GRANTHAM, Pa. - There was a moment of levity on Sunday night when Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was asked at a nationally televised faith forum whether she believed “God wants you to be president?”
” Well, I could be glib and say we’ll find out,” Clinton said to laughter from the audience.
“But I — I don’t presume anything about God. I believe, you know, Abraham Lincoln was right in admonishing us not to act as though we knew God was on our side,” she said.
The forum was held at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, just over a week before the state’s crucial primary pitting Clinton against Barack Obama, who also addressed the event. Candidates were asked questions about their faith and how it influenced their positions on a range of issues from poverty to abortion.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: REUTERS/David DeNoma (Sen. Hillary Clinton campaigning in Pittsburgh, April 10, 2008)
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Man wrote the bible. Humankind created God. We are capable of more than we will know for many generations.
- Posted by JenWow, this discussion is interesting. I know I will probably offend many when I say this, but I get the impression that this ‘belief in God” is starting to become a brand in this election campaign.
Having been in the US for nearly a year now, I dont understand this all fuss about the candidate having to reassure he is Christian. I respect people having a faith, but it seems like christianity is almost like an ”elite” or something.
And to ask if she thinks ”God wants her to be President?” is such a stupid question. Its like me going to a job interview and saying ”God wants me to have that job!”.
The job of US President has nothing to do with God, but your credentials and capability as a leader of a country.
- Posted by Jini SebakunziWhy does Clinton need gods approval? Is it a resident of the states? Does it pay taxes? Does it vote? Does it have a green card after creating a corporeal form for itself?
The minute these questions can be answered then i would think she should seek its approval. Otherwise, WHO CARES WHAT IT THINKS! Religion has NO PLACE in politics. I am not going to fear some mythical creature that has no place in politics, bad enough wars have started over this dangerous philosophy.
- Posted by MiriyaI am disappointed that Mr. Stoddard joined in the coverage of such a non-isssue. He missed the story. Faith based readers want to know the candidate responses to the questions submitted to them at this event.
- Posted by Keith BrownGod is the only miracle worker who can do anything for Clinton’s candidacy at this point, because it’s deader than Lazarus, before Jesus resurrected him.
- Posted by wanakee hillHillary would never answer such a question in a straight forward manner as in no or yes.
I think Bush by saying that God wanted him to be president demonstrated that he has a loose religious screw.
Hillary is most likely not religious at all but, pretends to have some type of religion to be somewhat more electable with religious people.
God is used by mankind to get the desired results. It’s that simple. If mankind really believes in God than he should start doing good deeds without attempting to exert oppressive, fascist, totalitarian and other slavery type control mechanisms upon mankind.
The best thing the peoples of this world can do is get together and tell the religious dorks to keep their ideologies or perversive interpretations of the same to themselves.
- Posted by Frank PierceGod is not happy that people are “using” him.
- Posted by SchultzyThis chain of comments is awesome. i’m delighted
- Posted by vladReligion-devoted persons do not make good presidents.
- Posted by Jean Michel NehmeJust to list two of them: Carter who put the United States some two decades behind & now Bush who, based on his faith-
belief, wanted to change the non-Christian world, especially the Middle-East so to fit into his domain!
So whether Obama was baptized or not, should not be a handicap! Religion should never be considered if Americans
really respect & believe the candidate they want to support. Is Obama the right person to lead America for the
next 4-8 years or not? That´s the question. Myself, I would say yes. Neither Clinton, nor McCain could be the right person. So let´s forget about religion.
MAQUAMI…et al,
I am a Muslim in America as well(I was Christian for 27 years before)…if you are going to speak please speak truth. We Muslims do not need any more confusing, contradicting info on the net…in the media…etc…NO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CARRY AN “ISLAMIC” NAME TO BE MUSLIM. Acceptance of the path of Islam does not have this requirement. Allah(God)(swt) understands the hearts of men and women…the changing of a name is only to signify a unity with a specific group…that is all it does…and saying someone’s name makes them Muslim is just as wrong…a name is just that…a name…the intention in your heart makes you a Muslim, or Christian, or Jew, or other. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover! I am voting for Mr. Obama because he appears to be the most honest candidate…as well as the most intelligent(in my opinion of course)…I could care less what his religious affiliation is…he isn’t becoming a preacher or Imam…he is becoming PRESIDENT…therefore he needs to represent all people in an unbiased way…and he does. I am also a female and Redphilly(check your gender again, I can’t believe any self-respecting woman would speak this way)…all I can do is roll my eyes and shake my head…good grief!
I have wonderful friends of many beliefs and faiths…our incredible discussions comparing and contrasting our religions only leads us to see how similar we are, and opens up the understanding of the small differences. What an incredible world we have with so many interesting people! May Allah(God)(swt) bring understanding and unity to a world that so desperately needs it in this time…and may our most perfect Creator bless all. Only Allah (God) (swt) is perfect…we, and all we do are not..because we were given our freedom to choose and be just “human”. Read your holy books…they are wonderful…but never assume that the bible was written by Allah/God (swt) when the facts have been shown…words added/subtracted/translated/mistranslate d…changed for political, personal, and other reasons.
I had so hoped for a woman president…but we haven’t a fit candidate running(in my opinion again)…maybe another time(sigh)…Until then…GO OBAMA!! And bless you all!!!
- Posted by LynnI don’t care what religion you follow. if you keep your beliefs separate from your decisions for the nation i will be happy. if Obama was never baptized, does that make him any less of a spiritual person? If Clinton doesn’t think that God picks who will run the country, does that make her less spiritual? Religion should never be considered when choosing a president. there is such a thing as separation of church and state!!!
- Posted by RyanI guess that a question like that would only be posed at a religous school.
- Posted by JAYI can only say that if god is a registered voter, let god vote as god sees fit.
and that’s exactly why we have separation of church and state…you can serve men if you’ve been brainwashed into doing so…the rest of us will go ahead and use our brains to think for ourselves.
Kelly
- Posted by KellyIf God wrote the Bible using the fingers of men, as Redphilly suggests, why does it contain so many mistakes? It contradicts itself. There are two orders of creation in Genesis. Bats are listed among birds. Grasshoppers are identified as having four legs. And so on.
God doesn’t make mistakes. Man does. The bible is full of provable errors. Therefore man wrote it, not God.
- Posted by DefoeOMG, did you just make up a book of the bible? That is so awesome, I’m going to do that next time I get into a debate with a Christian. Ah, what would I do without people like you to amuse me!
- Posted by Alex“I am an obedient, God-fearing woman”
Then get off the internet. I never gave you permission to be on the internet.
- Posted by Kevin ScottFact is that God does not prefer men to women. Many women
- Posted by Jean Michel Nehmeworld´s Leaders such as: Gandy; Goldameier; Merkel had pro-
ven to be way better & more capable than their fellow me.
Our Hillary ist not to be considered as such. Her Presidency could bring lots of sorrows to Americans/non-Americans arounf the Globe. Therefore, per-
haps God could avoid that. I´m certain, the April 22.08
outcome would enlighten Hillary to back down & stop the
current theatre. Mr. Obama is a more serious , honest &
capable political than Bill & his Hillary.
Hillary wanted to show herself as a impressive candidate but it’s a pity when she acted so worst. Wish God support her!
- Posted by crazyOBAMA WAS NEVER BAPTIZED:
I don’t care if Obama is Muslim or Christian . What I care if a man is telling the truth or shapes the truth so it fits its goal. We immigrants do everything to get ahead, but this is not a business adventure. This is the presidency of the United States and for God’s sake take it more seriously.
I am so surprised of the superficiality of analyzing Obama ’s background in the media. MSNBC is enchanted with Obama, as the first son of a Kenyan-American who can pass as black Americans , how can get their backing without sharing their history!
I am a Muslim-American and like every progressive liberal democrat would like to see Obama as president, it would be very good for image of the US abroad However, I have a problem with Obama and that is his opportunism and hypocrisy.
He says he believe in Jesus, so does every Muslim. But, the question is when was he baptized. To become a Muslim you must have a Muslim name and to be baptized as Christian Obama like every other CHRISTIAN should have been baptized somewhere.
He has a Muslim name Barak and Hussein, in what church , where and by whom he was baptized as a Christian?
The son a Muslim is always a Muslim, that is the law of Sharia! I would like to know when and at what church, a son of a Muslim Father and a Devote Muslim Muslim step dad converted to Christianity.
I went to Jeremiah Wright Church at the age of 23 is not good enough. Muslims have nothing against Christianity and by choice anyone can attend and should attend other religions sermons and respect them , and understand them so he understands why Mohammad was the last Prophet!! I attended Church so did Obama! But that does not mean he ever become Christian.
Lets assume that at the age of 23 Jeremiah Wright baptized Obama in a recorded ceremony and gave him a Christian name then we have to see what was Obama’s belief before that!
My son went to Catholic School and even attended mass but he never became Christian. Indeed many affluent Muslim pay high tuition and send their kids to Catholic Schools, that does not make them Christian!
I love Obama, but I like to know what was his belief . If Jeremiah Wright can be discarded and trashed just to beat Hillary Clinton and get the nomination he is man with no principal. A political opportunist who would do anything to get elected! This is not good for America, not because all politicians lie but because only a man who by all means was Muslim until 23 lies that he has been ever baptized to Christianity
- Posted by MAQUAMIGod doesn’t ask us to assume or guess at what he wants. That is why the bible was written. The bible, unlike most people believe, was not written by men. It was written by God. He just used the fingers of men to write His words. If you read 1 Timothy you will find the answer to what God wants for Hillary. And it is not to be a president over men. I am a woman. But I am an obedient, God-fearing woman. It is God’s wish for women to be a certain way, to live certain lives. If we try to go against what God wants, we will only find brick walls and unhappiness.
- Posted by Redphilly