Here in the United States, where Americans are used to hearing their president always invoke Christianity in a manner that silences Christians, United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent Easter message was moderately refreshing.
Among other things, Cameron made it a point to say “that we should feel proud to say, ‘This is a Christian country.’ Yes, we’re a nation that embraces, welcomes and accepts all faiths and none, but we are still a Christian country.”
The context of Cameron’s statement, it should be recalled, is a UK with a large, intolerant, and aggressive Muslim populace—a populace that increasingly seeks to treat the UK’s indigenous Christians the way the Islamic world’s indigenous Christians are habitually treated, that is, subjugated, enslaved, raped, and murdered.
In fact, Cameron touched on the phenomenon of Christian persecution in mostly Muslim lands:
We have a duty to speak out about the persecution of Christians around the world too. It is truly shocking that in 2015 there are still Christians being threatened, tortured, even killed because of their faith. From Egypt to Nigeria, Libya to North Korea. Across the Middle East Christians have been hounded out of their homes, forced to flee from village to village; many of them forced to renounce their faith or brutally murdered. To all those brave Christians in Iraq and Syria who practice their faith or shelter others, we will say, “We stand with you.”
While one may argue that Cameron is all talk—after all, the UK’s foreign policies, like America’s, have only exacerbated the plight of Christians in the Middle East—it is still refreshing to hear such honest talk, since here in the U.S., one seldom gets even that from President Obama.
Consider what Obama—who is on record saying “we are no longer a Christian nation,” who never notes the Islamic identity of murderers or the Christian identity of their victims, and who ignored a recent UN session on Christian persecution—had to say about Christians at the Easter Prayer Breakfast: “On Easter, I do reflect on the fact that as a Christian, I am supposed to love. And I have to say that sometimes when I listen to less than loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned.”
This is in keeping with his earlier statements calling on Americans in general Christians in particular to be nonjudgmental and instead to have “humility” and “doubt” themselves. For example, during the National Prayer Breakfast last February, after Obama alluded to the atrocities committed by the Islamic State—which include beheadings, crucifixions, rape, slavery, and immolations—he said:
I believe there are a few principles that can guide us, particularly those of us who profess to believe. And, first, we should start with some basic humility. I believe that the starting point of faith is some doubt—not being so full of yourself and so confident that you are right and that God speaks only to us, and doesn’t speak to others, that God only cares about us and doesn’t care about others, that somehow we alone are in possession of the truth.
Humility, of course, is a well-recognized Christian virtue. It is the exact opposite of pride; a modest if not humble opinion of oneself, one’s shortcomings. But what does exercising humility have to do with our understanding of Islamic violence and terrorism, which was, after all, the topic Obama was discussing immediately before he began pontificating about humility? Are we not to judge and condemn Islamic violence—since we’re apparently no better, as the president made clear when he told Christians to get off their “high horse” and remember the Crusades and Inquisition?
Furthermore, while Christian humility encourages self-doubt, it does not encourage doubt concerning right and wrong, good and evil. The same Christ who advocated humility repeatedly condemned evil behavior, called on people to repent of their sins, and hurled tables in righteous anger… Keep reading
Jay Airahs says
Good for David Cameron’s shifting his sails.
But … Might he wish to go back to old habits after the upcoming May elections.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/general-election-2015-7-charts-that-show-why-it-is-hard-to-trust-david-camerons-manifesto-pledges-10174433.html
Jay Airahs says
Cameron’s statements about Islam appear to not be as horrendous as Obama’s.
But that is setting the bar vey low.
jihad3tracker says
Barack Hussein’s obvious contempt for the life and message of Jesus is apparent to everyone who looks at what he says and does.
And even HE must know how repulsive such conduct is — but, folks, that guy does not have the adult trait of moral strength. Narcissistic personality disorder plus a hatred of Western culture after soaking in Islamist supremacism : that sums up BHO quite nicely.
In the way of payback, let us take comfort in reflecting on the many excellent writers who certainly are already finishing chapter after chapter of biography about this ultimate disgrace to the Presidency.
Volumetric says
Christianity has the Crucified Man.
Islam crucifies men.
Buddhism has a smiley face.
Guess which one of these three religions didn’t originate in the desert countries of the Middle East?
Don McKellar says
Buddhism also has people reincarnating as maggots. You have nothing to be proud of.
Georg says
Maggots do turn carrion- potential plague sources- into dry bone, so I’m appreciative.
I will stand with the maggots.
deja vu says
With respect, Buddha was a man who died still searching for the Truth. Jesus was God incarnate, the Way the Truth and the Life. He paid the ultimate penalty for the sins of mankind so that, believing in Him, mankind could be forgiven. He is not dead, but very much alive. At the cross He overcame sin, and death by His resurrection. No other deity or holy man can claim to have done what Jesus did, and is doing, for those who believe.
Ask youself why are Christians the most persecuted in today’s world; why is His name used as an expletive in our culture? Never do you hear Buddha, Mohammed or Krishna uttered in that way. Only the name of Jesus infuriates the enemy of our souls, and only Jesus gets under our skin.
There’s not much comfort in endless reincarnation to achieve ‘nothingness’. No human can become perfect, as God is perfect, through navel gazing and introspection.
Peggy says
But Buddhists don’t. Huge difference.
Jay Airahs says
Good comment Hktony
I suspect Volumetric voted for the Muslim candidate, Obama twice.
jimbo says
Don KcKellar – Buddhism – nothing to be proud of. you obviously know nothing of Buddhism – the TRUE world Religion of Peace. The only religion of Peace !! it teaches non attachment to those things we as humans find unsatisfactory. as it only affects our inner balance and peace. look at how the Buddhists reacts to things as tragic as Communist oppression, versus how every muslim reacts to things spoken about Mohommed. they take on-board all their vitriol. they own it. and they are a rabid bunch of angry dogs. attachment to anger. now think how Buddhists react – they lets things unsatisfactory pass. they strive to have NO attachment as its not helpful.
the worlds most peaceful and beautiful religion with little surrounding and encompassing dogma. listen the the teachings of the Buddha and take what you feel is good, is right. that’s what the Buddha taught. he was not emphatic about it, like Mohammed.
and of course he never said to kill those that didn’t convert to his teachings.
something all mankind can be thankful for my friend. !! you have a lot to learn.
jihad me at hello says
What’s your point? Had Muhammad or whoever cobbled together Islam had heard of Buddhism it would be a certainty that Buddhist elements would be adopted and distorted and thrown into the mix.
Fr. Basil` says
While America has been a nation of Christians, it has never been a Christian nation. The two are not the same.
There is NO reference to Christianity in our founding documents.
In our nation’s first dealings with mahometan powers, namely the Treaty of Tripoli, it said, “The government of the United States is in no way founded upon the Christian religion.”
Does this sound like “Christian nation” to you?
pumbar says
Well?
Western Canadian says
Gee, sounds like obummer had an ancestor fiddling with that document….
tilda says
“…when I listen to less than loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned.” Very manipulative thing to say; he’s basically telling Christians to not stand up for themselves.
Christ was big on speaking the truth. I guess the truth sometimes smarts — that doesn’t mean it’s “less than loving.”
jorge says
Before this, I didn’t believe in the people saying that obama is a muslim. It seemed too far fetched. There was one time where he mocked the Laws of Old Testament, but I thought maybe Obama held somewhat neo-Marcionite beliefs regarding Christianity. But when the speech he said during the national prayer breakfast came out, no way could i believe that he wasn’t a muslim. He was hell bent on portraying Islam in the best light while at the same time villifying Christianity,at a time where Christians are being slaughtered in the thousands in Africa and the middle east. This man is pure evil. Light has no communion with darkness. Good has nothing to do with evil. Christ has nothing to do with belial (the demon that muslims worship).
somehistory says
This guy is not “my” anything. He is especially not the one I look to for how to live a Christian life. He knows nothing, less than nothing, of how to live as a follower of Christ. He’s like some others who try to use the Bible and its teachings of love, kindness, meekness, and justice to beat Christians over the head. He doesn’t read the Bible, doesn’t know the Bible and doesn’t understand the Bible. He doesn’t know Christ and doesn’t understand the commands or love of Christ.
What is more, even if he did, Christians don’t need him telling them how to live as followers of Christ because, we have the real Christ to follow and can read his sayings that mean everlasting life ( John 6:60-71 ) for us.
Psalm 50:16 “But to the wicked one, God will have to say: ‘”What right do you have to enumerate my regulations, And that you may bear my covenant in your mouth.?”
The remainder of that Psalm, down through verse 22, clearly describes this guy who presumes to tell Christians how to live, how to speak and how to conduct their daily activities. And then laughs at those trying to live as Christ commanded.
mortimer says
According to the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) of 2008, 76% of the American adult population identified themselves as Christians, with 51% professing attendance at a variety of churches that could be considered Protestant or unaffiliated, and 25% professing Catholic beliefs.
That means that with 76% of Americans claiming to be Christian…Obama can say whatever he wants without anyone challenging his veracity. Hmm.
What, then, would make the US more Christian? 77% Christian? 80% Christian? 94% Christian?
76% Christian is a rather big majority! Obama lied and the media didn’t contradict him.
American Christians need to state their presuppositions and let the chips fall. They have allowed themselves to be cowed by the minority of atheists and skeptics.
Obama has so much criticism for Christians and none for Islam.
JMB says
“Obama has so much criticism for Christians and none for Islam”. Very well said.
Don McKellar says
At least David Cameron has a factual basis in calling England a Christian nation, as there is an actual Church of England and the monarch of the country is the head of the church.
Meanwhile, these fundamentalist Christian retards in the United States have no factual basis to call the United States a Christian nation. The is no Church of the United States and the president is not the head of any such church. The United States is a secular nation, by design and document, with a recognized freedom for its citizens to follow any religion they want, or none at all. Obama, through his policies, has worked to effectively change that by trying to give special status to Islam and going out of his way to lie and deceive for it and to empower and import as many moslem colonizers as he can.
deja vu says
‘At least David Cameron has a factual basis in calling England a Christian nation, as there is an actual Church of England and the monarch of the country is the head of the church.’
Except that Christianity is not an adjective to describe a human construct, such as a nation or an institution like the Church of England with its titular head. Rather, the church (Gk ‘ekklesia’ – called out ones) is likened to a *living organism*, a body with Christ as its head. It is from this word that we get the term ecclesiastical. I quote:
1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, “out from and to” and 2564 /kaléō, “to call”) – properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.
Please note that ‘fundamental’ Christians simply believe the Biblical fundamentals of Christianity and have a high view of Scripture.The term shouldn’t be used as a pejorative. The fundamentals of Islam, however, are another matter.
Kepha says
@deja vu
Thanks for your comment. Frankly, I am happy to be identified as a fundamentalist. I believe firmly that Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, fully God and fully man in one person; born of a virgin, truly crucified for our sins; truly risen body and soul from the dead; truly returning to judge the living and the dead. I see the Old and New Testaments as given by the Holy Spirit, the witness to hopes for redemption and the memory of its accomplishment. Those are fundamentals, and without them, you have no Christianity. And, BTW, I fully agree that the church is the whole body of those in all lands and times whom God has called out to be his own treasure.
As for Obama’s faith, I have a dear sister in Christ (and a landsman to my wife) who felt unhappy with criticisms of the O “because he’s also a Christian”. Well, I hope he is. But I cannot say that supporting partial birth abortion, disparaging the faith of the folks in western Pennsylvania, and supporting a racially biased theology, ignoring that Jesus declared marriage as between male and female and taking pride in “evolving” away from such a view is a witness that I could ever share.
But I’ll admit to problems with Cameron’s “pride” in Britain’s Christianity. I’m a Christian only because God was kind enough to let me hear the Gospel and respond to the Holy Spirit’s promptings; not because I’m better or smarter or whatever.
The best Christian witnesses in Britain’s Christian history (and ALL of us Christians have been greatly blessed by that history, even if we aren’t English, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish) have been very clear that it is by grace that we are saved through faith, and this not of ourselves; it is the free gift of God, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2). Perhaps the greatness of British Christianity has been that it has been blessed with a very good grasp of what Paul was all about.
For me, the great blessings which God has bestowed not only on Britain and the rest of the Anglosphere (including my own USA) should be a cause for humble gratitude and adoration; not boasting or pride. Further, this is not the first time that I have said that one cannot be a fan of SSM and consistent in a love of the Christian faith at the same time. If the Old Testament tells me that homosexuality is an abomination while the New tells me it is the corrupt fruit of idolatry, I must fight against it if I find myself drawn to it; just as I admit that I fight against my short temper, pride, sloth, avarice, and a number of other things named in the Word of God as sin.
I’m of the mind that words such as Obama’s and Cameron’s are evidence of how far Westerners have moved from any serious understanding of Christianity. We’ve made “Jesus” into an undefined banner, into which anyone may pour whatever meaning or nonsense he likes; and hence we have confused people like Obama and Cameron running our countries and leaving our Islamic neighbors with the impression that the embrace of homosexuality is somehow a “Christian” thing (yes, I agree that our Muslim neighbors are often among the trials and crosses we must bear; things that make this world a Vale of Tears). Sure, you can make the Bible say whatever you want–but only if you’re unscrupulous enough (and it was a British brother, J.I. Packer, who said that). I pray that God would open our eyes to see that there is a real, comprehensible content to the Gospel, and that he would let us grasp it once again.
Mo says
@ Kepha
Thanks for your comment. I stand with you 100 percent!
As to the man Obama, there is no way he is a follower of Christ. Among so many other things, his words about Christianity and Christians are always dripping with contempt. And no follower of Christ would ever mock God’s Word publicly as he did at least once that I can remember! This is a truly evil man, in so many ways.
Champ says
Kepha wrote:
I believe firmly that Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, fully God and fully man in one person; born of a virgin, truly crucified for our sins; truly risen body and soul from the dead; truly returning to judge the living and the dead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me, too, bro Kepha!
Nathan says
Of course Ca-moron stands with the persecuted Christians…. he just happens to be stood about 3,000 miles away, with his thumb up his ar$e!
Georg says
“God only cares about us and doesn’t care about others.”
I’ve never met a Christian who thinks this, so where did POTUS get this impression?
Nathan says
What god are you talking about? The god of goodness and light, or the god of Death and destruction?
All muslims can ‘claim’ to be Christians, they think it’s the people who call themselves Christians today who have changed the sacred texts. The ‘real’ Christianity from an islamic standpoint is ….. islam. TaDa!
I know, but there you go. It’s got a rebuttal for everything, but answers nothing!
CogitoErgoSum says
Christians believe that Christ was the Son of God. Muslims say this is a lie.
Christians believe in a triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Muslims say only Allah is the one true god and Muhammad is Allah’s messenger.
Christians believe in the teachings of Christ as set forth in the New Testament. Muslims believe the entire Bible has been corrupted and only the Quran is reliable for the truth.
Christians believe that Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead. Muslims deny it ever happened.
Christians believe all human beings are the children of God. Muslim believe we are only the children of Adam but more importantly we are the slaves of Allah.
Christians believe in the worth and dignity of all men and women in the eyes of God. Muslims believe Allah loves only Muslims and that Christians, Jews, and others outside Islam are worthless filth and hated by Allah.
The differences I listed above cannot all be aspects of the same truth. Obama thinks Christians should doubt that they have possession of the truth? Some must possess the truth while others do not. Why be a Christian if you doubt what you believe is true? Would any Muslim leader be allowed to get away with saying a similar thing about doubting the truthfulness of Islam?
One thing is certain to me and I have no doubts about it. Barack Obama may have professed to be a Christian in order to be elected President of the United States but in his heart Barack Obama doubts the very existence of any truth at all .. and sees no value in trying to find it.
CogitoErgoSum says
Please excuse my own deviation from the truth. At the very beginning I should have written that Christians believe that Christ was and IS the Son of God.
deja vu says
Well said, CogitoErgoSum!
Kepha says
@cogito ergo sum:
Christianity does not teach that all men are children of God.
“But as many as received him [Jesus Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12).
“Ye are of your father the devil” (Jesus to hostile unbelievers–John 8:44). This is Jesus’ very sobering answer to the theological liberal who facetiously said, “If Jesus is God’s only son, who’s son am I?”
“The Father…who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingsom of his dear son.” (Colossians 1:13).
Further, apart from Christ, who shares the divine nature, the rest of us who believe are children of God only through adoption.
CogitoErgoSum says
That’s an interesting point, Kepha. I perceive Jesus as usually speaking in terms of the spirit. When He taught His disciples how to pray He told them to use the word Abba or Father (or some would even say Dad or Daddy) when addressing God. God is the one who created our immortal souls and for me that is what is meant when it is said we are created in His image … our souls are reflections of God’s image; it’s not about our bodies. God is the Father of our souls is the way I think of it.
Now when Jesus calls the devil someone’s father does Jesus mean that the devil is capable of creating a soul as his offspring? No. The devil is incapable of creating anything except doubt in our minds through lies and deception. If the devil is to be considered the father of anyone it is by way of a person rejecting the true Father and accepting a false father. The Father of the Truth is replaced by the Father of Lies. Does the second father make the first father any less the true father? I don’t think so.
However, I do realize you may interpret things differently and I respect your beliefs in the matter. I sometimes forget that Christians can and do understand certain parts of the scriptures differently. As for myself, I prefer to start out by seeing every individual as a child of God until it is clear to me which “father” a person has chosen to accept as head of the “family.”
Anyway, that is my understanding of the matter. Feel free to explain further your understanding of Christ’s words. My best regards and a wish for peace to you, Kepha.
Pavelina says
Obama attended a Black Liberation Theology “church” for 20 years. This “church” calls itself Christian but it preaches hate — hate of white people and hate of the U.S.A. It also teaches that Jesus was a Black African. A “church” that preaches hate cannot be a Christian church. I’ve never attended a Christian church that taught anything but Love and Forgiveness.
Champ says
“7 Reasons Barack Obama is not a Christian”
Reason #1: Obama Believes There Are Many Paths to Heaven
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/62-reason-1
Reason #2: Obama Denies the Authority of the Bible
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/63-reason-2
Reason #3: Obama Supports Homosexuality
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/64-reason-3
Reason #4: Obama Supports Abortion
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/65-reason-4
Reason #5: Obama Affirms Muslim Prayer
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/66-reason-5
Reason #6: Obama is Associated with Black Liberation Theology
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/67-reason-6
Reason #7: Obama Has No Bona Fide Christian Testimony
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/68-reason-7
News Analysis of 7 Reasons Campaign:
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/69-news-analysis-of-7-reasons-campaign
xxxChurch100 says
It is a little off putting when he has referred to his wife publicly twice as Michael rather than Michelle …
What should we make of that ??
Are things not as might seem??
Champ says
test
Champ says
“7 Reasons Barack Obama is not a Christian”
Reason #1: Obama Believes There Are Many Paths to Heaven
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/62-reason-1
Reason #2: Obama Denies the Authority of the Bible
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/63-reason-2
Reason #3: Obama Supports Homosexuality
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/64-reason-3
Reason #4: Obama Supports Abortion
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/65-reason-4
Reason #5: Obama Affirms Muslim Prayer
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/66-reason-5
Reason #6: Obama is Associated with Black Liberation Theology
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/67-reason-6
Reason #7: Obama Has No Bona Fide Christian Testimony
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/68-reason-7
News Analysis of 7 Reasons Campaign:
http://www.christianadc.org/resources/69-news-analysis-of-7-reasons-campaign
Maria says
Cameron is a 2 faced liar he talks about standing with Christians in the middle East yet wants to overthrow Assad the only man protecting Christians in Syria as I saw on a BBC 2 program today called Kill the Christians. Christians there where grateful to Assad for protecting them against ISIS and have joined in the Syrian Government army Cameron also says islam is a peaceful religion yeah that’s why Christians are dying isn’t it Cameron
Jay Airahs says
Christian???
Obama does believe in sharing (re-distributing) of wealth with the poor.
I would give him credit at least for that except he is most interested in sharing (other) people’s money which is a common Democratic Party process of ‘buying’ votes by using taxpayers money.
Jae M says
Obama is not a Christian. He attacks Christians for lack of tolerance and tolerates Islamic terrorism. It is clear who he is.
Mark says
ON OBAMA AND HIS BOOK… The Audicity of Hope pg 261 “if the political winds should shift I will side with the muslims”. His book came out during his first campaign. He is a traitor.
Monticol says
In O’bama’s recent speech where he mentions those Christians who both criticize himself yet profess love, he was clearly referring to the worn out canard that Christians who criticize yet profess love can only be hypocrites.
That is the sort logic that one expects to hear on a grade school play ground, or in a college faculty lounge. He states that he is Christian…and I hope that he is. I also hope that he grows in understanding of his faith.