Video: Sen. Orrin Hatch Attacks Pres. Obama For Quoting Jesus Christ
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who has often invoked religion and God in public statements for school prayer and against gay rights, attacked President Barack Obama for quoting scripture to make the case for a fairer tax policy (video below).
Speaking to a group of conservative politicians, who often invoke God, at the annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, President Obama quoted the bible to push for fairer taxes for Americans.
Obama said: “For me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that for unto whom much is given, much shall be required."
Only a few hours later, Sen. Hatch went on the attack: “Just this morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, the president took what has always been a non-partisan opportunity for national unity and used to promote his political agenda."
“He suggested to the attendees that Jesus would have supported his latest tax-the-rich schemes. With due respect to the president, he ought to stick to public policy. I think most Americans would agree that the Gospels are concerned with weightier matters than effective tax rates.”
“Someone needs to remind the president that there was only one person who walked on water, and he did not occupy the Oval Office.”
However, Obama never compared himself to Jesus Christ in his statement. Sen. Hatch failed to mention that the bible commands people to help the poor over 200 times.
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The real reason that Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), attacked President Barack Obama for quoting scripture to make the case for a fairer tax is regarding this comment: Obama said: “For me as a Christian." Everyone who has looked closely into Obama's background knows that this is a lie.
Example: Group asks media to suppress talk of Obama’s “religious identity” Wednesday, September 1, 2010 According to online reports, there’s an email making the rounds as part of a “major liberal initiative to curtail discussion of President Obama’s religious identity.” As ridiculous as that sounds, I’m not surprised. How many past presidents has ever had his religious faith called into question based on his own actions? You guessed it: only one. Last month, a survey of American voters found that roughly 25% of the country believe Barack Obama is a Muslim. Now a group of “over 70 Christian leaders and denominational heads” have banded together to ask the “major media” outlets to suppress any discussion of Obama’s religion. By ‘major media’ outlets I’m assuming they mean CNN, ABC News, MSNBC, etc. You know, the left leaning media that rarely utters a negative word about Obama anyway. Here’s an excerpt from the email: [W]e are deeply troubled by the recent questioning of President Obama’s faith…. [T]he personal faith of our leaders should not be up for public debate…. Therefore, we urge public officials, faith leaders, and the media to offer no further support or airtime to those who misrepresent and call into question the president’s Christian faith. I wonder if this group of religious leaders sent this same email to Obama himself? No one would be questioning Obama’s faith if it weren’t for his own questionable behavior since taking office last January. Maybe if Obama would stop bowing down to Muslim leaders, or maybe if Obama would stop protecting Muslim terrorists, or just maybe if Obama stopped making statements such as the U.S. is a Muslim country — Americans would have no reason to question his faith.
I'm pretty right-wing, but I don't think Obama's behavior in office shows any deviance from the beliefs of current leaders of once-mainstream now-liberal Christian denominations. You may disagree with their description of themselves as "Christian", but I don't think it's Obama's responsibility to side with you against the liberal Christian denominations when it comes to the definition of terms.
So we have the president likening the Government to God. I can see why some might find that offensive.
If the president really wanted a biblical Tax system it would be optional and voluntary.
Are you trying to tell me that Jesus didn't advocate sending armed men to round up all the people who refuse to give as much in alms as the poor majority decided was their fair share to give, and for those sending the armed men to glory in their compassion?
To both sides of the aisle on using Gods commands as an excuse to make us behave, I believe God gave us a free will so that we could choose to obey Him, not so that people could force others to obey Him through government.
I don't follow anyone, because those that appear to be on the same path usually end up just getting in my way.
It's all about control and manipulation.
It pisses me off when even politicians I like do crap like this.
Well, the police and laws in general are about control and manipulation. So is much of secular education. But if you can convince most people that they will go to Hell if they commit murder or robber, you can often get away with not keeping them under surveillance 24/7.
Laws against murder are not control or manipulation. All we need to do is convince people they will go to the electric chair for murder. Now the government getting involved in our private lives and looting us to pay for unconstitutional programs IS control and manipulation.
"Laws against murder are not control or manipulation. All we need to do is convince people they will go to the electric chair for murder." -- That sure sounds like control and manipulation to me, although it's less a less subtle form of control than convincing them they can burn in hell for it (and less effective, if they think they can do it without getting caught).
I would rather not have any elected officials quoting Jesus, anymore than quoting Zeus or Ra, but it is ironic that when Obama does it, than religious rightwing leaders such as Hatch have a problem with a politician doing so. He never had any problem with conservative politicians doing so. Amazing.
Jerome McCollom