Not a Christian Nation? MySpace Blog and My Response

Read this first – a very passionate blog written by Franklin Lopez: “THAT man that currently holds the most sacred office in our land and the highest in the world, has so stated that America is NOT Christian and is infact, MUSLIM!”

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=4732718&blogId=492812125

Alexandra’s Response:

Today is a first – Alexandra Ames was singled out in another’s blog, being begged to defend her stand of President Barack Obama. I would like to say to my friend, Frankie, I am HONORED to be singled out in your blog! We have our differences, but remain respectful and I appreciate that about you! I take your comment “back up your claims” seriously, and I shall.

In April 2009, President Obama was quoted as saying America is predominately a Christian nation, stating “[O]ne of the great strengths of the United States is — although as I mentioned, we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values.” [quoted from The Washington Times]

Yesterday, as OUR President (and I take that pronoun very seriously) traveling to the Middle East. Mr. Obama noted that the United States also could be considered as “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.” (quoted from The New York Times).

He goes on to say ““What I want to do is to create a better dialogue so that the Muslim world understands more effectively how the United States, but also how the West thinks about many of these difficult issues like terrorism, like democracy, to discuss the framework for what’s happened in Iraq and Afghanistan and our outreach to Iran, and also how we view the prospects for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”

And the piece de resistance that you are referring to in your blog, “And one of the points I want to make is, is that if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans, we’d be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world,” Mr. Obama said. “And so there’s got to be a better dialogue and a better understanding between the two peoples.”

My friend, Frankie, and many of the conservative members of our country (read Right-Wing Republicans) want to take this statement “Muslim Americans” and religious-ize it. I do not believe that is the context in which the statement was made. Muslim, although a religion, has a more comprehensive connotation to it than religion. When referring to the Jewish nation, was Obama referencing only Orthodox Jews? When speaking of the Christian nation, did he mean the Catholics or Protestants or Jehovah Witness or Mormons?

The English language has so many facets and meanings that one umbrella term, such as Muslim, brings very different suggestions to the listener.

There is a bigger question here that skims the surface of any discussion about religion. Are we a Christian nation? Our Constitution specifically denies the institution of a state religion. Therefore, to be a Christian nation would run counter to our very beginnings. Demographically, the Middle Eastern, Muslim heritage people are increasing in the United States, along with the Hispanic population and others who have come to this great country for a chance at a better life.

Isn’t that exactly what was promised to those escaping religious persecution when the band of misfits left jolly ole England to find a country without the restraints of state-imposed devotion to the Church of England and the crown?

This discussion of Obama’s loyalties hearkens back to the early campaign when many of the churches were attempting to incite fear of the Muslim Barak Hussein Obama and his plan to change America into a Muslim-religion country. As he opens dialogue with other countries and discusses our similarities in addition to our differences, are we going to return to the fear of WHO he has shown he isn’t?

Barak Obama IS my president, not the anti-christ NOR anti-Christian. Look around – America is comprised of people of many colors, nationalities, and beliefs. We now have a President who is willing to look at our strengths and our weaknesses; one who wants to open doors rather than slam them shut. I, for one, am willing to support my President and speak for the rich diversity America is and continues to be.

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