Obama the Muslim? *Sigh*

A new national survey by the Pew Research Center finds that nearly one-in-five Americans (18%) now say Obama is a Muslim, up from 11% in March 2009. Only about one-third of adults (34%) say Obama is a Christian, down sharply from 48% in 2009. Fully 43% say they do not know what Obama’s religion is.

So let me interpret this for you. 1 in 5 people that answered this survey are morons. They believe Muslim = Bad Christian = Good
Obviously, Obama must be a Muslim because he feels that people of all faiths or no faith deserve respect and he doesn't believe that being a Muslim is the same as being a terrorist. This is yet another strategy to make an "Other" of the President. (See last blog about Rep. King's comments)

The last guy was someone everyone wanted to have a beer with - keep in mind where that got us.

Here's the truth:
1) Religious tests for elected office are UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
2) The correct answer to the question: What religion does Obama follow?
IT DOESN'T MATTER!
3) The people of this country should be ashamed of themselves.

We are becoming a nation of religious bigots. While there has been so much progress in the realm of race, gender and sexual orientation (although a lot of work remains in all of these areas) - we are becoming more entrenched in our attitudes about religion. How many of these same survey respondents think "terrorist" when the word Muslim is mentioned? I would bet a good number - they don't think neighbor, doctor, friend, family...they think enemy. How sad. How is it that a small number of radical adherents have defined a religion for us? Somewhere around 1.5 BILLION people on this rock are Muslims, yet so many people define them based on the actions of a relative few.

How would Christians like it if we decided all Christians are child molesters because of the actions of a few priests (okay maybe a lot of priests) and some breakaway Mormon sects?


Now repeat after me:
"The United States is a SECULAR nation! The United States is a SECULAR nation!"

Obama the Muslim? *Sigh*

American Experience....

King Panders To Town Hall Bigots: Obama’s ‘A Marxist’ Who ‘Doesn’t Have An AmericanExperience’

Rep. Steve King (R-IA)

"However, when a nearby constituent called President Obama not just a “Marxist,” but a “Muslim Marxist,” King tacitly agreed. King went further, pandering to the town hall attendee and repeatedly saying that Obama “does not have an American experience”:

KING: I’ve just started to think about what we need to do and I have made this argument for a long time now that I am in the business of seeking to embarrass the administration into enforcing the law, particularly with regard to immigration.

BYSTANDING CONSTITUENT: He won’t do that. He’s a Marxist! He’s a Muslim Marxist.

KING: He’s at least a Marxist. And he surely understands the Muslim culture.

CONSTITUENT: He surely does. That’s where he grew up with, that’s his culture.

KING: He doesn’t have an American experience. He does not have an American experience.

CONSTITUENT: He didn’t grow up in America.

KING: Mmhmm."

The thing is...Barack Obama's experience IS uniquely American. Much more so than his rich, legacy predecessor. How many of us were products of "broken"***homes? How many of us were raised with the help of our grandparents? How many of us were exposed to different faith traditions on our paths to adulthood? The correct answer is more than most people know. Is it the fact that Obama lived overseas that makes his experience less American? If his step-father had been a Christian missionary - would it be okay with you Rep. King? (His step-dad worked as a government liaison for Mobil - by the way - good 'ol Oil...).

And for the record....I wish Obama was half the "Marxist" they claim he is. Oh and that he "understands Muslim culture" is a GOOD thing.

***Broken homes...I really HATE that expression. For many of us - the best thing our parents ever did - was separate.

American Experience....