Debate: What is sufficient proof that Obama is a Muslim?

On the way home last night, I listened to a NPR discussion group about race and the presidential election. One woman said that Obama was a muslim and he will be one until the day he dies. Why does she think that? Why is that belief held by some people who contribute to Conservapedia? What constitutes sufficient proof of the religous beliefs of anyone?

To start the debate I will offer that I am an atheist. My name is Michael Fredlund Anderson. I was raised in the Lutheran church.

I state that I am an atheist. Is that good enough for people to believe that I really am one? Maybe not. Even I might be skeptical if I continue to attend Lutheran services, give money to the Lutheran church and support Lutheran causes in other ways. So, I would at least want to examine my own behavior. In fact, I have not attended church for many years, I give no money to the church and do not support their causes. I just finished reading "The God Delusion" and am currently reading "Letter to a Christian Nation".

My behavior seems to fall in line with my declared atheist point of view.

I would contend that Obama's behavior seems to indicate that he is a christian and not a muslim. He has attend a Christian church for years, he give money to that church and supports its causes. On the other hand, he does not pray to Allah facing Mecca everyday, doesn't belong to a mosque and doesn't support muslim causes.

If you analyse my name, it has some christian meanings. Michael was an archangel and Michael has a literal translation of "who is like God?". Anderson is "Andrews son". Andrew was an apostale. Could it be that my name points to my true colors? Am I really a christian and the meaning of my name shows that? Not really. I was just given a popular name by my parents and inherited Anderson and Fredlund from my parents (Fredlund was my mothers maiden name).

The same type of approach is used to suggest that Obama is really a muslim. Look at his name right? But just like me, Obama just was given a name by his parents. It was popular. It really has no bearing on his religious beliefs.

What about slips of the tounge or use of certain expressions? For some reason I have come to say "Oh Lord" when I am exasperated with something. Am I really saying a small prayer and giving away my true colors? Nah.

I think this type of innuendo about Obama's religious beliefs has gone far enough. I think Conservapedia needs to reverse all of it's edits that use tactic like those described above to paint Obama as a muslim. They are wrong and end up creating wrong thinking in the gullible readers of things like this.

Frankly, I don't care if he is a muslim (except that I would think he is wrong just like I think christians are wrong). It doesn't make him a bad person or unfit to lead. But in a christian nation, trying to claim that he is a muslim is clearly a rotten, political trick. _{unsigned, by user: MickA.}

I agree with the above sentiments. This is supposed to be a "no gossip" website, and, by my reckoning, speculating that somebody's religion might secretly be other than what he claims it is constitutes gossip. There are plenty of legitimate criticisms to be made of Obama and his politics without resorting to crypto-racist slurs associating him with Islam. Sideways 10:13, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

The 'Obama is a muslim' myth is one of those annoying stories that will not die, in part because any attempt to argue against it merely spreads it further. If you explain in public 'Some people believe Obama is a secret muslim, but this cannot be true because...' then most people will many listening soon after 'secret muslim.' It is just part of human political nature to assume the worst of those we consider opponents, and ignore the worst in those we consider allies. Thus strongly republican people will eagerly believe any unfounded slander on Obama, in the same way that the strongly democratic are erecting various lies regarding Palin right now. This isn't a left-v-right thing: Both factions do it.

In any case, it's really unfounded - Obama is not, and never has been, a muslim. There is a rather tenuous connection - his father was an ex-muslim, and he did attend school in a muslim country (But not a religious school), and that's it. He has explicitly said he is a christian, attended church for years, donated to the church, throws in the required references to God in his speeches from time to time. The best argument they can make is to accidentially-on-purpose misspell his name as 'Osama Hussain.'

I find it entertaining that many of the people who claim that Obama is a muslim also claim his christian pastor has expressed anti-white views... wouldn't these myths be mutually exclusive? They also demand an impossible standard of proof - arguing that everything Obama does is an elaborate, perfect charade to hide his true religion, and very often claiming that it's impossible for anyone born into Islam (Which he wasn't, anyway) to ever leave it.

If these theories appear anywhere on Conservapedia, I hope they are removed before long. Criticise him honestly, don't make up lies. It's hardly difficult. NewCrusader 11:37, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

I disagree and the conclusion that a former Christian, now atheist, doesn't change his name is a bunk association. A convert to Muslim religion always changes their name. There may be truth in the fact that a Muslim that converts to Christianity doesn't change there name. If the 'now' Christian convert had a confirmation, that person would at least have a middle name that was Christian. Obamas religious beliefs are fair game, at the least due to his non-Christian beliefs in abortion and gay rights. At worst, his association with black liberation theology which targets a hatred toward other classes of people based on their religion or ethnicity, another non-Christian belief. A slip-of-tongue is acceptable and not a basis for being anti-Obama. A pattern of these is cause for concern considering his higher education. I do care that Obama is a Muslim. While the vast majority of 1 billion Muslims are peace loving individuals, it is the only religion still operating under violent oppression of women and capital punishment in the name of God. To a Muslim, non-Muslims are an enemy of God. The very fact that in America and worldwide, Muslims want an Obama presidency (even though he is Christian, an enemy of God) is a cause for alarm. BTW, I love the reconditioned format of the Obama page, very nice.-- jp 12:13, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

Are you saying that Obama is a muslim and what evidence do you have? MickA 12:38, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

I don't know what to believe, but I don't believe in him. Read his Muslim background at http://newswithviews.com:80/Ryter/jon212.htm -- jp 12:44, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

Let's assume that all of what this article says about his upbringing is true. How does that make him a muslim today? I was raised a Lutheran and now I am an athiest. Are you denying this? What activities in his adult life indicate that he is a muslim? Does he attend a mosque? Does he pray to Allah facing Mecca five time a day? Does he fast during Ramadan? What does he do now? Don't many of our leaders travel to countries where the majority are muslims and the leadership is muslim? Does that make them muslims? MickA 12:56, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

I think that I have made my point. I think that Conservapedia needs to retrack all allegations that Obama is a muslim and make it clear that there he is a christian. MickA 08:40, 15 September 2008 (EDT)