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Obama's Unique Road to Faith

Posted Jul 13, 08 3:19 PM CDT in Arts & Living,  Politics 

(Newser) – As a young man, Barack Obama experienced a lonely, drawn-out crisis of faith—and now finds himself churchless as the whole world watches, Newsweek reports. His father was an atheist Muslim, his mother a Christian who turned secular, and Obama eventually embraced Chicago's Trinity United after years of church-based activism. His conversion wasn't "a bolt of lightning," he said. "It was more a gradual process."

But now that he and Rev. Jeremiah Wright are at odds, Obama has no church—at a time when 12% of voters believe he is Muslim and conservatives are blasting his "confused theology." But Obama says he mixes Christianity with the Golden Rule, believing that other religions are also true. "My particular set of beliefs," Obama admits, "may not be perfectly consistent with the beliefs of other Christians."

Source Newsweek

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"What He Believes," traces Barack Obama's religious journey and in an interview, the presumptive Democratic nominee discusses what he prays for and his faith in God.   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., talks to reporters aboard his campaign charter en route to San Diego, Calif., Saturday, July 12, 2008.   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., campaigns at a town hall-style meeting in Dayton, Ohio, Friday, July 11, 2008.   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., waves to the crowd after speaking at a town hall-style meeting at the Stivers School for the Arts, Friday, July 11, 2008 in Dayton, Ohio.   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., pauses for a moment as he speaks at a fundraiser in New York, Wednesday, July 9, 2008.   (Associated Press)
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Barack Obama • Obama 2008 • religion • Jeremiah Wright • Christianity • Trinity United Church of Christ • spirituality


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