintained that he was never a Muslim). Robert Spencer wrote at Jihadwatch during the campaign:
According to Islamic law an apostate male is not to be put to death if he has not reached puberty (cf. 'Umdat al-Salik o8.2; Hidayah vol. II p. 246). Some, however, hold that he should be imprisoned until he is of age and then "invited" to accept Islam, but officially the death penalty for youthful apostates is ruled out.There are several ways this could go with Obama. Fjordman writes, "This is a golden opportunity for American anti-Jihadis to expose the intolerance inherent to Islamic teachings. And it is even better that it is a man from the black community and the political Left, where Muslims find many of their sympathizers."
That is true -- it is an opportunity to call attention to this aspect of Islam that so many are so eager to cover up. However, I think that Obama's candidacy and religious history are more likely to work to the advantage of the Left and the jihadists, even if he flames out a la Howard Dean in 2004. For if the Islamic death penalty for apostasy is even allowed to come up in the mainstream media, smiling Islamic spokesmen will deny that Islam teaches this. They can even be honest and simply affirm that it doesn't apply to Obama at all, since he left Islam while still very young.
...Meanwhile, many, many people have been writing me, asking if he is a Muslim. I don't know anything more than anyone else: he says he isn't. Do I think he is secretly a Muslim still? No, I don't. I don't see any reason not to take him at his word. The thing that concerns me most about him is his politics, which will take us farther down the road of appeasement whatever his individual creed is.
Well, I guess we'll all know for sure that he's a Muslim when Michelle dons the hijab and starts wearing designer label shapeless sacks. Until then, let's not panic...
GMan at June 6, 2009 2:47 AM
"Well, I guess we'll all know for sure that he's a Muslim when Michelle dons the hijab and starts wearing designer label shapeless sacks. Until then, let's not panic..."
While I agree with the "let's not panic" comment being sage advice- I have a question for you.
Why didn't Michelle accompany him to the Middle East?
Feebie at June 6, 2009 3:31 AM
Mitt Romney got dogged with all kinds of questions about what the Mormon Faith preaches/believes. He was also questioned many times about what kind of Mormon his parents + Grand-Parents were. Despite Mitt many times explaining what HE believed.
Eventually the Boston Globe used the tactic of "Mitt Romney's Mormon roots are not an issue ... blah blah blah" to remind everyone "HEY, MITT'S A MORMON!!!"
Obama a Muslim?? His Father too???? Who knew?
(The main Globe Union votes on the negotiated pay cut on Monday. A pay cut plus the elimination of lifetime job guarantees for the most senior people. If they vote no, which is supposedly a real possibility, look for a big shit storm to hit between The Globe and the NY Times. I can't wait.)
sean at June 6, 2009 4:23 AM
Okay- Obama is not a true Christian. He got into Reverend Wrights church for political purposes. That is to say- he USED the church as a way of helping launch his political career. No one can believe he did this for any other reason at this point.
He is also not a "true practicing" Christian because he believes not only in abortion but late term abortion and the two don't mix.
Obama says or does what ever will advance his career and agenda. I have seen nothing to the contary.
His wife has also said she had never been proud of her country until this moment when I believe Obama won the nomination for the Democrats.
Ms. Obama also said "America is a down right mean country." When we are the most generous country on earth.
This should tell us something about both of them.
David M. at June 6, 2009 5:05 AM
He most certainly was not sworn in on his family's bible. He was, in fact, sworn in on the same bible that Lincoln used, and made sure the whole world knew it.
Omnibus Driver at June 6, 2009 5:49 AM
Michelle didn't need to go with him. Hillary stood in for her, in the role of the subserviant woman. It was instructive to see this liberated American woman posing demurely in a hijab.
If American feminists like her really had the courage of their convictions, she would have told Obama and the entire Arab world "No, HELL no" if the subject of wearing one even came up.
What kind of message does this send to American women, not to mention the millions of women worldwide who have been victimized by the violent totalitarian patriarchy that is Islam?
cpabroker at June 6, 2009 7:01 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/06/the-president-i.html#comment-1652247">comment from cpabrokerThey don't look fondly upon a woman's toned arms in the Muslim world.
Amy Alkon
at June 6, 2009 7:09 AM
Well that's part of the problem isn't it? If they did get to look a little more on women's arms and other body parts, they might have a different outlook on life. I can't imagine what all that pent up sexual frustration must do to adolescent boys (viewed only as potential suicide bombers in some circles) but the fact that women clothed head to toe in black with nothing showing but their eyes complain of sexual harassment in the streets of Saudi Arabia speaks volumes. Give me Paris Hilton in all her vapidity any day.
GMan at June 6, 2009 7:27 AM
"He is also not a "true practicing" Christian because he believes not only in abortion but late term abortion and the two don't mix." DavidM
sorry David, but True Practicing Christians know there is a difference between private belief and public policy.
I don't care what the man's religon is, his responsibility is to uphold the Laws of The United States of America. Not to lick the boots of those who cannot accept them. He can be respectful to them and say nothing when he is in their country. What is he campaigning for now?
SwissArmyD at June 6, 2009 9:04 AM
A fun quiz:
————————
I would prefer President Obama such up to (choose one):
___[A] Wacky Muslims in the Middle East and Indonesia
___[B] Goofy Christians on the South Side of Chicago.
————————
Does anyone remember Jeremiah Wright? Obama's not ideological, at least not theological.. He's an old-style panderer from Chicago.
Crid [CommentCrid@gmail.com] at June 6, 2009 9:36 AM
Hillary has more important things to think about thant the treatment of muslim women.
Didnt you know that 30 yr old female school teachers are suffering an eoidemic of rape at the hands of 14yr old boys? and women who take 5 to 10 yrs out of their career to raise children earn less than those men and women who didnt?
The plight of the american woman is obviously so much worse then those muslim women getting beaten to death and having acid thrown in their faces.
Seriously cpabroker misoginists like you sicken me
{/sarcasm off}
lujlp at June 6, 2009 11:32 AM
the President himself experienced Islam on three continents
This doesn't necessarily mean that Obama ever was a Muslim or believed in Islam. If he had friends, neighbors and/or relatives (like his father) who were Muslim, then he "experienced" Islam.
My personal guess--and it is just a guess--is that Obama's innermost beliefs are atheist. Of course he'd never let that be known; it would be political suicide.
Rex Little at June 6, 2009 11:37 AM
I agree with Rex. The posture we're seeing is more about a typical lefty enthusiasm for concession. (Especially when what's conceded is the freedom or resource of someone else.)
Crid [CommentCrid@gmail.com] at June 6, 2009 4:20 PM
"He most certainly was not sworn in on his family's bible. He was, in fact, sworn in on the same bible that Lincoln used, and made sure the whole world knew it."
A careful reading of the piece (which I missed on first look as well) will note that it was his Senate oath that was taken on a family bible, not the presidential.
So let me get this straight - The President of the United States is using religion and the acknoledgement of same as a political tool, picking it up when needed and packing it away when not? Call Ripley!
Vinnie Bartilucci at June 8, 2009 8:12 PM
And now for a short vacation to Somalia, where hardline Islamists are desecrating Muslim graves for misleading the people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8077725.stm
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at June 8, 2009 10:11 PM
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