In remarks during his arrival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, President Obama noted the he made this trip because “I thought it was important to come to the place where Islam began…” Why exactly? Is Islam more important to this president than Christianity?
ABC’s Jake Tapper has more at his blog:
Since the election…the White House has been increasingly forthcoming about the president’s roots. Especially when reaching out to the Muslim world.
By the way, did I mention that while our “Christian” president is praising Islam, he still hasn’t found a “Christian” church to attend in Washington? Does anyone know where the president is on a typical Friday night?
But it’s not the religion of Islam that is attacking us–it’s a radical faction of the religion.
It’s actually similar to the same mistake people on the Left make when they look at Fred Phelps or Pat Robertson. They look and see a very loud, vocal minority within a religion (more obvious in Islam because they’re not just vocal but deadly) and assume that that person represents the entire religion…when, in actuality, those who are true believers of Christ look at Fred Phelps, Robertson or some of the things said by Jerry Falwell and say “those people do not represent me.”
You don’t see Obama sitting down to dialogue with Osama bin Laden and he’s come out and said he supports the actions in Afghanistan as being a necessary response to the attacks on 9/11…he’s not a total pacifist here. But neither can we look at the actions of radicals and say “well, that automatically makes all Muslims our enemy” anymore than the Left should look at Jerry Falwell’s statement of 9/11 being caused due to homosexuality and say “well, I guess that means all Christians are anti-American bigots.”
And yes, there’s a difference in that Christianity is the Truth and Islam is a false religion. But that distinction is to be made in the churches, not by the government.
The author supports the idea that the “peaceful” religion of Islam should stop attacking our interests and killing our citizens. We will continue to defend our interests and our citizens until they do. Unfortunately “respect, charisma and persuasion” are NEVER enough to prevent violence. Trust but verify, a great man once said.
The liberal ideology on the war on terror is extremely naive in giving the Islamists the benefit of the doubt.
I’m in agreement with Chris here. President Obama probably has no religion. If he were to admit to not being a Christian, he would never have been elected.
He’s doing a bang-up job of reaching the mass base of the Islamic world, one of the founding tenants of any anti-terrorism effort. Whereas the author would undoubtedly support further offensive counter-terrorism actions, the President is using respect, charisma, and persuasion to help prevent violence.
This, of course, is unacceptable to tinfoil hatters who proclaim our President is, himself, a Muslim.
The President is on a trip to heal relations between Muslim countries and the United States. It’s simply fitting that he would start in the place associated with Islam.
I don’t think Islam is more important to Obama than Christianity. I think they are, in terms of his personal beliefs, equally unimportant. Like any politican, he’s courting people on both sides, saying he admires their beliefs in order to get votes. His statements on science and other aspects lead me to believe he’s more of an atheist or agnostic than anything.
I don’t think Obama is “out to get” Christians. But there’s not a need for the U.S. to have peace with Christian nations. And yes, I know the argument is “why should we seek peace with these people”…well, let’s remember that there was a book written that said “blessed are the peacemakers.” Also, I know we’d like the other nations to approach us…but being the bigger people means taking the first step.
Let’s also remember that St. Ronald The Great did not attend church services–although I’ll admit that I would rather a President just come out and say “I don’t have faith, so I’m not going to go through the motions and attend” than simply mouth Christian platitudes to get votes. But Reagan’s wife did have seances in the White House.