Barack Hussein Obama, Muslim, Christian or What?

Twenty plus percent in a recent poll were convinced that BHO is a Muslim. The Internet is now alive with rampaging debate on the results.  After a correction by Stephanopoulos, even Obama claimed to be a Christian.  The real question is why any of this should be open to debate?

Even those with rudimentary knowledge of the world's religions should clearly understand the definitions of individual faiths.  Over the last few years, we have become increasingly exposed to the varying tenets of Islam, its association with the secular Sharia law and visible evidence presented by the behavior of their followers.  Perhaps the singular difference, if we may simplify it, is measured by the individuals willingness to accept the belief.

Acceptance of Islam requires knowledge of the Qur'an and absolute obedience to the precepts exposed there.  We then find much in direct contradiction of Judeo-Christian belief as well as other strong bodies of faith.  Our national purpose requires tolerance for all religious endeavors within the crazy quilt of intermingled faiths.  Muslim believers share no such injunction.  Their holy book instead requires a coincidence of the secular (Sharia law) and devotion to Allah plus absolute enforcement of his commands.  Failure to accept can result in serious injury or even death for the non-believer.

We frequently hear of the domination of entire populations, stonings and beheadings of individuals, honor killings, subjugation of women, and total disregard for the beliefs of others of different or no faith.  These occurrences are not the result of the individual insanity of members of the group but are a result of directions from their holy book.  It is easy to cite such craziness to peoples of other faiths but they are anomalies who exist by their insistence on following their own warped ideas and ignoring their sworn precepts of their faith.  This is common when men see themselves as equal to, or more important than God, by whatever name.

Shared belief in a central concept of the divinity of Jesus Christ and His teachings prevents the Presbyterians from an all out assault on the local Catholic Church and vice versa.  Mutual faith in Him overrides the insistence on minutia and prevents and celebrates the joint acceptance of the Common Figure of Devotion.  If one is uncomfortable with those details, he is free to drive two more blocks to the next church and also free of reprisals for his decision.  Here it is important to understand that Islam is absolutely intolerant of any such apostasy.

We as a people face some very difficult challenges in confronting this issue.  It places us well beyond our comfort zone to condemn any man's religion even in the reality of ever mounting evidence to do so.  Our churches and synagogues teach tolerance from earliest childhood.  From this well-taught reluctance our conditioned response is to go overboard in ignorance of reality.  In our individual lives we can easily identify sin in our daily actions.  It's a safe bet that if you have to inquire about the definition of sin; it probably is.  We are also taught that grouping whole peoples as an object of scorn is also unhealthy.  Thus it becomes especially important to listen to representatives of that faith, dissect the thoughts, and plumb the depths of their meaning as it applies to you and to your country.

Roll your memory back five or ten years and recall that this was not the subject of individual conversation or public outcry.  As we continue down the road to total despotism, the recent polls will undoubtedly shift from a fifth of the people believing that Obama is a Muslim to a fourth, a third, a half and then--God only knows.  The solution lies in self-education, acceptance of the facts, and finally the admonition--Wake Up America!

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon