As reported in the Armenian weekly, Despite his 2008 campaign promise that "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully... I intend to be that President," for the third year in a row President Obama completely ignored this first genocide of the 20th Century-- much to the Chagrin of the Armenian community and the attempts by Congress to acknowledge this pivotal and tragic turning point during and just after world war one-- that many say was the forebear and model for the way Hitler would treat the Jews in the 1930's leading up to WWII. He also failed to issue an official proclamation marking America's National Day of Prayer or even Easter, the traditional national holiday marking resurrection of Christ for millions of Americans of all ethnic backgrounds and historic day of prayer for the victims of the massacre which saw up to 1.5 million Armenians slaughtered, raped and/or marched into exhaustion in the Syrian desert by their Muslim Turkish captors, (the forebears of modern-day Turkey).
Initially, we should say that while the debate rages in the blogosphere on whether previous Presidents in fact issued "official" proclamations re: Easter and to what extent other comments of the President may have honored this sacred holiday in spite of his lack of official proclamation-- and in spite of his almost unbroken proclamations re: Muslim Holy days, see here-- whether or not Obama issued an 'official' proclamation matters less to us than the Administration's policies vis a vis their impact on matters where faith and public policy intersect and the results therefrom.
On this score, and regarding the matter of the Armenian massacre, the President's actions seem like a deliberate slap in the face to the Armenian community for purely political purposes in order to appease Nato Ally in the "war on terror" Turkey, (which had protested and mounted a forceful and political public relations effort to defeat the attempts to publicly recognize this black mark of history).
It is a whole 'nother matter regarding the pro or anti-Christian bias, (although, as above alluded to, we feel there is a connection between the two). Again, we wish to emphasize that it is not the failure to "proclaim" anything particular with regard to any specific religion or holiday 'per se' that we find so troubling, but the anti-Christian attitudes and policies that such a lack of proclamation may indicate are at the root of the Administration's actions (or lack thereof).
Equally troubling, it seems to us to mark a continued pattern of willingness on the part of Obama to avoid having to make a public stand on important policy issues-- recall his voting 129 times "present" in the Illinois Senate from whence he came, see here and here-- and starkly belies Obama's promise to be "the most transparent Administration in history."
Moreover, in light of the President's failure to also acknowledge last Thursday's National Day of Prayer-- a practice recently upheld by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, see HERE, and on which no Previous Presidents have demurred-- as well as many of his openly anti-Christian policies, it does not appear to be coincidence.
So with this post we shall begin a journey of analysis that attempts to explain Obama's obvious reluctance to take the side of the traditional Christian mores in most all matters of public controversy, (whether it be gay marriage or abortion or stem cell research).
We should say at the outset that the President's overall conduct and/or foreign policy inaction-- a la the President's delayed intervention in Libya, see here-- cannot sufficiently be explained by mere 'political' factors. If that were the case, we could expect to see more forceful proclamations-- accompanied preferably by active intervention-- of the Obama administration in the case of other genocides around the world such as in Syria or Sudan, see here, which to the world's (and America's) shame have been largely ignored.
Indeed, in examining the myriad of possible reasons for this "blind eye" of the President's towards hotspots of the world where Christians are being persecuted horribly one answer for the President's inconsistent reaction routinely arises: That he just isn't very sympathetic towards people of the Christian faith due to his lack of devout faith itself. Indeed, none other than Franklin Graham, the son of world renowned evangelist Billy Graham and current President of non-profit Samaritan's Purse Ministries, have noted the President's seemingly nominal Christianity, see here.
But while this explanation might go a long way towards explaining the President's attitude towards public expressions of opinion on matters of Christian faith generally-- as could also be said of President Clinton whose 'faith' it is safe to say was also less than devout and who also coincidentally failed to issue proclamations re: Easter along with most other modern President's, although not so the National Day of Prayer-- it still doesn't explain the seeming and persistent outright antithesis towards a pro-Christian, (or Jewish for that matter) perspective in most domestic and foreign affairs. Indeed, from 'apologizing' to Muslim countries for "America's arrogance" to his domestic pro-abortion policies, it is almost like the President goes out of his way to diss Christian values and traditions, (often in favor of those of Islam). This is even more evident when one considers that Obama didn't fail to publicly acknowledge the observance of all major Muslim holidays in 2010, Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fidr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha.
Whether this is due to experiences and influences as a boy growing up in Indonesia-- which included the sound of the Muslim "call to prayers" that Obama described in his book 'Dreams of my Father' as "one of the prettiest sounds on earth at sunset"-- his being a "closet Muslim" as alleged by some, see also here or, as Franklin Graham theorizes, is simply non-devout, the public policy results can hardly be doubted: There clearly appears to be a distinct, anti-Christian, (and/or anti-American?), bias to the President's foreign (and domestic) policy positions.
Indeed, from repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' in the military to his unilateral decision not to defend the Defense Of Marriage Act to his not allowing evangelical Christian groups to pray at the Pentagon, see here, the President Obama's antithesis towards matters of faith and, indeed, the entire Christian 'world view' as expressed in his policies, is obvious, (even if the entire reasons are not).
In Dinesh D'souza's book "The Roots of Obama's Rage," he theorizes that Obama's anti-Christian/ Anti-American bent is in fact caused by a deep "anti-colonial" hatred for the West passed on to him from his Father and Grandfather before. Such influences, joined as they are with memories of subjugation often blended with Christian missionary influences-- in the minds if not in reality for many members of the former African colonies-- would certainly explain Obama's reluctance to take the "pro-Christian" view or become involved in foreign affairs and even domestic policies where Christian religion or influences are implicated.
Of course, the problem with this is that almost all American institutions are-- and for the most part continue to be in spite of liberal progressives' most ardent efforts to the contrary-- infused with our nation's founding Judeo-Christian roots and beliefs; indeed, from the Mayflower Pilgrims to the Declaration of Independence to our nations laws and monuments, the history of America and its abiding principles of freedom, justice, and the dignity and worth of every person made in God's image just don't make sense apart from the Christian faith, (however much a proper understanding of this has been erased in the minds of the present generation, another topic for another day).
In any case, such an approach as the President exhibits is sure to promote the roots of injustice and genocide generally in the modern era, as it supplies a potent motive for "revenge" and the continuing of barbarism on a whole different set of peoples not responsible for the "sins" of their fathers and denies the dream of equality across racial and/or religious lines. A Dream hoped for by none other than American visionary and slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King who spoke of the need-- if ever different races and/or religions were to get along in a just society-- for people to no longer be "judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." NOTE: Yes, we do realize that race and religion are distinct matters and that Dr. King was speaking-- as a Baptist himself-- from a predominantly 'Christian' point of view, (indeed, as his famous "letter from Birmingham" shows, it was his entire impetus for speaking out against racial segregation). However, as herein shown, (witness Sudan), sometimes, race and religious belief sadly coalesce. In any event, we are sure Dr. King wouldn't mind as, in his own words from the Birmingham jail, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
To that end, we ask that all our readers please pray for President Obama in accord with your religious tradition. Whatever the devoutness of his Christian faith, (or lack thereof), our country can only be better off for our prayers. Perhaps it might lead to a badly needed "spiritual rebirth" or awakening in our society generally or on behalf of our President that might move him to a more balanced and helpful view of things to the salvation of many souls, (in the temporal if not the eternal). Failing that, in the least perhaps our prayers (and accompanying actions) might be successful in removing his administration from power in 2012 if he will not change his evident policies of blocking justice for victims of genocide and Christian values generally for mere political reasons. jp
Hmmmm... was hoping this article would spark more debate... hellooooo. Is there anybody out there? Anybody?
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