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One World, Under God
What's your reaction to President Obama's recent statements to the Muslim world that "the United States is not, and never will be, at war with Islam" and that "we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation"?
I admire President Obama for saying that the United States is not, has not been, nor will ever be in a war against Islam.
I would disagree with him had he said that the United States is not a Christian nation. That's not what he said. He said that the United States does not "consider itself to be a Christian, Jewish or Muslim nation, but a nation of citizens bound by ideals and a set of values." In so saying, he is honoring belief that divisions and differences among people ought to minimized, while at the same time, the common ground between people ought to be recognized and used to build a better world.
Mr. Obama's beliefs might be called idealistically religious, meaning that at their core, most religions hold to the ideal that all people are created by God and are therefore to be respected.
I am reminded that in the Christian Bible, Paul writes that in the new Christ-religion, "there is no favoritism." Later, Paul says in the Book of Galatians (in the Holy Bible) that we "are all sons of God..there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female."
But as quickly as Paul sets forth an egalitarian notion of personhood, he builds in, ironically, a dividing factor: Jesus the Christ. One can only belong to this "egalitarian" club if one confesses the Christ.
Therefore, the reasoning goes, if one is not Christian, one is not able to qualify for the same type of respect as would a fellow Christian. Mutual respect, in other words, is reserved for people who belong to the club.
This divisiveness built into the religious fabric is not unique to Christians. Many religions state an ideal belief in the universal equality of people created by God, only to back away from that ideal as religious doctrine pushes to the fore.
So, when Mr. Obama says that the United States is not dominated by any religion, but rather by an adherence to an ideal of mutual respect worthy and due all human beings, he is stating an ideal.
In reality, we are filled with division. The president's statements must be a balm to Muslims who have been excoriated because of emotions elicited after 9/11. Muslims, no doubt, have felt shunned and scorned by the United States, which is, after all, 77 percent Christian.
The rhetoric used by the previous administration further deepened the feelings of fear and dread of Muslims by America's bruised Christians. We, the Christian nation, lapsed deeply into divisive language and attitudes, and the war in Iraq was even referred to as a "Holy War."
That was dangerous and that was wrong. This war has never been about religion. It so happens that Iraq is a predominantly Muslim nation, and America is predominantly Christian, but the war has been about oil and power, not religion.
And though some religious extremists were responsible for the destruction of the Twin Towers, they did not and do not represent the sentiments of the Iraqi people in general, any more than Christian fundamentalists who bomb abortion clinics and kill innocent people represent the vast majority of Christians in America.
Yes, there are some Muslims who would like to see Islam as THE world religion, just as there are some Christians who are actively working to make Christianity THE world religion. We in America have yet to come to terms with our feelings of prejudice, superiority and entitlement, as indeed some Muslims must do as well.
Once a nation starts to use religion as its justification for going to war, a cyclonic reaction is set in motion that is bound to have catastrophic effects. There is nothing quite so brutal, ironically, as a war fought "in the name of God."
I think Mr. Obama realizes that, and knows the anger that the Muslim world has felt since 9/11 against a nation, America, which it feels has maligned them unfairly. There can be no peace and no progress if the ground between two entities is filled with clay and rock as opposed to being filled with fertile ground.
Times are too dangerous, too unstable and too scary to continue to concentrate on how different we are. Mr. Obama, it seems, is trying to smooth feathers in the name of the God of us all, in order to attain a much needed and long overdue higher good.
By
Susan K. Smith
|
April 14, 2009; 8:06 PM ET
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Posted by: Charvakan | April 22, 2009 5:15 PM
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I know that Jeus appear in the teaching materials of not just Christians, but also Mormons, Judism, Islam, Bhudism, Hinduism and that covers all continents on the earth. Yet John Smith, Muhammad, Buhda nor no other religious diety is in the Bible. Yet the media loves to write or report that Christs are only referring to Christians when they proclaim To go out into the world and introduce people to Jesus.
Posted by: phjesuswarrior7 | April 21, 2009 12:17 PM
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I would say that all "extreme" Christians should indeed say that the USA is NOT a Christian nation on their terms! Indeed these would believe that only a few 10's of thousands of "true" Christians exist over the whole earth, as predicted by Revelation, who will be Ratured! The rest of us will or will not see the light and be converted to "real" Christians once the Tribulation begins. Luckily, in this scenario, Muslims will be exterminated! Alleluia!
Seriously, I am very sad about all of this us-them stuff. I applaud Obama's public (even if politically motivated) experssions of a hopeful future for all of humanity.
Posted by: schaeffz | April 20, 2009 1:04 PM
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Helocelz1
What a funny logic. Allah commands muslims to fight and kill. So the muslims are dangerous. What about other?
Have you read history? Does all the wars were fought on the name of Allah?
How about war in veitnamm or korean war and Iraq and afghan war. I can give to several more examples.
The truth is that you arecoward hindu, afraid of the muslim worriors who use to come from the north and now again you are fearing the north.
Hope this reply will make you feel better now.
Posted by: SPARK1 | April 19, 2009 1:48 PM
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Dear Susan K.Smith,
Life,unfortunately,is not Cotton Princess Tale.
Utopic opinions can not help to solve anything.
*One World,under God*(you mean One God) is a Utopia and wrong definition.First of all,there is not only One God in the Universe and there had never been.Allah of Islam is completely different from God of Bible/Father of Jesus Christ.
-In Holy Bible which says *World is flat*,Jewishman Saul aka St.Paul says *There is neither Jew or Greek...* but,in the same Holy Bible,another Jewishman Mark(Lion in the desert) says *Whoever baptized shall be saved,but whoever does not believe shall be condemned/damned*16.16
-You say *There is nothing quite so brutal,ironisally,as a war fought 'in the name of God/Allah'* In Holy Quran,Allah commands muslims to be brutal/harsh against infidels/non-muslims,and Holy War in islam means to fight/kill in the name of allah.
Posted by: halozcel1 | April 17, 2009 2:38 PM
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Islam is here on this planet for the last 1400 years. It is a practicing religion, not just based on Friday prayers or else rituals. Is this something new which came to light after 9/11 only?.
As a matter of fact mankind is once again turning towards religion. The neo-con and Bush Blair lead the world to wage wars based on their religious beliefs.
Then there is a revival of extreme Hinduism in India but as usual until now no one bother about it. The Jews are punishing Palestinians because of their religious convictions. In such a climate there is nothing unusual to be discovered about Islam.
What secular views the American state cherished do not matter as much as the alarming point that when an American President comes in guise with hidden religious extreme sentiments then he can wage dangerous wars in the world and even one which can lead to a third world war.
Islam is a religion practiced by more than one billion people, no one can finish them by might or otherwise.
It is even more difficult to change the local culture and values which are being practiced by the people in different parts of the world. If we have any fear this is our own created, we have the right to secure our selves and our homeland but we do not have the right to wage wars in far flung place based upon false apprehensions.
You cannot win any war anywhere without the support of the people of the land, what ever their belief might be, in present day it is Islam so all the grudge for not winning is against Islam.
Posted by: jamil51 | April 17, 2009 3:50 AM
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JohnA3:
I have met those Christians and they are nothing to croon about.
Posted by: Gaby1 | April 16, 2009 5:19 PM
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"...Christian fundamentalists who bomb abortion clinics and kill innocent people ..."[?!] Sorry, Susan, but you just don't understand the historic and true definition of a Christian fundamentalist, nor the true Biblical Christ. These new definitions/versions have distorted our world's perception of Christianity, but that's ok, Jesus prophesied that (real) Christians would be hated of all men. Perhaps you have never seen or met a real Christian; nevertheless, there are a few in this world.
Posted by: johna3 | April 16, 2009 8:19 AM
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Sorry, Susan!
One World, hopefully not under God but under civilized societies who respect each other.
The rest is fluff!
Posted by: Gaby1 | April 15, 2009 8:37 PM
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Just what kind of mutual interest and mutual respect can there be with people who profess this?
Quotes from the Koran:
--The unbelievers are your inveterate enemy. (4:101)
-- Surely the vilest of animals in Allah’s sight are those who disbelieve. (8.55)
-- Mohammed is God's apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another. (48:29).
-- It is unlawful for a believer to kill another believer, accidents excepted. (4:92)
-- Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. (5:51)
-- Make war on them until idolatry shall cease and God's religion shall reign supreme. (8:40)
-- Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme. (2:193)
-- The true believers fight for the cause of God, but the infidels fight for the devil. (4:76)
-- We will put terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. (3:151)
-- I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers. (8:12)
Quotes from the sayings of mohammed:
Muhammad said to the Jews: "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. “
Sahih Bukhari [4:52:176] Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:
Allah's Apostle said, "You (i.e. Muslims) will fight with the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, 'O 'Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.' "
Mohammed said, "I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.." (otherwise it will not). Vol. 4:196
Mohammed said, "Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him." Vol. 9:57
Mohammed said, " No Muslim should be killed for killing a Kafir" (infidel). Vol. 9:50
Muhammad said:
Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war, …(Sahih Muslim 4294)
YUSUF QARADAWI, the spiritual leader of the Muslim brotherhood and the most popular and influential Islamic religious authority in the world today, is on the recommended reading list of local mosques. Among other Islamist-supremacist things, he wrote:
“Islam came to be followed, not to follow; to be dominant, not subordinate."
“Islam came with its complete, comprehensive and eternal sharia (law) for the whole of mankind.”
ABUL MAUDUDI, the most important and popular Islamic writer of the 20th Century, wrote: “The goal of Islam is to rule the entire world and submit all of mankind to the faith of Islam. Any nation or power that gets in the way of that goal, Islam will fight and destroy.”
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The statements about Islam above are from the most highly revered and respected Islamic sources, not from "Islamophobes"!
Posted by: wileysnakeskins | April 15, 2009 7:39 PM
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We Christians, Muslims and Jews live under one umbrella, we have allot in common so why focusing on the glass half empty.
Beautifully done, the writer hit it right on the money.
Posted by: salimelmahmoud | April 15, 2009 2:18 PM
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I fail to understand how anyone can claim the US to be a christian nation when the constitution of the united states does not even mention Christ or even God in it. If their claim is based on the fact that the majority of the founding members of our nation where christian then by the same logic aren't we then a "White" nation, a "Protestant" nation, an "Anglo Saxon" nation? Obama got it right. We are not any of those, including a christian nation. Religion is for people not for countries.