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A month later, still no church for famously religious president

posted at 7:40 pm on April 7, 2009 by Allahpundit
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An update to last month’s non-progress report courtesy of Fox News’s Bill Sammon. You know, the longer this drags on, the easier it is to believe The One really wasn’t in church during some of Rev. Wright’s greatest hits after all. Maybe he’s Christian the way most of my family is Catholic, i.e. avowed believers even though they (a) never, ever go to mass and (b) don’t appear at all concerned how Christ’s teachings or the Pope’s guidance might inform their daily activities.

But other than that, good Catholics all.

President Obama has not attended church services on any of the 11 Sundays since he took office, despite his pledge to find a new church after quitting Trinity United nearly a year ago because of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s incendiary rhetoric.

“We probably won’t make any firm decision on this until January, when we know what our lives our going to be like,” Obama told reporters last May at a press conference that he called to announce his break with Trinity.

But the president made no decision in January, February or March. And now, with Easter just days away, Obama has yet to reveal what church he may have chosen or when he might attend his first Sunday services as president…

Obama is not the first president to opt out of church services in Washington. Former President Ronald Reagan refrained from services, saying the security requirements were too much of a strain on a congregation.

Per a second story at Fox, it could be that Obama’s taking his time to weigh the political pitfalls he’ll face if he chooses a mostly white church after having quit Trinity. Tricky stuff, admittedly, but I’ve got a feeling he’ll be okay. Meanwhile, Newsweek’s out with a new poll on religion in America that might offer an insight into his thinking. Maybe he’s in the second or third column here among non-evangelical Protestants?

Or maybe he’s in the first (or fourth!) column here:

Exit question: What kind of weak-ass atheist declares himself “spiritual but not religious”? This kind, I guess.


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Obama is trying to sort out how he can replicate the Catholic Church.

Then he can appoint himself the Holy Global Emperor.

faraway on April 8, 2009 at 9:48 AM

Obama will be the founding father of the Church of Me.

old trooper2 on April 8, 2009 at 9:54 AM

Dudes, he’s getting baptized, confirmed, and taking the Eucharist all in one at Notre Dame. They waved the Confession requirement since he’s the Messiah.

Sapwolf on April 8, 2009 at 10:04 AM

He hasn’t gotten the dog yet, either. This is a man who’s utterly incapable of making a choice.

And when he does take a position, he’s probably just doing what he thinks represent the consensus of his advisors.

hawksruleva on April 8, 2009 at 10:04 AM

He hasn’t gotten the dog yet, either. This is a man who’s utterly incapable of making a choice.

And when he does take a position, he’s probably just doing what he thinks represent the consensus of his advisors.

hawksruleva on April 8, 2009 at 10:04 AM

He doesn’t want to lose the votes of all the people with dogs of other breeds. Yes, they are THAT MUCH in campaign mode.

Sapwolf on April 8, 2009 at 10:06 AM

Why does this issue have any relevance?

Obama didn’t run on his experience because he didn’t have any.

Obama ran on his character, his golden oratory skills, his iron will (which could change the world just by thinking about it) and the promise of “hope and change.”

When the campaign for 2012 starts he will still be unable to run on experience since the country will still be in the middle of an economic disaster (which happens when you address the symptoms and not the cause) and a more dangerous world where terrorism man made disasters are on the rise (because Obama doesn’t have the faintest idea on how to deal with terrorists).

Thus, he will STILL have to run on character and the promise of change.

Thus, at every opportunity we need to point out that Obama has as much character as he does experience – NONE.

BTW – this just further shows what a bone-headed decision it was by McCain not to go after Obama’s character and his relationships with people like Ayers and Wright.

Religious_Zealot on April 8, 2009 at 10:22 AM

President Obama has not attended church services on any of the 11 Sundays since he took office, despite his pledge to find a new church after quitting Trinity United nearly a year ago because of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s incendiary rhetoric.

He can’t find a good mosque in D.C.

pseudonominus on April 8, 2009 at 10:35 AM

He can’t find a good mosque in D.C.

pseudonominus on April 8, 2009 at 10:35 AM

+10

The minaret is being installed in West Wing by the same schmoes who built The First Brats jungle gym.

seejanemom on April 8, 2009 at 10:42 AM

Look maybe he just doesn’t feel the need to go to church to practice his faith. Maybe, as I suspect, he’s pretty much an intellectual agnostic who recognize he had to be a “Christian” in order to run for office. I think he found Jeremiah Wright inspiring because of his employment of the teachings of Christ to a leftwing political message (which is also why I enjoy Rev. Wright despite a lack of hardcore faith in Christ as messiah).

The point is that it really should be HIS business.

DeathToMediaHacks on April 8, 2009 at 10:51 AM

This issue has revelance because he is not a grounded person. His only philosophy is Marxist. Marxists do not believe in God. He has nothing to draw on in bad times or good times for that matter. He isn’t even excrement. He is nothing.

BetseyRoss on April 8, 2009 at 10:51 AM

I actually agree, AP.

I confess I believed The One when he said he didn’t hear Wright say those things in church, for the reason you give. He joined Trinity simply to gain some street cred in a community he moved into as an outsider(He’s quite obviously not a religious guy). That doesn’t mean he actually attended er… religiously. Indeed, I’d be surprised to learn he did. He’s far too careerist to spend every Sunday in a pew or attending Sunday school.

Note that this doesn’t let him off the hook entirely vis-a-vis Wright. He was obviously very close to him for a very long time, and knew very well about Wright’s nuanced views on history, white people, and epidemiology.

CTD on April 8, 2009 at 11:03 AM

Look maybe he just doesn’t feel the need to go to church to practice his faith. Maybe, as I suspect, he’s pretty much an intellectual agnostic who recognize he had to be a “Christian” in order to run for office.

In other words, a lying charlatan.

The point is that it really should be HIS business.

Maybe you should pass this along to your pals who think it’s great sport to lambast Sarah Palin for her church affiliation, or Bobby Jindal for his observation of an exorcism.

HuskerNate on April 8, 2009 at 11:06 AM

Yeah, and if he was church-shopping every Sunday, you’d be criticizing him for not focusing on the economy.

How often did Bush go to church? Answer: not very.

And all you folks who are judging the quality of Obama’s faith, well, I’m not sure that’s WJWD (or at least it’s not what He would tell us to do), but have a ball.

orange on April 8, 2009 at 11:14 AM

Waiting for Wright to get a transfer to Washington??

workingforpigs on April 8, 2009 at 11:38 AM

this is a good thing … religion is the root of all that is bad worldwide and I really don’t care if the president goes or not

Monkei on April 8, 2009 at 11:39 AM

Maybe you should pass this along to your pals who think it’s great sport to lambast Sarah Palin for her church affiliation, or Bobby Jindal for his observation of an exorcism.

It’s not a problem that Sarah Palin goes to church, fine, more power to her, the problem is who cares and what difference does it make. It surely did not help her in raising her family.

Monkei on April 8, 2009 at 11:40 AM

Maybe BO can’t find a hate-filled, racist, hate america church in DC.

jbh45 on April 8, 2009 at 12:03 PM

Monkei on April 8, 2009 at 11:40 AM

Uhm, do you think it’s wise how you judge a church based on the actions of an 18 year old? Would you like me to judge you based on decisions you made when you were 18?

jbh45 on April 8, 2009 at 12:06 PM

Obama bows to the Saudi Sheik, appoints a gay activist to his Faith-based Initiatives group, refuses to acknowledge that our country is a Christian nation (even though 70+% claim to be Christians and the country was founded largely by Christians) and we expect him to be an active Christian? Give me a break! It’s like Brokaw admitted before the election, “We really don’t know who he is. We don’t know much about him.” This we know: Obama is not a true Christian.

Christian Conservative on April 8, 2009 at 12:07 PM

President Obama has not even picked out a puppy yet for his daughters, so I doubt he will pick a new Church congregation.

However, I think he will attend Easter Sunday services at the Washington National Cathedral.

SCOOPTHIScarlos on April 8, 2009 at 1:01 PM

How often did Bush go to church? Answer: not very.

How often does Obama sanction leaving accidentally delivered babies in linen closets to die? Answer: more often than he would if he were going to church sincerely.

And all you folks who are judging the quality of Obama’s faith, well, I’m not sure that’s WJWD (or at least it’s not what He would tell us to do), but have a ball.

Well, here I go judging again (which is like a cross to a vampire for liberals, I know — at least when it’s about judging them), but I really don’t think the lesson of Jesus Christ is simply “don’t ever make judgments.”

It’s important to make judgments, and in fact it’s vital when someone is cloaking themselves in your religion whilst they take actions that are in virulent opposition to the tenets of your faith.

When a politician appears to be using your religion as a cynical device for pushing harmful left-wing politics, only a fool would stand by and say nothing.

Kensington on April 8, 2009 at 1:21 PM

Well, here I go judging again (which is like a cross to a vampire for liberals, I know — at least when it’s about judging them), but I really don’t think the lesson of Jesus Christ is simply “don’t ever make judgments.”

Suit yourself, but remember:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:1

orange on April 8, 2009 at 1:48 PM

uit yourself, but remember:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:1

orange on April 8, 2009 at 1:48 PM

Yes, I know. Christianity is not for the gutless, and that scripture passage is not a blanket cover for those who abuse it.

Kensington on April 8, 2009 at 2:04 PM

It would not surprise me in the least, given his bowing to the King of the Wahabbis, reaching out to various radical islamist groups, if he chose a mosque, and not a church.

islam is a lie and Truth is killing it.

Army Brat on April 8, 2009 at 2:56 PM

Thanks for addressing this hugely important issue. Much more pressing than cleaning up after the disasters created by Bush in Iraq, Afghanistan, the economy, international relations, human rights and civil liberties.

This kind of thing will happen when you have a working President as opposed to his predecessor who took more vacation days than any chief executive in history.

Constantine on April 8, 2009 at 3:34 PM

Maybe he has lacked spiritual inspiration since he left his grand leader Wright in Chicago. Perhaps he can get him tranferred and he and the black caucus can have somewhere to attend together.

workingforpigs on April 8, 2009 at 4:24 PM

No ministers in DC saying “G-damn America”? Surely there must be one!

Disturb the Universe on April 8, 2009 at 5:28 PM

And still no dog, too.

Disturb the Universe on April 8, 2009 at 5:29 PM

Sillies, expect Him to pray to Himself?

Nonsense!

Dr. ZhivBlago on April 8, 2009 at 8:25 PM

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