So the latest Obama-hates-God “story” making its way around the conservative blogosphere is that the president ordered religious symbols covered during his policy speech on the economy at Georgetown this week. The clear implication is that, obviously, Obama is an enemy of religion and specifically Christianity. (And why wouldn’t he, as he’s a Muslim?!)
A conservative outfit called CNSNews reported the story. Their stated goal is to “fairly present all legitimate sides of a story and debunk popular, albeit incorrect, myths about cultural and policy issues.
Yet, as a Georgetown spokesperson told the news service, the White House requested a neutral backdrop with Georgetown symbols covered, and the university went further and covered an “IHS” (the traditional monogram for the name of Jesus) and small cross in a pediment over the president’s head. A shot of the offending pediment, courtesy of CNSNews, is at right. A shot of the entire scene is at the end of this post. Go figure.
Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications at Georgetown, told CNSNews.com:
“The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech, consistent with what they’ve done for other policy speeches…Frankly, the pipe and drape wasn’t high enough by itself to fully cover the IHS and cross above the GU seal and it seemed most respectful to have them covered so as not to be seen out of context.”
That’s also the message Bataille sent to Julia Duin of the Washington Times, who contacted a spokesperson for Catholic University of America, who quickly distanced CUA from Georgetown:
Not every Catholic institution would have caved to quite this extent [Duin wrote]. Victor Nakas, spokesman for Catholic University, e-mailed me to say several presidents have visited CUA and the most recent administration official to speak there was then-Vice President Dick Cheney.
“I can’t imagine, as the bishops’ university and the national university of the Catholic Church, that we would ever cover up our religious art or signage for any reason,” Mr. Nakas wrote. “Our Catholic faith is integral to our identity as an institution of higher education.
Nice. CWNews is headlining the story, and Bill Donohue at the Catholic League titles his press release, OBAMA NIXES “JESUS” AT GEORGETOWN.
“The cowardice of Georgetown to stand fast on principle tells us more than we need to know about what is going on there, but the bigger story is the audacity of the Obama administration to ask a religious school to neuter itself before the president speaks there. No bishop who might speak at the White House would ever request that a crucifix be displayed behind him. Moreover, the same church and state fanatics who go nuts every time a polling place is set up in the basement of a Catholic school have been noticeably silent over this incident.”
Maybe that’s because, as David Brody of the Christian news service, CBNews.com reports, this is much ado about nothing:
Here is what The White House is telling The Brody File:
The President appreciated the gracious hosts at Georgetown University where he delivered his speech on the state of the economy. Decisions made about the backdrop for the speech were made to have a consistent background of American flags, which is standard for many presidential events. Any suggestions to the contrary are simply false.”
Georgetown University is saying that The White House made the request to cover all symbols around the stage but it’s important to point out at there are dozens of religious symbols in Gaston Hall and those were not covered up.
Also, other still pictures from the event show portraits of Jesus in the background which are off center from the stage. In addition, I can tell you that it has been my experience on the campaign trail that advance teams do typically make backdrops as generic as possible. It’s pretty much standard fare to make them that way.
Also, the fact that Georgetown University actually has a perfectly fit triangle piece to cover up the cross and monogram suggests that they have done this before at other events. We are waiting on Georgetown to provide us a response to that question.
Not everyone is so patient. No surprise. So check out the scene below. Offensive?
posted April 16, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Mr. Gibson,
Thank you for you sane post in this “non-issue”. Your hunch is correct because when the local Jewish community uses Gaston Hall, as they do every year, to celebrate the High Holy Days, out of respect for Jewish sensibilities, the IHS is covered up. Unfortunately, your sense that the situation was going viral has materialized. I would say it is now toxic.
posted April 16, 2009 at 9:43 pm
“Not everyone is so patient. No surprise.”
Dreher and his readers over at Crunchy Con seem to have already come to a conclusion about the university’s intentions. And as I’ve come to expect, it’s full of intrigue and conspiracies. Your version seems a bit more realistic. Thanks for not giving in to sensationalism.
posted April 16, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Offensive? No. Disrespectful? Yes. I don’t understand why “The White House wanted a simple backdrop of flags and pipe and drape for the speech…” What is the point of speaking at Gaston Hall if you are going to cover it up so that it looks like all other speeches?
This is my first visit to beliefnet.com and I’m wondering if this a liberal website. The premise of this story was very Obama-like: a strawman premise and a misunderstanding of the general complaint.
It’s not that Obama is an “enemy of religion” or that “he’s a Muslim!?” Why would you be so dishonest as to make that the premise of your column?
The real story is about Obama’s arrogance and Georgetown’s cowardice. There is no need whatsoever to hide any symbols of Jesus regardless of who the guest speaker is. Obama just wanted to look presidential. He looked shallow instead.
posted April 16, 2009 at 10:27 pm
“The real story is about Obama’s arrogance and Georgetown’s cowardice. There is no need whatsoever to hide any symbols of Jesus regardless of who the guest speaker is. Obama just wanted to look presidential. He looked shallow instead.”
No, the real story is about the right-wings efforts to obscure the release of the memos regarding torture through any means necessary, including this.
posted April 16, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Marc,
Do you really believe what you wrote?
posted April 17, 2009 at 3:07 am
Georgetown is to Catholicism as prostitution is to lovemaking. It’s just sad to see a former theological juggernaut having aged into a toothless, decrepit shell of its former self. That’s the consequence of infidelity. Georgetown and Notre Dame achieved their status because they showed that Catholics could field authentically Catholic Universities that could rival the Protestant establishment academically and athletically. They lost sight of the fact that rivaling the Protestant establishment and aping them are very different realities with very different consequences.
Coincidence that Obama regretted the invitation to Archbishop Dolan’s installation (where he would be paying respect to the Church by his presence), but he shows where Catholics agree to neuter themselves at his request?
posted April 17, 2009 at 7:14 am
I SAY WHY GO TO A CATHOLIC PLACE THEN , WHY NOT A MAKE SHIFT CORNER FOR YOUR SPEECH. I SAY SHAME TO THIS SCHOOL FOR BOWING, YOU SHOULD BE BOWING TO THE LORD YOUR GOD. IF HE WERE TO COME HERE IN MIDDLETOWN NJ NO WAY WOULD WE COVER ANYTHING UP FOR HIS PURPOSE.IF HE DID NOT WANT TO BE SHOWN AMONG THESE THEN GO SOME WHERE OTHER THEN A CATHOLIC PLACE. I SAY THERE IS MORE TO THIS THEN YOU THINK…AND ALL YOU WHO ARE DENYING YOUR LORD BY COVERING HIM UP, GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG FORGIVENESS AND REMOVE THE DRAPES……
posted April 17, 2009 at 7:22 am
I am outraged by the conduct of our President. And everyone, now will you believe that he is a muslim? What will be next? Tearing all the churches down because he doesn’t like what they represent! This guy is not even a U.S. citizen, where does he get off playing Mr. President. This country is in for horrible things in the future, then maybe the liberals will agree that he is a nothing and should be treated as such. He is an embarrassment to our country. It makes me sick!
posted April 17, 2009 at 7:40 am
If Obama wanted a presidential background, he should have stayed at the White House. Period.
posted April 17, 2009 at 8:21 am
Okay, I must be missing something, because I’m not feeling offended right now.
It makes sense to me that, if Obama were making a speech unrelated to the university, he would want the background to appear neutral instead of advertising Georgetown (or wherever). Perhaps it would have been better to speak from the White House, but that’s not always practical if the President needs to be out of town at the time.
The pediment would’ve looked stupid if it was partially covered to obscure the Georgetown logo but reveal the religious symbols. And people (albeit different ones) would have been angry anyway. So why not err on the side of tasteful appearance? Plus, as Gibson points out, it seems likely that Georgetown already had a triangular covering ready to use, and thus it makes sense to use it as a matter of convenience.
Yes, he could have chosen a non-religious institution. And maybe he should start doing that, since every Catholic university he visits seems to end up in trouble (witness Notre Dame). But I don’t agree at all that he’s taking a shot at Christianity or trying to muzzle people who profess to be Christians in spite of their uncharitable interpretations of his choices.
posted April 17, 2009 at 8:33 am
Iris,
First, Georgetown is in Washington, D.C. so I presume he could have easily done this at the White House. Second, it doesn’t take too long to cut out a triangular piece of plywood to cover the opening (probably less time than setting up the entie stage.) The President continues to insult this country in so many ways. His performance is comparable to the Harding and Carter – not the Presidential image this country needs or deserves.
posted April 17, 2009 at 8:33 am
Name calling and accusation are the nonconservative substitutes for real ideas. The same thing is at play here. I get tired of all this silly stuff.
posted April 17, 2009 at 8:41 am
Your Name,
Point taken – I had forgotten that Georgetown is in Washington. I live in Canada, so my U.S. geography is not that good. But I still feel that this is a molehill being trumped up into a mountain. I’m not even remotely convinced that this was any kind of attack or insult against Christianity. I don’t think this indicates any of the dramatic future consequences people are imagining, like tearing down all the churches in America. And frankly, when people are still being martyred for their Christian faith to this day, I don’t know why more people aren’t thanking God if this is the worst persecution they ever face.
posted April 17, 2009 at 11:01 am
Iris,
“And frankly, when people are still being martyred for their Christian faith to this day, I don’t know why more people aren’t thanking God if this is the worst persecution they ever face.”
The persecution never starts with people suddenly being burned alive or dragged out into the street and shot, or carted off to concentration camps.
Look at Nazi Germany. There was a fifteen year escalation of rhetoric, of people being conditioned to accept the culpability of ‘the filthy Jew’. Once the image of the Jew as ‘filthy’ was firmly ensconced (or reawakened) then it was easy to pass the Nuremberg Laws. It then became easier to build concentration camps. It then became a piece of cake to effect ‘the final solution to the Jewish problem.’
So Obama wants a neutral backdrop? He wants to look Presidential? No finer backdrop than the Oval Office or the East Room of the White House. There’s the lie.
He doesn’t want to look Presedential. He wants to look Messianic. The White House does not give him the throngs of adoring, cheering listeners that a Georgetown does. But then, we can’t have imagery evoking another Messiah stinking up the joint. Can we?
Is Obama not from the party of tolerance, diversity and inclusivity? Why not embrace all religious symbology from the varied venues where he speaks? It’s because he is the Messiah and high priest of the competing State religion. We see this religion on parade with the war on Christmas and a thousand other cuts at Christianity.
Yes, the persecution is on. No, people aren’t being shot or imprisoned. But there are no guarantees that it will not happen here. The only guarantee is constant vigilance against such mendacity.
I once had occasion to be at the home of a Catholic friend at a party when a guest asked if a crucifix could be removed because it was offensive. The guest asked how offensive? The response was ‘very offensive’ The hostess disappeared and returned with the guest’s coat and politely asked that the guest leave and never return, as she was equally offended.
Georgetown should have handed the pop messiah his hat and coat and shown him the door.
posted April 17, 2009 at 11:15 am
I’m baffled by Mr. Gibson’s article on this subject. Georgetown covered IHS. He shows a picture of that in his article. Georgetown has stated:
“In coordinating the logistical arrangements for yesterday’s event, Georgetown honored the White House staff’s request to cover all of the Georgetown University signage and symbols behind Gaston Hall stage,” Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications at Georgetown, told CNSNews.com.
So, Mr. Gibson’s defense is that, well, IHS was covered but not every single image of Jesus was covered, therefore the whole issue is bunk. How odd an argument from a supposed Catholic.
Georgetown admitted that the Obama crew requested that symbols be hidden. Georgetown covered Jesus’ monogram above the podium.
So, Mr. Gibson, as a Catholic and as a supposed objective thinker, why are you not bothered that (a) Obama’s crew requested that symbols be hidden and (b) that Georgetown complied?
posted April 17, 2009 at 11:39 am
This is utter insanity. I’m dumbfounded.
Catholics: get a grip!
posted April 17, 2009 at 12:03 pm
What worries me the most in this issue isn’t the White House request, but the university attitude. Father John Zuhlsdorf, commenting this, quoted St. Mark: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)
Let’s remember Georgetown is the same university that apologized to teachers and students for the very Catholic remarks that cardinal Francis Arinze made during a speech in 2003. Arinze spoke against divorce, abortion, homosexuality behaviour; some people left the room and wrote protest letters after it. Instead of apologizing to the cardinal for the teachers’ behavious, the university preferred to apologize to the teachers. After all, who could imagine that a Catholic cardinal, in a Catholic university, would talk about, well, Catholic doctrine?
Unfortunately the Jesuit order is going downhill. It’s a pale shadow of the great order St. Ignatius and his companions built.
posted April 17, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Marcio,
Great commentary, as always. Yes the Jesuits are falling apart. We’re witnessing what Jesus promised: the pruning of the vine’s branches that don’t bear fruit. It’s sad to see the carnage, but we’ll be healthier when the dead wood is gone.
God Bless.
posted April 17, 2009 at 1:59 pm
“So Obama wants a neutral backdrop? He wants to look Presidential? No finer backdrop than the Oval Office or the East Room of the White House. There’s the lie.”
Yes, and then the conservatives start complaining that Obama is out of touch because he never leaves the White House. And when he does leave it and speak in an overtly Catholic setting, that host is accused of going against Catholic teachings by endorsing his message. So when another Catholic institution covers up its holy symbols so as not to appear to be giving religious endorsement of his message, they are caving in.
My, my, you conservatives really have a racket going here. Rather than give some refutation of what he actually said, all you need to do is whine and moan about the setting, the host, or the circumstances under which he was speaking, and you get press.
Never mind that we just get another look into the torture apparatchik of the last administration.
By the way, Gerard, does your pro-life rhetoric extend to the issue of torture? Or are Muslims not considered human in your Catholic viewpoint?
posted April 17, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I Think this is Bunk because christ is displayed behind the president. if he is a true muslim he would of insisted on all of our lord and saviors pictures being covered. I am a catholic also.
posted April 17, 2009 at 3:42 pm
“if he is a true muslim he would of insisted on all of our lord and saviors pictures being covered”
Robert, you are trying to argue logic with idiots, and only idiots would believe Obama is a Muslim. There is no reasoning with them, there is no refutation that will satisfy them.
What continues to amaze me is that people will criticize non-incidents like this, but then turn around and defend and excuse pedophile priests in their church.
posted April 17, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Again, the problem is not the flag backdrop, but rather the extent of the White House’s own admission, to cover up any religious references on the Georgetown stop. Additionally, the issue is not what can be seen by a “still camera” but rather what can be seen by the mainstream news media outlets. None of the mainstream news media outlets including newspapers showed any still photos of the stained glass windows like the one pictured in this blog. At the very least, on the heels of the President’s comments in Turkey that the United States “is not a Christian nation” reference. This President and the White House should not want any additional “Christian” embarrassing references, and just give in to the fact that thank God this country still has a “silent Majority” that still supports the idea that we are “one nation under God”. Psalms 33:12; “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD”
posted April 17, 2009 at 5:22 pm
“Marc,
Do you really believe what you wrote? ”
Every bit as much as the folks believe that Obama is a Muslim, or that he had Georgetown cover their symbols because he hates Catholicism.
posted April 17, 2009 at 5:31 pm
“This President and the White House should not want any additional “Christian” embarrassing references, and just give in to the fact that thank God this country still has a “silent Majority” that still supports the idea that we are “one nation under God”. Psalms 33:12; “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD”"
Yes, and a silent majority who is quite comfortable with torturing those who do not follow our way of believing about God.
posted April 17, 2009 at 8:12 pm
You have it backward..It is Obama that hates Christians and has labeled them as terrorists.. Have you not read the Homeland security assessment that is a mirror of Obama’s mind and his opinion of small town America that clings to guns and Bibles and fears or hates other races and immigration policies..
Jesus said believers would take up serpents(serpents are symbol for deceptions or deceivers) and if they drink their deadly poison it will not hurt them..Mark 16-18
You friends drank the Obamageddon kool aide and it has blinded you..
posted April 17, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Or were they tortured for a different reason involving information.
posted April 17, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Well I know I’m certainly offended by the U.S. flags behind the PRESIDENT of the U.S. while he is giving a speech! NOT! What the heck is the fuss about?
posted April 17, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Oh, so Obama “hates Christians.” I guess that’s why he expanded Bush’s faith-based initiative so that all of our tax dollars – whether we’re Christian or not – will be spent to evangelize people to Jesus. Yep, that sure spells hatred of Christians. So, in that way, Obama is funding “terrorists.” That’s a pretty funny allegation to make.
posted April 17, 2009 at 10:04 pm
You folks sure know how to sidestep the main issue…What a crazy site this is.
posted April 17, 2009 at 11:42 pm
David, your insight on this is….well…lacking. While I am sure some blogs are going with the Obama hates Christians angle, most of what I have read is critical of Georgetown for covering up the IHS.
To cover a symbol, such a central symbol, in the way they did is the issue. In trying to spin it another way makes you as foolish as the loudmouths you rail against here.
posted April 18, 2009 at 2:45 am
okay, Ive read enough. fact….he screwed up…..Obama is offended by the crosses,Jesus,mother Mary or christian anything…why?….yep,I dont even have to say it. he does not believe in our Lord and savior.He is of a different religeon because he was brought up on it.Earlier in the election he was musslim, than towards the end, all of a sudden he was a christian….. only to lie and please the public.Now you can go on and on and say how its no big deal ect. but we are headed for big surprises…..get ur heads out of your butts and pay attention and face the truth and at least keep one eye open, or you will not be prepared at all. Peace out
posted April 18, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Your Name (April 18, 2009 2:45 AM):
“Obama is offended by the crosses,Jesus,mother Mary or christian anything”
Which is why there’s a huge painting of Jesus in the background of that photo. Surprised someone hasn’t suggested he was using the painting to portray himself as the Messiah, seeing as far as the anti-Obama crowd is concerned, he somehow hates Christianity and thinks he’s Jesus at the same time.
“He is of a different religeon because he was brought up on it.”
By a man who rejected said religion.
“Earlier in the election he was musslim, than towards the end, all of a sudden he was a christian”
More bull. Obama never claimed to be a Muslim and spent most of his campaign saying otherwise (and not quite enough time saying “not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course” in my opinion). You guys claimed he was a Muslim (and therefore a terrorist), despite him being a member of that church you don’t like for “20 years”, as you so frequently reminded us.
posted April 18, 2009 at 3:01 pm
This is so ridiculous. I was in the room during the event. The room is full of religious symbols. In the picture you can see that to the right and left of Obama’s head, you can clearly read “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam inque Hominum Salutem” which translates to “for the greater glory of God and the salvation of humanity.” There are crosses and IHS’s all over the place. Only the one above the podium was covered, the other ones were all there for everyone to see. If they hadn’t covered up the golden IHS over his head, I’m sure the Christian right would be saying that Obama think’s he’s the messiah and wants to use Catholics as a backdrop. This is just the right trying to add fodder to the ridiculous “Obama is a muslim socialist” argument.
posted April 18, 2009 at 4:38 pm
You are all extremely ignorant. This country is not a Christian country and the government is “SECULAR” not sacred. It was necessary to cover the religious items as Obama was giving a speech to nation. If you accept this country as sacred, you must go to Iran; you have the same dark and rotten minds as all the Iranian clerics and any other extremists, fundamentalists have.
posted April 18, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Obama: There can only be one, ‘One’.
Some people have argued that Obama does not want to use religion to further a political ideology. However, Obama did evoke the Sermon on the Mount, at this Georgetown appearance, to further his economic agenda. Although Obama failed to mention Jesus Christ by name for the Sermon on the Mount.
“There is a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells a story of two men…‘the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house…it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock,’” Obama said.
“We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand,” he added. “We must build our house upon a rock.”
The last statement is particularly ironic since building your house upon a ‘ROCK‘ means to build your house with Christ as the foundation. Obama decided to blot out the real foundation from the timeless parable.
See the hi-res pictures:
http://tinyurl.com/djtzgm
posted April 18, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Can you imagine the headlines if President Obama appeared in press photos with IHS over his head? He would have been dragged through the mud for that as well. This is simply another round of the same conservative posturing. This is fine for politics but not for discipleship.
posted April 18, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Dear Mr.Moredred,…… I never said Obama is a terrorist, now did I? I dont think he is. I said he had and believes in a different God. You know who I mean. But I dont ask musslems to take of their scarfs and ruby thats in the middle of their fore heads when they are in stores or close to christian churches ect. You just started your own “bull” What I meant by changes, you will just have to wait and see…… people usually fear the unknown,and I think that its great that you obviously fear nothing at all….. am I right? Obama could be a star child for all we know who is here to see us through the toughest times soon ahead……..or he could be our great fall….who knows? do you? he seems perfect…actually too perfect…. you decide. because I dont think anyone on here can for 100%,they are as suspicious as the next person, with great reason……
posted April 19, 2009 at 9:53 pm
What I fail to understand is/was why Obama and his administration were so set on delivering a speech at Georgetown, if he knew it was a Christian University, go speak somewhere else. Or speak outside for godsake. I think it is so disrespectful and hypocritical of him and his administration. Their lame excuse about consistency is such a crockIf it was any other religious group there would have been serious hell to pay. But because it is a jesuit university with many practicing roman catholics its okay to crap on us.
I also seriously doubt if he had spoken in at a Muslim University there backdrop would have never been an issue.
I think Georgetown cow towing like this was a bad move. They are going to see alot of older alums withdrawing their annual funds. What were they thinking.
posted April 20, 2009 at 10:48 am
The leading Catholic universities must continue to be flexible with the pluralism in our public sphere. This goes back to the heresy of Americanism, do we as Catholics want to live in a parallel economy, government and social sphere, or do we want to be part of society.
This is a secular country and was the intent of our founders. It would be a shame for our leading Catholic universities to become second or third rate because we can’t respect the fact that our government or president is not Catholic and must be forced to swallow things that are specifically Catholic and will exclude others.
Just this weekend, I went to a service at the National Cathedral. While that fact that it is nominally Episcopalian does not sit well with me (it should be non-denominational), I admire the fact that it represents the proper relationship between our government and faith. Respecting all faiths, or none at all, far away from the Mall, befitting the diminished role that religion should have with our institutions of government.
posted April 25, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Check out “the scene” when Laura Bush spoke there, and then issue a retraction and apology.
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posted April 4, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Obama has impressed me in many ways. I vote Republician most of the time, but after watching and listing to our GOP candidates I had decided to vote for Obama. After reading this I will say if I was President I would fire everyone whos request resulted in Christion symbols being covered…since he didn’t I will vote Republician this time.
Ted Williams
posted May 9, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Obama has no Christian in him whatsoever. Anger against George Bush and his abuse of Christian values in starting wars led to Obama’s election by a lot of folks. Absolutely nothing has improved due to the ineffectual Obama, simply the feeling among the poor middle class that we took the office of the Presidency from the rich..ok four years have gone by..now the sorry truth is Obama’a liberal moves do not justify putting himself above Jesus. This election now has to go back to values. Joining Mitt Romney HERE AND JUMPING SHIP. Hope the rest of the country follows.
Matt