Pastor Jesse's Blog

Glenn Beck’s rally August 28 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington and his subsequent comments have drawn a lot of response. Probably the most controversial statement nationwide is his remark about President Obama’s Christianity.

Beck said, “I’m taking his word that he is a Christian. But here’s where it falls apart for many Americans: it’s a Christianity that most Americans just don’t recognize.” He refers to the obvious liberation theology leaning of Obama’s Christian background.

Well, he is exactly right, of course. The president spent 20 years in Jeremiah Wright’s congregation. Wright is a vocal proponent for liberation theology which is definitely leftwing.

I’m not a huge Glenn Beck fan. I agree with him on some things. I disagree with him on others. But, I think Mr. Beck has nailed the president’s theological background .

Well, the president took off the mask and showed himself pretty clearly last weekend. Speaking at a Ramadan feast at the White House, he clearly positioned himself in support of the proposed mosque just two blocks from Ground Zero. The next day, he made matters even worse, indicating he intended to say Muslims had the right to build it, but wouldn’t comment on whether or not they should. If he meant that, why didn’t he have the courage to say that before his Muslim audience at the feast.

There is so much that is outrageous here, one hardly knows where to begin.

First, how long do you think it will be before Obama has the Lord’s Supper at the White House?

And, they have a “right” to build it? I just don’t agree.

Would the Emperor worshipping Japanese have had a “right” to build a statue of Hirohito next to Pearl Harbor? Of course not.

Debra Burlingame, whose sister was one of the pilots killed in the 9/11 attacks, said, “Barack Obama has abandoned America at the place where America’s heart was broken nine years ago, and where her true values were on display for all to see.”

The mask is off. While Obama may not be a Muslim, he is clearly in sympathy with Islam. God-fearing people should be outraged and should let their voices be heard until he is soundly defeated at the end of his first term.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has weighed in on the funding issue for the proposed Ground Zero mosque.

In response to those who are saying the funding stream should be investigated she said, “At the same time, we should also ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center.” (washingtontimes.com, 8.18)

You can’t make this stuff up. Does Ms. Speaker think some terrorist groups are behind the opposition to the mosque? Has it ever dawned on her that there is a proper sense of outrage in this country at the tremendous insensitivity being demonstrated in all of this?

No wonder Washington is in the worst shape I have witnessed in my lifetime. It’s past time to pray for America!

There was quite a hubbub last week over President Obama’s faith after a Pew Forum survey showed that 1 in 5 Americans believe Obama to be a Muslim. I don’t know how so many Americans could be so misinformed as to believe such a thing, but there it is. In fact, Obama professes to be a Christian, and all the indications are that he is a progressive one at that. In other words, his Christian faith resembles more what you would find in one of the liberal mainline churches than what you would find in an evangelical church.

Case in point. Michael Patton links to an interview with Obama from 2004 in which the future president talks extensively about his beliefs. It’s really clear that he is not a Muslim. I thought what was most interesting about this interview was how much it delves into theology. The interviewer asked him his beliefs about Jesus, sin, heaven, hell, and a host of other issues. Here are some snippets, but you should really take a minute to read the whole piece.

“I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place.”

“I retain from my childhood and my experiences growing up a suspicion of dogma. And I’m not somebody who is always comfortable with language that implies I’ve got a monopoly on the truth, or that my faith is automatically transferable to others.”

“Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he’s also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher. And he’s also a wonderful teacher. I think it’s important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.”

“I think that the difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and prostelytize. There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell… I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell. I can’t imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity. That’s just not part of my religious makeup.”

“What I believe in is that if I live my life as well as I can, that I will be rewarded. I don’t presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. But I feel very strongly that whether the reward is in the here and now or in the hereafter, the aligning myself to my faith and my values is a good thing.”

There’s one final set of remarks that are revealing, and I’ll have to include the interviewer here:

FALSANI: Do you believe in sin?

OBAMA: Yes.

FALSANI: What is sin?

OBAMA: Being out of alignment with my values.

Like I said, he’s definitely not a Muslim. He identifies with a postmodern/liberalish version of Christianity. Read the rest here.