Obama’s Holiday Greeting, Calls for the “Spirit of Humanity” Regardless of Faith

Posted by: Eric | Apr 3, 2010 7:21:57 AM
Eric, I could not have said it better myself. Thanks.

For a different view, I thought the President was both specific enough and universal enough, representing all of us, not just the more tribal discontents that complain about everything, and talked about what Easter represents for Christians and Seder represents for Jews.
“This is a week of faithful celebration. On Monday and Tuesday nights, Jewish families and friends in the United States and around the world gathered for a Seder to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt and the triumph of hope and perseverance over injustice and oppression. On Sunday, my family will join other Christians all over the world in marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
As for why he spoke of unity, I think the reference to the Easter sermon at Iwo Jima very specifically tied that all together. (Their only hope that this unity will endure.)It also highlighted sacrifice for all of us, which does, indeed, touch on a very important aspect of Easter.
I’m so tired of those that complain about everything, and project all their cynicism onto the president and others who are working toward positioning us in the center– as a nation that invests in the future and science and innovation and the security and well being of its citizens including the less fortunate in terms of health, wealth and opportunity so that we can all aspire to use our full potential for the common good, where liberty isn’t a self-centered let ‘em eat cake concept– where we are most strong.
And Mr. President, have a nice holiday.

President Obama is speaking now in 2010 – and the world is much more crowded with people and is much smaller and more intertwined than in Jefferson or Franklin’s time. It either world peace and harmony or nothing. This is the test God has given to mortals, and there is only One God.

Let us have a meaningful Easter and excommunication all Catholic priests and above.

I hope he gets all the “blessings” he deserves…and more.

If you don’t ascribe to the “sin washing and dying for you but I am comming back to life so stuff you can still have a nice day off . At least Easter is on a Sunday this year .

It isn’t what he says, watch what he does. He embraces muslims around the world, while snubbing the Jewish president. Actions speak louder than words, and BO has shown that indeed he is an Islam sympathiser. Wonder why???????

nat turner – Easter is ALWAYS on a Sunday.

“We have plenty of tape of YOU and your lackeys’ spewing your hate rhetoric and denigrating America, American Citizens, and American Businesses over an over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over……”
Oh yeah? If so give us all one quote where Obama says he hates anybody.

Coming from the man that uses bullying, threats, bribes, arm twisting, payoffs, shady backdoor deals to get his way…
purposely divides people–pitting them against each other, throws old friends under the bus, betrays our allies, mocking/taunting those who disagree…
sorry but I don’t think Obama has the cred to preach about humanity.
He needs to look in the mirror.

Maybe it’s just me (not likely), but I think Obama can barely contain his contempt for Israel.
Could he possibly walk away from Rev Wright after 20 years and not carry some of that ideology with him.
Not likely.

Quite depressing that we can’t have one or two days a year honoring sacrifice, unity, redemption, and hope without viscious name calling and intolerance.
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Unfortunately, not when you have the Republican right involved . .. unless they clean up their act . ..

tierra – It’s Obama who is minimizing who Jesus is. He seems to be claiming that all religions are equal and yet, claims to be a Christian. It goes against the Christian belief that the only way to heaven is through Jesus. [Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me"] John 14:6

“He seems to be claiming that all religions are equal and yet, claims to be a Christian”
I guess we can therefore very safely disregard all the right-wingers who claim to be Christian yet advocate war, support greed on a massive scale and ignore the plight of the sick and the poor.

To my fellow Christians who understand what the president is saying, happy Easter. To my fellow Christians who watched the president’s actions and have determined that his fruit is not of the spirit, look within your hearts and be honest with yourselves…you have to know that the Lord is with him. To the rest of you, God’s grace and mercy be with you even if you don’t believe.

We have a clear policy of separation of church and state in this country which I’m certain right-wingers want to erode. We need it so we can safely elect say a Catholic like JFK without any fear that the Pope will end up running the White House. Obama is very conscientiously operating within this framework and I find it particularly insidious that the usual suspects would attempt to use it as method of criticizing his faith for political purposes….especially when in most cases they don’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to actually emulating the most basic Christian principles.

I never thought I’d see a more awkward presidential moment than Clinton donning a flight jacket on the USS Enterprise in 1992….until the Easter egg roll with the Obama’s on the White House lawn.

LongT
Sorry I missed Obama’s awkward Easter egg roll.
But I did see his rainbow pitch wearing mom jeans. That was awkward.

Skip – No it isn’t. It is not like past Presidents haven’t declared their faith & openly practiced it. It is weakness to bow to political correctness.

However, if you are a Christian (which he claims to be), you don’t celebrate other faith’s holidays and you don’t marginalize what Jesus did for us – you don’t deny it by not speaking of it on the appropriate holiday.
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Why am I reminded of the Pharisees? (putting rigid man-made rules and scorn over love and fellowship)
As Gandhi put it, ““I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Of course, there are Christians who are really Christianists, and then there are Christians, who do value love and fellowship over rigid man-made rules about how to exactly celebrate holidays.

There is no planet b – Participating in other religions’ rituals is not a man-made rule; it is in the Bible to not worship false gods. By participating in another religion’s ritual is to deny that you are a Christian. It’s pretty straightforward.
Since Ghandi wasn’t a Christian, what he thought doesn’t have anything to do with my faith.

Posted by: ellsbells930 | Apr 3, 2010 10:02:50 PM
BBBBBBBut the RRRRRRRRules!!!! Its not my fault I have to fuss about them and get self righteous about them. They’re rules!!! I have to report on them!!! They matter more than people!!!!!
Eyeroll.
We see ya, Elle. We see ya. We get it.

tierra – Who said he was a preacher? Not me. But for someone who claims to be a Christian, he sure is denying Him. Yeah – he says he’s going to church tomorrow -but he also celebrated Passover. Does that make him Jewish? Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian.
There is no planet – very mature response. I can roll my eyes too. You can slam it all you want, but I know that Jesus died for my sins (and your’s too). I am not ashamed to say it & I will not deny it. I will stand up for what I believe, knowing that God is right beside me giving me strength.

Folks, I’m hard pressed to find a definition for the “spirit of humanity.” It either pertains to the spirit of being human or the spirit of being humane. I think we can all agree that humans have not done too good of a job on their own. And as far as being humane, this calls for compassion, sympathy or consideration for humans or animals and usually applies to the human condition. A second preference refers to humanism or humanistic. So there we have it. If us humans simply become humanistic in our approach to one another at the exclusion of any religion then we can accept all religions. From G.K. Chesterton (British writer): “When people stop believing in God, they don’t (start) believe in nothing…they believe in anything.” There’s nothing wrong with respecting the person since God created us all, but if any religion is true, then its followers deny their god through acceptance of the religions of others. As a Christian, we can and should treat all people with respect but it is a foolish trick of satan to believe that we can respect the beliefs of others that go against ours.

“he says he’s going to church tomorrow -but he also celebrated Passover”
Didn’t Jesus go to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover?

“he says he’s going to church tomorrow -but he also celebrated Passover”
Didn’t Jesus go to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover?
Posted by: Skip | Apr 3, 2010 10:28:02 PM
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Yeah, but Jesus wasn’t a Christian.

Posted by: wantingbalance | Apr 3, 2010 10:24:43 PM
Oh for heaven’s sakes. It means goodwill.
Are you people for real?

tierra, Christianity came after Christ died. Therefore Joseph was a Jew. There’s no disputing this. It’s comical too even argue this.

tierra said “I mean his father God – he was a Christian. God used to go to church every Sunday from what it says in the bible.”
What??? Oh my goodness. I don’t have enough time to even begin to fix this idea. Let’s just start with: no where in the Bible does it say that God used to go to church every Sunday. God is not human, but he sent his Son (Jesus)in human form. Christianity did not exist until Jesus died & was resurrected.

Christian Passover is a religious observance celebrated by a small number of Protestant churches instead of, or alongside, the more common Christian holy day and festival of Easter. The redemption from the bondage of sin through the sacrifice of Christ is celebrated, a parallel of the Jewish Passover’s celebration of redemption from bondage in the land of Egypt.
Christian Passover seders are held on the evening corresponding to 14 Nisan or 15 Nisan, depending whether the particular church uses a quartodeciman or quintodeciman application. In 2009, for example, The United Church of God will celebrate Passover (followed by the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread) on 14 Nisan (sunset, 7 April through sunset, 8 April). Jehovah’s Witnesses prefer the terms Last Supper, Lord’s Evening Meal, and Memorial of Christ’s death, but a Witness may refer to his faith’s annual communion commemoration informally as “Passover” according to his faith’s understanding of Nisan 14 and the ancient Jewish calendar (for 2010 and 2011, respectively, that is after dusk on Tuesday, March 30 or Sunday, April 17).

Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Pentecost Sunday is – 40 days after Easter, when it’s told that the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary and the Apostles is the actual birthday of Christianity. This is when Mary and Apostles went from closed doors to active preachers of Christianity, baptizing, preaching, etc. By the way, it wasn’t until several HUNDRED years that the bible as we know it today came to be. The last book of the bible, as we know it, was still being written by S. John – the only Apostle to die of natural causes – after the last of the other Apostles were martyred (S. Peter crucified upside down, S. Paul beheaded, S. Bartholemew skinned alive, S. James thrown off a rooftop, S. Thomas speared and stoned, S. James the greater bludgeoned with a club, S. Andrew crucified (bound) to a greek cross, S. Jude clubbed to death, Judas Iscariot committed suicide the night he turned Jesus in then was replaced by S. Matthias S. Phillip martyred).

“Christianity did not exist until Jesus died & was resurrected”
As far as I’m concerned everything you need to know about the teachings of Jesus is in the four Gospels. This tyrannical New Covenant stuff is a bunch of baloney shoved on us by influential early Christian fanatics. There was a time when many early Christians believed that in order to be a true Christian you naturally had to be Jewish since Jesus was. Just because these ideas became unpopular didn’t make them wrong.

tierra the Bible also said that Joseph was a just man, chaste, and holy. There was nothing wrong with him, on the contrary, if there were more men like him today, we would see a much gentler and patient world.

Even the Protestant Reformers insisted on the Perpetual Virginity of Mary:
Martin Luther:
It is an article of faith that Mary is Mother of the Lord and still a virgin. … Christ, we believe, came forth from a womb left perfectly intact. (Weimer’s The Works of Luther, English translation by Pelikan, Concordia, St. Louis, v. 11, pp. 319-320; v. 6. p. 510.)
Calvin also up held the perpetual virginity of Mary, as did the Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), who wrote:
I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin. (Zwingli Opera, Corpus Reformatorum, Berlin, 1905, v. 1, p. 424.)

It is an article of faith
Posted by: Tom
it’s a curious thing how one ‘faith’ or belief system thinks it has the right to determine the validity of another.. aka: our god is the real one

There was a time when many early Christians believed that in order to be a true Christian you naturally had to be Jewish since Jesus was. Just because these ideas became unpopular didn’t make them wrong. posted by Skip
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Many early converts to Christianity were Jews who believed Christ was the Messiah whose coming was foretold throughout much of Jewish history. Some of them mistakenly thought Jesus came to set up an earthly kingdom.
Jews who did not convert believe Jesus was not the promised Messiah. They still look for the Messiah to appear on earth.
Jesus Himself proclaimed that He came first to the Jewish people; but thankfully for all us Gentiles, He expanded salvation to us as well. His reasons are explained in the parable of the man who planned a feast. When the invited guests failed to come, the man then sent his servants to gather up others so his feast would not be wasted.

I mean his father God – he was a Christian. God used to go to church every Sunday from what it says in the bible. posted by tierra
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God is not a Christian. The God worshipped by Christians is the same God worshipped by Jews.
Christians are those who accept God’s gift of salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection. We do our best to live by the teachings of Christ which can be found in the first 4 books of the New Testament. Notice I said ‘do our best’ because Christians are forgiven and saved through grace, not being humans, we are not perfect.
You could say that God ‘goes to church’. Not to worship, but to be worshipped. Christians go to church to worship and praise God as a family of believers, and we believe God meets us there. But God is everywhere all the time; He expects us to worship and praise Him as individuals also.

Wow. This site seems to have a problem with me saying that I am going to pray for someone. Why are they threatened by that?

Larry Painter,
Your question: “Where are those who can rise above the pettiness of party politics?” rings rather shallow when it is preceeded by partisan-finger pointing at JUST the ‘opposing’ party.
But to answer the question: I can. Can you?

Wow. This site seems to have a problem with me saying that I am going to pray for someone. Why are they threatened by that?
Posted by: ellsbells930 | Apr 4, 2010 9:26:30 AM
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Just out of curiosity – would you be upset if a pagan witch said on this blog they were going to do rituals for you?

Po’d “it is an article of faith” was Martin Luther’s quote not mine. I’m not the one making this claim, Martin Luther did and coincidentally so did the Catholic Church hold it in common. My point was that some of the Protestant Reformers held similar views together with Catholicism, which over time have been dropped over the centuries. Here is the quote:
Martin Luther:
“It is an article of faith that Mary is Mother of the Lord and still a virgin. … Christ, we believe, came forth from a womb left perfectly intact.” (Weimer’s The Works of Luther, English translation by Pelikan, Concordia, St. Louis, v. 11, pp. 319-320; v. 6. p. 510.)
Calvin also up held the perpetual virginity of Mary, as did the Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), who wrote:
“I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin.” (Zwingli Opera, Corpus Reformatorum, Berlin, 1905, v. 1, p. 424.)

Tom:
thanks for your info..
my comment was more directed at the concept that one man’s article of faith, can be someone else’s call to arms.
it always seems to hold true that the oppressed, be it religious, or cultural of one country, when given the opportunity, will revisit that oppression and cruelty on another group..
one can see that in american history, but in these times it manifests itself in the hard core evangelical militias and ‘pro-life’ elements who by their own words and beliefs claim that they have the ‘true knowledge’, and means, to bring back a ‘true’ christian faith, and that the old cliche of ‘killing for god’ is their actual credo.. and satisfies what their version of god wants and expects.
We see it in education, a creeping trend toward indoctrinating religion into public ed. aka ‘creationism’ and a rewriting of history to highlight religion as the primary mechanism in american history… as in Texas.
In Virginia, the first thing the new governor and AG did was to repeal anti-descrimination protections for gays. Both claim to be ‘christians’. This is just a brief indication of what would happen to America should the christian fundamentalists gain control or political power.
We are never that far removed from burning ‘witches’