According to a new poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, “nearly one-in-five Americans (18%) now say Obama is a Muslim.” The Pew’s poll also found that “only about one-third of adults (34%) say Obama is a Christian, down sharply from 48% in 2009.”
Without getting into a deep debate about the President’s politics – particularly as it relates to the Muslim world and issues like the divisive Mosque planned for the grounds of 9/11 – it is worth noting that perhaps the reason so many American’s question Obama’s faith is because people simply don’t know what his faith is.
The most experience American’s have with Obama’s faith is his “funny name” and his relationship with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. You may remember Rev. Wright as the fellow who said “God damn America” and blamed the U.S. for the attacks on 9/11. Wright was also the officiant for the Obama’s nuptials and baptized their children.
Following the controversy over his relationship to Wright, Obama “resigned his 20 year membership” in Wright’s church. Ever since, Obama has left the public to wonder what his faith is, if any. Consider:
After Leaving Wright’s Church Obama “Attended Church Sparingly.” “Obama has attended church sparingly in the past several months, and since winning the election has spent his Sunday mornings at the gym.” (Russell Goldman, “In Wake Of Rev. Wright, Obama Seeks New Church,” ABC News, 11/24/08)
Following His Victory On The First Tuesday Of November 2008, Obama Hit The Gym Rather Than Church. “President-elect Barack Obama has yet to attend church services since winning the White House earlier this month, a departure from the example of his two immediate predecessors.” (Jonathan Martin and Carol E. Lee,” Obama Skips Church, Heads To Gym,” Politico, 11/23/08)
• “On the three Sundays since his election, Obama has instead used his free time to get in workouts at a Chicago gym.” (Jonathan Martin and Carol E. Lee,” Obama Skips Church, Heads To Gym,” Politico, 11/23/08)
Then-President-Elect Obama Had Yet To Decide On “Which House Of Worship” The Family Would Use In Washington, D.C., On Sundays. “Come Jan. 20, Barack Obama knows the house in which he and his family will live, but he has yet to decide at which house of worship they will pray.” (Russell Goldman, “In Wake Of Rev. Wright, Obama Seeks New Church,” ABC News, 11/24/08)
In Late January 2010, More Than A Year After Assuming Office, The Obama’s Had “Publicly Attended Services In Washington Just Three Times In The Past Year.” “The first family, once regular churchgoers, have publicly attended services in Washington just three times in the past year, by ABC News' count, even bypassing the pews on Christmas Day.” (Devin Dwyer, “Holy Blackberry! Obama Finds Ways To Keep Faith During First Year In Office,” ABC News, 1/29/10)
• “Aides and family friends have spent months visiting various local churches on behalf of the Obamas.” (Devin Dwyer, “Holy Blackberry! Obama Finds Ways To Keep Faith During First Year In Office,” ABC News, 1/29/10)
Rather Than Attend Church, Obama Used His Blackberry. “Obama told ABC Nightline's Terry Moran that his personal BlackBerry, which he famously fought with the Secret Service to keep, has actually become a tool of keeping the faith during his first year in office.” (Devin Dwyer, “Holy Blackberry! Obama Finds Ways To Keep Faith During First Year In Office,” ABC News, 1/29/10)
On Easter Sunday 2010, The Obama’s Made Only Their Fifth Appearance At A Church Service In Washington, D.C. “For the fifth time since moving into the White House, President Obama attended a church service in Washington, spending part of Easter Sunday with his family and mother-in-law Marian Robinson at the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.” (Lynn Sweet, “Obama Family Marks Easter At Washington, D.C. Church,” Politics Daily, 4/4/10)
After More Than A Year Of Searching, Obama Has Decided Not To Join A Church In Washington, D.C. “NBC ‘Today’ Show host Matt Lauer asked Obama about going to church in an interview that ran Tuesday. ‘What we've decided for now is not to join a single church,’ Obama told Lauer.” (Lynn Sweet, “Obama Family Marks Easter At Washington, D.C. Church,” Politics Daily, 4/4/10)
Given what very little the American public knows about Obama’s faith, and the fact he scarcely attends church, it’s easy to understand why folks would draw their own conclusions about what the President’s faith may or may not be.
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