Green Shepherd Obama
[Guest post by DRJ]
In the run up to his Presidential campaign, Barack Obama spoke about his religious faith and affirmed it would help him govern:
“But what I am suggesting is this – secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square. Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Williams Jennings Bryant, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King – indeed, the majority of great reformers in American history – were not only motivated by faith, but repeatedly used religious language to argue for their cause. So to say that men and women should not inject their “personal morality” into public policy debates is a practical absurdity. Our law is by definition a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Moreover, if we progressives shed some of these biases, we might recognize some overlapping values that both religious and secular people share when it comes to the moral and material direction of our country. We might recognize that the call to sacrifice on behalf of the next generation, the need to think in terms of “thou” and not just “I,” resonates in religious congregations all across the country. And we might realize that we have the ability to reach out to the evangelical community and engage millions of religious Americans in the larger project of American renewal.”
This week’s Weekly Standard suggests that’s exactly what the Obama Administration is doing as the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships plans to use America’s churches to promote Obama’s climate change legislation:
“Last month, the council spent a day at the White House briefing senior administration officials on its “final report of recommendations” for improving collaboration between the government and religious organizations. The 164-page document, entitled “A New Era of Partnerships,” takes up the “priority areas” identified by President Obama—Economic Recovery and Domestic Poverty, Fatherhood and Healthy Families, Environment and Climate Change, Global Poverty and Development, and Interreligious Cooperation.
Poverty, families, interreligious co-operation: All pretty standard. But what does an office created to help better provide social services to the needy have to do with climate change?
Apparently, the president’s council envisions the “partnership” between government and religious institutions as a means of spreading the administration’s environmental warnings, rather than just a way to help churches feed the hungry and clothe the poor. Faith-based organizations, the report notes, can take “a prominent leadership role in influencing policy, education, and action in those areas.”
***
The council hopes the new EPA faith office will also help churches and other nonprofits improve “access to financing,” including “establishing revolving loan programs or working with utility companies to help finance greening building projects.” The ultimate aim of all this government-supported retrofitting is clear: “Regional staff would work to engage local faith-and community-based groups to help meet Obama administration targets for greening buildings and promoting environmental quality.” [Emphasis added.]”
Obama and his Administration have already been caught using the NEA to push their partisan agenda. Now they’re using America’s churches.
— DRJ
The POTUS is going to spread around a whole crap load of walking around money this election cycle.
highpockets (56cb6c) — 4/24/2010 @ 8:21 pmNotice this part from his 2006 speech:
That definitely got thrown under the bus.
DRJ (09fa6c) — 4/24/2010 @ 8:35 pm….Bill Maher was unavailable for comment….
….Can’t wait to see all the super progressives that called Bush a “Religious Fanatic and Crusader” because he did not hide his Christian faith do the typical liberal hypocritical spin in defending Obama here.
….Now that Obama is in office:
…..War IS the Answer(along with Rendition,indefinite detention,NSA wiretapping,Patriot Act,bombing and killing civilians)…..
….Big money on K street and back door deals with lobbyist are okay….
……massive spending and huge deficits are okay…..
….sucking up and taking money from Wall St. is okay….
…..no bid contracts and special favors for political allies are okay….
…….. dissent is no longer patriotic, it’s racist
….on and on and on the democratic party of lies and hypocrisy shows itself to be nothing but partisan ideologues who will sell out any previous position in pursuit of their agenda.
Baxter Greene (af5030) — 4/24/2010 @ 10:06 pmThe POTUS is going to spread around a whole crap load of walking around money this election cycle.
Goldman Sachs and JPM Chase have got his back on that one.
Another Chris (35bdd0) — 4/24/2010 @ 10:48 pmDon’t know how that fits with this report from FoxNews that the Climate Bill in the Senate has been pushed to a back burner….
AD - RtR/OS! (9562e0) — 4/24/2010 @ 10:53 pmhttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/24/climate-placed-hold-senate-dispute/
…and John Kerry (who, BTW, served in Vietnam) is a tad upset.
Thanks, AD. I just updated the Lindsey Graham post to add that.
DRJ (09fa6c) — 4/24/2010 @ 11:21 pmit just gets better and better
happyfeet (c8caab) — 4/24/2010 @ 11:29 pmA not so subtle way for the government to infiltrate and co-opt churches in this country to do the administration’s bidding. At what point should cooperating churches lose their tax exempt status for functioning as a propaganda arm of the Obama government?
Odd how Obama can’t find value in religion except to wield it in a political move.
in_awe (44fed5) — 4/25/2010 @ 1:36 amThe Obama team favors ‘change’ and this appears to include, at least on that electronic web page of theirs, changing names a bit as well. Back in the day, when history books were printed on something called paper, those names were spelled as, “William Jennings Bryan” not ‘Williams Jennings Bryant’ and “Frederick Douglass,” not ‘Douglas.’
DCSCA (9d1bb3) — 4/25/2010 @ 4:03 amToday’s sermon: Jesus wants you to drive a hybrid.
Next week: The wages of sin — especially if you make more than $200k per year!
[Maybe it should be “the sin of wages”]
Icy Texan (e77df9) — 4/25/2010 @ 5:03 amThe background of several esteemed members of this astonishing council share one overweening focus: transferral of federal funds to questionable community activists.
Make that the most questionable community activists. Some partnerships between gov’t and religious groups are better than others — or at least more responsive to the taxpayers in their pews. But these people are the cream of a very bad crop. Amazing.
Tina Trent (e5f430) — 4/25/2010 @ 7:41 amWho knew that the Bush Faith Based initiatives could so easily be turned. Thank you big government conservatism.
imdw (017d51) — 4/25/2010 @ 7:44 amApology time, you nasty little troll. Patterico set out the requirement and you are ignoring it. Have you written ti him? You should. Jerk.
Eric Blair (e8f8ac) — 4/25/2010 @ 7:52 amTypical troll comment, imdw. Attack Bush for Obama’s actions, actions that had received much teeth-gnashing when the Bush administration engaged in them.
SPQR (26be8b) — 4/25/2010 @ 8:03 amimdw – Will white churches be included?
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/25/2010 @ 8:07 amimdw – Will Jooooos be included?
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/25/2010 @ 8:09 amWhat’s up with the Jooos thing? Do you just like tossing around pejoratives like that?
“Attack Bush for Obama’s actions, actions that had received much teeth-gnashing when the Bush administration engaged in them.”
Attack bush? I’m thanking him. Little did I know at the time what a benefit this could be.
imdw (6b4e5c) — 4/25/2010 @ 8:24 amYou brought up the evil Joos meme many moons ago, so live with it. I’d look it up for you, but we already know how you deal with that activity when requested to do so yourself, don’t we?
So where’s the link to that apology you claimed you made over a week ago? Cat got your tongue?
Dmac (21311c) — 4/25/2010 @ 8:53 amDon’t forget the apology he is supposed to deliver to daley, Dmac. Patterico’s rule.
But I am thinking that this bit of toilet film won’t. Then it is Patterico’s call. But tarring daley with a neonazi implication is over the top.
Eric Blair (eddd97) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:01 am“But tarring daley with a neonazi implication is over the top.”
Yes. Calling people fascist treasonous anti-semitic supporters of the confederacy. Over the top.
imdw (603c39) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:06 amObviously that better class of trolls we’ve been wishing for has not materialized.
SPQR (26be8b) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:11 amPeople unclear on the concept.
Let me be direct, imdw: did you see Patterico’s requirement that you need to apologize to daley?
Yes or no?
If no, do so immediately.
If yes, please be clear: do you refuse to follow Patterico’s ruling?
Personally, I think you are toilet film. But it is Patterico’s blog. Please be clear regarding this question.
Eric Blair (eddd97) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:14 am“Let me be direct, imdw: did you see Patterico’s requirement that you need to apologize to daley? ”
I even quoted it in my response.
But maybe you know whats up with the JOOOS bit?
[note: fished from spam filter. –Stashiu]
imdw (dc7a06) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:25 amimdw – I am merely following your line of questioning on the Arizona immigration bill. You asked if it applied to white people. I ask here if Obama’s policies apply to white churches and Jooooos. Democrats are fond of identity polititics are they not? I am merely following your lead and asking questions. No need to get snippy.
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:29 amThis is what socialists do: Find institutions that have accumulated influence and power through non-socialist principles, and corrupt them to use that influence to support socialist principles. (You can substitute ‘liberal’ for ‘socialist’ there, it means the same thing.) Socialism is a failed philosophy. It can’t succeed on its own merits, but only by feeding off of successful ones, destroying them in the process.
Socratease (7bbe5d) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:30 amI don’t see any reason why these policies would have a disparate racial or religious impact. They arguably did before — when they just applied to religious entities — but now that secular neighborhood groups can access them, that should remove any problems. If any problems remain, just condition the funding on non-discrimination. But I can see why the religious groups might object.
But why do you keep using the bizarre pejorative “JOOOOS” term?
imdw (022af3) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:40 amThe more important question:
Please answer those questions, here and now.
Troll.
Eric Blair (f4bc41) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:47 am“But why do you keep using the bizarre pejorative “JOOOOS” term?”
Why indeed?
Pejorative, not my intent.
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:50 amHey, imdw. Here is the post where you were a jerk to Patterico:
https://patterico.com/2010/04/23/arizona-governor-signs-immigration-bill/#comment-653360
Please answer the questions. It looks like you saw the post by Patterico. So that must mean you are not going to follow it.
True or false?
Eric Blair (f4bc41) — 4/25/2010 @ 9:53 amI already linked to it at least a hundred times by now – but if you’re going to ask for it, you’re going to have to do it yourself.
Comment by imadouchebag
Dmac (21311c) — 4/25/2010 @ 10:16 amAnd the only thing I said regarding the evil Jooos was the post on Israel, in which I strongly intimated that Israel was the only reason why ME peace could not be achieved. It had nothing to do with my deep – seated problems regarding those of a Jewish background, and had everything to do with the state of Israel. See the obvious difference?
Dmac (21311c) — 4/25/2010 @ 10:18 am“And the only thing I said regarding the evil Jooos was the post on Israel, in which I strongly intimated that Israel was the only reason why ME peace could not be achieved. It had nothing to do with my deep – seated problems regarding those of a Jewish background, and had everything to do with the state of Israel. See the obvious difference?”
There’s lots of steps you can take here. Get a year’s subscription to Tikkun, sign up for the ADL’s newsletter, etc…. Any of these should help you improve.
imdw (b75942) — 4/25/2010 @ 10:34 amI love it when you walk into your own self – parody.
Dmac (21311c) — 4/25/2010 @ 1:42 pmJeez, Dmac. Who is this guy? He is almost as..um…self confident as CH.
Eric Blair (0b61b2) — 4/25/2010 @ 1:44 pm