Obama absolves Islam, rebukes Christianity

[mossrose]

http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02...-christianity/

On Thursday, two days after Jordanian pilot Muath Al-Kassasbeh was horrifically murdered by ISIS, Mr. Obama, speaking at a prayer breakfast, went through the usual theatre — these people are not Muslims, Islam is peace, etc., but then took a strange sideswipe at Christians.

He had this to say: “And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.”

My first qualification here would be to point the obvious, that in those times of the Crusades, Muslims were committing terrible deeds in the name of Allah. This was not a one-sided clash of blades and bludgeons. This is hardly a trivial point.

My second is that the burden of his remarks are so very odd. Is it a very strange turn of thought to have, the day after someone was burned to death in a cage by Islamist fanatics, that Mr. Obama thinks Christians are about to mount their “high horse” and are making the claim that the barbarism of this week is “unique to one place.”

Etc. I do not like this man, at all.

[Adrift]

He's a politician. Isn't it his job to say things like that? By pointing out that all ideologies can be abused and taken to their extreme he attempts to add perspective to the situation.

He has to constantly find a middle ground so that while he condemns ISIS and extremist Muslim acts on one hand, on the other hand, the non-extremist, minority Muslim population in the US isn't put into a situation where they are threatened by those who would seek vengeance. Also it holds out an olive branch to the US' Muslim majority allies, and tells them that he knows this isn't necessarily endemic to their faith (whether that's truly the case is another matter of course).

Here's the speech for context,

In it, he reminds the audience that human sinfulness is at the root of that sort of behavior, and he's right.

I don't know, I don't really follow politics much, and I'm no fan of Obama, but I do keep in mind that the guy is not Pastor. He calls himself a person of faith in the video, but meh, I don't know if that's a front or not. What I do know is that he's a secular government official, talking to an increasingly secular nation, and as a diplomat for the most powerful nation on earth, every single word he utters is scrutinized around the world. There's almost nothing he can say that can't be taken out of context and made to offend someone. All things considered, as a Christian, I think this is one of the lesser offensive statements he made. It doesn't fill me with joy or anything, but its nothing to pull my hair out over either.

[pancreasman]

He's a politician. Isn't it his job to say things like that? By pointing out that all ideologies can be abused and taken to their extreme he attempts to add perspective to the situation.

He has to constantly find a middle ground so that while he condemns ISIS and extremist Muslim acts on one hand, on the other hand, the non-extremist, minority Muslim population in the US isn't put into a situation where they are threatened by those who would seek vengeance. Also it holds out an olive branch to the US' Muslim majority allies, and tells them that he knows this isn't necessarily endemic to their faith (whether that's truly the case is another matter of course).

Here's the speech for context,

In it, he reminds the audience that human sinfulness is at the root of that sort of behavior, and he's right.

I don't know, I don't really follow politics much, and I'm no fan of Obama, but I do keep in mind that the guy is not Pastor. He calls himself a person of faith in the video, but meh, I don't know if that's a front or not. What I do know is that he's a secular government official, talking to an increasingly secular nation, and as a diplomat for the most powerful nation on earth, every single word he utters is scrutinized around the world. There's almost nothing he can say that can't be taken out of context and made to offend someone. All things considered, as a Christian, I think this is one of the lesser offensive statements he made. It doesn't fill me with joy or anything, but its nothing to pull my hair out over either.

What a good post! Let's all unbunch our panties.

[siam]

Europeans (with the exception of France) are standing upto Islamophobia and anti-Islam rallies---and their governments are taking notice....

In France--there were almost 200 attacks on Muslims, Mosques, and Businesses after Charlie Hebdo.

European countries are also worried about their citizens going off to fight in foreign wars.....many of these youths believe the media narrative that it has to do with Islam (which it does not---all these fights have political motivations)

Or maybe...people are simply getting tired of bigotry and prejudice...?......

There was a Pew poll of some state(?) in the U.S. which asked Republicans of that state what they thought of Islam---and the negative views had surprisingly gone down!!! http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...ions/22825839/

There are a lot of problems to solve in the world and it is better for all people to unite and work together for solutions than go about arguing who is the baddest....

[mossrose]

I am not here to argue, I only posted this as information, and then I gave an opinion.

My panties are not in a bunch, at least they weren't until somebody suggested they shouldn't be.

I don't like Obama. I don't like his policies, and I don't like him sniping at Christians in an attempt to lighten up on Islam.

I thank God that Obama is not the leader of my country.

Now, ya'll carry on defending him all you want. That is your prerogative.

[mossrose]

Or maybe...people are simply getting tired of bigotry and prejudice...?......

I certainly am getting tired of bigotry and prejudice, especially against Christians.

[pancreasman]

I am not here to argue, I only posted this as information, and then I gave an opinion.

My panties are not in a bunch, at least they weren't until somebody suggested they shouldn't be.

I don't like Obama. I don't like his policies, and I don't like him sniping at Christians in an attempt to lighten up on Islam.

I thank God that Obama is not the leader of my country.

Now, ya'll carry on defending him all you want. That is your prerogative.

I keep getting the feeling that on this site one keeps getting pushed to extremes. Often it's 'I hate Obama' and if you say anything mildly moderate everyone gets mad at you. I do not support Obama particularly. But I do note he's a politician trying to appeal to as broad a constituency as possible. Consequently, when I see something like this I think 'Meh, what do you expect? He's a politician.'

[mossrose]

I love you, pman.

[phank]

I certainly am getting tired of bigotry and prejudice, especially against Christians.

Imagine if you had the misfortune to be a Muslim in the US. Believe me, you would face bigotry and prejudice, often of the violent persuasion, almost daily.

I'm always amused at people who represent 85% of the population, complaining that they are somehow the victims of bigotry and prejudice. I guess the other 15% of the people must be pretty awful.

[Jedidiah]

What a good post! Let's all unbunch our panties.

I will keep mine bunched thanks.

[Jedidiah]

I am not here to argue, I only posted this as information, and then I gave an opinion.

My panties are not in a bunch, at least they weren't until somebody suggested they shouldn't be.

I don't like Obama. I don't like his policies, and I don't like him sniping at Christians in an attempt to lighten up on Islam.

I thank God that Obama is not the leader of my country.

Now, ya'll carry on defending him all you want. That is your prerogative.

I am with you SYT.

[pancreasman]

I am with you SYT.

Sexy Young Thing?

[Darth Executor]

Imagine if you had the misfortune to be a Muslim in the US. Believe me, you would face bigotry and prejudice, often of the violent persuasion, almost daily.

I'm always amused at people who represent 85% of the population, complaining that they are somehow the victims of bigotry and prejudice. I guess the other 15% of the people must be pretty awful.

Yeah poor muslims, someone somewhere is being mean to them. Meanwhile when Muslims are mean to others they just behead or shoot you.

[Darth Executor]

He's a politician. Isn't it his job to say things like that?

It's his job to attack Christians with unhistorical drivel whenever some Muslim pacifies somebody?

[rogue06]

He's a politician. Isn't it his job to say things like that? By pointing out that all ideologies can be abused and taken to their extreme he attempts to add perspective to the situation.

He has to constantly find a middle ground so that while he condemns ISIS and extremist Muslim acts on one hand, on the other hand, the non-extremist, minority Muslim population in the US isn't put into a situation where they are threatened by those who would seek vengeance. Also it holds out an olive branch to the US' Muslim majority allies, and tells them that he knows this isn't necessarily endemic to their faith (whether that's truly the case is another matter of course).

Here's the speech for context,

In it, he reminds the audience that human sinfulness is at the root of that sort of behavior, and he's right.

I don't know, I don't really follow politics much, and I'm no fan of Obama, but I do keep in mind that the guy is not Pastor. He calls himself a person of faith in the video, but meh, I don't know if that's a front or not. What I do know is that he's a secular government official, talking to an increasingly secular nation, and as a diplomat for the most powerful nation on earth, every single word he utters is scrutinized around the world. There's almost nothing he can say that can't be taken out of context and made to offend someone. All things considered, as a Christian, I think this is one of the lesser offensive statements he made. It doesn't fill me with joy or anything, but its nothing to pull my hair out over either.

I think that the problem for may folks is how he is willing to not only bend over backwards but twist himself into a pretzel avoiding saying Islamic extremists were responsible for any of a long list of barbarous acts we continue to witness and goes out of his way to exonerate Islam^[1] but seems to have no problem going back up to a millennium to find things to fault Christianity by name for.

And how he can bring up slavery without mentioning how it was in large part if not mostly due to opposition from Christian groups that brought it to an end in the west in contrast to many Muslim controlled areas where it is still being practiced. The double standard was palpable.









1. And don't get me wrong the Bush Administration had the same unsettling habit though to a slightly less extent