Obama's Faith: Pew Research Poll

A new national survey by the Pew Research Center finds that nearly one-in-five Americans (18%) now say Obama is a Muslim, up from 11% in March 2009. Only about one-third of adults (34%) say Obama is a Christian, down sharply from 48% in 2009. Fully 43% say they do not know what Obama’s religion is. The survey was completed in early August, before Obama’s recent comments about the proposed construction of a mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center.

More here.

As a Christian, I am called to live my life so that others know that I am a Christian. Or if they don't know that specifically, they should wonder what I've got that they don't - or what I know that they don't. Now...I am not saying that I pull this off all the time, but I sure hope I get close. I wonder what people would say about my faith if the Pew Research Center polled people who know me?

I'm disappointed in the results of this survey about Obama, but not surprised. In fact, a couple of weeks ago I was at the library and saw a book with the title "The Faith of Barack Obama". I'll admit that I made the comment to my husband that it must be an awfully short book. Snarky...I know! But, it was made because I do not see any evidence of his faith. There are never pictures of him going to church. I hear reports of him skipping the National Day of Prayer. I found this interesting article reviewing a speech that Obama made at the National Prayer Breakfast that makes my point better.

Never mind that the president skipped last year’s National Day of Prayer, covered up religious insignia at Georgetown, canceled the flyover at “God & Country Day,” and gives regular shout-outs to atheists whenever it is, in fact, least appropriate.

Like today. During his speech at the Prayer Breakfast the president was sure to point out – again – that not everyone in America believes in God. He’s right, of course, but wouldn’t you think that at a prayer breakfast, he’d direct his remarks primarily to the population that prays? The humanist salute to solstice does not, in fact, count as a “prayer.”

While today’s speech was perhaps the president’s most muscular discussion of faith to date, it was rife with incongruities and contradictions that reveal just how incomplete his understanding of American faith actually is, regardless of what Ms. Kornblut tells us an unnamed adviser said.
The worst misstep of today’s speech? When the president said that “God’s grace” is expressed “by Americans of every faith, and no faith, uniting around a common purpose, a higher purpose.”

Uh, no it isn't -- unless my definition of atheism is different than his. Most atheists insist that God’s grace most certainly is not expressed through them, and that there are no “higher” purposes. While we may all come together for “a purpose” – like relief work in Haiti, poverty, AIDS, or world hunger – no atheist I know would consider this God's work.

But wait, there were other bizarre moments today:

Christ is nowhere to be found: The president is supposedly a Christian, yet there wasn’t a single mention of Christ or Jesus in today’s speech.

Check out the entire article...it's a good read.

I admit that struggle with being judgmental. Only God knows Obama's true heart. I hope that it is in the right state. But I also wish that if he is going to call himself a Christian, he would take it upon himself to truly let that light shine out to the world as we Christians are all called to do. As for me, I'll keep working on doing that as well. With God's grace, I will do better on the Pew Poll than he did!