I’ll admit, I’ve been reluctant to hop on the Barack Obandwagon these past few months. I’ve always found the man to be an attractive candidate; we share a great many social views, he comes across as a smart, honest man, and — above all else — his candidacy seems firmly rooted in reason. There had always seemed to be something missing, however; some piece of the puzzle that hadn’t quite fallen into place and sold me on his run for presidency.
This video just destroyed all my doubts. In it, Obama speaks clearly and frankly on religion and its place in politics. Addressing a subject that all too often goes untouched in American politics, he affirms both his Christian faith as well as the need for the separation of church and state. The most significant point of the speech for me comes, however, when he explains the need for our nation’s leader to justify his beliefs and decisions to both the religious and those with no religion at all.
“We are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.”
It’s immensely refreshing to hear a candidate speak so openly and honestly about religious faith, in all its facets. Too many times, religion is put on a pedestal, untouchable within the confines of political discourse. This speech is a welcome break from this tradition, and the last assurance I need to know that Obama is the real deal; an intelligent, honest candidate with the courage to tackle the nation’s problems — including the pervasion of religion in American politics.
A transcript of the speech can be found here.
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3 Responses:
Erik
Feb 11th at 9:12 am
Evan
Feb 11th at 9:27 pm
Q
Feb 19th at 6:32 pm