As Bill Adama once said, "Context matters"...
From ‘Dreams of my Father: “In Indonesia, I had spent two years at a Muslim school” “I studied the Koran..”
And the full quote:
In Indonesia, I had spent two years at a Muslim school, two years at a Catholic school. In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to tell my mother that I made faces during Koranic studies. My mother wasn't overly concerned. 'Be respectful,' she'd said. In the Catholic school, when it came time to pray, I would pretend to close my eyes, then peek around the room. Nothing happened. No angels descended. Just a parched old nun and thirty brown children, muttering words. Sometimes the nun would catch me, and her stern look would force my lids back shut.
Sounds like a typical kid who's bored in religion classes. A far cry from what your isolated quote tries to suggest.
From ‘Audacity of Hope: “Lolo (Obama’s step father) followed a brand of Islam ….”I looked to Lolo for guidance”.
Like many Indonesians, Lolo followed a brand of Islam that could make room for remnants of more ancient animist and Hindu faiths...
The world was violent, I was learning, unpredictable and often cruel. My grandparents knew nothing about such a world, I decided; there was no point in disturbing them with questions they couldn't answer. Sometimes, when my mother came home from work, I would tell her the things I had seen or heard, snd she would stroke my forehead, listening intently, trying her best to explain what she could, and I always appreciated the attention--her voice, the touch of her hand, defined all that was secure. But her knowledge of [Indonesian] floods and exorcisms and cockfights left much to be desired. Everything was as new to her as it was to me, and I would leave such conversations feeling that my questions had only given her unnecessary cause for concern. So it was to Lolo I turned for guidance and instruction.
First, Obama mentions that his father belonged to a Islamic sect that was open to other religious views, then
several paragraphs later he talks about how he turned to his father for questions about the world and the land he was living in. Again, just like ANY kid would do. What's wrong with that?
From ‘The Audacity Of Hope: “I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”
This is the most despicable deception of all your quotes.
In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.
Obama is assuring American Muslims that he will not allow their FREEDOMS to be taken away as they were for many in the aftermath of 9/11. Those are core AMERICAN values in case you weren't aware. Your quote suggests that once something happens he'll turn the country over to the Jihadists. Which is complete and utter BS.
Under Islamic law: You are a Muslim if you are the son of a Muslim.
Setting aside ignorant right-wingers who need to believe that, there may indeed be Muslims who believe it too. But it doesn't matter what anyone else believes because he has stated unequivocally that he is a Christian. Islam doesn't allow for being a "secret" Muslim.
Obama has never renounced the religion he was born into. Hummmmmmm.
Why the hell should he?
