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

This is a reading of my article "Obama's Christianity: why it might be sincere, why it might not, and why it might not matter," a post to the blog site "Clashing Culture" (http://clashingculture.wordpress.com/).

Here's the direct link to the article: http://clashingculture.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/obamas-christianity-why-it-mi...

My four YouTube channels:

- http://youtube.com/user/ToddGates - my musician channel

- http://youtube.com/user/ToddAllenGates - where I discuss the ideas in my book "Dialogue with a Christian Proselytizer" (a dialogue between a Christian proselytizer and a Socratic skeptic)

- http://youtube.com/user/ToddAllenGates2 - where I discuss the ideas in my book "Hunting, Gathering, & Videogames" (such as "Why do we have to work?" and "Why do we have to use money?" and "How should we define 'success'?")

- http://www.youtube.com/user/BlasphemyPiano - where I provide background piano accompaniment for songs in Nick Gisburne's "Blasphemy! Anthems for Atheists."

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• The Audacity of Hope
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[Johnknee1000]

Time will tell... it always has! Great effort, thank you for your time & opinion Todd ♥

[ToddAllenGates]

@Johnknee1000

> Great effort, thank you for your time & opinion Todd

Most welcome - thank you!

[ToddAllenGates]

> . . . does not necessarily mean a being has the ability to contemplate the deference between right and wrong or even the thought of their origin

I agree that it's highly unlikely that even the likes of chimps and dolphins are capable of considering their origins. And while natural selection favors such traits as reciprocal altruism, I agree that it's doubtful that such animals have a sense of "right and wrong" that's comparable to humans.

[billredeemed]

i agree 100%

[billredeemed]

Having the ability to distingish between what a reflection looke like before and what it looks like when it has changed does not necessarily mean a being has the ability to contemplate the deference between right and wrong or even the thought of their origin.

[ToddAllenGates]

3 of 3:

> all the Christians i actually come into frequent contact with are trying very hard not to make that judgement

Whether he is or not, I think Obama respects many of the positive benefits of Christianity, and will do his best to consider Christian opinion in his decisions. Inviting Rick Warren to his inauguration was a telling sign.

[ToddAllenGates]

2 of 3:

> how much consciouness do you think animals have and why?

If I remember correctly (and I might be mistaken on the precise details), one of the tests of self-consciousness is to paint a strange spot on an animal's face, and then have it look in a mirror. If the animal makes a move to touch its own face where the spot is, you can tell it has some self-consciousness. Chimps, for example, will pass this test, whereas less intelligent animals won't.

[ToddAllenGates]

1 of 3:

"What is your defintion of morals?"

The pre-human morals I was referring to are compassion, cooperation, consideration, and reciprocal altruism: something that can be seen in all social animals (wolves, dolphins, apes, etc.)

[billredeemed]

At 4;50 you claim morals predate humanity. Which makes me want to ask, "What is your defintion of morals?" Also, how much consciouness do you thing animals have and why? As an overall comment on the video i say that you made it pretty clear you do not think he is a Christian and that you are glad of it. You should know that all the Christians i actually come into frequent contact with are trying very hard not to make that judgement, though it is not easy i assure you. Lords will be done.