This earnest little boy enthusiastically begins a YouTube video by announcing it as a "Prayer for President Barack Obama!"
However the video is sparking a lot of controversy as young Stephen actually appears to pray to Barack Obama rather than for him, closing his eyes tightly as he thanks Obama for all he's done:
Barack Obama, thank you for doing everything and all the kind stuff. Thank you for all the stuff that you helped us with. Thank you for taking the courage and responsibility for everything you have done for us. And God has given you a special power and you are going to handle it just fine. You are good, Barack Obama and you are great and when you get older, you will be able to do great things. Love, Stephen. Barack Obama!
Regina Young, the uploader of the video, titled it "Prayer for President Barack Obama," and captioned it, "The prayer that he wanted to say for our President is priceless," but others see it in a wholly different light.
Commenters have furiously weighed in, labeling the video blasphemous and criticizing the child's mother as well as Obama. Commenter TexasOpenCarry wrote, "Praying TO Barack Obama? Wonder how the Lord God Almighty is taking that..." while newbirth35 said, "Idolatry. That sounds more like a prayer To Obama, not FOR him. How sad, and even sadder that you are proud of the poor kid doing this."
A Christian Post article drew comparisons between Young's video and others which raised Obama to a high pedestal, namely a so-called "student militant-style Obama youth group" video which cited him as an inspiration for later success, as well as a video of elementary school-age children singing a song about Obama's achievements. The Post wrote, "Both videos caused controversy for suggesting that African Americans view Obama as a higher being than a human."
The article also mentioned Jamie Foxx's comment at the 2012 Soul Train Awards, "Thank God, and our lord and savior, Barack Obama!" as "another example of Obama replacing Christ among blacks," a sentiment shared by Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, president and founder of The Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny.
"President Obama is the most divisive man to ever occupy the White House – period! Yet, 95 percent of black Americans worship him as if he's the messiah. Why?" asked Peterson. "Most black preachers and leaders secretly agree with Jamie Foxx, which is why there was no outcry from these people. Never mind that Obama stands for everything that is godless, i.e.: unfettered abortions, class warfare, amnesty for illegals, legalizing same-sex marriage, revoking DADT (weakening the U.S. Armed Forces) and lack of resolve in his support for Israel."
An indication of a cult of personality, or just a well-meaning little kid?
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