My take on Obamas support of Faith Based organizations (little long)

[Hellataz]

I read about Obama speaking out on his religious background, Father was a muslim turned atheist, Mother opposed to organized religion, and grandparents members of church but not practicing, Obama didn't become christian until later in life AFTER he worked with community organization that were ran by churches and he saw the good they did ad was inspired to convert.

(link to his comments on his religious upbringing: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/05/obama-s... / )

I understand this, even though i am agnostic. Sometimes with all the bigotry and hostility that the religious right throw at us, we forget that there are a lot of decent religious organizations, warm hearted and compassionate religious followers and tolerant Religious leaders. They may not be the public face of the religious community, but they are out there. Hell I've read posts from some here on DU, many religious folk who despite their religion still embrace the GBLT community.

I think this is how Obama view religion.
I believe that religion to him is the concept at it's purest form, chalked full of helping the sick and poor and reaching out to help people in their time of financial and emotional need. Giving people a sanctuary to go from the problems of everyday life.

Perhaps from an outside view many of us, (me included) just see the bad things that religion brings, the intolerance and hate and the intrusion and insistence that they push their beliefs into our lives

But on the other hand, as we view religious organizations as such from the outside, perhaps Obama, looking at things from the inside sees only the good that these organization do. Not that he is blind to the bad things that the religious right does, but maybe he looks at it like "Their hearts are in the right place, but they are just massively confused". I for one am not that forgiving towards the religious right having very little positive experience with organized religion, but maybe someone like Obama who has spent his life doing good work for people through the church has a different perspective of faith based organization.

Because of that, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on his continuation of theOffice of Faith Based Initiatives.

I think for him, he doesn't see his support of this Office as a slight against us non believers or the GBLT community. I think to him, he sees it as getting back to his roots, Community Organizing. I also think he is trying to take steps to open the OFBI to all religious groups and revamp what Bush created into a more tolerant and inclusive Office. Bush created this office with the Christian Right in mind. Obama is branching it out to include all religions and cultures including muslims.

In a prefect world there would not be an office under the president of the united states that had anything to do with faith, but realistically a vast majority of americans belong to some sort of faith based organization and this is Obama's way of reaching out to their concerns. Because, Again, whether we like it or not Obama plans to create a united and inclusive america means he doesn't just listen to our concerns but also the concerns from those who we disagree with, and in the end make up his own mind as to the best way to handle the issues that is best for our country. That's what we voted for him to do.

Maybe Obama is a bit naive when it comes to the religious right, but I truly do not think he condones the bigotry and hatred that stems from these groups. I believe he wants to show non believers that faith based organizations can be responsible for good things, not just bad, just as he will convey the same point back to them that non believers and the GBLT community have a right to be treated equal and be heard.

As for the current concern that Obama will allow these faith based organizations to discriminate in their hiring:

"In an executive order to be announced on Thursday, Obama does not rescind Bush's provision to allow faith-based groups to discriminate in their hiring practices, but does provide a legal process for organizations to go through in order to that ensure hiring is legal and non-discriminatory."

(snip it from this article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/05/obama.faith.base... )

The Article goes on to say that the administration believes this is a "key step forward" to address a very thorny issue.

Also the article mentions that Obama believes (based on a speech he gave in Zanesville, Ohio) that while he endorsed faith-based programs, he thinks the beneficiaries of such government aid should be forced to cease discriminatory practices.

Now I'm sure that is not the immediate "fix it" Many were looking for, but I feel for the position Obama is in, trying to walk this tight rope and give concessions to both sides of the argument.

Because in the end, Obama is not looking at these issues in a "you're right and I'm wrong" or "pick a side" stance. He sees these as a challenge to bring both sides together to help them understand one another and perhaps by doing so can end the negative effects of the religious right and preserve the positive ones.

That's what I think, I could be wrong, but everything I've ever heard from Obama leads me to believe he deserves the benefit of the doubt and that while we might not understand his current actions, he does have a long term game plan to improve this country and ultimately unite us.