I'm glad Barkley said what he said. He shows a lot more wisdom and maturity than he did 10 or 20 years ago.

But his nonsense about "fake" Christians, and equally nonsensical posts here about "true" Christians are just that. Despite what some want to claim, a Christian is a follower of the biblical Christ and believer in his divinity. When you try to define a "Christian" as following the "true" teachings of Christ or the "real meaning" of biblical writings, you define yourself out of any useful discussion. The "true" or "real" meaning of the sayings attributed to "Christ" is subjective, and people basically project their own philosophies and beliefs about Christ onto what they feel is "true" Christianity. You can find passages in the bible that support the view that "Christ" was peaceful and an advocate of non-violence, but you can also find biblical writings that support the opposite view. People basically use "Christian" as a substitute for whatever their view of good is, as if Christian=good. Conservatives and liberals can both find passages that would support their views. So what we end up with is that any time someone does something you don't like and is a Christian, you say they're not a "real" Christian or a "true" Christian.

The funny thing is, though people act as if Jesus Christ was a historical figure, there is actually no solid historical evidence that the biblical character ever existed.

Yes I heard him, and I agree with him. His comments were very incisive. He is a smart man and he refuses to be taken in by the BS the so-called conservatives have been laying on us for all these many years.

"They can't do anything to me. I don't work for them."

Great comeback, Sir Charles! The sad part is, the GOP is supposed to be working FOR the people - but they've proven time and again that the GOP works for the PARTY ONLY.

Charles Barkley is awesome. I've been waiting a LONG time to hear a Republican say this.

More succinctly

Before the spin begins:
1. Charles is speaking for Charles, as he always does, not Obama supporters.
2. Charles is dead on, 154% correct
3. In America you are allowed (I think) to speak your mind and not have to worry about "feedback".
4. Charles is not speaking about EVERY single christian (nor every conservative for that matter) but rather those that use their 'faith' to sit in judgement of others... or those that cynically use faith to bamboozle the masses of the truly faithful... to achieve their own ends.

Period. End of story.

I am having an extremely difficult time following the logic (if there is any) of most of the posters above. Everyone is making this about Obama? Obama didn't make these comments, Charles did.... and Charles isn't wrong. There are a tremendous amount of phoney 'Conservatives' who pawn themselves off as 'Christians' or even worse 'Compassionate Conservatives'. If you do believe in the Bible and aren't just using it as a cynical political tool to exploit the masses and get yourself elected, then everything Charles says is Correct. If you want to sit in Judgement of other people you better be squeaky clean yourself.... Charles said nothing wrong... he has an opinion... and just because he doesn't believe in the same fairytale as you doesn't mean he should be criticized for speaking his mind..... this is america.

I have often wondered if some of you heroes hiding in the blogs would run around in Iraq with a purple finger signifying that you are a voter. Maybe you would. Or, maybe you would just sit back and whimper. Wonder if the Iraqis with purple fingers think they are better off? Maybe we should ask them [particularly the Shia majority].

While you Obama fans are insultin Christians, how about taking a look at Obama's favorite church. Here's a quote from their About Us page:

"We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent.

We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization.

God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism."

http://www.tucc.org/about.htm

Go Charles, go!!! Don't stop now.

Mr. Barkley makes some good points. When I hear the word "Conservative" it makes me sick, too. Those who abuse the constitution, worship capitalism, advocate torture, and liberally spend our money, call themselves "Conservative." How do they get away with that? Because we let them. We use their language and play by their rules. It is time to change the language of politics. The "Right" is NOT right. Running our government on borrowed money is NOT "Conservative." Hate mongering is NOT "Christian." Abusing the earth and ignoring the poor is NONE OF THE ABOVE. My challenge to all of you is to develop new terminology to better describe our political landscape as it exists today.

The real perversion is the opportunistic political spin put on this type of garbage that "conservatives" believe all the tripe put out by the government or pathetic puppets like Barkley. Conservatives don't like an out of control government. They believe in privacy of the individual. They believe in keeping the government out of the bedroom, the library, etc. They believe in the consititution and the right to have religious beliefs without fear of the "thought police". Perhaps Barkley meant that, but he wasn't very clear and putting "conservatives" in the same camp with warmongers is just stupid and narrow minded.

Praise the lord & pass the ammunition! Charles spoke for the majority when he said the current crop of Conservatives are a bunch of hypocrites.

I've said for a long time, this world would be a better place if more people would say (about gay marriage, for instance) "It is none of my business." On abortion, as a man I can't get pregnant & have no desire to force my will on women. Unless it was my insemination, it is none of my business. If I were the father, it would be my & the mother's PERSONAL business, not the governments.

Way to go Obama fans.

How will your candidate win the White House if you keep insulting major voting blocks.

I thought Obama was going to bring everyone to the table?

I thought Obama was supposed to be appealing to Republicans.

Keep at it -- you're the GOP' best hope for putting McCain in the Oval Office.

After he gets there -- he'll probably institute a national draft so you Obama kids will have to go fight his 100-year war in the midde east.

I still remember BJ Clinton heading to the churches every 4 years with his clownish giant Bible with the huge cross on the front.

I guess Christian fakery is only acceptable from Democrats...

I have so many examples of FAKE christians. Here is one example, while working as a nurse in labor and delivery, i was told by the older nurses( in their late fifties and early 60s) That they had seen the daughters, wives and sister of nearly all of the preachers and conservative politicians get abortion right in the hospital and it has been going on at least since they started working as nurses. I saw it happen once. As they came in FOR THEIR D AND Cs (abortions) these nurses would point them to me.