Wouldn't it be cool if Barack could save Christianity from the repugs?

[bmartello]

that would be groovy indeed!

[cynatnite]

1. It's in danger of being lost?

:shrug:

[grannylib]

5. No, just bastardized, co-opted, trivialized, turned into civil religion, and

just basically watered down, washed out, and corrupted by corrupt people.

[Narkos]

8. Civil religion? Sounds good to me!

[bmartello]

6. it just always reminds me of a Howard Dean speech I saw...

talking about how the right had somehow run off with 'family values' as if liberals are a bunch of heathens...

i don't know about you but i lived in an area for a long time where most christian groups were of the right wing gay-bashing variety... not many middle of the road, let alone open types... a very red area. it almost made me feel as if identifying myself as christian somehow put me in their camp... maybe it's my own hang-up but i think that the far right has really put a negative stigma on being christian. it makes me sad. just hearing the o-man talk about being his brother's keeper and taking care of others kinda pulled at my heartstrings a little... getting back to what the message really is. not this fear-mongering, other hating gelatinous goo that i just don't understand..

[cynatnite]

11. People always put their own spin on whatever religion they believe in...

No one can change that...not even Obama.

I'm an atheist so that should tell you what I think of all religion.

[JohnMcCant2008]

32. here's an old post I made on DU re: atheism/religion and Obama

According to different sources, there are varying positions on the exact number of atheists, agnostics and those unaffiliated with any religion. Estimates in the US range from 3% - 12% of the US population (approx. 10 – 35 million people). No point in listing sources – they're out there if you use “the Google” – it is a moving target since MANY people are still unwilling to admit their disbelief publically for fear of alienation from family, friends or the community in general. Yes this is true – and yes I have personally experienced it.

The point is that it is a large and meaningful portion of our population with many opinions and many votes.

Now onto the politics. I don’t expect in my lifetime to ever see an atheist president. This makes me sad, but not for the reasons you may think. I am not personally offended, because beliefs (and disbeliefs) are a personal thing. The reason I am disheartened is because our Constitution VERY specifically outlines the role of religion in our government. NONE.

We are guaranteed our freedom of religion (and conversely our freedom FROM religion) by the Constitution, but our founding fathers were wise enough to know that it should never influence policy. Look at the world around you to understand why.

Over the last 300 years we have fallen away from this original founding principle of our country. Our modern day politicians are not only influenced by religious beliefs, in many cases they are CONTROLLED by large groups with EXTREME beliefs. And don’t even get me started on Palin.

Do I ever expect our future President Obama, to acknowledge 'atheists' as a very real group the way he might Catholics, Jews or any other organized religion? No, nor would I want him to at this stage in our history. This country has swung SO far to the right, largely due to religious beliefs, that it will take many years and baby-steps to get back to a point where atheists are even accepted in general, much less politically.

THIS is what I do believe though:

I believe that Barack Obama already realizes or would agree with most of what I have already written.

I believe that Barack Obama forms his opinions on others based on their character, their morality and their intelligence – NOT on their beliefs.

I believe Barack Obama is a Christian whose life and family are enriched by his beliefs, who in return understands that I also live a full and enriched life without those beliefs.

I believe Barack Obama would never USE religion to bring harm to an individual or a country.

Most importantly, I believe a progressive, freethinking President like Barack Obama, at the very least, will lay the groundwork for a nation of individuals who respect all beliefs (and disbeliefs) and will leave this nation better than he found it for the sake of my children.

[bmartello]

33. well said! n/t

[BlooInBloo]

2. Nah. Just save the things that are worth saving.

[olkaz]

3. It would be cooler if Christianity went the way of Zeus and Odin.

Oh I dream of the day in which society sloughs off the ridiculousness of religion altogether.

[JohnMcCant2008]

4. Nope. Dogma in need of rescue isn't worth rescuing. They can have it.

[laconicsax]

7. And it's the POTUS's job to get involved in religious squabbles why?

[JohnMcCant2008]

10. Exactly!! Church. State. Separate. 3 simple words this country can't seem to remember.

[bmartello]

15. i totally agree that church and state should have residences in different solar systems..

i'm just saying that as someone who grew up in that particular faith (haven't practiced in years) and was encouraged to go to dinosaur exhibits, pro-choice rallies, and vote democrat, it would be nice to see the contorted mess it has evolved into get straightened out a bit.

[cynatnite]

27. Straightened into what?

I don't think anyone has a real clue what Christianity's true form was supposed to be if you look at it from a historical POV. There are some worthwhile lessons that everyone should be considered, but there are also some horrific ones as well.

A person has to decide for themselves what their religion means to them. If it's literal that's what they'll follow. If it's symbolic stories with moral values...a person will go along with that.

No one version is better than another and you'll find a thousand different interpretations. You can't reasonably expect the undesirable interpretations should be done away with because it doesn't fit YOUR view.

Religious influence of government should be curtailed. That's it.

[bmartello]

28. no need to get steamy

i'm just saying the whole world could do with a little less hate.

[cynatnite]

30. I wasn't intending to sound like I was steamed or anything...

sorry about that.

[bmartello]

31. :D no worries:)

it's hard to hear your tone of voice over the font:)

I'm glad to chat!

[RagAss]

9. Jesus Doesn't Vote !!!

[msanthrope]

12. Groovy? No. I'm electing him to save America.....Christianity

can save itself...or not.

[Bubbha Jo]

13. I'd prefer that he saves spirituality from the fundamentalists ; ) n/t

[TheKentuckian]

14. It doesn't need to be "saved"

but the bogus GOP "ownership" needs to be defeated.

I find some of the responses offensive but I'm not going to start a flame war about it.

Why? Because being offended is the best evidence of a free society. Maybe some others might catch onto that from their own Ivory Towers.

[bmartello]

25. offended can also mean intrigued:)

as long as no one is abusive, i like the dialogue

[seabeyond]

16. i would think atheist would allow a christian to be exactly who he is as they would like the same

reciprocated. obama is a christian. and if he wants to "be" a christian he should be allowed just as the atheist should be allowed to be exactly that. for an atheist to insist the christian keep their mouth shut is equivalent to the christian that mouths off at the atheist.

[iceman66]

17. Somebody should but not a politician.

Separation of church and state and all.

[bmartello]

29. good point

it's nice to have a good role model though

[undergroundpanther]

18. Nothing can save christianity

Because of the bible itself.

It has the book of Joshua.
It says some very sick stuff in it.

The bible can be interpreted two ways depending upon the character of the interpreter.

Christianity is justification for psychopaths as well as do gooders.
The bible supports both types of interpretation.

I think it was written that way and edited by the Council of Nicea to be PROPAGANDA to justify brutality from"leaders" while keeping the populace docile at the same time.

The bible is the most insidious propaganda ever written

[Double T]

19. Christianity, along with every other religion, needs to stay out of politics...........

and government. Most organized religions are the problem, not the solution and therefore unable to be saved.

[AlCzervik]

20. i don't make a lot of noise about religion but...as an atheists who keeps to themselves

i would really like a break from hearing about Christianity for a little bit and it is not Obama's job to rescue any religion.

I live in California and it's the religious folks that are causing much pain here right now.

[goletian]

21. yes. im an atheist, but i see a lot of value in christ's teachings, CHRIST'S, not all that... OT

stuff they like to use to rationalize their bigotry. im talkin the uber liberal jesus stuff, the REAL wwjd stuff. thats my kinda god, if i believed in one... ;)

[bmartello]

24. that's exactly what i'm talking about...

I'm a scientist by education and a primary care provider by profession. I'm am not religious, i'm not saved. I appreciate the philosophy and i feel sad that it is so effed up by the fundamentalists. the stuff they use to rationalize it is out of the old testament... if you ever want a hilarious read, pick up leviticus sometime... nuts. and people quote this like you can just live like that in todays world... so bizarre.

[jonnyblitz]

22. no, they can have that CRAP. nt

[nebenaube]

23. Christianity survived sponsoring Hitler...

This time around they only managed to prove that they are still too fucking stupid to be saved. God is actually weeping at the test results.

[RepublicanElephant]

26. well at least obama could teach them how to ACT like a christian. n/t

[Dems4me]

34. That would be the best thing to happen to Christianity in Years! n/t