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Obama's Religion (view source)

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*Obama pursued a foreign policy toward the Arab world that was so pro-Muslim that only a Muslim commander-in-chief could have authorized it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nikitas3.com/7000/obama-foreign-policy-pro-muslim-disaster/|title=Obama Foreign Policy is a Pro-Muslim Disaster|date=August 8, 2014|accessdate=June 3, 2014}}</ref> President Obama even sent an unprecedented $1.7 billion in actual cash to [[Iran]].<ref>https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-president-obamas-17-billion-cash-payment-iran-was-direct</ref>

*Obama addressed the United Nations on September 25, 2012 to affirm support for freedom for religious worship. He said "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."<ref>http://www.mediaite.com/tv/obamas-tragic-pander-the-future-must-not-belong-to-those-who-slander-the-prophet-of-islam/</ref><ref name="obamawhitehouse.archives.gov">{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/25/remarks-president-un-general-assembly|title=Remarks by the President to the UN General Assembly|accessdate=June 2, 2017}}</ref>

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*In a rare ~~speeches~~ from the [[Oval Office]], on Dec. 6, 2015 Obama devoted much of his 14-minute presentation to promoting [[Islam]] to the [[American]] people.

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*In a rare speech from the [[Oval Office]], on Dec. 6, 2015 Obama devoted much of his 14-minute presentation to promoting [[Islam]] to the [[American]] people.

*Obama said the Muslim call to prayer is "one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset," and recited "with a first-class [[Arabic]] accent" the opening lines: [[Allah]] is Supreme! ... I witness that there is no god but Allah ...."<ref>https://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=78309</ref>

*Obama said that "[[John McCain]] has not talked about [[my Muslim faith]],"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGdkqfBICw]</ref> in an interview with [[George Stephanopoulos]]. George Stephanopoulos—who had previously been a high-ranking Democrat in the [[Clinton Administration]]—then suggested that Obama change his answer to refer instead to "Christian faith."<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/07/obama-verbal-slip-fuels-his-critics/?page=all Christina Bellantoni, "Obama’s verbal slip fuels his critics", ''Washington Times'']</ref>

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*Obama declared in prepared remarks, "The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country - I know, because I am one of them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Obama-To-The-Turkish-Parliament/|title=REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA TO THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT|date=April 6, 2009|accessdate=January 8, 2013}}</ref><ref>http://middleeast.about.com/b/2009/04/06/obama-in-turkey-at-the-gates-of-islam.htm</ref>

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*Obama declared in prepared remarks, "The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country - I know because I am one of them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Obama-To-The-Turkish-Parliament/|title=REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA TO THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT|date=April 6, 2009|accessdate=January 8, 2013}}</ref><ref>http://middleeast.about.com/b/2009/04/06/obama-in-turkey-at-the-gates-of-islam.htm</ref>

*He has said that "Islam can be compatible with the modern world."<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/id/145971 Barack Obama's Christian Journey | Newsweek Politics: Campaign 2008]</ref>

*In early 2016, after issuing public statements praising Justice [[Antonin Scalia]] and the former [[First Lady]] [[Nancy Reagan]], President Obama attended a memorial service at the Supreme Court for Scalia but did not attend the [[Christian]] funeral services for either. Islam is unique among belief systems in disfavoring entry into a church.<ref>disfavors or even prohibits entering churches. [https://islamqa.info/en/111832] However, "[s]ome Muslim legal scholars assert that attending the funeral of a non-Muslim friend or relative can be wholly consistent with Islamic principles." [http://people.opposingviews.com/haram-attend-nonmuslim-funerals-7543.html]</ref>

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*Obama's unusual selection of [[Chuck Hagel]], a former Republican senator most sympathetic to Muslim positions in the Middle East, to be Secretary of Defense despite intense objections by both political parties. Iranian State Press approves of the choice.<ref>[https://freebeacon.com/iran-state-tv-praises-obamas-anti-israel-hagel-selection/ Iran State TV Praises Obama’s ‘anti-Israel’ Hagel selection]</ref>

*Obama seems to emotionally hold a Muslim view about Israel, in contrast with Americans who have been educated as Obama has. Obama never visited Israel during his first term as president despite repeated criticisms of his failure to do so, he oddly waited many days before even mentioning the rocket attacks on Israel in late 2012, and he appears very uncomfortable even discussing issues related to Israel on television.

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*Obama stated that the ''Autobiography of [[Malcolm X]]'', which was co-written by Alex Haley, inspired him in his youth.<ref>For example, Obama writes in his own autobiography, "Only Malcolm X's autobiography seemed to offer something different. His repeated acts of self-creation spoke to me. The blunt poetry of his words, his unadorned insistence on respect, promised a new and uncompromising order, martial in its discipline, forged through sheer force of will. ... [E]ven as I imagine myself following Malcolm's call, one line in the book stayed with me. He spoke of a wish he'd once had, the wish that the white blood that ran through him, ~~there by~~ an act of violence, might somehow be expunged."[https://www.americanthinker.com/2008/04/does_obama_know_america.html] https://youtu.be/yeDuOR6vkLM</ref>

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*Obama stated that the ''Autobiography of [[Malcolm X]]'', which was co-written by Alex Haley, inspired him in his youth.<ref>For example, Obama writes in his own autobiography, "Only Malcolm X's autobiography seemed to offer something different. His repeated acts of self-creation spoke to me. The blunt poetry of his words, his unadorned insistence on respect, promised a new and uncompromising order, martial in its discipline, forged through sheer force of will. ... [E]ven as I imagine myself following Malcolm's call, one line in the book stayed with me. He spoke of a wish he'd once had, the wish that the white blood that ran through him, thereby an act of violence, might somehow be expunged."[https://www.americanthinker.com/2008/04/does_obama_know_america.html] https://youtu.be/yeDuOR6vkLM</ref>

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*It was reported in 2008 that in 1996 then state Senator Obama hired several staffers belonging to the Nation of Islam.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/2008/06/66167/#! ~~Nation~~ of Islam activists on Obama camp payroll, WND, June 3, 2008]</ref>

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*It was reported in 2008 that in 1996 then-state Senator Obama hired several staffers belonging to the Nation of Islam.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/2008/06/66167/#! The nation of Islam activists on Obama camp payroll, WND, June 3, 2008]</ref>

*Obama raised nearly $1 million and campaigned for a [[Kenyan]] presidential candidate who had a written agreement with [[Muslim]] leaders promising to convert Kenya to an Islamic state that bans Christianity.<ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78324] Text of the agreement, as three images: [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78323]</ref>

*Obama's claims of conversion to Christianity arose after he became politically ambitious, lacking a date of conversion or baptism.<ref>In his book, Obama oddly claims to have been baptized without giving his age or date, and later gave a date that postdates his political ambition (1992); he is claimed to have joined the United Church of Christ in 1988.[http://www.ucc.org/barack-obama-candidate]</ref>

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[[File:Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi in Dimashq.jpg|left|175px|thumb|''"I really endorse and support the policies that he has adopted,"'' [[Libya]]n leader [[Muammar Gaddafi]] said of President Barack Obama as reported by the ''[[Washington Post]]''.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/26/AR2010042604170.html ''Man's worst friend?''] By Dana Milbank, ''Washington Post'', April 27, 2010.</ref> Obama had Gaddafi murdered by jihadists<ref>https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/01/gaddafi_and_obama_one_of_them_was_fighting_islamist_terrorists_in_libya.html</ref> after Gaddafi betrayed Islam and forged an alliance with the infidel West.<ref>https://youtu.be/rpT7fJChBRo</ref>]]

*Obama is mentioned as helping to organize the 1995 [[Million Man March]] led by black [[Muslim]] leader [[Louis Farrakhan]] from the [[Nation of Islam]].<ref>[http://www.nowpublic.com/world/obama-organized-farrakhan-s-million-man-march, Obama Organized Farrakhan’s ‘Million Man March’, NowPublic.com, April 2, 2008 ]</ref>

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*Obama visited "more than one [[mosque]]" in [[Kenya]] while on a political trip there but did not visit any churches, although there are a large proportion of churches and even a National Temple in Kenya.<ref>http://islamizationwatch.blogspot.com/2010/01/kenyan-delegation-visits-sderot-israel.html</ref>~~{{dead link}}~~

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*Obama visited "more than one [[mosque]]" in [[Kenya]] while on a political trip there but did not visit any churches, although there are a large proportion of churches and even a National Temple in Kenya.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20120306215933/http://islamizationwatch.blogspot.com/2010/01/kenyan-delegation-visits-sderot-israel.html</ref>

*Obama enjoyed a bigger increase in voter support in 2008 (compared to 2004) by Muslims than by any other voting group, including blacks;<ref>http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/2873/</ref> "Muslim turnout in the U.S. elections reached 95 percent, the highest Muslim turnout in U.S. history."<ref>http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/islamsadvance/2008/11/is_obama_the_muslim_worlds_sup.html</ref>

*Obama rarely attends church or has church services in the White House. "President-elect [[Barack Hussein Obama]] has yet to attend [Sunday] church services since winning the [[White House]] earlier ..., a departure from the example of his two immediate predecessors."<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15902.html</ref><ref>https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-obama-religion26-2008dec26,0,1910913.story</ref>

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*In 2009, Justice [[John Roberts]] failed to administer the [[oath of office]] correctly while Obama placed his hand on a Bible. To avoid any claims that Obama was not the real President because of ~~mis-stating~~ the oath, Roberts dropped by the White House to re-administering the oath the next day, but no Bible was used for that private re-do of the oath. In 2013, the oath was administered properly while ~~Obamas~~ hand was on a Bible.

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*In 2009, Justice [[John Roberts]] failed to administer the [[oath of office]] correctly while Obama placed his hand on a Bible. To avoid any claims that Obama was not the real President because of misstating the oath, Roberts dropped by the White House to re-administering the oath the next day, but no Bible was used for that private re-do of the oath. In 2013, the oath was administered properly while Obama's hand was on a Bible.

*At the [[G-20]] summit in April 2009, Obama bowed deeply to [[Saudi Arabia|Saudi]] King Abdullah, a Muslim who is also the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEUif1--r38&feature=player_embedded Video of Obama bowing almost to King's waist]</ref> [[Image:Obamabow.jpg|thumb|right|250px|'''President Obama bowing to the King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia''', Custodian of the Islamic Holy Places - April 2009]] Obama later stated, "We have to change our behavior in showing the Muslim world greater respect."<ref>http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/07/barack-takes-a-bow/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71N34K9EVLU</ref> The White House denied it was a bow, and President Trump was put in a similar situation when the King presented him with a medal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/20/trump-mocked-obama-for-bowing-to-a-saudi-king-and-then-he/?utm_term=.c34da4a06d16|title=Trump mocked Obama for bowing to a Saudi king. And then he …|work=Washington Post|date=May 20, 2017|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref>

*In 2006, Obama gave an irreverent speech about using the Bible in public policy. It resembled a stand-up comedy act, with Obama making fun of the books of the [[Torah]], the [[Ten Commandments]], the [[Sermon on the Mount]] and other key Biblical passages.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnmS_vULPxw</ref>

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*Obama further impedes the Christian faith on gay rights, telling military chaplains a statutory provision that would allow military chaplains to opt-out of performing gay marriages is “unnecessary and ill-advised,” but he signed the bill into law anyway.<ref>[http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/obama-calls-conscience-clause-for-military-chaplains-ill-advised.html Obama calls Conscience Clause for Military Chaplains “Ill-Advised”, Fox News, January 3, 2013]</ref>

*On more than one occasion, Obama verbally attacks the economic livelihood of [[Las Vegas]] for unknown reasons, and Obama has also criticized state lotteries despite being heavily favored by most [[Democrats]]. The reason may be that [[gambling]] is forbidden in the [[Koran]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/02/02/AR2010020203169.html Lawmakers upset over Obama's 2nd anti-Vegas remark, WashingtonPost, February 2, 2010]</ref>

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*Obama supports a military invasion of Syria.{{fact}} This would involve working with the insurgency, which includes [[Al Qaeda|Al'Qaeda]]. Al'Qaeda killed over 3,000 Americans on our own soil, and was the main enemy in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan during the Bush years.

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*Obama supports a military invasion of Syria.{{fact}} This would involve working with the insurgency, which includes [[Al Qaeda|Al'Qaeda]]. Al'Qaeda killed over 3,000 Americans on our own soil and was the main enemy in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan during the Bush years.

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Obama tries to downplay his [[Islamic]] background by claiming that his [[Kenya]]n [[Muslim]] birth father was a "confirmed [[atheist]]" before Obama was born, but in fact less than 1% of Kenyans are atheists, agnostics, or non-religious.<ref>http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_14.html</ref> He also described his Indonesian step-father Lolo Soetoro as following "a brand of [[Islam]] that could make room for the remnants of more ancient animist and Hindu faiths.".<ref>Obama, Barack (2004) [1995], ''Dreams from my father: a story of race and inheritance''. New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 1-4000-8277-3., p. 37.</ref> For most of his childhood, Obama was lived with his maternal grandparents who were Methodists. There is apparently no evidence of any Christian activities or local church participation by Obama while he was a student at Harvard Law School from 1988 to 1991. Finally, Obama abruptly left his United Church of Christ congregation in Chicago in 2008, when it became politically controversial, without first finding another church to join. On April 7, 2009, Obama toured a mosque in [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]].<ref>https://~~www~~.~~breitbart~~.com/article~~.php?id=CNG.c2e3700ab4e271bc32827b0fccfe560b.421&show_article=1~~</ref>~~{{dead link}}~~

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Obama tries to downplay his [[Islamic]] background by claiming that his [[Kenya]]n [[Muslim]] birth father was a "confirmed [[atheist]]" before Obama was born, but in fact less than 1% of Kenyans are atheists, agnostics, or non-religious.<ref>http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_14.html</ref> He also described his Indonesian step-father Lolo Soetoro as following "a brand of [[Islam]] that could make room for the remnants of more ancient animist and Hindu faiths.".<ref>Obama, Barack (2004) [1995], ''Dreams from my father: a story of race and inheritance''. New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 1-4000-8277-3., p. 37.</ref> For most of his childhood, Obama was lived with his maternal grandparents who were Methodists. There is apparently no evidence of any Christian activities or local church participation by Obama while he was a student at Harvard Law School from 1988 to 1991. Finally, Obama abruptly left his United Church of Christ congregation in Chicago in 2008, when it became politically controversial, without first finding another church to join. On April 7, 2009, Obama toured a mosque in [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]].<ref>https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-obama-turkey/obama-appeals-to-faiths-in-istanbul-idUKTRE5351HW20090407</ref>

== Obama's Claims to be a Christian ==

:''Main article: [[Counterexamples to Obama being a Muslim]]''

[[File:Evergreen-chapel-tree-of-knowledge.jpg|thumb|left|Evergreen Chapel at Camp David]]

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While campaigning for president in 2008, the rumor led Obama to publicly state that he was [[Christian]] in an interview he gave to ''Christianity Today'' magazine.<ref name=ct/> Obama asserted, "I am a Christian and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life. But most importantly, I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful. I didn't 'fall out in church' as they say, but there was a very strong awakening in me of the importance of these issues in my life. I didn't want to walk alone on this journey. Accepting Jesus Christ in my life has been a powerful guide for my conduct and my values and my ideals. There is one thing that I want to mention that I think is important. Part of what we've been seeing during the course of this campaign is some scurrilous e-mails that have been sent out, denying my faith, talking about me being a Muslim, suggesting that I got sworn in at the U.S. Senate with a [[Qu'ran]] in my hand or that I don't pledge allegiance to the flag. I think it's really important for your readers to know that I have been a member of the same church for almost 20 years, and I have never practiced Islam. I am respectful of ~~the~~ religion, but it's not my own. One of the things that's very important in this day and age is that we don't use religion as a political tool and certainly that we don't lie about religion as a way to score political points. I just thought it was important to get that in there to dispel rumors that have been over the Internet. We've done so repeatedly, but obviously it's a political tactic of somebody to try to provide this misinformation."<ref name=ct>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/januaryweb-only/104-32.0.html?start=2|title=Q&A: Barack Obama|date=January 2008|work=Christianity Today|accessdate=January 4, 2013}}</ref>

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While campaigning for president in 2008, the rumor led Obama to publicly state that he was [[Christian]] in an interview he gave to ''Christianity Today'' magazine.<ref name=ct/> Obama asserted, "I am a Christian and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life. But most importantly, I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful. I didn't 'fall out in church' as they say, but there was a very strong awakening in me of the importance of these issues in my life. I didn't want to walk alone on this journey. Accepting Jesus Christ in my life has been a powerful guide for my conduct and my values and my ideals. There is one thing that I want to mention that I think is important. Part of what we've been seeing during the course of this campaign is some scurrilous e-mails that have been sent out, denying my faith, talking about me being a Muslim, suggesting that I got sworn in at the U.S. Senate with a [[Qu'ran]] in my hand or that I don't pledge allegiance to the flag. I think it's really important for your readers to know that I have been a member of the same church for almost 20 years, and I have never practiced Islam. I am respectful of religion, but it's not my own. One of the things that's very important in this day and age is that we don't use religion as a political tool and certainly that we don't lie about religion as a way to score political points. I just thought it was important to get that in there to dispel rumors that have been over the Internet. We've done so repeatedly, but obviously, it's a political tactic of somebody to try to provide this misinformation."<ref name=ct>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/januaryweb-only/104-32.0.html?start=2|title=Q&A: Barack Obama|date=January 2008|work=Christianity Today|accessdate=January 4, 2013}}</ref>

Obama is a welcomed member of the [[United Church of Christ]]. In 2007, the UCC magazine quoted him as saying:

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<blockquote>You come to church in the first place precisely because you are of this world, not apart from it, Obama wrote. You need to embrace Christ precisely because you have sins to wash away, because you are human and need an ally in this difficult journey. It was because of these newfound understandings that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity UCC on 95th Street in the Southside of Chicago one day and affirm my Christian faith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucc.org/barack-obama-candidate|title=Barack Obama, candidate for President, is 'UCC'|date=February 8, 2007|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref></blockquote>

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<blockquote>You come to church in the first place precisely because you are of this world, not apart from it, Obama wrote. You need to embrace Christ precisely because you have sins to wash away because you are human and need an ally in this difficult journey. It was because of these newfound understandings that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity UCC on 95th Street in the Southside of Chicago one day and affirm my Christian faith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucc.org/barack-obama-candidate|title=Barack Obama, candidate for President, is 'UCC'|date=February 8, 2007|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref></blockquote>

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Obama also discussed his religious views each year in a speech at the annual National Prayer Breakfast.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/02/02/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast|title=Remarks by the President at the National Prayer Breakfast|date=February 2, 2012|accessdate=May 30, 2017|quote=I wake up each morning and I say a brief prayer, and I spend a little time in scripture and devotion. And from time to time, friends of mine, some of who are here today, friends like Joel Hunter or T.D. Jakes, will come by the Oval Office or they’ll call on the phone or they’ll send me a email, and we’ll pray together, and they’ll pray for me and my family, and for our country.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/05/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast|title=Remarks by the President at National Prayer Breakfast|date=February 5, 2015|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref>

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Obama also discussed his religious views each year in a speech at the annual National Prayer Breakfast.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/02/02/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast|title=Remarks by the President at the National Prayer Breakfast|date=February 2, 2012|accessdate=May 30, 2017|quote=I wake up each morning and I say a brief prayer, and I spend a little time in scripture and devotion. And from time to time, friends of mine, some of who are here today, friends like Joel Hunter or T.D. Jakes, will come by the Oval Office or they’ll call on the phone or they’ll send me an email, and we’ll pray together, and they’ll pray for me and my family, and for our country.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/05/remarks-president-national-prayer-breakfast|title=Remarks by the President at National Prayer Breakfast|date=February 5, 2015|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref>

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The Obama family has attended several Protestant churches since moving to Washington, D.C., in 2009, including Shiloh Baptist Church and St. John's Episcopal Church. The Obamas also worship at Evergreen Chapel at [[Camp David]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1908437,00.html|title=The Obamas Find a Church Home — Away from Home|work=Time Magazine|date=June 29, 2009|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/29/us/as-the-obamas-celebrate-christmas-rituals-of-faith-stay-on-the-sidelines.html|last=Parker|first=Ashley|title=As the Obamas Celebrate Christmas, Rituals of Faith Become Less Visible|work=The New York Times|date= December 28, 2013|accessdate=June 3, 2017|quote=Part of Mr. Obama’s decision to largely opt out of religious services reflects a desire to avoid disruptions by his Secret Service detail and security requirements, echoing concerns of Ronald Reagan, who presidential historians say rarely went to church.}}</ref><ref>Gilgoff, Dan. "[https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/god-and-country/2009/06/30/time-report-white-house-reaction-raise-more-questions-about-obamas-church-hunt TIME Report, White House Reaction Raise More Questions About Obama's Church Hunt]," ''U.S. News & World Report'', June 30, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2017.</ref><ref>"[http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/04/22/first-lady-we-use-sundays-for-naps-if-were-not-going-to-church/ First Lady: We Use Sundays For Naps If We're Not Going To Church]," ''CBS DC'', April 22, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2017.</ref>

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The Obama family has attended several Protestant churches since moving to Washington, D.C., in 2009, including Shiloh Baptist Church and St. John's Episcopal Church. The Obamas also worship at Evergreen Chapel at [[Camp David]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1908437,00.html|title=The Obamas Find a Church Home — Away from Home|work=Time Magazine|date=June 29, 2009|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/29/us/as-the-obamas-celebrate-christmas-rituals-of-faith-stay-on-the-sidelines.html|last=Parker|first=Ashley|title=As the Obamas Celebrate Christmas, Rituals of Faith Become Less Visible|work=The New York Times|date= December 28, 2013|accessdate=June 3, 2017|quote=Part of Mr. Obama’s decision to largely opt-out of religious services reflects a desire to avoid disruptions by his Secret Service detail and security requirements, echoing concerns of Ronald Reagan, who presidential historians say rarely went to church.}}</ref><ref>Gilgoff, Dan. "[https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/god-and-country/2009/06/30/time-report-white-house-reaction-raise-more-questions-about-obamas-church-hunt TIME Report, White House Reaction Raise More Questions About Obama's Church Hunt]," ''U.S. News & World Report'', June 30, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2017.</ref><ref>"[http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/04/22/first-lady-we-use-sundays-for-naps-if-were-not-going-to-church/ First Lady: We Use Sundays For Naps If We're Not Going To Church]," ''CBS DC'', April 22, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2017.</ref>

[[Donald Trump]], who later was elected U.S. President, investigated both the rumor that Obama was born outside the United States and that he was a Muslim. He concluded that the rumors were started by Obama's 2008 primary opponents and that they were false.<ref name=trump>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/09/16/trump-clinton-trade-barbs-over-obama-birther-movement.html|title=Trump says Obama born in US, ‘period’ – after new ‘birther’ dust-up|date=September 16, 2016|work=Fox News|accessdate=May 26, 2017}}</ref>

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People spread the rumor that candidate Obama was a Muslim to create a fear that he would advance a Muslim agenda as President. The fact that he went on to advocate same-sex marriage and homosexuals in the military shows that the fear was unfounded.

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As in the [[Bible]], the [[Koran]] has anti-homosexuality passages (Koran 7:80-81; 26:165) and so does the [[Hadith]]. Among Islamic scholars, there is a consensus that homosexuality is unnatural and sinful. There are Islamic countries that have anti-homosexuality laws, as do some ~~States~~ in the United States. So, President Obama's actions as President undercut the claim that he is a Muslim.

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As in the [[Bible]], the [[Koran]] has anti-homosexuality passages (Koran 7:80-81; 26:165) and so does the [[Hadith]]. Among Islamic scholars, there is a consensus that homosexuality is unnatural and sinful. There are Islamic countries that have anti-homosexuality laws, as do some states in the United States. So, President Obama's actions as President undercut the claim that he is a Muslim.

=== Praying five times a day ===

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The first section of this article states, "from the Oval Office, on Dec. 6, 2015 Obama devoted much of his 14-minute presentation to promoting Islam to the American people." The purpose of the Oval Office address was to discuss an attack in San Bernadino that killed 14 Americans. Obama condemned the attack and explained what the government was doing to prevent future attacks. He called for preventing terrorists on the no-fly list from buying guns and for an assault weapons ban. He asked for legislation for "stronger screening for those who come to America without a visa so that we can take a hard look at whether they’ve traveled to warzones." He did have a paragraph (which was very similar to President Trump's speech in May 2017) that said:

<blockquote>Here’s what else we cannot do. We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam. That, too, is what groups like ISIL want. ISIL does not speak for Islam. They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death, and they account for a tiny fraction of more than a billion Muslims around the world -- including millions of patriotic Muslim Americans who reject their hateful ideology. Moreover, the vast majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim. If we’re to succeed in defeating terrorism we must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than push them away through suspicion and hate.<ref>https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/12/06/address-nation-president</ref></blockquote>

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So, the claim is false, and does not show President Obama to be a Muslim.

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So, the claim is false and does not show President Obama to be a Muslim.

====Sec. of Defense Chuck Hagel and invading Syria====

The first section of this article argues that because President Obama appointed [[Chuck Hagel]] as Secretary of Defense, Obama must be a Muslim. Hagel was confirmed by a 58–41 Senate vote. Two possible reasons why Hagel was nominated are that as a Republican, he would be easier to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate and that he was a veteran who later was active in Congress on defense issues.

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The first section of this article argues that Obama must be a Muslim because "Obama supports a military invasion of Syria." In fact, the Obama administration negotiated a deal where Syria put their chemical weapons under Russian control, avoiding any need for an invasion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-i-understand-american-people-arent-with-me-on-syria-strike/|title=Obama: "I understand" American people aren't with me on Syria strike|date=Sept. 11, 2103|work=CBS News|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref> Obama did not want to invade Syria and worked to avoid it.

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If Obama were a Muslim pushing a pro-Muslim agenda in the mid-east, there should be clear differences with the policies of his Christian successor, Donald Trump. However, it appears that their approach to the mid-east ~~are~~ similar. Both want to work with mid-east countries to eliminate the terrorist movements there and to bring stability to the region.

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If Obama were a Muslim pushing a pro-Muslim agenda in the mid-east, there should be clear differences with the policies of his Christian successor, Donald Trump. However, it appears that their approach to the mid-east is similar. Both want to work with mid-east countries to eliminate the terrorist movements there and to bring stability to the region.

==== Liberal Christianity and liberalism ====

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==== Obama took the backup oath of office without a Bible ====

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For the planned 2009 public ceremonial swearing in Obama used a Bible. However, the Chief Justice misstated the oath, and dropped by the White House to administer it a second time just to remove any questions. In 2013, "President Obama is putting a symbolic twist on a time-honored tradition, taking the oath of office for his second term with his hand placed not on a single Bible, but two -- one owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and one by Abraham Lincoln. "<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/10/obama-to-use-2-bibles-when-takes-oath-office.html Obama to use 2 Bibles when he takes oath of office]</ref> Contrary to fake news rumors, he did not use a Koran.

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For the planned 2009 public ceremonial swearing-in Obama used a Bible. However, the Chief Justice misstated the oath and dropped by the White House to administer it a second time just to remove any questions. In 2013, "President Obama is putting a symbolic twist on a time-honored tradition, taking the oath of office for his second term with his hand placed not on a single Bible, but two -- one owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and one by Abraham Lincoln. "<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/10/obama-to-use-2-bibles-when-takes-oath-office.html Obama to use 2 Bibles when he takes the oath of office]</ref> Contrary to fake news rumors, he did not use a Koran.

==== Absence at Scalia's and Nancy Reagan's funerals ====

The first section of this article claims that Obama did not attend the funeral services for Scalia and Nancy Reagan because as a Muslim, he does not like to enter churches. The first section did not say that President Obama ''was invited'' to attend the Scalia or Nancy Reagan funerals. President Obama did pay tribute to the legacy of Nancy Reagan in his weekly television address of March 12, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/12/weekly-address-legacy-nancy-reagan|title=WEEKLY ADDRESS: The Legacy of Nancy Reagan|date=March 12, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref> Barack and Michelle Obama also issued an official statement of condolences.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/06/statement-president-and-first-lady|title=Statement by the President and the First Lady|date=March 6, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref> Mrs. Obama attended the funeral which was held under a tent at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California and not in a church.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/12/us/politics/nancy-reagan-funeral.html|title=At Nancy Reagan’s Funeral, Honoring the Queen of a Republican Camelot|work=NY Times|date=March 11, 2016|accessdate=June 1, 2017}}</ref> Regarding Scalia, President Obama issued a proclamation that flags should be flown at half-staff.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/13/presidential-proclamation-death-antonin-scalia|title=Presidential Proclamation: Death of Antonin Scalia|date=February 13, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref> President Obama also issued a statement<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/13/remarks-president-passing-us-supreme-court-justice-antonin-scalia|title=Remarks by the President on the Passing of the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia|date=February 13, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2017}}</ref> and attended a memorial service held at the Supreme Court, with Vice President Biden attending the official funeral the next day.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/us/politics/antonin-scalia-funeral-supreme-court.html?_r=0|title=Funeral for Scalia Will Be Held Saturday|date=Feb. 16, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2017|work=New York Times}}</ref>

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Obama's absence at the funerals of [[Antonin Scalia]] and Nancy Reagan might be explained by his busy schedule or by his desire not to disrupt the funerals with the added security that the Secret Service brings to any Presidential event. Also, to preserve continuity of government, the President, Vice President and the cabinet ~~avoid~~ attending the same public events to reduce creating terrorism targets. In any case, the kind words he said upon their passing is not evidence of President Obama being a Muslim.

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Obama's absence at the funerals of [[Antonin Scalia]] and Nancy Reagan might be explained by his busy schedule or by his desire not to disrupt the funerals with the added security that the Secret Service brings to any Presidential event. Also, to preserve the continuity of government, the President, Vice President, and the cabinet avoids attending the same public events to reduce creating terrorism targets. In any case, the kind words he said upon their passing is not evidence of President Obama being a Muslim.

To the extent that the first section of this article claims that President Obama was reluctant to enter churches, there are numerous counter-examples. While in Chicago, he was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ for 20 years. As a community organizer, many of his meetings were held in churches. While President, he attended services at Shiloh Baptist Church and St. John's Episcopal Church.

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The first section of this article makes the vague subjective claim that "Obama seems to emotionally hold a Muslim view about Israel." All of President Obama's public foreign policy statements were carefully vetted and delivered without emotion. President Obama visited Israel on March 20, 2013 and September 30, 2016.

==== Obama's ring ====

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The first section of this article claims, Obama's "ring has Islamic inscriptions." The statement is sourced to World Net Daily, which did not actually examine the ring, but rather blurry enlargements of photos of the ring. It suggests that the pattern on the outside of the ring is in the form of Arabic symbols, rather than claiming there is an engraved message on the inside of the band. Snopes featured a clear, closeup of the ring and showed that the design is a series of loops and not Arabic symbols.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/weddingring.asp|title=Obama’s Wedding Ring|date=October 8, 2014|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref>

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The first section of this article claims Obama's "ring has Islamic inscriptions." The statement is sourced to World Net Daily, which did not actually examine the ring, but rather blurry enlargements of photos of the ring. It suggests that the pattern on the outside of the ring is in the form of Arabic symbols, rather than claiming there is an engraved message on the inside of the band. Snopes featured a clear, closeup of the ring and showed that the design is a series of loops and not Arabic symbols.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/weddingring.asp|title=Obama’s Wedding Ring|date=October 8, 2014|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref>

==== Muslim call to prayer ====

The first section of this article claims, "Obama said the Muslim call to prayer is 'one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset,' and recited 'with a first-class Arabic accent' the opening lines: Allah is Supreme! ... I witness that there is no god but Allah ...." citing a WND web posting that in turn referenced an Obama interview with ''New York Times'' reporter Nicholas Kristof in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/opinion/06kristof.html|title=Obama: Man of the World|work=New York Times|date=March 6, 2007|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref> Kristof wrote a column in 2008 making reference to it in terms of "Mr. Obama has spoken respectfully of Islam" but denied being a Muslim himself.<ref name=kristof>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/opinion/09kristof.html|title=Obama and the Bigots|work=New York Times|date=March 9, 2008|accessdate=May 30, 2017}}</ref> Just because a person praises the sound of a religious practice does not mean that the person has accepted the content as his own personal religious belief. By analogy, a person can also recite a television advertising jingle from memory without wanting to ever buy the product.

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At times, the first section of this article had taken a quotation out of context from President Obama's September 25, 2012 address to the United Nations General Assembly. In the weeks prior to that speech, ISIL propagandists had released a video to create the impression that the United States was anti-Muslim. The video that was falsely attributed to the US government, drew widespread protests in the Arab world. Obama's address drew upon that tension to discuss the importance of the right of free exercise of religion worldwide. The end of the speech turned to the future with a series of statements each with "The future must not belong to..." which advocated religious tolerance.<ref name="obamawhitehouse.archives.gov"/>

==== Accepting Islams' role in the modern world ====

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The first section of this article argues that Obama must be a Muslim because he once wrote, "Islam can be compatible with the modern world." There are pluralistic modern societies where Muslims live side-by-side with Christians. Indeed, given America's founding values have included religious freedom, modern American society is a successful example. Obama did not write Islam ''is always'' compatible with the modern world. Only radical Islamic terrorists believe that Islam cannot be compatible with the modern world, because that world embodies Western Judeo-Christian values.

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The first section of this article argues that Obama must be a Muslim because he once wrote, "Islam can be compatible with the modern world." There are pluralistic modern societies where Muslims live side-by-side with Christians. Indeed, given America's founding values have included religious freedom, modern American society is a successful example. Obama did not write Islam ''is always'' compatible with the modern world. Only radical Islamic terrorists believe that Islam cannot be compatible with the modern world because that world embodies Western Judeo-Christian values.

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==== Did not attend church as a President elect ====

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==== Did not attend church as a President-elect ====

The first section of this article quotes Politico as saying Obama did not attend church since the 2008 election. That article was correct, but it was published on November 23, 2008, just three weeks after the election. A second article is footnoted that states the Obamas did not attend church on Christmas 2008. Both articles explain that the Obamas did not want to disrupt local services with a large security detail and procedures. Because the Obamas later began to attend services at the Evergreen Chapel of Camp David, this does not prove that Obama is a Muslim.

====Female genital mutilation====

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Obama's birth father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr, was an ex-Muslim who became an [[Anglican]] at the young age of six years old.<ref>Jacobs (2011), [https://books.google.com/books?id=EHw1Jy4ZvcYC&pg=PA26#v=onepage&q&f=false p. 26]: Her brother Baraka, as she [Hawa Auma] recalls, converted to Christianity when he was about six years old and changed his name to the more Christian-sounding Barack because the Christian missionaries at the early schools that he attended insisted that he do so.</ref> He later became an atheist. Barack Obama declared in a ''Time'' magazine article entitled "[http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1546579,00.html My spiritual journey]": "My father was almost entirely absent from my childhood, having been divorced from my mother when I was 2 years old; in any event, although my father had been raised a Muslim, by the time he met my mother he was a confirmed atheist, thinking religion to be so much superstition."

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Kenya is the home country of Barack Hussein Obama Sr., but Obama Sr. had virtually no influence on the raising of his son. Obama's mother remarried, and ultimately, Obama was raised by his maternal grandparents. In Barack Obama's memoir, ''Dreams From My Father'', he describes his great-grandparents as "stern [[Methodism|Methodist]] parents who did not believe in drinking, playing cards, or dancing.". Obama's stepfather was an ~~athetist~~.

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Kenya is the home country of Barack Hussein Obama Sr., but Obama Sr. had virtually no influence on the raising of his son. Obama's mother remarried, and ultimately, Obama was raised by his maternal grandparents. In Barack Obama's memoir, ''Dreams From My Father'', he describes his great-grandparents as "stern [[Methodism|Methodist]] parents who did not believe in drinking, playing cards, or dancing.". Obama's stepfather was an atheist.

According to both Obama's father's sister and Obama, Obama's father became a Christian when he was six years old. Obama's father attended an Anglican missionary school according to Obama's father's sister, when he became a Christian.<ref>Jacobs (2011), [https://books.google.com/books?id=EHw1Jy4ZvcYC&pg=PA26#v=onepage&q&f=false p. 26]: Her brother Baraka [Obama Sr.], as she [Hawa Auma] recalls, converted to Christianity when he was about six years old and changed his name to the more Christian-sounding Barack because the Christian missionaries at the early schools that he attended insisted that he do so.</ref>

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The Muslim cleric Ahmad Al Qataani specifically declared:

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{{Cquote|Islam used to represent, as you previously mentioned, Africa's main religion and there were 30 African languages that used to be written in Arabic script. The number of Muslims in Africa has diminished to 316 million, half of whom are Arabs in North Africa. So in the section of Africa that we are talking about, the non Arab section, the number of Muslims does not exceed 150 million people. When we realize that the entire population of Africa is one billion people, we see that the number of Muslims has diminished greatly from what it was in the beginning of the last century. On the other hand, the number of Catholics has increased from one million in 1902 to 329 million 882 thousand (329,882,000). Let us round off that number to 330 million in the year 2000.

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{{Cquote|Islam used to represent, as you previously mentioned, Africa's main religion and there were 30 African languages that used to be written in Arabic script. The number of Muslims in Africa has diminished to 316 million, half of whom are Arabs in North Africa. So in the section of Africa that we are talking about, the non-Arab section, the number of Muslims does not exceed 150 million people. When we realize that the entire population of Africa is one billion people, we see that the number of Muslims has diminished greatly from what it was at the beginning of the last century. On the other hand, the number of Catholics has increased from one million in 1902 to 329 million 882 thousand (329,882,000). Let us round off that number to 330 million in the year 2000.

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As to how that happened, well there are now 1.5 million churches whose congregations account for 46 million people. In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. ~~Everyday~~, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. ~~Ever~~ year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity. These numbers are very large indeed <ref name="americanthinker.com">[https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2006/05/six_million_african_muslims_le.html In Africa Alone Everyday, 16,000 Muslims Leave Islam]</ref>}}

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As to how that happened, well there are now 1.5 million churches whose congregations account for 46 million people. In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity. These numbers are very large indeed <ref name="americanthinker.com">[https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2006/05/six_million_african_muslims_le.html In Africa Alone Everyday, 16,000 Muslims Leave Islam]</ref>}}

John L. Allen, Jr., editor of the Catholic news website Crux, wrote:

{{Cquote|Africa is the zone of Christianity’s greatest growth. It is already the world’s most populous Christian continent, with slightly more Christians today than there are in North America, and the numbers are burgeoning. The Pew Forum projects that by 2050, sub-Saharan Africa will have 1.1 billion Christians, almost twice as much as its nearest rival for adherents, Islam.<ref>[https://cruxnow.com/faith/2015/12/30/africa-christianitys-greatest-growth-and-greatest-threat/ Africa: Christianity's greatest growth, and greatest threat] by John L. Allen, Jr., Crux</ref>}}

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Many people, but certainly not all, follow the steps of their parents when it comes to their religious faith or their lack thereof. Admittedly though the retention rate for people raised on atheist household is low in the United States (around 30%) so Obama's parents' atheism is not as big of a factor as many people might suppose (see: [[Atheism and its retention rate in individuals]]).

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Many people, but certainly not all, follow the steps of their parents when it comes to their religious faith or their lack thereof. Admittedly though the retention rate for people raised on the atheist household is low in the United States (around 30%) so Obama's parents' atheism is not as big of a factor as many people might suppose (see: [[Atheism and its retention rate in individuals]]).

=== Atheist organizations ===

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Liberal Christians and atheists sometimes work together on various public policy issues (see: [[Atheism and liberal Christianity alliances]]).

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There is significant conflict between [[atheism]] and [[Islam]] and Islamic governments imprison/censure atheists and Islamic zealots kill atheists (see: [[Atheism vs. Islam]]). Muslims generally have a very low opinion of atheism. The Obama administration is the first administration to meet with an atheist group. It ~~meet~~ with the Secular Coalition for America which is a coalition which represents the [[American Atheists]], the American [[Secular Humanism|Humanist]] Association, and the Military Association of Atheists and [[Freethought|Freethinkers]].<ref>[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/02/atheists-meet-with-white-house-officials/1#.VypYTzEn_7Y Atheists meet with White House officials], USA Today</ref>

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There is significant conflict between [[atheism]] and [[Islam]] and Islamic governments imprison/censure atheists and Islamic zealots kill atheists (see: [[Atheism vs. Islam]]). Muslims generally have a very low opinion of atheism. The Obama administration is the first administration to meet with an atheist group. It met with the Secular Coalition for America which is a coalition which represents the [[American Atheists]], the American [[Secular Humanism|Humanist]] Association, and the Military Association of Atheists and [[Freethought|Freethinkers]].<ref>[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/02/atheists-meet-with-white-house-officials/1#.VypYTzEn_7Y Atheists meet with White House officials], USA Today</ref>

=== Summary of argument that Obama is a closet atheist/agnostic ===

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Given that Obama isn't particularly religious, his parents' irreligion and the toxicity of being an atheist in terms of electability to a political office in the United States (see: [[Views on atheists]]), there have been accusations that Obama is a [[closet atheist]]/closet [[agnosticism|agnostic]].<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-a-rizvi/barack-obama-closeted-non_b_692751.html Barack Obama: Closeted Non-Believer?], ~~Hufington~~ Post</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/24/bill-maher-obama-hes-drop-dead-atheist/ Bill Maher on Obama: ‘He’s a drop-dead atheist’], Washington Times</ref>

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Given that Obama isn't particularly religious, his parents' irreligion and the toxicity of being an atheist in terms of electability to a political office in the United States (see: [[Views on atheists]]), there have been accusations that Obama is a [[closet atheist]]/closet [[agnosticism|agnostic]].<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-a-rizvi/barack-obama-closeted-non_b_692751.html Barack Obama: Closeted Non-Believer?], Huffington Post</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/24/bill-maher-obama-hes-drop-dead-atheist/ Bill Maher on Obama: ‘He’s a drop-dead atheist’], Washington Times</ref>

==Reaction of others==

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Revision as of 14:45, September 18, 2019

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