1 of 5: Obama's Christianity: why it might be sincere, why it might not, and why it might not matter

[cmpresents]

Obama is not a christian. No christian will call the Koran a holy book. That is treason. That's the answer, end it already.

[ToddAllenGates]

@cmpresents

> Obama is not a christian. No christian will call the Koran a holy book.

That's politicians for you -- they try to be all things to all people. Even George W. Bush called Islam "a good peaceful religion."

For theists who take their religion seriously, it seems it would be more honest to acknowledge that all the *other* religions are man-manufactured, and based on little more than delusion and wishful thinking.

[ebaltrace]

I think that President Obama is an Atheist. When all that stuff came out about Reverend Wright, Obama seemed unaware of what Wright had said in his sermons. I think Obama joined the church because he thought it was good for politics but rarely attended. It's boring for an Atheist to listen to all that religious crap if you don't believe it's true.

Now is the time for all Atheists who sit in the pews for social, business and political reasons to come out and scream.." I don't believe that crap.

[ToddAllenGates]

@ebaltrace

> I think Obama joined the church because he thought it was good for politics

Agreed.

> It's boring for an Atheist to listen to all that religious crap if you don't believe it's true.

I'm an atheist as well, but I confess that I find mass delusions to be fascinating!

[ebaltrace]

@ToddAllenGates I can understand your fascination.

Ebal the Atheist

BTW Good Video!

[hawanja]

I am of the third opinion - it does not matter.

Fucking Christians.... why are we letting these people hold us back like this? So our leaders HAVE to believe in this invisible man bullshit? Oh wait, he could be a muslim, OHFUCKINGNO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Jesus jumping leaping humping galloping christ on a shitcovered pogostick, this shit is embarrassing people.

[ToddAllenGates]

@hawanja

> Fucking Christians.... why are we letting these people hold us back like this?

It's an inherent problem when we live in a democracy where the majority of the population embraces delusion!

[bustermk2]

I predict that Obama will reveal his true religious affilations after he leaves office.

[ToddAllenGates]

@bustermk2

> I predict that Obama will reveal his true religious affilations after he leaves office.

I look forward to that announcement!

[black487]

@bustermk2 I doubt he ever will. Why bother? You never know what the future will hold, he may be blowing away future political options by doing that if it's anything other than "Christian".  Plus, he'd be labeled as a liar.

[ToddAllenGates]

> Change that filthy T shirt !

This t-shirt has a cave painting design on it - if you watch other videos of mine where I wear this shirt but step back a bit, you could see how the areas on the right that look stained on top fit into a pattern.

So it's actually a clean shirt - but I never noticed that from this angle alone, the shirt really DOES look stained! So thank you--if I ever wear this shirt again for a video, I'll make sure to step back so the pattern is evident.

[12stepp]

I think most people do not want a leader, they want someone to help them clear away what is blocking them from a loving God who will give them strength and knowledge of his will. men have to many defects to trust for very long.

[marklross2]

Another idiot who cites Old Testament law, does not understand the new covenant between God and man, does not know that Christ has fulfilled the law...

[ToddGates]

1 of 2:

> Another idiot who cites Old Testament law, does not understand the new covenant between God and man, does not know that Christ has fulfilled the law...

Hi Mark,

Two questions:

#1: Would you also say, then, that the OT prohibition against homosexuality no longer applies?

#2: Matthew 5:17-19 *seems* to state that Jesus says the Old Testament laws still DO apply. How should Matthew 5:17-19 be properly interpreted?

[ToddGates]

2 of 2:

(Here's the passage: "Think not that I have come to abolish the law & the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven & earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of the commandments & teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them & teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.")

[marklross2]

Let answer in reverse order. The validity of the intent of the law will always be true. However, by fulfilling the law, Christ has taken the punishment for us for failure to adhere to the law. The idea is that man no longer has to endure punishment to atone for failing to adhere to the law, but instead accept the truth of Christ's redemption by asking for forgiveness. The law is intended to provide man with a template for behavior while demonstrating how impossible it would be for man to

[marklross2]

meet with the requirements to justify his own redemption. Because Christ fulfilled the law for us, our redemption is possible.

[marklross2]

With that said, the "prohibition" of homosexuality in the Old Testament certainly no longer carries with it the punishment that was originally prescribed. The idea that homosexuals should be punished for their behavior is obsolete.

[ToddAllenGates]

1 of 6:

First, my apologies for my delayed response.

> The validity of the intent of the law will always be true. However, by fulfilling the law, Christ has taken the punishment for us for failure to adhere to the law.

Yet Matthew 5 has it that Jesus said "Till heaven & earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law ...

[ToddAllenGates]

2 of 6:

"whoever relaxes one of the least of the commandments & teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven ..." From these words alone, Jesus seems to be saying quite clearly "the Old Testament laws are in effect until heaven & earth pass away."

[ToddAllenGates]

3 of 6:

Is there a passage that provides a good back-up for your argument that "once Jesus died on the cross, we don't have to follow Old Testament commands anymore"? (I know Galatians 3:23-26 comes close—but I'm hoping to find a quote from Jesus Himself.)

[ToddAllenGates]

4 of 6:

Assuming that there *is* a passage that clearly spells out that "in the post-Jesus world, we no longer have to obey Old Testament laws: it's now okay to eat lobster (overturning Leviticus 11: 1012), okay to wear polyblend clothes (overturning Leviticus 19:19), and no more stoning people to death for gathering sticks on Sundays (Numbers 15)"

[ToddAllenGates]

5 of 6:

---does that mean you believe that Christians who want The Ten Commandments publically displayed are mistaken: that they don't realize that the Old Testament is something of an antiquated rulebook?

Regardless of the OT/NT issue, I feel Obama's original point—that we can't make public policy conform to "God's Word"—still stands.

[ToddAllenGates]

6 of 6:

For even if we set the Old Testament aside, the fact that there are *thousands* of different Christian denominations is strong evidence that there's more than one way to interpret the New Testament, thus making translation into law difficult.

Or as Obama put it, "What our pluralistic democracy demands is that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values."

[marklross2]

The validity of the Ten Commandments still stands. The necessity of the Ten Commandments has been eliminated. Public policy is secondary to God's Word. There is no conflict there...

[marklross2]

From Romans: 21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

[marklross2]

25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

[marklross2]

That means that the pertinence of the laws still apply. The law is no less meaningful, but it is not the law that justifies salvation. That is why Christ says that he has fulfilled the law.

[bomshizzle]

Watch the "yahoo" question from Bill Maher to Barack Obama. If he was strong and stern in his faith, he wouldn't of laughed when (keyword when) he did. Its Obamas 2nd thought.

[ToddGates]

> Watch the "yahoo" question from Bill Maher to Barack Obama. If he was strong and stern in his faith, he wouldn't of laughed when he did.

Obama did a skillful balancing act when addressing Maher's points: acknowledging the voting power of Christians, giving proper lip service to the positive (placebo!) effects of religion, but also acknowledging that religion should not serve as any "guide" in politics.

[sapiensape]

A good anaysis! Your "reading between the lines" is on target. He is smart enough to realize if he was to reach his goal (snce childhood) of President of the USA he would have to be seen as "a Christian," not an agnostic or athiest. He's one smart cookie!

[josephedwardperez]

Obama is too smart to be a sincere Christian.

[NapalmNick315]

Most logical. This subject is very interesting.

[ToddGates]

> Most logical. This subject is very interesting.

Thanks!

[iviewthetube]

It seems Obama had a smart mom.

[ToddAllenGates]

> It seems Obama had a smart mom.

I quite agree ... a shame she didn't live to see her son become president.

[templarart]

Really good to see more videos from you!

[ToddAllenGates2]

> Really good to see more videos from you!

Thanks - more on the way!

[cuntsound]

The title reminds me of Greg Graffin's book: "Is belief in god: good, bad or irrelevant?"

[ToddGates]

> The title reminds me of Greg Graffin's book: "Is belief in god: good, bad or irrelevant?"

Wish I had thought of that when I was naming the article! I could have called it "Obama's 'Christianity': sincere, fake, or irrelevant?"

[DefaultPosition]

I didn't know Obama had been so outspoken on his scepticism. Perhaps he thinks of himself as a 'cultural Christian', we have a lot of them over here in the UK.

[ToddGates]

> Obama's skepticism of religion gives me hope that maybe soon America will be truly secular like it was made to be

It's certainly a good starting point!

[BOOKgod22]

good calm logical statements from a politison gives me hope for a good political leader.

[imaginenoreligion]

Coherent

Informative

5 stars

[gigantibyte]

It was good to hear of how Obama'a mother taught him about religion. Makes me confident he uses rational judgement much more than what the media would have had us believing during the Jeremiah Wright controversy.