Obama at Georgetown…Symbols of Catholicism Not to be Found
posted at 8:43 am on April 16, 2009 by coldwarrior
When President Obama gave his speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, something was missing.
According to the Washington Times, “that “something” was an ancient monogram — the letters IHS — that symbolizes the name of Jesus. It was missing from a wooden archway above the dais in Gaston Hall where the president delivered his 45-minute speech.
The gold-lettered monogram appeared near a painting of three female figures — symbolizing morality, faith and patriotism — and decorative edging along the wall that spelled out the Jesuit motto “Ad majorem Dei gloriam”—”To the greater glory of God.” Georgetown was founded by the Jesuits.”
Imagine if Obama were to give a speech at the Islamic Center of Washington, DC. Would members of that community approve the covering of the Shahada?
Not only was this step taken by the White House advance team, Obama himself mangled a parable from the Sermon on the Mount about two houses, one built on sand only to be blown away in a storm, and another built on rock impervious to the swirling winds.
Obama apparently explaining why he wants not only to revive the sagging economy but to completely reinvent it, certainly used the wrong analogy.
What Obama, who is a Christian, fails to realize that what the parable from the Sermon on the Mount meant had to do with spiritual foundations, not physical foundations.
On the one hand, an obvious symbol of Catholicism is covered up, inside the oldest Catholic institute of higher learning in the Nation, while at the same time, a well-known Christian parable is used to make a very sectarian point…and a flimsy one at that.
Not wanting to get into this separation of Church and State, but when it is convenient for a politician to invoke religion, an experienced politician would get it right. Or is that Wright?
Blowback
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Well, he can’t have the competition competing for our souls, can he?
kevinhannigan on April 16, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Sorry, I won’t give Georgetown a pass on this. The school compromised it’s principles. Let him speak somewhere else.
ladyingray on April 16, 2009 at 9:36 AM
There can be only one Messiah at a time, y’know. We don’t have no pantheon here in America. We’re monotheists, and darned proud of it too.
Akzed on April 16, 2009 at 9:37 AM
So when the request came from the WH, the officials at the school just rolled over? This one is tough to comprehend.
sherry on April 16, 2009 at 9:37 AM
He is and IDIOT!
JAM on April 16, 2009 at 9:37 AM
ohh noes he insulted god!
ernesto on April 16, 2009 at 9:38 AM
Who claims to be a Christian!
suburbanite on April 16, 2009 at 9:38 AM
Nothing – not even a religous symbol or phrase can be allowed to distract from a photo-op for the O.
katiejane on April 16, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Shame on PREZBO – though we all know the man isn’t a Christian. BIGGER SHAME on Georgetown for shaming themselves by covering their religious symbols. They follow close behind Notre Dame for putting politics over their BELIEFS.
I’m just not understanding all the flags that PREZBO needs – we all know he doesn’t believe in America either.
IlonaE on April 16, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Disgraceful. Actions speak louder than words, and in Obama’s case his actions are finally screaming above his empty rhetoric.
smfoushee on April 16, 2009 at 9:45 AM
We aren’t a Christian nation you know……
deidre on April 16, 2009 at 9:49 AM
he evidently doesn’t worship icons.
just fear and loathing.
sesquipedalian on April 16, 2009 at 9:53 AM
Why do people have to claim Obama is a Christian. going to a Christian Church does not a Christian make. Since his election, I have not seen one indication that this man is a Christian. I am not accusing him of being a Muslim, I think he is likely an agnostic with sympathies to Muslims.
In fact, I think he is gradually trying to re-introduce himself to the public as a non-Christian.
bopbottle on April 16, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Can anyone tell me where Obama went to church on Easter?
ericire12 on April 16, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Agree. This reveals more about Georgetown than it does about Obama.
misslizzi on April 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM
And yet when Ashcroft had nude statues covered up, it was considered a massive insult to all Americans and smacked of censorship.
Covering up nudes, bad.
Covering up God… a-ok!
Skywise on April 16, 2009 at 10:01 AM
As a Hoya (’76) I have noticed the extreme left is heavily represented in the faculty (less so the students). They take a lot of money from Muslim countries (Saudi, Emigrates etc) and are quite welcoming to anti-American ideas. They do not get much of my money. O will always be welcomed there, orthodox beleivers less so. It is all about the money.
Fuquay Steve on April 16, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Good post!
abinitioadinfinitum on April 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Disgraceful.
pseudonominus on April 16, 2009 at 10:06 AM
I would add that right below the IHS is a small cross. I guess he can take the words of Jesus, mangle them into something he thinks is meaningful and just so he doesn’t have to be reminded of who’s words he’s borrowing, has the cross and the IHS covered. Since he has his back to all those distractions (reminders) he can deliver his soaring oratory without a tinge of guilt. His hubris and that of his administration continues to astound me. It’s going to be a long four years.
Monkeybrains220 on April 16, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Come on now. I will not rail about how me must be a Muslim or anything, but he is certainly no Christian.
Grafted on April 16, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Hey, at least we didn’t have to see a million staged photos of him looking like Jesus under the “IHS” sign. Maybe that was the point???
rockmom on April 16, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Come on, no one made the “Only 1 Jesus allowed” joke?
Geesh. Ya’ll are disappointing
lorien1973 on April 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Obama went to the “Church of the Presidents” across from Lafayette Park. St. John’s or something…it’s called CotP because that’s where they traditionally go.
What a bunch of bigots this administration is.
frode on April 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM
I don’t think Georgetown is even controlled by Jesuits anymore by the looks of this. The university where I go is extremely Jesuit dominated and despite the fact that my school is hardcore 90% liberal, the faculty and students still don’t dare publicly oppose Jesuit teachings.
A Puzzled Mind on April 16, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Hmmmm….a possible good call there.
misslizzi on April 16, 2009 at 10:12 AM
This was a compromise. Originally Dear Leader wanted IHS replaced with BHO.
rbj on April 16, 2009 at 10:13 AM
This is an absolute disgrace.
I have no respect whatsoever for this charlatan.
WisCon on April 16, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Don’t give Axelrod any ideas!
rockmom on April 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Unreal. Great post, thanks. One quibble – I see no evidence that Obama is a Christian, but plenty of evidence that he’s a Marxist, like in his maddening speech yesterday:
We’re giving tax relief to the Americans who need it and the workers who have earned it.
Buy Danish on April 16, 2009 at 10:29 AM
Funny. The “house upon the rock” parable is about not trusting your life to man-made, temporal security (ya know, like human governments), but instead founding it upon the teachings of Christ.
The analogy only “works” if Obama’s financial advisors are God.
29Victor on April 16, 2009 at 10:29 AM
Obama should refrain from speaking in places that have religious significance and from using Biblical phrases in his speeches. He is clearly not a man of faith, or if he is it is not Christianity.
echosyst on April 16, 2009 at 10:41 AM
I see this and the ND event a deliberate campaign being waged by PBO to marginalize and diminish Catholic political influence. We saw from the election stats that many C&E Catholics voted for him, but there was a clear movement of the orthodox clergy and laity standing up and saying NO loud and clear. NO to Obama and his Culture of Death.
Think about it, why did he accept the invite to ND? He must have gotten hundreds. Why speak at Georgetown?
Deliberate, arrogant, malicious slaps in the face to those Catholics who vocally opposed his election.
Jvette on April 16, 2009 at 10:49 AM
So is this what can be expected for Notre Dame, if they do actually have him stop by?!?
Are they going to superimpose his face over “Touchdown Jesus”?
ToddonCapeCod on April 16, 2009 at 10:53 AM
I kind of get it though, he did not want a picture of him on the dais with IHS above him. The opposite of Palin and the turkey behind her. or a repeat of these images.
They are so worried about his image as the “one”, they probably looked and saw it was a perfect opportunity for someone to say…”Look now he is calling himself Jesus”.
Not right, I think trying to manipulate is worse then just accepting.
right2bright on April 16, 2009 at 10:55 AM
President Obama using Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount to justify his socialist programs calls to mind the following”
“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek.”
[1596 Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. iii. 93]
Those who claim that Jesus was a big-government socialist provider with regard to helping those in need and reducing individuals personal responsibility to “Love the Neighbor’ and replacing it with government programs is a misreading of His message. Jesus Christ made the point “to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” with no guidelines as to how the Romans were to spend the tax monies.
“For you will have the poor always with you” Matthew 26.11 and nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus Christ lay the responsibility for caring for the poor, the sick the hungry or thirsty, the homeless or any oppressed people on any governmental body. He did not cite King Herod, the priests of the temple, the local mayor or the Roman powers as the source of Charity. He made it an individual responsibility time after time in His sermons, in His parables and in His own acts. The Good Samaritan was not an example of “Love thy neighbor” because he stopped at the nearest inn and asked that a 911 call be made but because he acted, providing aid,comfort and financial assistance to his neighbor.
Patrick49 on April 16, 2009 at 11:01 AM
From the Washington Times blog:
Of course this has nothing to do with theology. It’s all about him again. A symbol of Jesus is a distraction that might catch the eye and turn it away from his beauty.
Is covering up Jesus a good communications strategy for a Catholic University? What does it say about the University’s commitment to the Catholic faith? As a Catholic, it raises doubts as to whether Georgetown University is Catholic= in anything other than name.
If invited to pose with the president, would Rev. Thomas Reese remove his crucifix if might distract from “camera quality?”
But popular among liberal circles are those who cover over Jesus for Obama’s sake.
Of course this has nothing to do with theology.
Loxodonta on April 16, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Hey, you get baptised by a pastor who teaches Black Liberation Theology in a Black Liberation Theology Church, that makes one a believer in Black Liberation Theology in my book.
Michael in MI on April 16, 2009 at 11:05 AM
ToddonCapeCod on April 16, 2009 at 10:53 AM
That’s right. How are they going to manage to not OFFEND anyone there?
PattyJ on April 16, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Did he think no one would notice?
Angry Dumbo on April 16, 2009 at 11:10 AM
I’m sure we will see plenty of angelic photos of The One with the Golden Dome in the background. I would sure like to see some guerilla theater there – like a giant banner reading “LIFE” hung over the Dome so it is in all the photos.
rockmom on April 16, 2009 at 11:12 AM
I think the audience at graduation should all wear bright green t-shirts with the word “LIFE” boldly on the shirts. Respectful, yet powerful.
sheesh on April 16, 2009 at 11:17 AM
After covering the Christian symbols and then preaching his sermon “reimagining” the message of Jesus, you would have thought that was the extent of the bizarre event. No. He spiritually alluded to the Five Pillars (of Islam, for those in Rio Linda) as the foundation of the strong house he’s building on the new rock (himself it appears). All of his new foundations for education, economy etc, involve the “Five Pillars.”
You do the math. He’s pushing Christianity aside but still wants to rebuild America on a new hybrid spiritual foundation, just as he was trying to do on an international scale when he was in Turkey. The connection between the two? Georgetown Prof John Esposito
econavenger on April 16, 2009 at 11:17 AM
coldwarrior:
Thanks very much for your write up and the links about this.
Loxodonta on April 16, 2009 at 11:19 AM
An instant Dubai Twitterer reaction to Obama’s speech.
econavenger on April 16, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Please explain the Rio Linda joke. I have heard Rush use it several times but have no clue why or what it is.
Jvette on April 16, 2009 at 11:29 AM
None of which the left possesses.
CurtZHP on April 16, 2009 at 11:53 AM
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