American Presidents and God

Voltex · 01-11-2012 09:14PM #1

I was listening to some news on the American Presidential election. What has struck me is the amount of refrence to God.

I would have thought, that the most powerful man in the World who gets to carry round a briefcase with the trigger to thousands of Nuclear weapons would be a little more agnostic.

Celly Smunt · 01-11-2012 09:18PM

Not when the voters are die hard christians.

Why do you think every president tries to find an international relation?,America is a country of immigrants,if you can find a connection with the auld emerald isle you secure that base pretty much.

GalwayGuy2 · 01-11-2012 09:18PM

Tbf, I think it's more an empty ceremony with Obama.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 01-11-2012 09:19PM

Mind games. They use "God" as a way to relate to the common man for votes and followship.

My name is URL · 01-11-2012 09:19PM

We're not really in a place to criticise tbh. The opening paragraph of our own constitution is basically a prayer

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred,
We, the people of Éire,
Humbly acknowledging all our obligations to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, Who sustained our fathers through centuries of trial

SEPT 23 1989 · 01-11-2012 09:23PM

The Bible belt

thats why

ArtSmart · 01-11-2012 09:23PM

the trick re Democrats is to believe and not believe

whereas with Republicans its to believe or , well, die.

it is amazing Obama got in. and will get in again. truly amazing

Agricola · 01-11-2012 09:24PM

The sad thing about the US is that the men who drew up the constitution a couple of hundred years ago were far sighted enough to explicitly state that church and state had no business mixing with each other. Yet today they have a presidential election which is partly a "whos the most pious" competition. Plus a candidate couldnt be openly atheist and hope to have a chance of winning.

Celly Smunt · 01-11-2012 09:26PM

ArtSmart wrote: »

the trick re Democrats is to believe and not believe

whereas with Republicans its to believe or , well, die.

it is amazing Obama got in. and will get in again. truly amazing

The only reason he got in was due to the republicans putting clowns in for the running.I have a sneaky suspicion they don't want the job in the current economic climate.

M5 · 01-11-2012 09:26PM

The church is a way of life here. Peoples lives revolve around the church and IMHO have a far greater influence on peoples lives over here than they did in Ireland 20 years ago. If you dont show a religious site and reverence towards god you wont be elected to any office

...and im not living in the bible belt...

Where To · 01-11-2012 09:27PM

'In God We Trust'

Celly Smunt · 01-11-2012 09:28PM

Where To wrote: »

'In God We Trust'

in god we thrust baby.

M5 · 01-11-2012 09:28PM

ArtSmart wrote: »

the trick re Democrats is to believe and not believe

whereas with Republicans its to believe or , well, die.

it is amazing Obama got in. and will get in again. truly amazing

Its an extremely close race, i would not put a fiver on either

MaxSteele · 01-11-2012 09:28PM

My name is URL wrote: »

We're not really in a place to criticise tbh. The opening paragraph of our own constitution is basically a prayer

That is actually mind boggingly cringe.

We need an editor quick.

dodderangler · 01-11-2012 09:30PM

Obama is related to Jesus tho think bout it
He has Irish relatives and Jesus was Irish
Therefore he's Related to god
case closed

Wattle · 01-11-2012 09:32PM

God has a hard-on for nuclear weapons. See Revelations.

mariano rivera · 01-11-2012 09:33PM

Obama is an A-RAB

Da Shins Kelly · 01-11-2012 09:34PM

My name is URL wrote: »

We're not really in a place to criticise tbh. The opening paragraph of our own constitution is basically a prayer

In fairness though, the devoutly Catholic Ireland seems to be somewhat dying a death, whereas in the US religion seems to be becoming more and more important. We don't place as much emphasis on religion when voting, I don't think. Christianity and Christian values seem to be really important to American voters. It comes up time and again. Remember all the people who seemed to be convinced that Obama was in fact a Muslim? I don't believe for a second that Obama is a truly religious man at all, but he has to say that he is otherwise they'd never vote for him. It'll be a long time before an openly atheist/agnostic/anything non-Christian gets elected in the US. It's probably not quite safe enough yet to "come out" as it were as an atheist or agnostic or whatever when running for election in Ireland either (although Michael D Higgins has described himself as "spiritual" rather than religious, which says to me he's probably agnostic), but there certainly doesn't seem to be as much importance placed on it as there is in the US.

ArtSmart · 01-11-2012 09:34PM

pmcmahon wrote: »

The only reason he got in was due to the republicans putting clowns in for the running.I have a sneaky suspicion they don't want the job in the current economic climate.

Republicans like any party, want power. Interestingly, no sane Republican person wants it.

M5 wrote: »

Its an extremely close race, i would not put a fiver on either

Thankfully Obama will win.

Electing the one who has achieved the American Dream (as one understands it, usually one who became rich) is a big element of American politics.

However, I think they've moved away from that model.

Sinfonia · 01-11-2012 09:39PM

pmcmahon wrote: »

The only reason he got in was due to the republicans putting clowns in for the running.

The only reason he was elected was because he was less **** than the **** candidates purposely put forward by the Republicans, who could have easily put forward a winner, but chose not to so that they wouldn't have to be in charge during a period of recession. Is that what you're saying?

Da Shins Kelly · 01-11-2012 09:42PM

pmcmahon wrote: »

The only reason he got in was due to the republicans putting clowns in for the running.I have a sneaky suspicion they don't want the job in the current economic climate.

Do you remember all the hysteria surrounding Obama when he got elected? It was like the Second Coming. I think it was a bit more than ****e Republican candidates that got him elected, to be honest.

tom_thumb · 01-11-2012 09:44PM

ArtSmart wrote: »

the trick re Democrats is to believe and not believe

whereas with Republicans its to believe or , well, die.

it is amazing Obama got in. and will get in again. truly amazing

considering how high unemployment is , its amazing that obama has a chance of winning , i put it purely down to his opponent being such a weak canditate , jimmy carter had a better economy than obama yet lost , of course he was facing an extrordinarily strong opponent

ArtSmart · 01-11-2012 09:46PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Do you remember all the hysteria surrounding Obama when he got elected? It was like the Second Coming. I think it was a bit more than ****e Republican candidates that got him elected, to be honest.

I'm hoping Chuck Norris's '1000 years of darkness' thingy will help.

The fact that the deeply ill can exist as 'normal' folk is a testament to the robustness of the American constitution.

they should be very proud.

--Kaiser-- · 01-11-2012 09:47PM

Voltex wrote: »

I was listening to some news on the American Presidential election. What has struck me is the amount of refrence to God.

I would have thought, that the most powerful man in the World who gets to carry round a briefcase with the trigger to thousands of Nuclear weapons would be a little more agnostic.

Just because he mentions God a lot doesn't mean he's a god botherer. He does have to get elected and the electorate is predominantly Christian

tom_thumb · 01-11-2012 09:47PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Do you remember all the hysteria surrounding Obama when he got elected? It was like the Second Coming. I think it was a bit more than ****e Republican candidates that got him elected, to be honest.

mc cain wasnt a sh1t canditate , the bush administration was extremley unpopular so mc cain was guilty by association , mc cain was a bit like john mc guinness , a member of FF but always seen as an outsider

Nodin · 01-11-2012 09:48PM

Where To wrote: »

'In God We Trust'

No, no. Its "Gawd". "Gawd bless Murica.

castletownman · 01-11-2012 09:52PM

Abortion for some

Miniature American flags for others

nucker · 01-11-2012 09:53PM

Voltex wrote: »

I was listening to some news on the American Presidential election. What has struck me is the amount of refrence to God.

I would have thought, that the most powerful man in the World who gets to carry round a briefcase with the trigger to thousands of Nuclear weapons would be a little more agnostic.

I agree with your point there, it also goes to say about a country that say they have a right to bear arms for self defence, only to see countless people killed in multiple killings in colleges etc....

Ray Palmer · 01-11-2012 09:54PM

I was in Time Square when Obama won. I saw a woman run to a pay phone not dial just pick it and start talking as if she was telling a friend about how great it was. A film crew taped her but missed she wasn't actually talking to anybody. People were crazy for it as a vision of hope. At a concert days later people were really optimistic on change and progress it seemed to indicate

A lot of lip service to god in the US but no link to Christianity as we see it. A lot of it is just a way to justify a belief by mentioning god, this includes the death penalty.

It is a very two faced god they are referring to and it certainly isn't a Jewish or Christian god

01-11-2012 09:56PM

Isn't Obama athiest or non religious or something?

stoneill · 01-11-2012 09:56PM

tom_thumb wrote: »

considering how high unemployment is , its amazing that obama has a chance of winning , i put it purely down to his opponent being such a weak canditate , jimmy carter had a better economy than obama yet lost , of course he was facing an extrordinarily strong opponent

Jimmy Carter was also facing a disaster in Iran at the time of the elections with 440 US hostages and a failed rescue attempt when a Hercules and a helicopter crashed into each other.. Funny how the hostages were released right when Ronald Reagan was taking his oath of office. God was looking after one of them there.

American Presidents and God

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