# Think Only Right-Wing Christians Doubt Obama's Professed Religion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351 "2012-01-31T22:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/141 "2012-02-06T03:47:12Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Self serving? How so? Dawkins concern, as for many atheists, is that the human race spends inordinate amount of time and resources upon myths, let alone people end up dying because of those myths. I guess it is self serving to want that to stop. You went too big picture. 🙂 I meant self-serving in this precise instance: he’s making what is, I think, a likely unwarranted and unsubstantiated inference about Obama because it serves his agenda (Agenda-serving is less punchy than self-serving). That said, I _do_ think Dawkins is often a bit self-serving because I think he genuinely likes being an Atheist mouthpiece, and he knows that ballsy, arguably insulting statements in public forums help keep him in that place. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/142 "2012-02-06T04:43:22Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > I meant self-serving in this precise instance: he’s making what is, I think, a likely unwarranted and unsubstantiated inference about Obama because it serves his agenda (Agenda-serving is less punchy than self-serving). Or it just serves his self-image, and his image of atheists in general. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/143 "2012-02-06T07:03:24Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama were an atheist, mainly because it’s the sort of thing that lends itself to many different appearances. If he were a Bible-thumping fundy, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were atheist and trying too hard to compensate. If he were a bland, church-going mainline Protestant, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were atheist and simply trying to blend in. If he were a non-church-going religious avoider, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were atheist and found associating with religion goofy or distasteful. There is NO pattern of behavior that would make me surprised at someone’s atheism. > > Which is why I do what’s easy and take people at their word. If someone says they’re a Christian, I say, “Okey dokey, you’re a Christian.” Obama says he’s a Christian. Okey dokey. Pretty much. If he says he’s a Christian and acts to fit in as a Christian agenda(s) then it’s really only a matter of intellectual interest whether he’s _really_ a Christian inside his head. It makes no practical difference. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/144 "2012-02-06T13:25:40Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > He got his idea from Ghandi, who was successful. And Gandhi got it from Jesus. So, both Gandhi and Martin Luther King applied Jesus’ principles to their life’s work, and were successful. So what you said earlier has been disproven twice over. > [@](#): > > But because most of the information provided in the holy books was put in there to control people for the benefit of the clergy it is unlikely to provide much help to achieve goals that benefit mankind in general. And yet it did. “Love your enemies” benefits the clergy? There was no Christian clergy when Jesus said it. And it sure didn’t benefit the Jewish establishment, which is why they crucified Him. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/145 "2012-02-06T13:29:26Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And Gandhi got it from Jesus. Say what? edited to add: > [@Shodan](#): > > And it sure didn’t benefit the Jewish establishment, which is why they crucified Him. Say _what_? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/146 "2012-02-06T13:54:56Z")
Which word gave you trouble? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/147 "2012-02-06T13:56:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Say what? > edited to add: > Say _what_? He knew where the WMD were. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/148 "2012-02-06T14:03:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Which word gave you trouble? Gandhi as a follower of Jesus, and the Jews crucifying Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/149 "2012-02-06T14:38:12Z")
I wasn’t sure if you were making a serious request or not - thanks for clarifying. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/150 "2012-02-06T14:46:25Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > And Gandhi got it from Jesus. And Jesus probably plagiarized it from Buddha. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/151 "2012-02-06T15:18:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Say what? > edited to add: > Say _what_? Yeah. I certainly wasn’t expecting to see THAT in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/152 "2012-02-06T16:02:41Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > And Jesus probably plagiarized it from Buddha. Right, because Jesus subscribed to Buddha’s newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/153 "2012-02-06T16:08:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Gandhi as a follower of Jesus, and the Jews crucifying Jesus. Ghandi wasn’t a follower of Jesus, but he admired him and regularly cited him as an inspiration. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/154 "2012-02-06T16:10:40Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Right, because Jesus subscribed to Buddha’s newsletter. Actually, that “love thy neighbor” stuff wasn’t written by him, and I’ve heard Jesus vehemently deny that he was ever associated with it. Despite that fact that it was written in the Jesus Newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/155 "2012-02-06T16:19:27Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Actually, that “love thy neighbor” stuff wasn’t written by him, and I’ve heard Jesus vehemently deny that he was ever associated with it. Despite that fact that it was written in the Jesus Newsletter. There’s a breaking report on Drudge from Jesus’s former secretary saying that he’s lying. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/156 "2012-02-07T11:53:56Z")
> [@YoDoc](#): > > It would be nice if he WAS an atheist, but I don’t see it. This. I used to agree with Dawkins on this Then, about a year ago, we had a thread about a related topic: whether it is hypocritical for atheist liberals to mock theist conservatives for their sky-fairy beliefs, but not theist liberals for theirs. In that thread, several Dopers convinced me that Obama probably IS a “believing Christian”. I conceded that I WOULD, therefore, hold this “against him” – that indeed it lowered my opinion of him somewhat (though I still mostly like the guy and his policies.) ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/157 "2012-02-07T15:34:48Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Actually, that “love thy neighbor” stuff wasn’t written by him, and I’ve heard Jesus vehemently deny that he was ever associated with it. Despite that fact that it was written in the Jesus Newsletter. Jesus didn’t write everything in the newsletter; it just had his name on it. For crying out loud, he didn’t even read all of the articles and it was edited by a friend. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/158 "2012-02-09T11:53:15Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Right, because Jesus subscribed to Buddha’s newsletter. Some of Jesus’s teachings were simular to the Buddah’s, The golden rule was started by Buddah 500 years before Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/159 "2012-02-09T14:09:39Z")
Maybe it’s been so ingrained in me by society that I cannot impartially determine this, but it seems to me that the golden rule is so basic and logical that any non-sociopath would probably come up with it on his or her own. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351/160 "2012-02-09T14:21:30Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Maybe it’s been so ingrained in me by society that I cannot impartially determine this, but it seems to me that the golden rule is so basic and logical that any non-sociopath would probably come up with it on his or her own. Hush your mouth. don’t you know it’s only the fear of being strangled in our sleep by the Baby Jesus that stops people being doing bad stuff? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-only-right-wing-christians-doubt-obamas-professed-religion/611351.md?page=9)