The First Family goes to church

@spalladino (17891)
United States
April 4, 2010 2:12pm CST
There has been much ado about the President and the First Family's failure to attend a Christian church since moving into the White House. An often seen speculation on this board is that he and his family are closet Muslims. Today, in celebration of Easter Sunday, the President and the First Family attended services at St. Johns Episcopal Church near the White House. Not only did they attend the service, they took Holy Communion. This is not a requirement...people do and don't partake of the Holy Sacrament for a variety of reasons. So, now I'm wondering...are Muslims permitted to take Holy Communion? As far as I know, Islam's view of Jesus is that he was a profit.
3 people like this
10 responses
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
4 Apr 10
I have no idea about the Communion and Islam religion but, what I always tell my kids and my husband is that when people are accusing someone of something, they normally are the ones that are committing the actual action. So, ya think that all these people hung up on Obama being a "closet Muslim" are really closet Muslims themselves?
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
4 Apr 10
LOL...anything's possible zeph!
@jb78000 (15139)
5 Apr 10
seriously, you might be onto something zeph. the people who say this are usually exceedingly intolerant fundamentalist christians. perhaps on some level they realise that their views have rather a lot in common with fundamentalist islam?
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
5 Apr 10
It only makes sense that some people are so hung up on something that has yet to be proven. It's really sad that people can't move on.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
4 Apr 10
Hi Happy Easter! I assume Obama is a Christian. Simply because he says he is. People convert all of the time from one religion to the next, so nothing would surprise me. Whether he attends a church is their business and I believe the reason they didnt find a new church, is because they didnt want to be a distraction which they would have been. I give them credit that they chose a church to attend Easter service. Which makes them like a LOT of Christians, only attending Easter and Christmas. I attending church this morning, but I didn't see an article or a discussion about it! Dont worry, I will attend next week too if you would like to talk about it then!
• United States
5 Apr 10
Well said, Laglen!
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
5 Apr 10
Hi laglen! Be sure to remind me and I'll start a discussion about it. It would be helpful if you let me know in advance what you will be wearing.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
4 Apr 10
Hi, spalladino. I am not so sure if he is Muslim or not. Many people say that he is. I guess he wanted to go to this church for Easter. He wanted to instill a positive impact upon the church and the community. After all of the violence, just seeing the President is just what they all needed. I appreciate Obama and his family doing what is right for this community.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
5 Apr 10
Yes, it was a very positive thing for him to do, cream, and I'm happy that he and the First Family went. As I've already posted to some folks, the First Family would not have taken holy communion if they were Muslim because that goes against the beliefs of Islam. It's actually a pretty serious infraction for Muslims who do this from what I've read.
@jb78000 (15139)
4 Apr 10
i am just waiting for all the discussions to start about how obama is Not A Good Muslim.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
4 Apr 10
LOL! That would probably be accurate...if he were Muslim, but clearly he's not.
@jb78000 (15139)
5 Apr 10
ok, we will probably get 'If Obama Was A Muslim He Would Not Be A Good One' follwed by what KIND of commie goes to church? folled by REAL buddhists don't eat meat. and i will bet you $2 that 'why did obama REALLY go to church' is already up. etc. to some people he will never be able to do anything right.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
5 Apr 10
I'd lose that bet since the speculation based accusations are on here.
@machivado (528)
• Indonesia
5 Apr 10
Well..from my experience..that act is strictly forbidden from both religions. You can't take communion without being a Catholic first and have undergone another sacrament...This is just so wrong from both religion views.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
5 Apr 10
machivado, there are many Christian churches in the U.S. who celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. The First Family were in an Episcopal church, which is closely related to the Catholic church in both tradition and theology. I am Catholic but I also attend a Methodist church in my community which also offers it. The Obamas were members of a church in Chicago for about 20 years which is an offshoot of the United Church of Christ...another church which traditionally offers this sacrament. Holy Communion is not limited to Catholics alone.
@k15682 (300)
• United States
5 Apr 10
So, our closet muslim whent to a christian church on easter! Spalladino I am so glad you posted this, the accusation of him being muslim was insane and now they must come up with new reasons for insanity.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
6 Apr 10
Give 'em a couple of weeks and they'll go back to pretending it never happened.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
5 Apr 10
Maybe he is just trying to be understanding to ALL religions? Don't know. I don't follow any religion but I have no problem going into any church and following their practices. I don't see a need to speculate anything here. I really don't care what God he chooses to follow or not follow. I only care about how he runs our country.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
5 Apr 10
I don't care if they go to church or not. It's not what they do but what is in their hearts and the code they live by that counts. I'm very religious and I rarely go to church--that doesn't change my commitment to and faith in God. I'm not sure what religion the Obama family is and I don't really care as long as he truly works for the good of the country. I don't think he is doing this but I don't think it's because he's a closet Muslim.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Apr 10
spalladino I have never believed that the President is a Muslim, and think thats just more republican propaganda. If he went to an Episcopal church I do not think he could possibly be Muslim and that muslims would not endorse that church at all. where do people come up with these ideas? I know,I probably am a minority of one here, but do respect me, myviews are different from yours probably but we can disagree with respect for each other surely. I really do not know a lot about Muslims except I dislike the way they treat women.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
4 Apr 10
No Hatley, you and I actually agree on many things and I find myself in the minority here more times than not. I have tried using logic in the face of these Muslim claims, reminding folks that Obama is a father and that no father would intentionally cause his child to be spiritually confused or ashamed, but logical thought often flies out the window when people are consumed by hate. Today I had the opportunity to present some stone cold proof that the president and the First Family are Christians, which is why I posted this discussion. I already know the answer to the question I asked. Islam considers Jesus Christ to be a profit and taking holy communion is something a Muslim would not do.
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
5 Apr 10
for me it is good for them because they worship there god even if many scheduled ythey entertain.