"Our job is not to ask that God respond to our notion of truth – our job is to be true to Him, His word, and His commandments."
– Barack Obama, Feb. 4, 2016, National Prayer Breakfast
Reading over Barack Obama's address at the National Prayer Breakfast days after he delivered it, I wondered why the nation's news coverage missed the hook.
The news hook is the most newsworthy part of any event.
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News is defined by several characteristics, among them being the unexpected.
Would you expect to hear from Barack Obama that "our job … is to be true to God, His Word and His commandments."
That's what he said, and I have the White House transcript to prove it. I have it on good authority that this is exactly the way it appeared on the teleprompter. There's also video backup. (See above.)
Why do I find this assertion by Obama shocking?
Because it's exactly what I believe.
Are we talking about the same commandments?
Let's review:
- I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
- Thou shalt not worship idols.
- Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor thy father and thy mother.
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thou shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, they neighbor's wife or thy neighbor's property.
Is this what Barack Obama believes?
These are the essential commandments of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the God of Israel.
Obama also said we are to be true to his Word – which, I assume means, His entire Word. Does Barack Obama really mean that we should be true to the entirety of the Holy Scriptures?
He also says we should be true to Him – meaning the character and spirit of the One True God.
If Barack Obama means what he says here, this is a profound profession of faith – unlike any other he has ever made in public life before.
That's why I am so surprised I missed this in all the news coverage. Not one news organization, apparently, including my own, noticed the significance of this line from the speech.
Or did they?
Perhaps they saw it and didn't recognize its significance. Perhaps they thought: "These are just the kinds of words that are spoken at National Prayer Breakfasts – no one, including the president, takes them seriously."
Is that the case?
Or, after seven years of Obama in the presidency, has everyone just tuned out to what he says?
I knows Obama claims to be a Christian, but he has never before suggested that means He believes in the inerrancy of His Word and our duty to be true to God's commandments. That is actually considered radical Christian faith in today's world. Many pastors don't preach that. Certainly Obama's pastor of decades, Jeremiah Wright, did not teach that. Most people calling themselves Christians don't believe that – don't practice it.
So what's going on here?
Does Obama believe we should not put other gods above the God of the Bible? Does he not put government there? Does he not elevate other faiths and other gods to the same status as the God of Israel? Or is he turning over a new leaf?
Or is he actually taking God's name in vain with this message – indeed violating the third commandment?
Does he not covet his neighbor's property and encourage others to do that, while using government to "spread the wealth around"?
I'm just asking, because I'm surprised by this position I've never heard expressed before. I've never heard him suggest that the Ten Commandments, or any other biblical laws, be used as the basis for people's behavior. This is brand new stuff for Obama, as far as I can see.
Shouldn't the headline in every news report Feb. 4 have been, "Obama urges obedience to God's Word"? Wouldn't that have gotten some attention?
I think we all know why that didn't happen.
Nobody took his words seriously.
Why? Because there are no fruits to suggest he meant what he said.
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