7:29 a.m. - 2008-07-15
Bible Jeopardy!
So this New Yorker cover - the one with Barack and Michelle portrayed as muslim terrorists...
I get what they were going for. Obviously, smart, informed people know how ridiculous that is. That is the target market of the New Yorker and that is how it is meant to be taken.
However, unfortunately, because of his name and skin color and interesting background, many narrow-minded Americans find it all too easy for that image to "register" with them. Wheras if you had put out a similar cover of the McCains, it would have obviously been a ridiculous joke - (not because there are no rumors that John McCain is a terrorist muslim but unfortunately just because he and his wife are fair skinned.)
I still can't believe that people think he is a Muslim. Even after all of that went down with his obviously evangelical christian, albeit crazy, pastor. There are also rumors that he was raised by muslims, even though he was pimarily raised by his grandparents - rural white folks - and his mother who he describes a having sort of a spiritual but non specific faith-perspective that she lived out by serving others and fighting for justice for women.
I read recently in Time magazine this article about how Catholics feel about the candidates and there was one part about how significantly more of them said that they felt McCain was more "comfortable" discussing his faith. I find this odd, because the few times McCain has been pressed about this, he seems distinctly uncomfortable. Like someone who once went to church as a family tradition and hasn't been into any of that for a long time but feels like he has to act like he's down with Jesus because that's what the people want.
While we all know how I feel about GW Bush, I have to say he at least seemed to have some level of actual spiritual committment - there are wide reports from middle of the road pastors being "impressed" with his spiritual side. Now, personally, I really don't care all that much about a president's spiritual beliefs - just that they be genuine about it. I think an atheist could make an excellent president because at least there wouldn't be that confusion of what role the bible and their faith have in determining legislation and such.
That said, from what I've read and heard about Obama's faith journey - as far as i know, he decisively became a Christian as an adult through the church in Chicago that he has attended for years until recently. He has written about how that happened and shared openly about it when asked.
McCain may very well have a strong spiritual side to him - I wouldn't be surprised if one emerged during his years as a POW. And maybe he is one of those people who has a hard time communicating about it. But when people are polled and say he is more comfortable talking about his faith, I can't help but believe it is a nod to those doubts people have about Barack being a muslim, which are almost certainly more about deep rooted racism and fear of that which is different, than anything else.
Let's just say, for what it's worth, if the candidates competed in Bible Jeopardy! I'd put my money on Barack.
That is all.
