Obama's Faith: Fascinating Interview Unearthed

Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun-Times interviewed Barack Obama in 2004 on his faith and spirituality. She's now published the entire interview. Here are some highlights.

On prayer:

FALSANI: Do you pray often?

OBAMA:
Uh, yeah, I guess I do.

Its' not formal, me getting on my knees. I think I have an ongoing conversation with God. I think throughout the day, I'm constantly asking myself questions about what I'm doing, why am I doing it.

One of the interesting things about being in public life is there are constantly these pressures being placed on you from different sides. To be effective, you have to be able to listen to a variety of points of view, synthesize viewpoints. You also have to know when to be just a strong advocate, and push back against certain people or views that you think aren't right or don't serve your constituents.

And so, the biggest challenge, I think, is always maintaining your moral compass. Those are the conversations I'm having internally. I'm measuring my actions against that inner voice that for me at least is audible, is active, it tells me where I think I'm on track and where I think I'm off track. ...

Looking for, ... It's interesting, the most powerful political moments for me come when I feel like my actions are aligned with a certain truth. I can feel it. When I'm talking to a group and I'm saying something truthful, I can feel a power that comes out of those statements that is different than when I'm just being glib or clever.

FALSANI:
What's that power? Is it the holy spirit? God?

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OBAMA:
Well, I think it's the power of the recognition of God, or the recognition of a larger truth that is being shared between me and an audience.

On spiritual leaders:

FALSANI: Do you have people in your life that you look to for guidance?

OBAMA:
Well, my pastor [Jeremiah Wright] is certainly someone who I have an enormous amount of respect for.

I have a number of friends who are ministers. Reverend Meeks is a close friend and colleague of mine in the state Senate. Father Michael Pfleger is a dear friend, and somebody I interact with closely.

FALSANI:
Those two will keep you on your toes.

OBAMA:
And theyr'e good friends. Because both of them are in the public eye, there are ways we can all reflect on what's happening to each of us in ways that are useful.

I think they can help me, they can appreciate certain specific challenges that I go through as a public figure.

On his church:

FALSANI: Do you get questions about your faith?

OBAMA:
Obviously as an African American politician rooted in the African American community, I spend a lot of time in the black church. I have no qualms in those settings in participating fully in those services and celebrating my God in that wonderful community that is the black church.

(he pauses)
But I also try to be . . . Rarely in those settings do people come up to me and say, what are your beliefs. They are going to presume, and rightly so. Although they may presume a set of doctrines that I subscribe to that I don't necessarily subscribe to.

But I don't think that's unique to me. I think that each of us when we walk into our church or mosque or synagogue are interpreting that experience in different ways, are reading scriptures in different ways and are arriving at our own understanding at different ways and in different phases. ...

Nothing is more powerful than the black church experience. A good choir and a good sermon in the black church, it's pretty hard not to be move and be transported.

On spiritual inspiration:

OBAMA: As I said before, in my own sort of mental library, the Civil Rights movement has a powerful hold on me. It's a point in time where I think heaven and earth meet. Because it's a moment in which a collective faith transforms everything. So when I read Gandhi or I read King or I read certain passages of Abraham Lincoln and I think about those times where people's values are tested, I think those inspire me.

I can be transported by watching a good performance of Hamlet, or reading Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, or listening to Miles Davis.

On heaven:

OBAMA: What I believe in is that if I live my life as well as I can, that I will be rewarded. I don't presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. But I feel very strongly that whether the reward is in the here and now or in the hereafter, the aligning myself to my faith and my values is a good thing.

When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I've been a good father to them, and I see in them that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they're kind people and that they're honest people, and they're curious people, that's a little piece of heaven.

Read the whole thing.

Comments

[sanaaiman]

what it must be like to be able to articulate something so complicated and so profound so simply and succinctly when it really matters...

[igotid35]

I hope that Bill Maher was right with what he said on the Daily Show -- that Obama is a closet agnostic who is just playing the game you have to play in politics w/ respect to religion. We all have our guesses, call them religions if you want, but seeing a sense of humility about answering questions no one could possibly have a definitive knowledge about is something I find particularly refreshing about this man. My father is a minister and my family is uber-Christian... I'm an agnostic, but it's such an emotional issue for so many people I'm close to that I've found it's best for everyone if I just play along. Obama's answers in this interview sound incredibly similar to the answers I tend to offer when I'm talking with those folks...

Thank goodness for the return to intellectual honesty

[reliant1]

Mahler would be wrong. Listen to Obama in his own words in Audicity of Hope. There is no room to wonder or ponder the question.

"But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt I heard God"s spirit beckoning me.

I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth and carrying out His works."

[BassMent]

Which, in the Christian tradition, means learning about God's will and wisdom and grace through the life and teachings of his Son, and emulating that life and allowing oneself to be instructed by those teachings in the conduct of everyday life.

In other words, discovering God's truth and carrying out His words means being a liberal/progressive: empathetic, unselfish, charitable, humble but willing to speak the truth loudly, a peacemaker, a feeder of the hungry, a shelter to the poor and destitute, a friend and support to those who are unjustly persecuted, a steward of all of God's creation. One who is accepting of others' shortcomings, who refuses to pass judgment on others. One who believes that all of the Law and the Prophets hinges on loving God and loving one's fellow man.

Yup, sounds like a good, old-fashioned bleeding-heart liberal to me! I'm proud to call myself one!

Funny how a relatively small segment of the "Christian" population of the USA has managed to align Jesus with hatred, war, bigotry, intolerance, misogyny, anger and self-righteous judgment. I read the New Testament, and I can't find their Jesus ANYWHERE....

[DCinFrance]

Indeed. And the honest answer is I Don't Know. I listen to that which is written on my heart, and I would encourage you to do the same.

[rockyb26]

why do you want him to be a closet agnostic? he's made it clear that he believes in the separation of church and state. other than that, no one needs to be concerned about his personal religious beliefs. he is a proud christian and he's not just lying to play a politics game. if you want people to respect your beliefs as an agnostic, why don't you want to respect O for holding beliefs different from your own?

[meleon]

I hope you never get your wish. Obama has a genuine seeking and belief that I'm ceratin has it's moments of doubt to the point of lose of faith, but is restored. If you've read his books, he's a man who wonders, ponders, seeks again and again, He has a belief that no matter what, or how hard the trial may seem, he has no other choice but to pull his spiritual bootstraps up and plow on in faith.

Yes, Obama is a believer, and you can't un-ring that bell no matter how hard one might try thank God.

I really wish people would lose this idea that to be a Christian, one loses the ability to multitask their senses. It can be done. I'm doing it right now lol.

[rockyb26]

agreed

[YunekFlava]

I like Maher alot, but I remember something my grandmother told me when I was a child, that speaks to the heart of this situation. Bill Maher has something we all have, and that is AN OPINION. Bill's opinon does not mean that he is right however, it just means he is execising his right to voice his opinion. Opinions are speculations, based on a number of circumstances, and I LOOK, LISTEN, RESEARCH and FEEL before I develop my own opinion, and it is never solely and what someone else says or does. How can anyone know what is in someone's heart? We can only provide our personal opinions, and this is Bill's. Period.

[GingersPawPaws]

I did not read that he was an Atheist! I read
""".I think I have an ongoing conversation with God"""
Meaning ..that he does talk to God....
OBAMA:
I am a Christian. So, I have a deep faith. So I draw from the Christian faith.

I read ...So you got yourself born again? 1987 or 1988

OBAMA:
Yeah, And I'm not somebody who is always comfortable with language that implies I've got a monopoly on the truth,

that inner voice that for me at least is audible, is active, it tells me where I think I'm on track and where I think I'm off track.


FALSANI:
Who's Jesus to you?

(He laughs nervously)

OBAMA

Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he's also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher.

And he's also a wonderful teacher. I think it's important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.

FALSANI:
Is Jesus someone who you feel you have a regular connection with now, a personal connection with in your life?

OBAMA:
Yeah. Yes.

President Obama is not a Fanatic, However he does Believe in the Higher Power of God!!!
AMEN to that!

[dctackett]

I am an Atheist and it seems to me, in reading his responses, that he doesn't necessarily believe in a magical super being floating around somewhere with a personality and opinion... and he doesn't seem to believe that Jesus was a magical powered son of that mighty super being...

It appears that he has a larger and more open perspective than that... now that is my kind of christian... if only more christians were like that.

[reliant1]

Well God, in the Old Testament didn't float much. First He made everything - really fast.

After that He was really busy kil.ling people - alot.

His personality can be best said to be - very very angry - a great deal of the time.

His opinion was final - in every way possible.

Jesus was a last ditch effort. He'd killed so many and started over so many times he had to go for the Hail Mary.

He knew he was gonna wind up being the beardy dude on a cloud talking to another beardy dude on a boat with giraffes hanging out the portholes and celestial choirs quacking about his grace.

He had no choice, he had to follow thru or spend eternity explaining why he made the giraffe digestive system so delicate and their necks too long to fit in the boat.

He dropped back, closed his eyes and threw it......and he got Ave Maria.

[LesserFool2]

I wonder if Obama owns the Jefferson Bible, where TJ "performed the operation for my own use by cutting verse by verse out of the printed book [Bible], and arranging the matter, which is evidently his [Jesus] and which is as easily distinguished as diamonds in a dunghill."
http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/

[Cherlesq]

Just why we all voted for him intelligence, confidence and faith.

[LemonMeringue]

Obama's faith is between him and his God, and I want him to keep it private.

He doesn't have to explain his faith to anyone. The fact that some think he does is a huge part of what is wrong with this country right now.

[reliant1]

Agreed, he not only has no need to explain it just as no one else has the right to stamp their own beliefs on him.

Don't his own words suffice?

"But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt I heard God"s spirit beckoning me.

I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth and carrying out His works."

[itsover]

Not really...Jesus said..."If you deny me before man...I will deny you before my Father". Thus, as a Christian, Obama needs to let his light so shine. That does not always mean you have to go around talking about your beliefs and faith...because the Bible also tells us that "you will know a Christian by his walk"...thus, if this man is truly a Christian, we will know it by the way he walks...not by his talk".

Saying that...only Obama and God knows if he is a true Christian...but I hope that if God is in the mix here, then Obama will be more confortable and more bold to show that he represents The Most High God and that nothing he is doing or has accomplished would be possible without God.

But we also must remember that "all things are not of God"...thus if Obama is NOT a true Christian...sometimes God let's things happen...just because...we shall see!!!

[DCinFrance]

Oh, how silly. It is between him and his God. Period. He, me, nor you, are self-appointed spokespeople for God. Just because indeed. If he is of God, it will be wrought of deeds, not words.

[dctackett]

so if you're not obnoxiously telling everyone that you love jesus then you're denying jesus?

[nanneyboat]

Praise God!! You get it!!!!!

[Minako]

No offense meant here, but I've always thought that Religion is a bit like Masturbation. In the sense that you don't talk to everyone about it, and not everyone wants to hear about it.

Faith is a private thing. If somebody asks you, then tell them, but telling everyone regardless of whether they want to hear, is insensitive and not going to get you anywhere.

[cherlybear]

I respect everyone's right to believe in whatever religion, in whatever form, they choose. As long as they don't try to impose their beliefs on everyone else. I trust Obama will not impose his beliefs on everyone else because he understands his religious beliefs are personal.

Now if only everyone else would do this - anti-choice, anti-gay marriage. These are personal decisions one makes for themselves based on their belief system. We DO NOT need government to impose these personal beliefs upon the entire population.

[YunekFlava]

??????????????? What?

[DCinFrance]

That is not entirely true, Cherly. There are things which abridge inalienable rights, and for that we need to be protected, and the source of that protection is government. Let's like at it otherwise...would you not want your government to protect the rights of choice?

[Invox]

We need a conversation about religion/Christianity in this country just like we've needed one about race. Who knows? This might just do it.

It might be good for born-again Christians to know that many of our founding fathers were Deists....that is, they believed in God the Creator but did not perceive God interacting with us on a constant level. There are varying viewpoints even within the confines of Deism but it's safe to say that many of the founding fathers didn't wear their faith on their sleeve. They believed in their own worth, their ability to reason and solve problems on their own, and in the Creation (guidance) they found inside themselves and being true to that Creation. There was, and still is, a difference of opinion about how often God interacted in everyday life, though most didn't see God having a hand in every single thing.

My faith pretty much follows the line of Obama's. And I feel very good about where I am with God. And it doesn't bother me that I don't know everything.

[YunekFlava]

Ahh-men.

[grantlingel]

it's good to know that we have an intellect coming into office.. he tells it as it is and is insanely educated and informed.. it will be a great and long awaited breath of fresh air.
http://grantlingel.blogspot.com

[reliant1]

On Obama’s website, he speaks of his decision to join Trinity:

“So one Sunday, I put on one of the few clean jackets I had, and went over to Trinity United Church of Christ on 95th Street on the South Side of Chicago. And I heard Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright deliver a sermon called “The Audacity of Hope.” And during the course of that sermon, he introduced me to someone named Jesus Christ.

I learned that my sins could be redeemed. I learned that those things I was too weak to accomplish myself, He would accomplish with me if I placed my trust in Him.

And in time, I came to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world and in my own life.

It was because of these newfound understandings that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity one day and affirm my Christian faith.

It came about as a choice, and not an epiphany. I didn’t fall out in church, as folks sometimes do. The questions I had didn’t magically disappear. The skeptical bent of my mind didn’t suddenly vanish.

But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt I heard God’s spirit beckoning me.

I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth and carrying out His works.”

[evgolightly]

The far right religious whack o s will have a field day with this. Those of you who think I'm disparaging VERY religious people are correct. I am.

Sarah Palin's prayin' for God to open another door for her so she can plow through. She thinks God believes in her so she isn't embarassed by her utter lack of knowledge at all. With God on her side, what's the point of learning basic geography?

I have an aunt who needs heart surgery. I urged her to see a specialist in NY who uses the latest technology. She said her guy in Jersey's fine (he's way too old and uses antiquated techniques) because "Jesus will guide his hands". She is a very bright woman who has morphed into a delusional Jesus freak over the years.

Instead of testing our candidates to find out if they're religious enough, we should be finding out if they're TOO religious for high office.

[YunekFlava]

Let the Far-WRONG religious and non religious folk have some fun, because they don't have a leader, their party is in shambles, they don't have a plan (except to bash Obama), the recent election was an embarrassement, the in-fighting is painful, blah, blah, blah, so what's wrong with a little fun at Obama's expense?

[dctackett]

let the far right wackos have their field day... because them and the 35% of people that are their hardcore supporters...

[Political Voyeur]

Ok Mr Change, where the hell are you with prop 8? This is NOT the time for a moral leader who claims the desire to heal the nation to remain silent on the biggest civil rights issue of our time.

I could say I voted for Obama, but then people might also think that I along with many of his other voters voted FOR bigotry of a non-racial stripe. It's been a week. He didn't let a single attack against him during his campaign go without push back for more than 24 hours. But he'll let his gay and gay-friendly supporters be hammered without saying a word?

[Minako]

Obama was against Proposition 8.

[cocodee]

Mr. Obama did not support Prop 8. And I wrote directly to him concerning this issue:
if one person is without civil rights, we are all without civil rights.

Please write to Mr. Obama, Mr. Biden, your senators and representatives, city, state, and national, imploring them to recognize civil rights of all people.

[reliant1]

President Obama does not support same sex marriages. He has said so time and again.

Said it over and over and over....I'm guessin he meant what he said.

[Puddin]

You need to calm down...change will not come this way. Your angery is displaced. This is not the time to blame anyone...we must begin to work harder to bring about the change. So please inhale...exhale and get busy.

[joshuahmcdonald]

WHAT??? Obama officially stated that he was against Prop 8.

Obama is in the process of managing 450 people and a $12 million budget for the next 70 days in preparation of taking over the most difficult job in the world. He's a little bit busy right now. He hasn't commented on any of the ballot initiatives in any state so far as I know.

I live in SF, voted against 8 and plan to be as involved as possible to get this issue before the US Supreme Court. But perhaps we could cut our President Elect some slack?

[dctackett]

Actually Obama said that he was against prop 8...

"I could say I voted for Obama, but then people might also think that I along with many of his other voters voted FOR bigotry of a non-racial stripe."

How does "For Obama" = "For bigotry"???

"It's been a week. He didn't let a single attack against him during his campaign go without push back for more than 24 hours. But he'll let his gay and gay-friendly supporters be hammered without saying a word?"

Who's attacking him that would cause the need for a response?

I think you're a bit too angry... you clearly aren't thinking straight and allowing the whole misinformation on TV steer you into thinking Obama supporters came out to deny Gay people's rights...

I voted for Obama... I also voted against prop 8...

Two different votes...

[frankel1205]

After eight long years of Bush's religious certitude and willful stubborness to even question one thing, it is going to be so refreshing and wonderful to have a man leading this country who understands nuance and "gray"---that not every, single act is made out of knee jerk "black vs. white", "good vs. evil", "us vs. them" mentality. Bush has a total inability to be reflective. Obama is the opposite--he reflects constantly in order to arrive at the correct and moral choice. Wow!! I can't wait for him to be our President!!

[BN2112]

As a non-believer myself, at least I trust Obama not to use the US Government to cram religion down my throat or not to invade and occupy another country because he thought the voices in his head was GeeZiss telling him to do so.
I am a 49-year old white guy and am thrilled to live to see history in the making. Nevertheless, in my remaining lifetime, I fully expect I may see a woman president and possibly an openly gay president, but we'll have a space alien president before we have an openly atheist president.

[adampap]

hopefully obama can work towards changing that.

[Invox]

Sounds like Obama is not all that different from most of us. Faith can be an endless mystery. We can't always know how our story ends but we do have the power to live our lives the best we can. Good will always come of that. The rest will take care of itself.

[Clavis]

I really appreciate this line:

"I don't presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die."

Just compare that to the arrogant attitude of so many fundamentalists (including Muslims) who tell you, essentially, that they know PRECISELY what happens after we die, and why and how, and how to think and behave to make sure it's a good outcome for you...