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Barack Obama
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Tuesday January 15, 2008
Obama's Christian Lit
The Obama campaign has been distributing serious Christian literature in South Carolina for months now, but it's gone mostly unremarked upon in the news media. The Washington Post has a short item on the brochures tonight:
The brochure being handed out in South Carolina shows a picture of the candidate with his hands together and eyes closed. In large letters, it reads "ANSWERING THE CALL."Inside, voters learn of a candidate who was "CALLED TO CHRIST" and even larger letters is a "COMMITTED CHRISTIAN" and is quoted saying, "I believe in the power of prayer."
Barack Obama's campaign in South Carolina is targeting black voters, and one of the ways he's doing it is appealing to a connection based on shared religious faith. Obama, a Christian who attends a United Church of Christ congregation in Chicago, has talked about his faith in Iowa and other states, as well, but his campaign literature is particularly focused on his religion here, where he depicts himself, in one picture, before a pulpit, and, in another, praying with an African American man.
Filed Under: Barack Obama, casting stones, Christian, literature
posted by Dan Gilgoff @ 8:17pm Permalink 
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NOTE TO READERS: From June 12 to June 25, God-o-Meter is being guest blogged by Gustav Niebuhr, Associate Professor of Religion and the Media at Syracuse University, where he directs the Religion and Society Program. In more than two decades as a journalist, Niebuhr has covered American religion and other subjects for The New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. His book Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America, will be published next month by Viking. Dan Gilgoff returns to God-o-Meter June 26.The God-o-Meter (pronounced Gah-DOM-meter) scientifically measures factors such as rate of God-talk, effectiveness—saying God wants a capital gains tax cut doesn't guarantee a high rating—and other top-secret criteria (Actually, the adjustment criteria are here). Click a candidate's head to get his or her latest God-o-Meter reading and blog post. And check back often. With so much happening on the campaign trail, God-o-Meter is constantly recalibrating!
God-o-Meter blogger Dan Gilgoff is Beliefnet's Politics Editor. A former political correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, he is author of The Jesus Machine: How James Dobson, Focus on the Family, and Evangelical America are Winning the Culture War.
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Comments
What's interesting about Obama's church is that it ascribes to black liberation theology. I was wondering if the Clintons would bring that issue up on the campaign trial (through a surrogate of course :-).
But more importantly, why didn't Obama get a bump in his rank. That's certainly Huckabee/theocrat rhetoric, don't you think?
Posted by: Michele McGinty | January 16, 2008 9:36 AM
I can not believe that you have rated Obama a "9" on the God-o-Meter. When a candidate has publically stated that his "vision" is comprised of the hopes and dreams of people, that is in no way "Theocratic!" I contrast Obama with Huckabee, the real Theocrat:
Huckabee wants to replace the US Constitution with "Bible" principles! OMG!!! Obama wants change based on universal principles of civil liberties and justice. Huckabee, is a (Southern) Baptist Minister. Obama is not a minister at all. Huckabee feels "God's presence" during a debate. Obama endeavors to tell people the truth.
Move Obama down to "5" with the other committed Christians and please, please do not put him in the same theological category as Huckabee, for God's sake. The two of them could not be more different!!!
Posted by: John Wilson | January 16, 2008 4:33 PM
Obama espouses true Christian values by word and deed. McCain is more Old Testament fire and brimstone. Love vs Fear.
Posted by: dana | June 20, 2008 11:07 PM
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