President Obama has mentioned Jesus Christ during several recent high-profile speeches while former President George W. Bush usually talked about his faith in less prominent places, Politico reports.
Writer Eamon Javers makes the case uses three recent speeches:
- In his speech last week in Cairo:
"All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear; when the Holy Land of the three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be ... when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed, peace be upon them, joined in prayer."
- At the University of Notre Dame commencement:
"I found myself drawn - not just to work with the church but to be in the church," Obama said. "It was through this service that I was brought to Christ."
- Making the case for his economic policies in April:
"We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand," Obama said. "We must build our house upon a rock."
Obama could be trying to dispel rumors that he is a Muslim, since the percentage of those who believed the rumor during the campaign has not changed.
Politico then compares Obama to President Bush's time in office, when Bush mentioned talked about his faith openly to individuals or in interviews. But during his first year as president, Bush mentioned "Jesus" or "Christ" a handful of times in less prominent places, such as his Easter proclamation, a Christmas message, and a proclamation on "Salvation Army Week."
"I don't recall a single example of Bush as president ever saying, ‘Jesus' or ‘Christ,'" said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Christian group Family Research Council. "This is different."
To Perkins, Obama's overtly Christian rhetoric is a welcome development from an administration that he largely disagrees with on the issues, though Perkins sees a political motive behind it, as well.
"I applaud that. It gives people a sense of comfort," Perkins said. "But I think it's a veneer, a facade that covers over a lot of policies that are anti-Christian."
In case you're keeping track, Obama has not chosen a home church yet.
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