What is reason why Obama does not attend church?

Originally posted by whodey
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2014/12/26/obama-doesnt-attend-church-so-as-not-to-distract-others-says-advisor/

According to Obama, the reason he does not attend church is that he is too much of a distraction.

Is this the real reason?

Here are some other reasons I can think of.

1. Rev. Wright makes secret house calls.

2. Obama gets b ...[text shortened]... around the church, none of the money goes to him. The church refuses to pay him his fair share.

Could you please take your "black-man-in-the-white-house" hate back to debates where you surely have some kindred souls?

This is not the "Politics" forum.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Could you please take your "black-man-in-the-white-house" hate back to debates where you surely have some kindred souls?

This is not the "Politics" forum.

I don't think whodey is an opponent of Mr Obama for racist reasons. I think his reasons are ideological. Attempting to sidestep whodey's ideology by smearing it as racist is deflection, pure and simple, but I agree that whodey's hobbie horses regarding Mr Obama belong on the Debates Forum.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
No thanks. You'll just have to become accustomed to droning on contentiously without the benefit of my earnest replies.

1 Corinthians 1:10 "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment."
1 Corinth ...[text shortened]... e men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?"

It's interesting that whodey comparing fellow Christian President Obama to Stalin and Hitler draws no comment from you about conentiousness or divisiveness, and yet when I simply ask you if you accept Mr Obama as a fellow Christian in spite of political differences, you wheel out 1 Corinthians 1:10 etc. It seems you might be wielding scripture in a rather unprincipled and politically partisan way. If I have misunderstood your peculiar inconsistency then perhaps you could clarify.

Originally posted by FMF
I don't think whodey is an opponent of Mr Obama for racist reasons. I think his reasons are ideological. Attempting to sidestep whodey's ideology by smearing it as racist is deflection, pure and simple, but I agree that whodey's hobbie horses regarding Mr Obama belong on the Debates Forum.

And you certainly know all about deflection and misdirection, don't you?

Originally posted by Suzianne
And you certainly know all about deflection and misdirection, don't you?

I have read hundreds and hundreds of posts written by whodey about Mr Obama and I think you are wrong to characterize whodey's opposition as rooted in racism to any degree. I think you do whodey an injustice.

Hoo boy... maybe this is a good time for the real answer

According to Obama, the reason he does not attend church is that he is too much of a distraction.

Is this the real reason?

No. It's a convenient lie that invariably revolves around the exalted personage of himself... he's too sexy for his shirt, and he would prove to be an unnecessary distraction for impressionable females who would undoubtedly swoon and fall on the floor, making it difficult for the ushers to collect tithes at the end of the service... because of all the female bodies on the floor.

Anyway, the real reason he left that church is because of negative public attention directed at the honorable Rev. Wright because of statements he made during services over the 20 some years Obama had attended his church.

Incredibly, it seems Obama had no idea what the honorable Rev. Wright was saying as he sat through 20 years worth of weekly messages. He was stunned and appalled that his trusted pastor held such racist and anti-US sentiments, even though his pastor was known to consistently rail away on those topics weekly for twenty years as Obama sat with eyes attentively glued to the back of the head of the person in front of him...

I meant to give a strictly straight answer... and failed miserably.
But really, is it any wonder why many of us are unable to believe everything we've been told?

Originally posted by lemon lime
Hoo boy... maybe this is a good time for the real answer

[b]According to Obama, the reason he does not attend church is that he is too much of a distraction.

Is this the real reason?

No. It's a convenient lie that invariably revolves around the exalted personage of himself... he's too sexy for his shirt, and he would prove to be an unnecessar ...[text shortened]... .
But really, is it any wonder why many of us are unable to believe everything we've been told?[/b]

Although you may have a different political outlook to Mr Obama, do you still feel some Christian fellowship with him on account of you both being followers of Christ?

Originally posted by FMF
Although you may have a different political outlook to Mr Obama, do you still feel some Christian fellowship with him on account of you both being followers of Christ?

Are you Barbara Walters twin brother?

This evasive behaviour by these American Christians (so far on this thread, anyway) I find very interesting. When I was a Christian, I was mostly surrounded by believers who placed their shared Christian solidarity above their political disagreements for the most part, and I can say the same about the Christian circles I still move in even after the recent contentious presidential election.

Originally posted by sonhouse
So in other words, you hate Bush Jr.

I would not use the word hate, but I feel the same about him as I do Obama.

Originally posted by FMF
I have read hundreds and hundreds of posts written by whodey about Mr Obama and I think you are wrong to characterize whodey's opposition as rooted in racism to any degree. I think you do whodey an injustice.

Why thank you FMF. But you do realize that most understand this by reading my posts. The fact remains they don't wish to deal with the content of my posts. In short, it's an easy out.

Originally posted by FMF
This evasive behaviour by these American Christians (so far on this thread, anyway) I find very interesting. When I was a Christian, I was mostly surrounded by believers who placed their shared Christian solidarity above their political disagreements for the most part, and I can say the same about the Christian circles I still move in even after the recent contentious presidential election.

If Obama attended my church, I would have no problem with it. If Obama wanted me to pray for him, I would have no problem with that either.

However, if someone wanted me to get up and proclaim to the world that he, or anyone else, was a Christian, I would start to scratch my head. Why would anyone desire that of me? Am I God? Do I know what resides in their hearts? As the Bible says, you shall know them by their fruits.

So I ask you, what fruits do we know Obama by and why does he evade Christian fellowship?

"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not lie against the truth." (James 3:14)

It is easy when a anyone, including a disciple of Jesus, talks about politics which they feel strong about, they express a kind of bitter sarcasm which does little to edify hearers. James says speaking out of bitter jealousy can be for the Christians lying against the truth.

The words may be based some legitimate complaints but the attitude is fleshy, earthly rather than spiritual, soulish and can even be demonic. So says James.

"This wisdom is not that which descends from above, but is earthly, soulish, demonic." (James 3:14)

For a Christian to gloat over the failure of a leader, whether a employer or political figure is immature. The lesson of Ham and Canaan in Genesis 6 has not been learned.

The failure of a leader may cause real sorrow. But it should not be something a Christian gloats over or rejoices over. Love does not rejoice in evil. For the two sons of Noah to walk in backwards and cover the nakedness of their father was the attitude that pleased God. To gloat or gleefully mock the exposure of a leader never brings a blessing to the mocker.

Though he may display a kind of wisdom about a leader's failings it will have no spiritual benefit. And the mocker is the first person whose spiritual life will be damaged.

"This wisdom is not that which descends from above, but is earthly, soulish, demonic." (v.15)

At best such Christian sarcastic mocking in any direction is "earthly" yielding no heavenly flavor or blessing on anyone. Worst it can be "soulish" meaning natural, having no enfluence of the regenerated human spirit. It is not enough to be "right." It can be "dead right" - full of spiritual death.

The result of such spreading of sarcastic gloating over the failure of one in authority can only be worthless practic[es]".

"For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there disorder are and every worthless practice are." (v.16)

In contrast brother James speaks of the fruit which a Christian should produce in the proper Christ filled wisdom -

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, forbearing, compliant, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (vs.17,18)

Gloating over a country's leader's failures is not becoming of a Christian. It may be that one day Jesus Christ would say to me -

"If you had spent more moments offering up petition and prayer for that leader, it would have been better. You hold some responsibility for his failings." How do I know if at the judgment seat of Christ, Christ may not examine me as to my failure to effectively pray for someone because I was too busy with earthly, fleshly gloating and enjoying their failure?

"I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.

This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth." ( 1 Tim. 2:1-4)

Someone may react "Oh you just teach that because you like that particular leader." But the New Testament did not address my liking or disliking of one in high position. What it required of me is to offer prayer and petition. And that for the gospel's sake, that the gospel can go forth in a tranquil and peaceful environment if possible.

I exercise to be able to offer prayer and petitions, as the Apostle Paul exhorted, for people that I did OR did not want to be in high position. I exercise to offer prayers that God give leaders humility, wisdom, and the urge to go to God for understanding.

I cannot successfully do that if I am gloating bitterly and sarcastically about how much I don't like them. If they have real failings, in my heart, my attitude is to cover rather than gloat or glare, spreading about with glee how such and such president had a failure.

Originally posted by sonship
It is easy when a anyone, including a disciple of Jesus, talks about politics which they feel strong about, they express a kind of bitter sarcasm which does little to edify hearers. James says speaking out of bitter jealousy can be for the Christians lying against the truth.

The words may be based some legitimate complaints but the attitude is fleshy, earthly rather than spiritual, soulish and can even be demonic. So says James.

So what hearers were edified with this teaching from Jesus in Mathew 23?

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13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.[e]

15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell[f] you yourselves are!

16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19 How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21 And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.

23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,[g] but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel![h]

25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,[i] and then the outside will become clean, too.

27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’

31 “But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. 33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

34 “Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. 35 As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.


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Is this bitter jealousy or simply calling a spade a spade? Jesus spoke out against the leaders of his day, because the people were lied to and those leaders cared only about themselves even though they feigned concern for their flocks.

Originally posted by sonship
The failure of a leader may cause real sorrow. But it should not be something a Christian gloats over or rejoices over. Love does not rejoice in evil. For the two sons of Noah to walk in backwards and cover the nakedness of their father was the attitude that pleased God. To gloat or gleefully mock the exposure of a leader never brings a blessing to the mocker.

I am gloating? How exactly am I gloating?

Was Jesus gloating when he called out the leaders of his day?