BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Republican Party Obama wanted “non-religious Christmas”?

Why would Obama be Muslim Gemgirl? Oh let me guess - because he's black? What the hell is that rubbish??? And I and most ppl I know still say "Merry Christmas" - it's American culture that brought in the "Happy Holiday" saying.
"What makes America better than so many other countries is our greater capacity for religious tolerance and acceptance." - I find this very ironic, some states maybe. I'm sorry but I'm not seeing this AT ALL. America has to be one of the most racist and homophobic places on Earth - sure there are plenty of good people there too, lots of them I've met on this site - but I've also lived there...and a lot of it is very predudice I found. My Uncle is Muslim and has been attacked because of it, considering it's a nation that was born of difference it's very confusing to onlookers. That statement about "true Christians" and Obama being Muslim has said enough on here alone to prove that ppl can go around saying things as if they're black or white - there are a lot of grey subjects that a lot of people all over the world can't see, and I think we all have a long way to go, including America.
Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah!

I think Obama is often mistaken for Muslim for a few reasons

1. his name (too close to "Osama")
2. One of his most prominent teachers was Muslim
3. his father is Muslim


Stephen - I thought it was "Happy Christmas" in Europe.

Trying to make the specific day of "Christmas" a non-religious holiday does not make sense. As others have pointed out - Christmas is literally "Christ's Mass" and is the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth.

Now, if the President wishes to make the holiday season a secular season - or one that includes as many different religious holidays as possible, then that is a different story. After all, we start celebrating this season pretty much the day aftr Thanksgiving.

As for doing away with Thanksgiving - there are many, many things to be thankful for - not just the foiunding of this country. We celebrate everything that we are thankful for on that day. I would hate to give up that holiday that so purposefully brings to mind all the things that I have in my life to be thankful for.

Yes Michelle, but I don't think that was what Gemgirl was referring to. I agree about the Christmas thing as well - as I said.

Still don't like Thanksgiving and I think Christmas is a far more important time for myself personally, but then I don't celebrate Thanksgiving still, I don't get it - I think it's disrespectful. Always will as what most ppl believe they are celebrating primarilu ("their" country) comes from something I disagree with.

Steve

Perhaps a little history might help. No one knows when Christ was born - Dec 25th is a date that was agreed upon because the people were celebrating a pagan god on that date with trees and yule logs etc so the powers that be just decided that would be a great day to keep the celebration going. Most scholars agree that Christ was born closer to what would be March in our calender year. I know this is really not to the point but it does add to the argument that the holiday we celebrate was really more closely related to a pagan ritual than Christ's birthday. (Of course the mass consumerism now surrounding this holiday would certainly cause consternation for Christ no matter when he was born).

Also keep in mind that Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas all fall around the same time of year so whose to say which, if any, celebration the leader of this country, with its many mixed cultures, should celebrate - especially keeping with separation of church and state.

Its easy to get caught up in word and perhaps the business that started all of this debate comes down to semantics. If the Obama's had stated, and since I have not heard the exact quote whose to say they did not actually speak more carefully than what's going around, anyhow if they had said they were celebrating "the holidays" in a non-religious fashion or even in a mixed religious fashion as I did growing up in Brooklyn with my best Jewish friend perhaps none of this would have been necessary.

We are not a Christian nation we are nation that opens its arms to all religions and faiths.

This is still on the Internet, give it a listen.

[url= http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tCAffMSWSzY#t=28]Obama admits [/url]

Once put on the internet everything stays on the internet. The best the worst of everything, even in politics, is no the internet.

Actually, nowhere in that compilation does Obama declare that he is a Muslim. Most of it could have been spoken by George Bush, who repeatedly praised Isalm as a peaceful religion that was hijacked by a evil group of extemists.

If Obama were a Muslim and he freely proclaimed it, there would be no problem. There is no reason that the U.S. could not have a Muslim president; Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota is Muslim, and he has been elected to that seat twice, 2006 and 2008.

The problem with Obama is that he hides so much. While claiming to be a propoent of transparency, he refuses to release any of this school records, the results of his bar exam, medical records, as well as his original, long-form birth certificate.

Here's an article that lists and discusses all of the records who release Obama continues to refuse:

Where Have All the Records Gone?

EXCERPT: "The Obama campaign has refused to release his college transcript, despite an academic career that led him to Harvard Law School and, later, to a lecturing position at the University of Chicago," the Sun reported in September 2008. "The shroud surrounding his experience at Columbia contrasts with that of other major party nominees since 2000, all whom have eventually released information about their college performance or seen it leaked to the public."

He's indoctrinated by a lot and is non-religious. He can tell you what the Koran teaches but for 20 years never listened to Rev. Wright even though he went to church there. I guess he is a cafeteria style spiritual person - picks and chooses what he likes.

I think you're right: he is "non-religious." But he claims that Reverend Jeremiah "Goddamn America" Wright introduced him to Christ.

Now that he has thrown the good reverend under the bus, he still hasn't committed to a church. It looks like his only attraction for Wright was the Black Liberation Theology teachings--not the teachings of Christ, since he takes every opportunity to distance himself from Christianity.

Again, however, there would be nothing wrong with a "non-religious" president, if he is up front about it. Obama is not upfront about anything, even his kindergarten records.

[quote=Jase]I love how people throw out terms like "true christian". The last time I checked, a Christian is a follower of Christ. Who are we, as falible humans to judge who is a true christian or not. I think only that when they face the Allmighty in the end will they be judged on this fact. Additionally, many people celebrate the non-religious aspects of christmas such as gathering with your family, sharing in gift giving, and just enjoying the day with those whom you love. I do enjoy getting christmas off, because it gives me a chance to commune with my family and friends. And no, I don't get paid for that day. I have never been paid for that day when I DON"T WORK ON THAT DAY. Most people who get paid on that day have to work ON THAT DAY so that others can be at home celebrating christmas in their own tradition.[/quote] It is my opinion that Obama is more Muslim than Christian based on what I have seen, read and heard. And,yes, God will judge our hearts when we pass on. Also, Christmas is a national holiday in the USA. People do get paid for Christmas even when they are not working. Oh, and as for "throwing out terms" did you object when the Democrats "threw out terms" like racists for people who do not agree with them on their health care bill or is it just conservative who "throw out terms" that bother you?