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Barack Obama: Faith and Community
George Stephanopolous revealed his roots as a preacher's son when he asked President-elect Barack Obama if he missed being a part of a faith community.
Obama's answer revealed his roots in the south side of Chicago.
After a brief reference to his own spirituality, Obama went straight into the community dimension of religion, pointing out that DC (like Chicago) is really two cities - one for the well-heeled people who work in government and government-related industries, and the other for everyone else, including some of the poorest people in America. He wanted those two cities more involved with one another.
When it comes to faith, Obama's first instinct is to respond by trying to bridge communities.
I'm on the Advisory Board of the Civic Engagement transition team, and a large focus of our conference calls has been on how to mobilize Americans to bridge the poverty divide in America, which is especially acute at a time of economic crisis. Next week's MLK Day of Service is meant to kick-start that effort. Oftentimes, Days of Service are an end in themselves, but the conversation around this one has been about long-term change, not just short-term charity. It's very clear to me that this administration means to engage the efforts of ordinary citizens in the long march to solving poverty. As my friend Jim Wallis of Sojourners wrote on his God's Politics blog this opportunity is "... 'an altar call' to take action in our own lives and families, our local communities, and in our nation on the big issues that we face." (Check out www.USAservice.org to get involved.)
Mostly in this space I lament the widening of the faith divide. But Obama's comments about faith on Sunday morning gave me a different perspective. He talked of faith as a bridge of service across the poverty divide in America.
That's a bridge that people of all faiths, and no faith at all, can cross together.
By
Eboo Patel
|
January 12, 2009; 9:35 AM ET
| Category:
Interfaith Issues
,
Religion & Leadership
,
Religion & Politics
,
The Faith Divide
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Posted by: hsnkhwj | January 13, 2009 10:12 PM
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jailkkhosla Author Profile Page:
Will Eboo urge Obama to force Saudi Arabia to allow freedom of worship in the kingdom and help build the first church in Mecca? Or temple?
Will Eboo do the hajj and thereby show his support for the Islamic apartheid practised in Saudi Arabia?
********************************************************
Will Eboo urge Obama to force upper caste Hindus to allow Dalits (the untouchables) to enter Hindu temples?
Will Eboo urge Obama to give Dalits (the untouchables) equal rights and urge upper caste Hindus to marry the untouchables.
I do not think there are any Hindus in Mecca to build temples nor are there any Christians to build churches there.
Posted by: hsnkhwj | January 13, 2009 10:05 PM
Report Offensive Comment
jailkkhosla Author Profile Page:
Will Eboo urge Obama to force Saudi Arabia to allow freedom of worship in the kingdom and help build the first church in Mecca? Or temple?
Will Eboo do the hajj and thereby show his support for the Islamic apartheid practised in Saudi Arabia?
********************************************************
Will Eboo urge Obama to force upper caste Hindus to allow Dalits (the untouchables) to enter Hindu temples?
Will Eboo urge Obama to give Dalits (the untouchables) equal rights and urge upper caste Hindus to marry the untouchables.
I do not think there are any Hindus in Mecca to build temples nor are there any Christians to build churches there.
Posted by: hsnkhwj | January 13, 2009 10:04 PM
Report Offensive Comment
jailkkhosla Author Profile Page:
Will Eboo urge Obama to force Saudi Arabia to allow freedom of worship in the kingdom and help build the first church in Mecca? Or temple?
Will Eboo do the hajj and thereby show his support for the Islamic apartheid practised in Saudi Arabia?
********************************************************
Will Eboo urge Obama to force upper caste Hindus to allow Dalits (the untouchables) to enter Hindu temples?
Will Eboo urge Obama to give Dalits (the untouchables) equal rights and urge upper caste Hindus to marry the untouchables.
I do not think there are any Hindus in Mecca to build temples nor are there any Christians to build churches there.
Posted by: hsnkhwj | January 13, 2009 10:03 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Will Eboo urge Obama to force Saudi Arabia to allow freedom of worship in the kingdom and help build the first church in Mecca? Or temple?
Will Eboo do the hajj and thereby show his support for the Islamic apartheid practised in Saudi Arabia?
Posted by: jailkkhosla | January 13, 2009 3:25 AM
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After eight years of a president who moralized, demonized, and wore religion on his sleeve, I am very much looking forward to a president who understands and respects the Constitution's separation of church and state. This "feel good" foolishness should be left for Sundays, it's not what we elect a president for. Really, it is an embarrassment. I am reminded of the words of Pascal, "men never do evil so gleefully, as when they do it in the name of religion."
Posted by: wjfreeman1 | January 12, 2009 10:48 PM
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As long as BO is the leader of the Immoral Majority, there will be no bridges amongst those with or without faiths.
(The fastest growing USA voting bloc: The 70+ million "Roe vs. Wade mothers and fathers of aborted womb-babies" whose ranks grow by two million per year.)
Posted by: CCNL | January 12, 2009 3:57 PM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
Response to JILKHOSLA:
Will Eboo urge Obama to ask upper caste Hindus in India to allow Dalits (the untouchables) to be able to worship in Hindu temples?
Will Eboo urge Obama to ask upper caste Hindus to give permission to their offsprings to marry Dalits.