Obama's Decision to be a Christian

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In Barack Obama's book, the Audacity of Hope, he wrote, "During the five years that we would live with my stepfather in Indonesia, I was sent first to a neighborhood Catholic school and then to a predominately Muslim school. In our household, the Bible, the Koran, and the Bhagavad Gita sat on the shelf."

But he states that his mother was skeptical of religion, so as a result, he said, "I was not raised in a religious household."

He goes on to write about his experience as a community organizer for churches in Chicago and says that he was repeatedly asked to join various Christian congregations.

But, he wrote, "I remained a reluctant skeptic, doubtful of my own motives, wary of expedient conversion, having too many quarrels with God to accept a salvation too easily won."

He goes on to claim that after much soul searching, he was baptized at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.

Soul Searching? Today he was in Egypt touting his Muslim background. Not a word about being a soul-searching Christian. Today, it was more convenient to be Muslim.

I suspect that in reality, joining a large Christian church in Chicago was a political move. It was one way to network with a large number of constituents. His "soul searching," it seems to me, consisted of assessing which of the several churches asking him to join them would benefit him politically the most. In the end he decided on a church that had a sharp political edge and attracted angry voters; a place that would best help Obama reach his goals. He did not choose a church that focused on the goals of Jesus Christ.

This is further evidenced in another quote from the book, in which he describes his decision;

"It came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth."

Most people, when truly submitting to God's will, dedicate themselves to serving Him. That's the whole point. True submission = humbling servitude. It's a decision to serve Him even if one doesn't fully understand God's reasoning and purpose. Obama states that he was only willing to continue asking questions, dedicating himself only to "discovering His truth." Whatever that means, and however long that takes.

No, we're not supposed to be judging the hearts of others. But we are supposed to be wise, keeping an eye out for wolves and charlatans, watching their fruit in order to discern their spirit. Just as with Joel Osteen and his ilk, President Obama is a salesman. He doesn't seem to understand the deity and purpose of Jesus Christ, nor the purpose of Scripture, nor the purpose of Christians.

Again, pay close attention to God's warnings in Matt 7:15, Acts 20:29, Romans 16:18, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, and 2 Peter 2-3.
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