Obama is a “Christian?”

DISCLAIMER:This post is in no way trying to promote some Islamo-paranoia about Obama.  I DON’T believe Obama is a Muslim, I just doubt the authenticity of his “Christian” faith… now on to the post!

There are a couple of things regarding your average Christian and their response to political candidates that I’ve always thought are funny (in the weird sort of way).

1. In my observation, many Christians will vote for a candidate simply because they are, or claim to be a Christian.  In my view that’s silly for one main reason – being a Christian does NOT mean that a person will be good at governing.  Even if they have the best heart and desire for a fair and just society, and if they seem to espouse Biblical principles, if it’s not matched with comparable ability to govern, the country could wind up as a train wreck.  Christians, please be careful on this…  Biblical qualifications for church leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) may be a good guideline in evaluating the character of a potential governmental leader, but they cannot legitimately be made to serve as the only criteria for a government leader’s “fitness” for the role.  The church and the government are not to be confused… and neither should what is needed in a leader for each be confused.
2. I’ve also observed that many Christians, not only in the realm of politics but also in regard to entertainers, celebrities, etc., hear someone claim to be “Christian” and take it as gospel truth (pun fully intended).  One example is from my High School days, when M.C. Hammer cut a song on his latest album entitled, “Pray.”  Many of my Christian friends were saying, “Wow!  M.C. Hammer MUST be a Christian!”  But they weren’t paying attention to other lyrics of his that extolled less-than-savory topics.  Jesus never told us to believe the authenticity of a person’s faith by what they say, He said that the proof was in the fruit of their lives (Matthew 12:33).  So we MUST ask, ”Is someone Christian just because they apply the label ‘Christian’ to themselves?”  In my experience many people believe themselves to be Christian just because they go to church, or were raised in America – a  “Christian” nation.  But that doesn’t make them Christians by the Biblical definition.

All this brings up the issue of Presidential Candidate and Senator, Barack Obama and his confession of being  a “Christian.”  I think Christians would be wise to examine if what he is defining as “Christian” really is Christian by the Biblical definition.

In 2004, Obama gave an interview to Chicago Sun-Time Religion Editor Cathleen Falsani for inclusion in her book, “The God Factor: Inside the Spiritual Lives of Public People.”  Some of the comments he made are quite revealing. 

During that interview Obama said, “I’m rooted in the Christian tradition,”  and then he went on to add, ”I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.”  Does that sound like the clear Christian belief espoused by Jesus?   Remember, Jesus is the one who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)  When asked about that passage by Falsani, Obama responded that it depends on how this verse is heard.  According to Falsani, Obama thinks that “all people of faith — Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone — know the same God.” (Her words.)

Obama also said, “The difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and proselytize. There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that if people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they’re going to hell.”  The implication seems to be that Obama himself is not within the “certain quarters” that believe that… But I have to ask, “Isn’t that part of the Biblical message about eternity?”

A final piece of Obama’s “Christian” belief that deserves examination can be seen in his comment, “I don’t presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I’ve been a good father to them, and I see that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they’re kind people and that they’re honest people, and they’re curious people, that’s a little piece of heaven.”

First, it seems that most authentic Christians, even those who haven’t been on the Christian path for very long, could tell you that they DO indeed know what happens after this life – because it’s been revealed in the scriptures.  It’s at least troubling to me that a “Christian” Obama apparantly either isn’t knowledgeable enough of the scriptures or is flat out unwilling to stand on the revelation of scripture in its comments on what happens after death.

And secondly, I won’t go so far as to say that Obama is equating heaven (in an eternal sense) with satisfaction in life here and now.  There’s always room for individuals to use figurative language in their comments, which he may well have been doing.  But I do wonder if he has the feeling that “being good” is enough to secure a place in the “whatever that comes next.”

For sake of clarification, if ever afforded the opportunity, my only question to Senator Obama would be this, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the ONLY means of forgiveness and entrance into heaven?”  From what he’s already said, I think I know what his answer would be… and it doesn’t sound like Christianity as revealed and taught by Christ…