Obama Says He Prays 'All The Time' For Guidance

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he's gone from praying nightly before going to bed to praying all the time because he has a "lot of stuff" on his plate and needs "guidance all the time."

Obama made the comments in an interview to air Thursday on ABC's "Nightline."

Obama says he thinks every president has been humbled by the number of issues they have had to deal with. He says he thinks they are quickly cured of the illusion that one person can solve all those problems.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/23/obama-says-he-prays-all-t_n_244029.html

[Ladyhawk]

1. Does he also sacrifice a goat at midnight during a full moon? nt

[Uzybone]

2. that'll be a baby goat

[Historic NY]

6. lamb tastes better with mint jelly.

[Betsy Ross]

3. F that.

Call it taking a break; call it meditation. Whatever you call it, he takes some time to step away for matters to chill. OK by me.

[Ladyhawk]

4. As long as he isn't actively involved in talking to imaginary friends, it's OK by me.

Imaginary friends start real wars.

[LanternWaste]

47. Much like...

Much like imaginary concepts (borders, politics, philosophies, et. al) start real wars too.

Mot much more. Not much less...

[Thrill]

5. To Allah. He's a Muslin!!

[eridani]

37. NO! To Satin, because he is a Satinist! n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. HE DOSENT GIT ANY ANSURS BECUZ HES PRAYING TO THAT HEATHEN FALSE GOD ALLAH!1!!!!!!!!!!11!1!!!11!

HE NEEDS TO RENOUNCE HIS SATANIC WAYS AND PRAY TO JESIS CHIRST JUST LIKE PAT ROBETSRON AND JAMES DOBSEN DO!!11!!!!1 :crazy:

[scheming daemons]

8. I'm an atheist... and whatever Obama does to give him a moment to think is alright by me

When you pray, you're the only one that is listening.

...and that is ok. Sometimes one needs to talk things through with oneself.

[Clio the Leo]

10. Thank you.....

.... I disagree with PART of that sentiment, but I appreciate the deference for what is, in this instance, a personal matter.

Couldn't hurt ...... might help! lol

[fadedrose]

21. The prayer helps, but a cigarette helps more...

former cigarette smoker here, and haven't thought straight since I quit...

[Ladyhawk]

22. But if you BELIEVE god is talking back, it can be dangerous.

How dangerous prayer is depends on who does the praying.

[pnorman]

35. "When you pray, you're the only one that is listening."

I'd call myself agnostic or "ethical humanist", rather than atheist. But I not only like that sentence, but the idea that Obama should be able to measure his thoughts and actions against his underlying belief system, in whatever fashion he deems appropriate.

I had just a few hours ago, viewed the DVD, "King-- From Birmingham to Memphis", and am still deeply moved by that display of COURAGE, before all that horrifying violence --- with death an all too real possibility. It was their "faith" (no matter how "irrational/superstitious" it may appear to you and I. But it gave them the necessary STRENGTH, so I'll try to analyze rather than knocking it!

Another very favorite DVD of mine is "Joyeux Noel", a fictionalized account of the "Christmas Armistice" of WW1. Although the director is a self-proclaimed agnostic, the thread running throughout that film would almost certainly resonate with a (true) Christian.

pnormam

[Voice for Peace]

40. agree that was a wonderful film nt

[elocs]

9. Praying will not win Obama any points here at DU. In fact, he may lose some because of that. n/t

[Clio the Leo]

11. yeah, you know us Democrats, the BIG TENT party and all! lol NT

[Hekate]

12. And we're such a huge constituency with consistent loyalty. Sooner or later DU turns on him anyway

It's always something. :eyes:

Hekate

[elocs]

14. I am betting that DU turns on him sooner and sooner.

In our own minds DU believes it is a huge constituency, but not consistently loyal because loyalty is always conditional with compliance in jumping through our hoops.

[camera obscura]

15. Nah, some people will convince themselves it's a cover up for his Secret Atheism.

Because God knows you can't be a smart, thoughtful person and a Christian. :sarcasm:

[Ladyhawk]

20. I think praying is silly, but he doesn't gain or lose "points" with me.

Probably because I'm pretty much convinced he's just another tool.

[tabatha]

13. Obama is one of the bravest people on the planet (to me).

[Arkana]

16. Whatever. His spiritual friends are fine with me

as long as they're not telling him to deny women their reproductive rights or exterminate brown people.

[ecstatic]

17. prayer/meditation = same thing

And very helpful, IMO.

[Ladyhawk]

19. Prayer doesn't work.

http://www.topix.com/forum/topstories/T6SMQ7J8IFV949FFN

[ecstatic]

25. Depends on the objective of the person praying/meditating

If the goal is peace of mind, then it can work. :eyes:

[Cha]

18. Whatever floats his boat...

he should see what I do for "guidance".

[Jennicut]

24. Exactly. If he wants to practice Witchcraft then by all means....

Being President is tough on your body AND your mind. Bush lost it a long time ago (or did he ever have "it"?).

[Cha]

26. I don't think he

ever had it:silly: You've heard about his childhood antics of blowing up frogs?

[Jennicut]

27. Yes! LOL. He was always the loose screw. I saw the movie "W"

and it was Jeb that was being groomed for bigger and better things, not Georgie. Ironic.

[Cha]

28. They had that in the movie?

I couldn't watch it..I had of :silly: to last me a lifetime.

[Jennicut]

29. I love that movie. W was just so...not what his father wanted.

Poor Poppy couldn't handle Georgie. I don't think it makes him look sympathetic at all, just exposes him as the no good failure he was all along.

[Cha]

30. That's good!

But, I don't have a strong stomach like I use to when I was younger and could take anything. I never want to see his face again or Josh Brolin acting like him.

:)

[Jennicut]

32. Brolin was good. One of my favorite actors.

Don't worry, I watched it so you didn't have too. :)

[bdamomma]

45. hmm. and now with Palin out of the way, I wonder if they will throw

Jeb into the mix, it has been very quiet out there, no mention of Jeb.

[ruggerson]

23. as long as he doesn't allow religious belief systems to influence public policy

I could give a rat's ass.

[PurityOfEssence]

36. Oh, I don't know...MENTIONING IT ALL THE FUCKING TIME gets a bit tiresome, too.

Just sayin'...

Even if it's NOT used to justify policy, the constant, endless, insipid, saccharine reminding of how central his relationship with the big fella is serves to further remind everyone that religion is necessary in politics and somehow proof of one's morality.

Old habits die hard, and I've always tended to distrust people who continually remind me how spiritual and religious they are. The subtext is to remind people how trustworthy and exemplary one is. It's self-aggrandizing and just plain irritating.

Remember Jimmy Carter? He was deeply religious, his sister was a professional evangelist, and he RARELY brought it up.

[Eryemil]

44. Oh , you mean like the whole gay marriage thing.

[tomm2thumbs]

31. when people tell me to pray for someone, I try to DO something for them instead of simply 'pray'

... to me, prayer is action

- in which case, President Obama is praying the living heck out of all those Right Wing Bible thumping idiots in the GOP!!!


* and I am an atheist so please don't flame me too badly because this is the only life I have <grin>

[donheld]

33. That's none of anybody's business.

[progressoid]

34. Hope it's not the same God that George W prayed to. That God gave out some fucked up advice.

[bertrussell]

38. Just so he keeps the church

out of the state.

[Naturyl]

39. Does he also invoke magic spells and read tea leaves?

Pandering to religion is not pretty.

[PVnRT]

41. Whew! I'm glad that's clear!

I would hate for our media to focus on news rather than whether or not the President prays and how often. That's far more important than talking about health care reform.

[peacefreak]

42. Jesus Christ, what do I do now?

would be my guess:7.

[Capt. America]

43. Letting America know that the civil leaders still are "secondary" to the priest class. For some

reason Americans seem to require this in a leader.

[Wednesdays]

46. Yup, he took one look at yesterday's DU threads...

and suddenly felt the need for guidance all the time. :7

[Ocracoker16]

48. I don't have an issue with private prayer

[TheKentuckian]

49. Good. I hope that time gives him peace and focus.

I'm sure the anti-God coalition would be much happier with Reagan or Nixon who probably didn't pray much but used religion to wreck the country.

[HopeOverFear]

50. I sure hope he's praying right now LOL

[Dulcinea]

51. If it gives him spiritual comfort, more power to him.

Who am I to pass judgment on that?