Obama's Speech Fails to Focus on Middle Eastern Christians
President Obama gave what many media outlets are calling a "historic" speech in Cairo earlier today. Designed to make a fresh start with the estranged Islamic population in the Middle East, Obama played to his rhetorical strength, crafting an articulate and balanced speech that tackled a number of big international issues. He straddled the line between conciliation and force with carefully chosen words, and initial reaction from moderate Muslims was positive. The president waxed eloquent on Israelis and Palestinians, Iraqis and Afghanis, Iranians and Hamas.
But the one issue he didn't hit hard was the issue most pressing to many Christians in the area: human rights, particularly religious freedom. One of the most underreported stories regarding the Middle East is the recent growth of Christianity. Although they are still an extreme minority, the number of believers in the Muslim world is going up, despite stringent laws preventing conversion. In Iran alone, official estimates are that 300,000 Christians live in the country, but missionaries say the true number is significantly higher. It's a testimony to the power of God and the dedication of local missionaries that the gospel is growing in one of the countries most dedicated to its eradication.It's wonderful that Obama is looking to rebuild America's image in this part of the world, and a higher view of our country can certainly have a positive impact on Christian efforts in the region. But the lack of attention to human rights was striking. The speech took place in Cairo, a country that has consistently been called out by international human rights organizations for its treatment of Christians and women. Many of these countries, such as Saudi Arabia, openly outlaw and intimidate Christians, yet where were the calls for peace and justice?
In a recent article from Charisma, Paul Estabrooks, minister-at-large for international Christian rights organization Open Doors, said: "America is perceived, especially in the Muslim world, as representative of Christianity. I think, frankly, they expect him to speak out about the rights of religious minorities in their countries. Even though I agree he would need to do it very diplomatically and carefully because he isn't in a position to tell them how to run their country, certainly he can speak out on behalf of the Christian community, for our brothers and sisters in those lands."Sadly, Obama missed this opportunity. Though some good may come out of his speech, ultimately, if it doesn't help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, it will be a wasted effort.
posted by Editor at 3:32 PM
7 Comments:
Obama does everything with a purpose but I'm sure felt that bringing up "Christians," who are seen equal to being "Westerners" would cause him to lose his audience. Yes, he failed those brothers of his who suffer, if in fact he truly is a follower of Christ.
But what else really bothered me was his equation of the holocaust to palestinian treatment by Israel, and his insistance on a 2 state "solution" for peace. Lets not forget to remember that he spoke of a New World in which no nation is above the other. The end is coming, my friends - please sound the alarm and don't be as a virgin with no oil in her lamp.
What bothered me about Obama's whole speech is him totally identifying himself as a Muslim and why he consistently tears the United States down and the past stands we have taken in our dealings with other countries? We may have taken some unpopular stands but WHAT President goes to other countries and reveals secrets and criticizes his OWN country as a President for the stand former Presidents have taken?
All we hear about is Obama going to the muslim nations. How many times has he gone to Israel? AND then he decides to use his full middle name when he was insulted when it was an issue here in the U.S. when people harped on his muslim heritage and he didn't want them to use "Hussein" because it made him appear to be a muslim. Now he wants to put pressure on Israel more than ANY U.S.President has done to give up their land to the Palestinians. This man is scary!
He has declared the U.S. is not a Christian nation and never has been. Where has this man come from? The U.S. is in for some very turbulent times. God is not going to sit idly by and just watch Obama.
President Obama is not what he seems or what the media hails him as. He has not impressed me, in fact, his economic policies here in the USA are downright destructive. My hope is there'll be enough of the America we once new after he's gone to rebuild with.
I listened to the whole speech and I felt that it was on the whole a good well balanced speech, diplomatic but fairly clear about what he as US President expects from Muslim majority nations. Reading some of the comments I can't help feeling that some judgements are already coloured by anti-Obama sentiments. He did make quite a deal about how minorities (obviously religious minorities in the Middle Eastern context)should be treated and he did make specific reference to Coptic Christians in Egypt as an example. He did not in any way equate the holocaust to Palestinian treatment by Israel; also, President Bush was the first president to officially back a 2 state solution (rightly or wrongly). In no way did President Obama totally identify himself as a Muslim. (Yes, he quoted from the Quran, but Christians often do this when witnessing to Muslims.) In fact at the beginning he stated plainly that he was a Christian (yes, he may not be born again, but that he has a certain belief in, or respect for or "fear" of God is, to me, evident).
This speech is the beginning of a dialogue...(hopefully)...the ball is now in their court.
I agree with the above. People didn't really listen to what he said, or didn't comprehend what he said.
Obama is too dangerous. this is one time that it will be proved that the majority may be sincerely wrong.Why,because nobody knows the future.It is sad that a man can easily use rhethorics for self aggrandisement at the expense of the world,particularly christians and his own country in this twenty-first century. If there is a time to pray it is now for America.
There is no such thing as "dialogue" with Islamofascists, there never will be. The destruction of Israel and the continued saturation of the West with Islam is their goal. Only the citizens of the Middle Eastern countries could bring about real change and peace, but histroy has shown this will never happen.
Also, I was disappointed President Obama did not use the word terror or terrorism in his speech. Strong language was needed.
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