Barack Obama faces some Biblically-fueled opposition.
In order to squeeze Republican rival John McCain’s power base, the Democratic Senator has set out to woo traditionally right-wing voters, including Evangelicals. Unfortunately, some of the pious set aren’t falling into line.
Obama met privately yesterday with Christian leaders in Chicago and apparently things didn’t go as planned: “…Some participants clearly have political differences with Obama. The senator’s support for abortion rights and gay rights, among other issues, draws opposition from religious conservatives.” Such opposition could be expected, of course, as could aggressive campaigns against the candidate.
Cue televangelist Bill Keller, who has launched an attack on Obama, suggesting that the candidate’s progressive social politics don’t jibe with traditional Christianity:
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…Keller says Obama has views on social issues that most evangelicals regard as unbiblical.
“He has consistently voted to uphold a woman’s right to kill babies,” Keller points out. “He has consistently voted to support the gay agenda, gay ‘marriage,’ gay adoption, special rights for gays.”
Keller says while obviously only God can judge a man’s heart, he does not think Senator Obama can call himself a Christian yet deny the basic tenets of the faith and rewrite them to suit his own purposes.
Keller goes on to describe Obama as part of the “religious left,” those who practice, yet still insist on demonic policies such as social justice.
And, as part of his effort to raise Obama-related eyebrows, Keller filmed an 8-minute flick in which he decries Obama as an “enemy of God.” Watch it in all its horror, after the jump…
Daniel
Well thanks Mr. Keller, you have given me more reasons to vote for Senator Obama. Anytime the right don’t like you, you are alright with me!
Bob R
I would think with all the problems religionists and religion have caused Mr. Obama in this White House run so far, he would try to shy away from them. I realize that this being America, and the fact that we have more ignorant christians and religionists than most industrialized nations, Obama can’t completely discount these delusional folks. I would also point out that the vast majority of these christian lunatics rewrite the bible (literally and figuratively) to suit their purposes. Keller and other christian whack jobs pick and choose biblical admonishments like they order from a Chinese restaurant menu; one from column A, two from column B. We are a very ignorant people. Thus we get the likes of George Bush and perhaps his clone, Senator McNuts.
CitizenGeek
I still think Obama will be able to get a decent number of religious voters. Those poll numbers from a few days ago showed that 55% of Catholics don’t agree that homosexuality is a sin, while it’s like 45% or something for Christians.
crazylove
It’s funny. By doing this, Mr. Keller is inadvertantly pointing out something that many to whom he speaks don’t already know- that there is more than one way to be a Christian, i.e., that there is a religios left. He’s not endorsing it, but he’s certainly giving it an audience. He’s making the debate less about politics and more about internal battles over “what is Christian.” Personally, I love it. The more internal fights they have- the less time they’ve got to be attacking us.
fredo777
haha
I’m not watching that garbage. I think it’s funny, though, when people accuse someone of changing the bible to suit their needs. Noone in this day + age follows everything in the bible to the letter.
weber
It’s called separation of Church and State. It’s one of the main reasons Mitt Romney didn’t get the nomination. These religious extremists don’t realize that they are not only turning people off of their preferred candidate with their close-minded rhetoric, but they’re also turning people off of religion in general.
todd
I don’t think Obama’s nutty preacher turns off evangelical voters as much as Sean Hannity would hope – they are used to hearing lunacy in church.
James
Not to nitpick queerty (you know I love ya), but I think you misrepresented the meeting. You said “things din’t go as planned” but according to the article you linked to everything was fine:
“The discussion ‘went absolutely everywhere,’ [T.D.] Jakes told The Associated Press, and ‘just about every Christian stripe was represented in that room.'”
For you heathens (grin) Jakes is a African-American minister of note.
Michael J
I don’t think the Evangelical community is one and the same as the Christian right. There are Evangelicals that are more concerned with poverty, war, environmental degredation and other issues of social and economic justice than with the abortion, gay rights, and other “red meat” issues of the religious right. If Obama can appeal to progressive Evangelicals without compromising his own progressive stances, that’s great.
noah
Well, maybe this meeting will finally convince the haters that Obama is serious about standing up for gay rights! Obama has constantly stated his support for the major gay rights initiatives: ENDA, state-recognized spousal agreements/civil unions, etc.
If you vote for McCain, or write in Hillary, or abstain from voting, you are only increasing the power and reach of the ultra-conservatives who will back McCain and expect payment in judicial appointments and legislation that would not be in the interest of most GLBT Americans.
Between two to four Supreme Court justices may retire in next few years, do you want to see more people like Anton Scalia on the Court?
If Obama can slice of 20 or 30% of evangelical voters who are tired of the hate from ministers like Hagee, Robertson, and Keller, he would be able put together a great coalition that would help to ensure a Democratic Party-controlled Congress that could get
As for Obama’s nutty pastor, he’s a member of the United Church of Christ, a liberal Christian church that has supported gay Americans by not only welcoming them into their pews but producing commercials to that effect.
emb
I love it when evangelical christian nutjobs start sounding exactly like their islamic counterparts. “Enemy of god” indeed. Now, I don’t subscribe to the Invisible Friends lifestyle, but one would think that the omnipotent creator of the universe would be able to take care of himself when it comes to enemies and such, and not require the assistance of bad-haired televangelists or dynamite-vested crazies. Someday folks’ll wise up and see that religion is at the base of pretty much everything stupid in the world today. So the rightwing religious goons are agaisnt Obama? Good riddance.
nikko
The abortion pics were disturbing….an abortion that late, I must admit, is against my conscience.
Tom
Nikko, don’t have one then. But please keep your conscience out of other women’s personal and difficult decisions.
CHURCHILL-Y
And he will accept Bill Keller’s invitation in order to “become a friend of God”
Plus for every white evangelical that comes against him
there are ten black evangelicals that come forward in support of him.
DISGUSTING
RPCV
Here goes the empty suit, cult-leading, Muslim, affirmative action candidate once again!! Trying anything for political expediency. He has no shame.
His first test at demonstrating decision-making, leadership qulities sure backfired too – we all saw today what happened to Jim Johnson!! Our country should hang its collective head in shame. I still can’t wait for the “whitey” tape from Michelle, and I can’t wait to hear more about Hussein’s alleged past coke snorting.
Just a few thoughts.
McCain/Whomever ’08
nikko
Oh,TOM, don’t get defensive….I’m sure women have a conscience concerning this matter, unlike you, it seems.
mctrax
Great to see gay artists coming out for Obama –
Andy Fraser nails it with new campaign song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l67Gp9wV8Oc