..............Two months later, Paul Watson of the Los Angeles Times (available online in a Baltimore Sun reprint) reported that the Obama campaign had retreated from that absolute statement and instead issued a more nuanced one: "Obama has never been a practicing Muslim." The Times looked into the matter further and learned more about his Indonesian interlude:
His former Roman Catholic and Muslim teachers, along with two people who were identified by Obama's grade-school teacher as childhood friends, say Obama was registered by his family as a Muslim at both schools he attended. That registration meant that during the third and fourth grades, Obama learned about Islam for two hours each week in religion class.
The childhood friends say Obama sometimes went to Friday prayers at the local mosque. "We prayed but not really seriously, just following actions done by older people in the mosque. But as kids, we loved to meet our friends and went to the mosque together and played," said Zulfin Adi. … Obama's younger sister, Maya Soetoro, said in a statement released by the campaign that the family attended the mosque only "for big communal events," not every Friday.
Recalling Obama's time in Indonesia, the Times account contains quotes that Obama "went to the mosque," and that he "was Muslim."
Summarized, available evidence suggests Obama was born a Muslim to a non-practicing Muslim father and for some years had a reasonably Muslim upbringing under the auspices of his Indonesian step-father. At some point, he converted to Christianity. It appears false to state, as Obama does, "I've always been a Christian" and "I've never practiced Islam." The campaign appears to be either ignorant or fabricating when it states that "Obama never prayed in a mosque.".........
Full Article Here
Was Barack Obama a Muslim?
Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by Revmitchell, May 22, 2008.
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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I don't care, not one iota, if he was considered to he a Muslim when he was 5 or 6 years old.
A straw man - nothing more. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Didn't you just recently hold to the view that he has never been a Moslem? Obama certainly has made this claim.
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
I've gone to a mosque in Xi'an, China and Istanbul, Turkey ... does this make me a Moslem. No it doesn't. There were interesting to see and the architecture was interesting, but I remain a Christian. If you wanna see photos from inside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul let me know and I will give you a link to our travelblog. :) -
The following is a post I made in another thread that no one bothered to address. So, here it is again.
"Just a question for enlightenment on the Muslims and what Muslims teach concerning their own converting to the Christian faith. Does anybody know how a Muslim is taught to respond to a Muslim that converts to the Christian faith?
Thanks." -
I mentioned elsewhere that the "public schools" in Ireland are run by the Catholic church. If my children had gone to them, and had to go to the church as part of their school day, would they be Catholic?
Are the saved children in out church today, whose parents require that they stay in school Catholics? -
He was born to a Muslim father, of course he was labeled as a Muslim. Where is the newsflash? He has never been a practicing Muslim, as has been pointed out over and over again on this forum by myself and others. Nobody cares about when he was an infant or young child. At that age you are what your parents tell you you are. He has never been a particing Muslim.
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Mark,
You sure are losing creditablity with all this Obama bashing.. There is more than enough things to make people not want to vote for Obama, and yet you keep beating the <edited> drum...
<edited - LE>
Jamie -
This is not a denial of ever being muslim.
But according to the article, he did pratice prayer time, and other muslim activities.
Can't be true. -
1. Are you holding every person accountable for what their parents had them do when they were six years old??
2. He clearly means this in the generic sense - he doesn't claim to be a theologian. -
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There is no need to accuse him of being a liar simply because he doesn't define "Christian" as we do. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Revmitchell, shouldn't we spend more time on facts (i.e., Obama's positions) than innuendo? First of all, it would be more effective. This kind of stuff simply drives people to Obama.
Secondly, it keeps us from repeating things that we've simply heard, but do not know to be true. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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I don't support Obama at all. That's been made plain. But the windmill-tilting over innuendo should take a back seat to verifiable fact. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Baptist Believer Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
I don't know why Baptists preach mightily from the pulpit that going to church doesn't make you a Christian (even a "practicing" Christian), but automatically assume that a child who briefly attends a Muslim school is somehow instantly becomes a "practicing" Muslim. And, for what it's worth, Christian schools love to impose Christian practices (prayer, Bible lessons, etc.) on those who attend as part of the curriculum, shouldn't we expect a Muslim school to do at least as much?
I believe Obama knows that a person's faith is based upon where their heart lies and the commitments they have made, not attendance at a religious institution or obeying the leadings of those who want to impose religious practices. Baptists used to believe this as well, but I think the spirit of the election season has made many Baptists forget their theological and ethical heritage in favor of party politics.
And no, I'm not planning to vote for Obama. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=49772
http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=49709
http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=49613
Quite the double standard. I could go on but you get the picture. -
Once again...I'm against Obama. He's anti-freedom, pro-choice, and woefully inexperienced for the job. I can back that up factually.
All I have to do is quote his "burgers, A/C, and SUV's" comment to prove what a horrific president he would be.
My point is, the "muslim angle" is unprovable at best, and spreading falsehoods at worst. If you don't want him elected, why not try a more effective methodology?
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