Friday, June 30, 2006
Barack Obama gave a great speech
at the Call To Renewal Conference in Washington, DC. Senator Obama is one of the few politicians that speak about faith/religious with a genuine touch.
Concerning the Democratic party's follies on religion he said:
"Democrats, for the most part, have taken the bait. At best, we may try to avoid the conversation about religious values altogether, fearful of offending anyone and claiming that - regardless of our personal beliefs - constitutional principles tie our hands. At worst, there are some liberals who dismiss religion in the public square as inherently irrational or intolerant, insisting on a caricature of religious Americans that paints them as fanatical, or thinking that the very word "Christian" describes one's political opponents, not people of faith."
About our Human needs and longing for meaning in life he said:
"Each day, it seems, thousands of Americans are going about their daily rounds - dropping off the kids at school, driving to the office, flying to a business meeting, shopping at the mall, trying to stay on their diets - and they're coming to the realization that something is missing. They are deciding that their work, their possessions, their diversions, their sheer busyness, is not enough.
They want a sense of purpose, a narrative arc to their lives. They're looking to relieve a chronic loneliness, a feeling supported by a recent study that shows Americans have fewer close friends and confidants than ever before. And so they need an assurance that somebody out there cares about them, is listening to them - that they are not just destined to travel down that long highway towards nothingness."
On the power of the [Black] Church he said:
"For one thing, I believed and still believe in the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change, a power made real by some of the leaders here today. Because of its past, the black church understands in an intimate way the Biblical call to feed the hungry and cloth the naked and challenge powers and principalities. And in its historical struggles for freedom and the rights of man, I was able to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world. As a source of hope."
On the need for Conservatives to understand the separation of Church and State:
"For one, they need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice. Folks tend to forget that during our founding, it wasn't the atheists or the civil libertarians who were the most effective champions of the First Amendment. It was the persecuted minorities, it was batists like John Leland who didn't want the established churches to impose their views on folks who were getting happy out in the fields and teaching the scripture to slaves. It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religious, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith as they understood it."
Now, Obama is one of the few politicians that like. His speech at the Democratic Convention was truly inspiring and uplifting. Still, I disagree with him on the fundamental issue that is the sacredness of human life. He doesnt believe as I do. Instead, He believes in the right to sacrifice human life to the gods of choice (i.e. abortion) , I still dont think that I'm ready to support an intrepid abortion supporter--this doesnt mean I'm going to support an Orwellian republican because they "claim to be pro-life--Hence the dilemma: What are folks like me, who believe in the utmost sacredness of human life, and are reluctant to vote for politicians who dont, such as Obama? What shall we do? That's the game that the Republicans have mastered to perfection. They know people of faith will be differential to them so long as they take a stand for the unborn. The problem lies in the fact that Bush-Cheney-Rove have abused such discretion and turned this country into a land of refuse. The Bush administration have made a mockery out of goverment, yet the only option we have is hillary or john kerry. What can we do? What should we do? Is there a way out? Is there a third option? God help us all
Concerning the Democratic party's follies on religion he said:
"Democrats, for the most part, have taken the bait. At best, we may try to avoid the conversation about religious values altogether, fearful of offending anyone and claiming that - regardless of our personal beliefs - constitutional principles tie our hands. At worst, there are some liberals who dismiss religion in the public square as inherently irrational or intolerant, insisting on a caricature of religious Americans that paints them as fanatical, or thinking that the very word "Christian" describes one's political opponents, not people of faith."
About our Human needs and longing for meaning in life he said:
"Each day, it seems, thousands of Americans are going about their daily rounds - dropping off the kids at school, driving to the office, flying to a business meeting, shopping at the mall, trying to stay on their diets - and they're coming to the realization that something is missing. They are deciding that their work, their possessions, their diversions, their sheer busyness, is not enough.
They want a sense of purpose, a narrative arc to their lives. They're looking to relieve a chronic loneliness, a feeling supported by a recent study that shows Americans have fewer close friends and confidants than ever before. And so they need an assurance that somebody out there cares about them, is listening to them - that they are not just destined to travel down that long highway towards nothingness."
On the power of the [Black] Church he said:
"For one thing, I believed and still believe in the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change, a power made real by some of the leaders here today. Because of its past, the black church understands in an intimate way the Biblical call to feed the hungry and cloth the naked and challenge powers and principalities. And in its historical struggles for freedom and the rights of man, I was able to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world. As a source of hope."
On the need for Conservatives to understand the separation of Church and State:
"For one, they need to understand the critical role that the separation of church and state has played in preserving not only our democracy, but the robustness of our religious practice. Folks tend to forget that during our founding, it wasn't the atheists or the civil libertarians who were the most effective champions of the First Amendment. It was the persecuted minorities, it was batists like John Leland who didn't want the established churches to impose their views on folks who were getting happy out in the fields and teaching the scripture to slaves. It was the forbearers of the evangelicals who were the most adamant about not mingling government with religious, because they did not want state-sponsored religion hindering their ability to practice their faith as they understood it."
Now, Obama is one of the few politicians that like. His speech at the Democratic Convention was truly inspiring and uplifting. Still, I disagree with him on the fundamental issue that is the sacredness of human life. He doesnt believe as I do. Instead, He believes in the right to sacrifice human life to the gods of choice (i.e. abortion) , I still dont think that I'm ready to support an intrepid abortion supporter--this doesnt mean I'm going to support an Orwellian republican because they "claim to be pro-life--Hence the dilemma: What are folks like me, who believe in the utmost sacredness of human life, and are reluctant to vote for politicians who dont, such as Obama? What shall we do? That's the game that the Republicans have mastered to perfection. They know people of faith will be differential to them so long as they take a stand for the unborn. The problem lies in the fact that Bush-Cheney-Rove have abused such discretion and turned this country into a land of refuse. The Bush administration have made a mockery out of goverment, yet the only option we have is hillary or john kerry. What can we do? What should we do? Is there a way out? Is there a third option? God help us all
# posted by Raf C. @ 7:25 AM 
