Steven Waldman

Steven Waldman

Obama’s infomercial prayers

posted by swaldman | 1:33pm Thursday October 30, 2008

My faith-and-politics antenna went up twice during the Obama infomercial:
–When the showed one of the typical families reading from the Bible together
–When Obama said to someone in a crowd something like, “I’ll be praying for you.”
Not accidental.



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Julie

posted October 30, 2008 at 2:28 pm


Obama and Clinton campaigning in Kissimmee, Obama?s rebuttal of the socialist claim.
“Lately they’ve been calling me a socialist. They’ve found evidence that when I was in kindergarten I used to share my toys . .. . They said ‘look he’s a redistributionist’,” Obama said.
“My Bible tells me there is nothing wrong with helping other people, that we want to treat others like we want to be treated. That I am my brother’s keeper, and I am my sister’s keeper. I believe that.”
I never hear anything close from the Republican side that tries to claim they have as the religious party. All the attacks on Obama as a socialist or his tax cuts to the lowest earners being welfare (James Dobson and others) does not demonstrate Christianity demonstrated by Jesus.



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aaron

posted October 30, 2008 at 2:37 pm


Neither does Liberation Theology Julie.



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aaron

posted October 30, 2008 at 2:39 pm


“Lately they’ve been calling me a socialist. They’ve found evidence that when I was in kindergarten I used to share my toys . .. . They said ‘look he’s a redistributionist’,” Obama said.
That’s as pitiful as the 8 year old Obama to Ayers excuse he gave.



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Julie

posted October 30, 2008 at 3:21 pm


aaron said: “Liberation Theology”
In Obama’s book, “Dreams of My Father,” Obama discusses black liberation theology not working because it gave people an excuse for not being “accountable.” It also conflicted with his living in a white world.
In the area where Obama was a community organizer there were a large number of Jewish owned business. Some people in the Africian-American community had negative feelings toward the Jewish people. Obama used several examples. One example was saying the Jewish doctors were injecting babies with the AIDS virus. Obama said that was wrong because African-Americans needed to stop false blame and do something to improve their life.
If people actually read Obama’s books and listened to his speech rather than taking a few second video clip of Rev Wright to define Obama’s views they would know what he really thinks
The qualities Obama has of being able to listen to many different views, but not demonizing people with different views, is one of many reasons he should be President.
Attacking someone with different views is not productive in causing needed change. A President needs to be calm and listen rather than the knee-jerk McCain responses. McCain is known to have an anger problem.



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tamarack

posted October 30, 2008 at 6:06 pm


Scare tactics from the McCain Palin team include this question: Who is Barack Obama? We don’t know him!
Oh, yes, we do.
I recognize the child of a single mom who stressed the Golden Rule. In the early 60’s, my mom went out of her way to tell us why she supported open housing, despite advice from neighbors that it would lower real estate values. Mom taught me to look beyond my narrow circle of interests, beyond fear, to find out about the world in which I live, to believe that social justice matters.
In Obama I recognize a reader and writer who treasures language and uses it well.
I recognize someone who has been affected by the racial divide in this country. The grief this divide brings us and the hope of overcoming it characterize our story as Americans.
I also recognize Obama’s Christianity.
Every Christian’s role model, Jesus of Nazareth (Be like him: Sunday School 101) was also thrown under suspicion for his “associations.” He talked to everyone, tax collectors, women, Pharisees, sinners.
Jesus preached sharing.
Jesus reached out to the sick (health care), children (early childhood education, mandatory insurance), the poor (roll back tax cuts for the wealthy, give tax breaks to the poor), those who hunger and thirst for justice (community organizers).
The prince of peace put his hand to a Roman soldier’s ear and healed the wound that Peter caused. Loyalty to a person or cause should not lead to bloodshed.
Jesus told people, let’s get going. You can do some things for yourselves. He never said, “I know how to end wars” as if war is a game. Jesus despised showy piety. He praised the widow who put a small coin in the collection plate.
Obama is no Messiah and I don’t need a Messiah because I’ve already got one, but I do know him. He’s my brother, he’s me, he’s you, only he’s got the talent, toughness, brains, experience and leadership skills needed in the White House.



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P U M A

posted October 30, 2008 at 10:54 pm


“Oh, yes, we do.
I recognize the child of a single mom who stressed the Golden Rule.”
Oh no you don’t. You are projecting your own experience onto Obama. He wasn’t even raised by his mother and step-father. His white grandparents raised him. His speeches and book have been written by others. He will not release his college records or medical records to the public. He has just put a seal on his birth certificate in Hawaii. As soon as he began his Senate term- he began his run for the presidency. The huge bulk of his vast monetary donations have come through the internet where his people conveniently did not use any credit card restrictions- so if “Mickey Mouse” from Saudi wants to donate seven million dollars in ten dollar increments and has it on pre-paid credit cards- no problem.
SNAP OUT OF IT !!



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