The Lead

In Albuquerque, President Obama took time Tuesday to answer the question, “Why are you a Christian?” in an extended answer. Will this satisfy those who still think he is not a Christian?

Obama Talks About His Faith
From the New York Times

President Obama expounded Tuesday on the reasons he became a Christian as an adult, telling a group of residents here that he was a “Christian by choice” and that “the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead – being my brother and sister’s keeper.”
Mr. Obama, who has been criticized by conservative pundits who have questioned his Christian faith, gave a lengthy discourse on it in response to a woman who said she had three “hot topic questions” for him. The first was: “Why are you a Christian?” The second was on abortion — the president said it should be “safe, legal and rare” — and her third was whether Mr. Obama would accept her husband’s chili pepper. He said he would.

. . .

“I’m a Christian by choice,” the president said. “My family, frankly, they weren’t folks who went to church every week. My mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew but she didn’t raise me in the church, so I came to my Christian faith later in life and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead. Being my brothers and sisters’ keeper, treating others as they would treat me, and I think also understanding that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings, that we’re sinful and we’re flawed and we make mistakes and we achieve salvation through the grace of God.”

Comments (7)

Sounds like a Christian to me...

Eric Sinkula

Posted by E Sinkula | September 29, 2010 8:39 AM

Can one imagine askingthis question of George HW Bush? Could you imagine asking this question of say, John Kennedy? The question, IMHO, is disrepectful from the beginning and further demonstrates how many people view Mr. Obama. I am appalled.

Posted by Fred Schwartz | September 29, 2010 8:56 AM

I think the question gave him the perfect opportunity to talk about it. Lord knows that ignoring the issue has seemed to get him nowhere.

Posted by Susan Hedges | September 29, 2010 9:50 AM

Actually, John F. Kennedy was question about his faith, which is why his appearance before the gathered Protestant clergy in Houston, Texas fifty years ago is considered a landmark speech about the role of faith and politics.

Andrew Gerns

Posted by ATGerns | September 29, 2010 11:29 AM

I preach that we should always look for opportunities to talk about our faith. Sounds like President Obama took advantage of a golden opportunity!

Posted by Tom Sramek, Jr. | September 29, 2010 12:31 PM

Perhaps we should understand this as testimony to the fact that he takes his faith seriously.

1 Peter 3:15b (New International Version)
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Would that we all were always ready.

Posted by Däˈvēd Äyān | David Allen | September 29, 2010 10:05 PM

A great faith witness---SINCE he was asked.

I'm as pro-choice as they come, and I, too, endorse "Abortion: Safe, Legal and Rare". No one wants a woman to be pregnant apart from her decision to do so. Pregnancy has physical consequences for a woman, regardless of how the pregnancy is concluded.

This is definitely the man I voted for. Sure, he ain't perfect . . . but I think Democrats are CRAZY to run away from him (most of those who do, WILL lose).

JC Fisher

Posted by tgflux | September 29, 2010 11:42 PM

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