Obama: Faith, Hope, Change

[Silent3]

This kind of campaign imagery bothers me. Okay... it disgusts me.

I want Obama to win. He's a good Democratic, and he's certainly way better than McCain. But I hate seeing him run this way.

I don't blame Obama so much as the assinine voters in this country who insist on being pandered to like this, who need to see this to counteract the influence of deliberately spread false rumors that he's a Muslim.

[MoJoWorkin]

1. I am sure he isn't happy about having to do it either, as he has made clear

he believes STRONGLY in separation of church and state. However, he can't be swift-boated as a scary angry black Muslim , now can he? I believe he has to do this, as much as none of us like it.

Also, I am reading where a lot of those young idealistic evangelicals are becoming disenchanted with the GOP. I will happily accept their votes---maybe we can bring them some enlightenment along the way--- that it is the Democratic Party, and NOT the Republican Party, that embodies real Christian values of "I am my brother's/sister's keeper,"etc.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Exactly! nt

[jody]

2. BO is a political chameleon, adopting whatever camouflage necessary to survive. He is all things to

all voters but in reality lacks substance.

I'm a Yellow Dog Democrat but fear BO's weaknesses will prove our party's undoing in November.

[But....]

3. O.K.

Mister democratic president Candide-drop and give me fifty.:woohoo:

[Horse with no Name]

13. Prescient. Thank you.

I knew if I stuck around long enough that one day we would agree on something.:D

[cosmik debris]

4. Politics requires two separate skill sets

One is the art of governance, the other is the art of getting elected. It is a shame that we often elect persons who only have the latter skill.

You have to look past the "campaign rhetoric". But most people don't.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

5. This was a Kentucky Obama flier

and it disgusts me too.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[angrycarpenter]

6. something has to be done

go over to FR, they talk of his being a muslim as a proven fact and that he will convert back to islam as soon as he is elected.

I think that they hate him because he is black but attacking him on those grounds is open racism. The only thing they have left is his middle name.

They also seem to be experts on islamic law all of the sudden. The current idea is that if he was once a muslim and converted to christ that all muslims have a duty to behead him. sounds like wishful thinking.

I don't understand free republic, They joyfully spread ignorance around the internet for the sake of sabotaging democratic ideals. They have no real ideas of how fix any problem we have but they will be damned if they will let any democrat have a clean shot at solving any problem. They would poke out their own eyes to avoid reading the writing on the wall.

[uberllama42]

7. There's that old trope about faith being a virtue

Just because he believes in something, he must be a great guy. End of discussion.

It's a good thing, too, because if there's one thing we've lacked in the last eight years it's faith. Not enough religion in public life, by a long shot. Nope.

[JerseygirlCT]

14. Maybe lots of "religion" according to someone's definition, but

I don't think there's been much of "faith", IYKWIM.

[anonymous171]

27. My neocon friend was talking about how much a good christian Bush was, when I said,

"Since when is war a Christian principle?" He didn't have an answer.

[iris88]

8. Hey!

Where's his flag pin?

[Igel]

11. Old picture.

He didn't realize that it would get him votes.

He's in touch with his inner panderer now.

[JerseygirlCT]

9. Well, I don't see it as pandering, but certainly that's open to

one's opinion and interpretation.

To me, it reads as an explanation of his faith. And of course, it's directed at an audience for whom that explanation would be important. Much like talking about labor issues in front of a union audience would be important.

And yes, the silliness over the Muslim stuff is probably part of this. That ticks me off, because it's untrue, but even more because it works on the assumption that there's something wrong with being Muslim. How bigoted can things get?

I rather like his take on his faith, myself. I don't want someone who just wants to mouth the right words; I do believe *he* believes that it's the actions that matter. Without them, words mean precious little.

[notfullofit]

12. Well said! nt.

[struggle4progress]

15. What's the reason for thinking this is real? Photoshops are posted here daily.

The source is somebody's photo-bucket

And this sort of advertising would probably only work with a rather small set of very conservative voters -- who wouldn't vote for Obama anyway, even if the heavens opened and a little angel twittered down and sat upon his shoulder. I expect the Obama campaign's smart enough to know that

If you wanted an opinion about such political ads, I'd say I oppose them completely and unconditionally for religious and secular reasons

But why should I take this claim seriously?

[katherine20]

16. Obama and Faith

I would have no objection to politics being simply an exchange of policy white papers. But if we are going to have politicians talk about their parents, their heritage, their children, their sports interests, their tastes in music, their upbringing, etc. then they may as well speak as to their core values. I am confident that Senator Obama is deeply sincere when he talks about faith. It was an important life experience for him. He was not raised in any spiritual tradition. Like many of the great mystics, he found faith in the face of the poor. He started work as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago when he was without any religious affiliation. In working with people who had nothing, who suffered from want and oppression, he saw the face of God. From this he sought baptism and the fellowship of Christian believers. One need not share Obama's religion to appreciate the amazing story it is.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cosmik debris]

24. History.

You are, that is. History.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uberllama42]

22. Even is spamming was tolerated on this board,

blatant anti-Muslim sentiment is not. Expect to be banned from the board in short order.

[Evoman]

23. Why is the last sentence a problem?

[TZ]

25. I feel like I've accidently wandered into GD--P

Smells exactly the same right now....

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Meshuga]

26. Building a coalition to change the current reality

This kind of campaign imagery also disgusts me. And I agree with your OP. But there is something else that needs to be done to counter this and turn the table. Conservative Christians are well organized and willing to build coalitions to get their way. So now they enjoy this kind of attention from politicians while we are left feeling nauseated.

That’s why I think it is counter productive for a movement to come out finger pointing and blaming the liberal religious for the woes of non-believers, criticizing religion in general instead of building coalitions.

The non-believing block is too small to have influence but I think this block would make some gains if it joined forces with the “religious secular” which is not a small group. Learning from their common rival by organizing and building a coalition, I think these two groups could give the religious right a run for their money.

This is politics and the bigger your coalition the bigger is your influence. At least in my perception, the pandering seems to be getting worse so I think the game being played by the evangelicals appears to be very effective.

[anonymous171]

28. As long as he doesn't start catering to them this is fine with me.