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Obama speech on religion was just as AWESOME - Video and Transcript
If you thought todays speech was good, here is another great Obama speech that courageously confronts another issue that divides us. The division between religious America and secular America:
(excerpt)
"For some time now, there has been plenty of talk among pundits and pollsters that the political divide in this country has fallen sharply along religious lines. Indeed, the single biggest "gap" in party affiliation among white Americans today is not between men and women, or those who reside in so-called Red States and those who reside in Blue, but between those who attend church regularly and those who don't.
Conservative leaders have been all too happy to exploit this gap, consistently reminding evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their Church, while suggesting to the rest of the country that religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage; school prayer and intelligent design.
Democrats, for the most part, have taken the bait. At best, we may try to avoid the conversation about religious values altogether, fearful of offending anyone and claiming that - regardless of our personal beliefs - constitutional principles tie our hands. At worst, there are some liberals who dismiss religion in the public square as inherently irrational or intolerant, insisting on a caricature of religious Americans that paints them as fanatical, or thinking that the very word "Christian" describes one's political opponents, not people of faith.
Now, such strategies of avoidance may work for progressives when our opponent is Alan Keyes. But over the long haul, I think we make a mistake when we fail to acknowledge the power of faith in people's lives -- in the lives of the American people -- and I think it's time that we join a serious debate about how to reconcile faith with our modern, pluralistic democracy."
It is an awesome speech! Check out the rest
Video here:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid463869411/bctid416343938
Transcript Here:
http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/index.php
Comments (2)
You put the post up. You earned your money. Your conscience is clear.
-- and I think it's time that we join a serious debate about how to reconcile faith with our modern, pluralistic democracy."
I guess I'm a believer that there are a whole bunch of issues that are more urgent sitting on the table than some esoteric discussion about 'faith' that the govt should normally stay clear of. I believe that the debate about faith and pluralism has to wait until we've dealt with the economic and military issues.
Sorry.
March 19, 2008 2:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
This speech is not his presidency program. This is from two years ago, when he was not yet running for president. Of course there are plenty of issues more important than faith (which is why it's silly to right now focus all of the attention on a few statements of one pastor). The speech was made merely to point out that the role of faith in politics is another important issue which should not to be neglected.
It's a great speech that makes several very good points; I agree with it completely. It was also necessary to discuss, given the fact that W. Bush said that he decided to invade Iraq because "God told him so," which is absurd. Obama makes it very clear in his speech, that faith should never be used that way in politics. But he also tells us that faith is not something negative, i.e. lack of reasoning and doubt; that it can be very positive, even in politics, when used with the right amount of reasoning, cooperation and understanding of others.
March 19, 2008 4:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
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