"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Matthew 5:9

[Empowerer]

Bless you, Mr. President.

[ClarkUSA]

1. Amen.

[bdamomma]

2. yes indeed.

[ensho]

3. that's not what he said. he said:

the Bible says "peacemakers are the sons of god".


which leaves peaceful daughters hanging.

[rateyes]

9. I see you are not up on the use of the ancient Greek language:

The phrase "son of" or "sons of" is often used (and is used in Matthew 5) to denote moral characteristics: For example, "son of thunder," "sons of light," "sons of disobedience," "sons of perdition," and "sons of God."

It refers to the quality of a person. For example, "a son of disobedience," is a "disobedient" person. A "son of God" is a "Godlike" person.

The transliteration of the word "son" from Greek to English is "HUIOS." It is often used to denote descendants without reference to sex. When speaking of "descendants" (both male and female), in ancient Greek the word "HUIOS" is often used.

The "Bible," you say, uses the word "sons" to the exclusion of "daughters." It is true that the KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible (an English translation, BTW, from the LATIN version of the New Testatment--thus making it a translation of a translation) uses the word "sons." However, many other English versions of the Bible correctly translate HUIOS from the Greek, not as "sons," but as "children."

THE Bible, of which you speak (the original text) uses "HUIOS," not "SONS."

Obama, today, quoted the King James ENGLISH Version of the text and said "sons." IMO, it would have been better for him to have used the inclusive langue of other versions. However, I do not believe that he was purposely excluding women. He did, after all, speak to a very patriarchal religion about the need to treat women as equals.

While I think you have a legitimate complaint about Obama not using inclusive language, I do not believe you have a legitimate reason to call his intentions "sexist."

[Clio the Leo]

11. thank you NT

[rateyes]

13. You're welcome. nt

[ensho]

18. sons, sons, sons, sons, sons, don't kid yourself it means sons

and not daughters

[damonm]

22. OK, I get it...

You WANT to be offended. It's a pain when fact gets in the way of that.

[BoneDaddy]

27. Wants to be offended? I think thrives in it

constantly. Wouldn't be happier if there wasn't something to be offended about.

[phleshdef]

26. You are purposefully being literal and its petty.

[LanternWaste]

31. I imagine we all think to some extent...

I imagine we all think to some extent that the specific translation we ourselves may adhere to is the only valid translation; which is, I think, part and parcel of many of the problems we face in the here and now.

[damonm]

40. BING BING BING

We have a WINNAH!

[rateyes]

35. huios, huios, huios, huios, huios, huios, don't kid yourself, it means

huios, not sons.

[roguevalley]

37. God, can we just have a moment here?

[hvn_nbr_2]

42. Sometimes the grammar nazis have a point.

Your sentenceless, capitalizationless, and punctuationless-except-where-it-doesn't-matter post could be read either of two completely opposite ways:
1. Don't kid yourself. It means sons.
2. Don't kid yourself that it means sons.
Apparently you either agree with yourself or you don't agree with yourself.

e e cummings u aint

[ClarkUSA]

19. Excellent explanation. Thanks.

[SKKY]

33. In my 5 years on DU, easily one of the best posts I've ever read!

Very, very well done! :patriot:

[Cha]

47. Yeah, thanks,

rateyes.

[BoneDaddy]

25. Funny how people look for the smallest thing

to justify their own prejudices and rose colored perceptions of the world. What unhappiness.

[SKKY]

34. It can't be easy to live like that, always looking for the negative in things...

[BoneDaddy]

41. Yet is amazing how much power there is

for those who base the majority of the their perceptions in a victim based modality.

[Douglas Carpenter]

4. Indeed, God Bless President Obama

[GodlessBiker]

5. I thought he said, "Blessed are the cheesemakers."

[gauguin57]

6. Cheesemakers are blessed. I love cheese!

I'm going to make a cheese omlette right now!

[QueenOfCalifornia]

15. Must see TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiDmMBIyfsU

[undeterred]

36. I thought he said Blessed are the Cheeseheads

like Senator Feingold... for they will hold me accountable.

[question everything]

7. You realize, of course, that this refrence is meaningless

to most people in the Middle East..

:hi:

[CJCRANE]

17. I'm not so sure...Jesus is a prophet in Islam

and muslims are certainly aware of the Gospel. Don't forget that Jesus is *from* the Middle East...

[phleshdef]

24. No, you are missing the context. He quoted 3 scriptures from all 3 religions with the same meaning

He quoted a similar scripture from the Quoran, then one from the Torah, then, that one, from the New Testament.

[question everything]

32. Now I do, after watching that part of the speech

but not based on the OP

:hi:

[Number23]

43. Why would you say that?

Every major, current religion (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) has sprung out of the Middle East. Jerusalem is considered a holy city for all three religions.

Many Arabs are knowledgeable of all three religions.

[JerseygirlCT]

44. Not really

I hope my Muslim friends will correct me, but they also revere the words of Jesus. They don't accept him as God, they don't think he was the last and greatest prophet, but his words carry a great deal of weight. They are told to respect the other "people of the book."

There is less dissension between these three religions than is often portrayed by a media eager for the conflict that makes a story.

Likely, in fact, that more of the Muslims in his audience understood the words better than a lot of our home-grown Christians, whose interaction with actual scripture consists of what they're spoonfed on a Sunday morning.

[cilla4progress]

8. "God is watching us"

I have actually GOTTEN religion due to Obama! No, seriously...as a pagan I have an on-again off-again relationship with God / the Goddess. But I certainly dig what you say. If God is anything, it's about love, tolerance, compassion. I'm sure God smiles on Barack!

[Clio the Leo]

10. "And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying...."

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.


Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.


Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.


Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.


Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.


Bless YOU Brother Barack. ;)

[pnorman]

14. I'm not what could be termed a "card-carrying Christian",

but I really liked that photo essay. THANKS!

pnorman

[Clio the Leo]

16. Glad you liked it and i have to admit.....

... I was a bit hesitant to post that first photo not really wanting to stir up any anti-religious furor here on the board, but then i thought, no one FORCED him to stand like that in front of that cross and he very clearly said this morning, "I am a Christian...."

We can express our faith (or lack thereof) without being exclusive of others beliefs (or lack there of.) That's why we are blessed to live in a great country. ;)

[Ocracoker16]

23. That was wonderful

Thank you.

[HopeOverFear]

29. I second ClarkUSA PLEEEEASE make that an OP

[Cha]

48. It's poignant!

[ClarkUSA]

20. Please make this an OP. It's awesome.

[Kaylee]

21. Love it!

If anything Obama, like those with great visions before him, makes me want to be a better person.

[uponit7771]

39. Amen!!

[JimWis]

12. Funny, I thought of that phrase last night when I was reading

about his trip and his speaking to the Muslims.

[damonm]

28. Another part of scripture

that the "Christian" right frequently ignores, right along with the 9th Commandment and Matthew 25:34-46:

34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

[Clio the Leo]

30. Yep and as we all know, in spite of their efforts to protect the unborn...

... the religious right, time and time again, sins against the rest of humanity.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." ~ Matthew 23:27

[JerseygirlCT]

45. That, right there, sums it up for me

And both inspires me and points out my failures every time I read it or think on it.

[damonm]

46. You're in good company...

I'm right there with you.

[progressoid]

38. No No No. Blessed are the CHEESEMAKERS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiDmMBIyfsU

Wiseguy: Do you mind, I can't hear a word he's saying.
Bignose's Wife: Don't you "do you mind" me! I was talking to my husband!
Wiseguy: Well, can't you talk to him somewhere else? I can't hear a bloody thing!
Bignose: Don't you swear at my wife!
Wiseguy: Well, I was only asking her to shut up so that I can hear what he's saying, Bignose!
Bignose's Wife: Don't you call my husband "Bignose"!
Bignose: Well, he has got a big nose.
Bearded Man: Could you be quiet, please? What was that?
Wiseguy: I don't know, I was too busy talking to Bignose!
Spectator I: I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers".
Bearded Man's Wife: Aha, what's so special about the cheesemakers?
Bearded Man: Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.
Wiseguy: See, if you hadn't been going on we'd have heard that, Bignose.
Bignose: Hey, say that once more, I'll smash your bloody face in!
Wiseguy: Oh, better keep listening, might be a bit about "Blessed are the Bignoses".
Brian: Oh, lay off him!
Wiseguy: Oh, you're not so bad yourself, conkface. Where are you two from? Nose City?
Wiseguy: One more time, mate, I'll take you to fucking cleaners!
Bignose's Wife: Language! And don't pick your nose!
Bignose: I wasn't going to pick my nose! I'm gonna thump him!
Spectator II: Hear that, blessed are the Greek!
Bearded Man: The Greek?
Spectator II: Hmm. Well, apparently he's going to inherit the earth.
Bearded Man: Did anyone catch his name?
Bignose's Wife: You're not gonna thump anybody!
Bignose: I'll thump him if he calls me "Bignose" again!
Wiseguy: Oh, shut up, Bignose!
Bignose: Ha, right! I warned you! I really will slug you! Saaah...
Bignose's Wife: Oh, it's the meek! Blessed are the meek! Oh, that's nice, innit? I'm glad they're getting something because they
had a hell of a time.
Wiseguy: Listen, I'm only telling the truth, you have got a very big nose!
Bignose: Hey, your nose is going to be three foot wide across your face by the time I'm finished with you!
Spectator I & Spectator II: Ssch!
Wiseguy: Well, who hit yours then? Goliath's big brother?
Bignose: All right, that's your last warning!
Bearded Man's Wife: Oh, do quiet down!
Bignose hitting Bearded Man's Wife:
Bearded Man's Wife: Aiih!
Bignose: Silly bitch, getting in the way!
Bearded Man: Aaargh!
Bignose: Racket all the way...
Mother: Oh, come on, let's go to the stoning!
Brian: All right.