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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 17, 2013 at 3:31 pm
(February 17, 2013 at 1:39 pm)Violet Lilly Blossom Wrote: A Christian is a believer in Jesus Christ and/or his teachings... if Obama is a believer in Jesus Christ and/or his teachings: he's a Christian. Assuming he is, if he's a 'slight' believer or '<insert other qualifier>' believer: he's a Christian.
No, that's not entirely true. For example: http://www.atheists-for-jesus.com/
It's entirely possible to believe in part of Jesus teachings but not believe in his divinity. That's he central belief of Christianity and it's what makes one a Christian.
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 17, 2013 at 4:22 pm
(February 17, 2013 at 3:31 pm)TaraJo Wrote: No, that's not entirely true. For example: http://www.atheists-for-jesus.com/
If they believe in Jesus (not in the existence of Jesus, we all believe in that. Or we should, lol)... they are Christian. If they follow Jesus's teachings, they are Christian.
Being Christian does not mean one has to subscribe to anything else in the Bible, being Christian is independent of any particular religious beliefs that are not essential to being such (and I've heard such a variety, I find the only way to be sure I'm not leaving anyone out is to be as broad as possible whilst still holding meaning).
Quote:It's entirely possible to believe in part of Jesus teachings but not believe in his divinity. That's he central belief of Christianity and it's what makes one a Christian.
No, it actually isn't the 'central belief' of Christianity: it is one of many beliefs that are associated with Christianity and are often held by Christians... but the only things that become you a Christian are to believe in Jesus Christ (as can be done in many more ways than divinity), and/or <some selection of> his teachings (or what they represent).
There is the one central belief of Christianity, which I have told you. There are *many* beliefs culturally/socially/personally tacked on to that central belief, often using that belief as the justification for the other beliefs... and that is Christ. Not whether he was divine, not whether the trinity is, not whether he was of virgin birth, not whether angels announced him and wise men gave 2 forms of perfume to a whore because she smelled bad... Christ alone, naught else will do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC37VXrVNjE
Not even proper spelling can do what a tale about a vengeful blood god (in some variations), a much-exaggerated political speaker (in others), an almighty creator-mortal-weird spiritual force of awesomesauce (in the typically professed)... can do for a massive group of people 
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 11:07 am
So, we're going to start doing the same thing Christians do when they say Hitler was an atheist now, but protest when they do it? I get it.
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 11:34 am
(February 18, 2013 at 11:07 am)Shell B Wrote: So, we're going to start doing the same thing Christians do when they say Hitler was an atheist now, but protest when they do it? I get it.
hitler was a catholic/occultist
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 1:19 pm
(February 18, 2013 at 11:07 am)Shell B Wrote: So, we're going to start doing the same thing Christians do when they say Hitler was an atheist now, but protest when they do it? I get it.
Am I missing something here, Lady Shelly?
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 1:26 pm
(February 13, 2013 at 10:01 pm)Meylis Wrote: Hi Everybody!
Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
Now, I understand this sounds stupid for some since he swore on bible on Inauguration day, goes to church and says he is christian. But his politics says otherwise. Things he does are what most atheists would do like ,for instance, including atheists on first inauguration speech, being pro science/climate change/ abortion/ gay marriage/ investment in basic research just to name the few.
Could he be an atheist that doesn't admit publicly because it would be a political SUICIDE?
It certainly is possible to claim to be a Christian for a number of different reasons. As a national politician he has a motive and whatever else you may think of him he is a pragmatist. It would be the politic thing to do. I have no idea what his concept of being a Christian may be.
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Hitler said he was Catholic, yes?
Barack Obama says he is Christian, yes?
Christians say Hitler was an atheist and we use his own words to refute Christians.
Atheists are now saying Obama is atheist, assuming he is lying about being Catholic, though they would not accept Hitler as having lied.
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Both Obama and Hitler have PR in common, what they say in public doesn't necessarily fit with what they sctually believe. I don't think Hitler was actually Catholic he deried the Christian faith in private, he thought it was a weak all this turning the other cheek business. Hitler did like Islam though. But Hitler wasn't really an atheist and I doubt Obama is either.
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 7:58 pm
So, we can just assume what people are or aren't, based on what? George Washington and Thomas Jefferson blasted Christianity, but were both Christian, as evidenced by mountains of letters, etc. None of us can say what a person truly believes and have to go by what they tell us when it comes to belief. That is because it is personal and you clearly cannot judge by actions. For example, I'm an atheist, but I don't align myself with Skeptics, antitheists, feminists or people who think Obama is an atheist. Does that make me a Christian?
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RE: Could Barack Obama be an Atheist?
February 18, 2013 at 8:55 pm
(This post was last modified: February 18, 2013 at 8:56 pm by Ryantology.)
When a Christian attempts to paint Hitler as an atheist, it's to smear atheists, and to suggest that we have no right to complain about their 2,000+ year reign of terror. I think all we're doing here is speculating for fun.
I think Obama may be a closet atheist. Maybe not. I don't believe he certainly is, and I don't really care one way or another.
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