God-o-Meter

For Guns and Jesus

Monday February 4, 2008

Categories: Barack Obama

obama11.jpgThink Barack Obama's landslide victory among South Carolina churchgoers allayed the campaign's fears about the false rumors that he's Muslim? Think again. Check out the top of this AP dispatch:

BOISE, Idaho - Democratic Sen. Barack Obama assured Western voters Saturday he believes in Jesus as well as the rights of gun owners.

The presidential candidate warned people about hoax e-mails they may get saying he's secretly a Muslim who might want to destroy the United States.

"I've been going to the same church for 20 years, praising Jesus," the Illinois senator told more than 10,000 people packed into Boise State's basketball arena. He is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Obama's crowd and his mention of God was notable in Idaho, one of the smaller prizes among the 22 states holding Democratic presidential campaign contests on Super Tuesday. Idaho's caucuses offer 18 Democratic delegates to the national convention.

Obama urged those at the rally not to believe everything they hear about him.

"We've heard the usual sort of smear campaigns. I don't know if they've trickled up to Iowa," Obama said to laughter from the crowed, then quickly corrected himself. "Idaho. I know they were in Iowa.

"They send out these e-mails saying, `You know Obama, he's a Muslim and he doesn't pledge allegiance to the flag,'" he said. "Don't try to just insult not just me but people of the Islamic faith by playing on people's fears. I know who I am.

"And then there are people who say, `Well, he doesn't believe in the Second Amendment,' even though I come from a state — we've got a lot of hunters in downstate Illinois. And I have no intention of taking away folks' guns."

Obama didn't mention that he does support gun control and has a record of voting for it in the Illinois Senate. He backed limiting handgun purchases to one a month, but he made no attempts to ban them. Today, he stands by his support for controls while trying to reassure hunters that he has no interest in interfering with their access to firearms.


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Comments
Paul Maurice Martin
February 4, 2008 1:56 PM

What's really sad is that it's clear that no actual Muslim could even begin to think of running for president. (We do, however, have one in Congress; so far, the nation has survived...)

In the aftermath of 9/11, Bush kept telling Americans that this is not a "clash of cultures." To his credit (?) he only let the word "crusade" slip out once before one of his staffers apparently slapped him upside the head, but he's nevertheless managed to provide a political environment where the clash of cultures notion can flourish and become real.

Paul – originafaith.com

enas
February 4, 2008 5:42 PM

Barack Obama is the best candidate for the job. He has character and good intentions,thats all that really matters.

God-o-Meter
February 4, 2008 8:44 PM

Paul makes a good point. A Pew poll last year found that 45-percent of Americans would be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate if he or she was Muslim. The poll found that only one tradition would face more resistence at the polls: atheists.

Hank
February 5, 2008 2:28 AM

That's true that Barback Obama was refused pledge allegiance to the flag, and not wants to us awares about him, He's feel so fear self if He did pledge allegiance to the flag, Islamic and Muslim found out that who that He was self Islamic or Muslim and will to judge him to do running through his campaings by government the law. That verse said "And be not fashioned according to this world; that mean He not wants to fashion according our america, to self Isamic or Muslim's cultures to teach us following thoses the man. I opponets that his teaching about "For Guns and Jesus" Jesus did not teach how to practices guns to killing each one or something, conflict to us teachs tenders love or hates fighting the country by word of Barback Obama, see that He can't make to save us trust by him, no have to help nothing for the country, his lies so many his words..... verse said {Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.} He will not running became princes (President) our ameirca, will not trust in him no have helps for us...

Bleumousse
February 5, 2008 2:01 PM

Well Victoria, electing Hillary just because she is a woman is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. You would rather our country be screwed up then let a woman not be elected. Geez what a deal.

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About God-o-Meter

This blog is no longer updated and is closed for comments. We welcome your comments about politics in our Politics forums.

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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