All Comments for: Obama Uses Sermon on the Mount to Elevate Speeches | Christianity Today

Free Newsletters:

RSS Feeds |

Audio |

Twitter

Home > 2009 > April (Web-only)

Christianity Today, April (Web-only), 2009 |

Obama Uses Sermon on the Mount to Elevate Speeches

The president has used the mountainside sermon several times in recent years to explain policy.

Daniel Burke, Religion News Service | posted 4/24/2009 11:05AM

WASHINGTON — In a 2006 speech here, then-Sen. Barack Obama said Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was so "radical" the Defense Department wouldn't survive its application. Earlier this month, the new president ...

[Reader Reviews]

Average User Rating:

Rate and Comment on this article

Displaying 1 - 25 of 56 comments.

Page: 1 2 3

Show All

Paul	Posted: May 07, 2009 7:09 AM


The way Obama misrepresents the sermon on the mount shows rather explicitly that he does not read the bible, nor understand its message correctly. Rather he makes some vague references to a bible story to try and convince people he is something that he clearly is not. his policies speak much louder then any half attempt at a bible reference in a speech

Dave Wilson

Posted: May 04, 2009 5:55 AM

If folks like Russell D. Moore, dean of the school of theology of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, think that Obama is reading and talking about the Bible simply because he quotes it in a speech, I'm afraid they're sadly mistaken. Political speech writers, especially those for Obama, are very calculated in the words and phrases they use... and their placement and timing in speeches and policy discussions. Having been in the field of political public relations for years now, I know it's no mistake that Obama referenced the Lord's sermon on the Mount in a dry economic policy speech. The Biblical reference has done two things... 1) it's stretched Jesus' principle of building on the rock (of God as our foundation) to a seemingly logical interpretation to economic policy (which many a pastor has done), and 2) it's swayed many to believe yet again that an insertion of a Bible reference denotes spiritual motive and intent on Obama's part. Sadly, I don't believe it was.

cellus

Posted: May 04, 2009 5:46 AM


Bruce Felder...you said it all, Brother.

pastor

Posted: May 03, 2009 9:55 PM

How dare you all ridicule President Obama use of Scripture. For 400 years white people have misused the Scriptures, telling black folks lies. The problem lies in the fact white people think they own the Bible and Yeshua. Black people are learning they were first in the Bible, and you all treated blacks like dirt. Your power over us is ended. It hurts you all to see God has placed a black man to head. So don't talk about the Bible when you all have misused the Bible over and over. We are not your slaves anymore, we are free Praise God. Neither do we hold a grudge because it was purpose by Yah, but stop acting holy and mightier.

Bruce Felder

Posted: May 03, 2009 10:11 AM

Let's review the bigger picture. Obama told the muslim world that we are NOT a Christian nation. He wants to corrupt that "obscure" passage about marriage being between a man and a woman. He wants to remove all restrictions to murder of babies. His socialist/facist goals corrupt the social welfare of the church by forcibly taking money from one to give to another, while disallowing tax credits for charity. He has grown government to levels exceeding everything our Founders could have dreamed. He places himself and government above faith, as the ultimate answer to all things. As far as i know, he has never called for prayer, never offered thanksgiving to God, or publically yielded himself humbly and acknowledged his allegiance to God in any way. Of course other than familiar sound bites that he tosses out to the media, to reassure the masses so they will ignore how how the water in the kettle seems to be getting. Many make professions tho Christ will say get away i never knew you.

Cub	Posted: May 01, 2009 10:28 AM


I also remeber seeing Obama say Jesus' teachings on the Sermon on the Mount were too radical for us and if we followed His teachings we would be foolish. Obama is a phony who hides behind facades to get his personal agenda across to an ignorant America

Mark	Posted: April 30, 2009 4:06 PM


What a bunch of hypocrites. Most Christians can tell you about the birth of Jesus and the Cross. Seems that is all they know. It is as if they have never read(and God forbid) applied any of Jesus teachings about how to live while he was here.

Anonymous

Posted: April 29, 2009 3:08 PM

I found this the reference to Obama’s biblical argument against detractors of same-sex unions to be cryptic. First off, it seems as if the question whether or not homosexuality is a sin and whether or not they should be permitted with same-sex unions are separate questions. Condemning homosexuality doesn’t necessarily require one to also be against civil unions between same-sex couples. My second issue was with Obama’s claim that the Sermon on the Mount should silence his detractors. Is this because the Sermon on the Mount directly condones homosexuality? This seems unlikely. Perhaps then Obama is using the reference to the Sermon on the Mount simply to silence his detractors by suggesting that the mere act of criticizing homosexuality is condemned by the values of the Sermon on the Mount. If this is the case, then I would suggest that this may be an act of intimidation. It is unclear.

Sandra

Posted: April 29, 2009 7:54 AM

This article is a dangerous one at best. It is far bigger than Mr. O. It is an example of how Satan is succeeding in his task to further water down Christianity and present Jesus Christ as something he is not. What's up is down and what's down is up. Mr. O and many others are just pawns in this game and nothing more. This only has power if Christians buy into it. I guess it demonstrates just how weakened American Christianity is. There are millions of people around the world risking their lives to convert to Christianity. Here we applaud someone who vaguely references a teaching of scripture while failing to acknowledge the teacher and insisting that the name of that teacher be covered up as to not associate himself with that teacher. It reminds me of parents and teachers applauding children reading Harry Potter books that are riddled with occult teachings because - at least they're reading something. Christianity Today should be more discerning.

Therese

Posted: April 29, 2009 1:17 AM

Obama seems to have forgotten one of the most important parts of the Bible. The Commandment against killing the innocent. When unborn children are being torn apart limb by limb in the womb (and they do have limbs in the womb); or their skins burned by saline injections that finally enter their mouth and poisons and burns them to death; or are partially birthed, a pair of sugical scissors stuck in the back of their heads and their brains sucked out while still alive and without anesthetic as in "partial birth abortion", what does it matter that he quotes the Sermon on the Mount. He could not even vote to protect children who survive abortion and some have and do. And don't tell me about war and torturing prisoners when unborn children are tortured to death every day in this country. Thousands more than all the victims in the Iran war. President Obama and those like him have not a CLUE as to what the Sermon on the Mount includes. I pray God opens their eyes and changes their hearts.

John	Posted: April 29, 2009 12:00 AM

And the devil can quote scripture. There is more to faith then mere words. BO and his speech writers can turn a nice phrase but it is all form and no substance. BO wil use whatever he can to advance his own agenda. Simply because he can quote scripture does not make him a Christian. the fact that he supports the murder of innocents speaks volumes about his true character and is a glaring example that he is not Christian or for that matter has a religious point of view.

Rose	Posted: April 28, 2009 10:19 PM

obama has alot of nerve citing anything from the Bible! Perhaps someone should explain to him the meaning of the word "hypocrite"! If he really believed in the Bible, he woldn't be pushing his pro-murder agenda as quickly as he can. He is totally unworthy of any respect. If I were him, I would be afraid to quote from the Bible. I would be afraid that the lightening bolt would hit me quicker than I could get the words out. Then again, he must not be afraid of much, being that he can walk on water and all.

Stephen Brown

Posted: April 28, 2009 9:47 PM


Obama put his faith in a different book and follows a different path. Check out "Rules for Radicals", written by Saul Alinski. Learn about this and you will know the real Obama.

Bill	Posted: April 28, 2009 2:57 PM

........With nothing to lose but their own and their families starvation. And Nazism was thwarted. But not before the Red Army took their revenge on the devastated three front Germans/Nazis and their constituants , whether pro-Nazi or not. They were all lumped into the movement and reprisals took place for the crimes of the Germans against Russian Citizenry. They were brutal towards their prisoners and the general populace both.....I'll leave it to your imagination. My mother who was two years younger than her older conscripted brother was shipped off into the country with her younger sister to get her out of the city and the Russians whims. Years later, my Uncle laughs at his fellow contemporary Austrians, all who claim that they were not one of the more than one million in attendance at Hitlers coming out party in the central plaza and district streets that infamous day when he was greeted as conquering liberator. ..Sometimes history has a way of repeating itself. Beware.

Bill	Posted: April 28, 2009 2:40 PM

John, I know someting of Nazism and the movement. When Hitler annexed Austria in 1938 I believe, my 15 year old uncle who was to become a prisoner of war by the Russians by the time the war had finsished (for 4yrs. after the end of the war) was at a central plaza in Vienna when Hitler took the podium and addressed the Austrian people. They greeted him as a liberator and great political leader. My Uncle told me tales about their adoration and appreciation of the facist Nazi German movement incorporating the Austrian people into a seamless Nazi Europeanism. My Uncle had no choice in his political persuasion, he was conscripted with no choice a few years later into the German-Austo Army and shiped off near the Eastern front in Russia in 42'. It was pretty much already over by then. But then he was taken prisoner when they could not get permission to give up the benign seige-offensive when the Russians kept them out with wave after wave of soldiers with nothing to lose ................

Bill	Posted: April 28, 2009 2:40 PM

John, I know someting of Nazism and the movement. When Hitler annexed Austria in 1938 I believe, my 15 year old uncle who was to become a prisoner of war by the Russians by the time the war had finsished (for 4yrs. after the end of the war) was at a central plaza in Vienna when Hitler took the podium and addressed the Austrian people. They greeted him as a messiah and great political leader. My Uncle told me tales about their adoration and appreciation of the facist Nazi German movement incorporating the Austrian people into a seamless Nazi Europeanism. My Uncle had no choice in his political persuasion, he was conscripted with no choice a few years later into the German-Austo Army and shiped off near the Eastern front in Russia in 42'. It was pretty much already over by then. But then he was taken prisoner when they could not get permission to give up the benign seige-offensive when the Russians kept them out with wave after wave of soldiers with nothing to lose ..................

Bill	Posted: April 28, 2009 2:39 PM

John, I know someting of Nazism and the movement. When Hitler annexed Austria in 1938 I believe, my 15 year old uncle who was to become a prisoner of war by the Russians by the time the war had finsished (for 4yrs. after the end of the war) was at a central plaza in Vienna when Hitler took the podium and addressed the Austrian people. They greeted him as a messiah and great political leader. My Uncle told me tales about their adoration and appreciation of the facist Nazi German movement incorporating the Austrian people into a seamless Nazi Europeanism. My Uncle had no choice in his political persuasion, he was conscripted with no choice a few years later into the German-Austo Army and shiped off near the Eastern front in Russia in 42'. It was pretty much already over by then. But then he was taken prisoner when they could not get permission to give up the benign seige-offensive when the Russians kept them out with wave after wave of soldiers with nothing to lose ..................

John	Posted: April 28, 2009 10:55 AM

Dan, Using your reasoning, Christians in Nazi Germany would have to support the ruling authority because of Romans Chapter 13 and to speak out against the Hitler administration would be wrong because after all the sermon on the mount and that peace making/love thy neighbor stuff only applies to individuals… Here is an alternative view: our government should ideally represent us and act on our behalf. That is the reasoning behind the anti- Iraq war slogan, “NOT IN OUR NAME”. In many evangelical churches before the Iraq war began it seemed the slogan was “IT’S NOT MY JOB TO THINK ABOUT IT…GEORGE BUSH IS GOD’S MAN…”. Your reasoning smacks of situational ethics that the bad ole libruls are always accused of having.

sharon

Posted: April 28, 2009 10:19 AM


You have got to be kidding me. You think Obama really cares about Christianity? He cares about getting his collective ideas into law and he will use anything, Muslim, Jewish, Christianity, Lincoln, whatever; but he will also spin it to his advantage. Get real.

Jack	Posted: April 27, 2009 9:49 PM

I'm not defending Presdent Obama, but he not any worse than other presidents who have quoted scripture. George W. Bush, our most evangelical president, was quite fond of using scripture. And President Bush, was responsible for the needless deaths of hundred of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians and the displacement of millions of others from their homes-don't recall the negative comments about his use of scripture. Also, sorry to offend the sensibilities of right-wing authoritarian followers, but if you read the scriptures at face value, Jesus and his early followers would be more comfortable with members of ACORN than the Family Research Council.

George T.

Posted: April 27, 2009 7:52 PM


Alas !! A President who publicly and without fear of others holds and refers to the Bible as the ultimate and uncorruptible truth. Whether in politics as in private !!

Dan	Posted: April 27, 2009 6:10 PM

The Sermon on the Mount addressed individuals, not governments. We are supposed to be charitable with our own property, not use government to force others to give what & to whom they otherwise would not. We are supposed to turn the other cheek as individuals (rather than demand our rights when we are living under grace); our government is supposed to protect us from enemies. Leave it to Obama and the Left to conflate the two, to justify their vision of expansive government.

Mark W

Posted: April 27, 2009 4:11 PM


Obama's "progressive" interpretation of Christianity???? Please. What's progressive about it? Is it progressive that he uses the words of Christ for his own ends?

Gil	Posted: April 27, 2009 12:34 PM

The irony about this article is that it fails to mention the subtle, & disturbing fact that Obama's Administraition asked & received permission from Georgetown University to cover up the initials IHS, a reference to Jesus Christ, The King. How hypocritical is it for this arrogant man whom many ignorant catholics voted for to not only endorse abortion on an un-heard of scale, but to openly use Our Lord's Sermon on The Mount for his own political agendas while insisting on covering up His Sacred Name & Title at a Catholic Institution no doubt. Now he's going to do it at Notre Dame! Catholics, Acta Non Verba (Deeds Not Words)!!!

john	Posted: April 27, 2009 12:27 PM


What about when Christ said 'What you do to the least of my little ones you do to me'?

Page: 1 2 3

E-mail this page

Write CT

Print this article

Post a comment