Obama: Church or Gym?

Barack Obama considers himself to be a Christian.

Read Newsweek's "Barack Obama's Christian Journey."

Yes, Obama is a Christian, but it's been a while since he's been to church.

From Politico:

President-elect Barack Obama has yet to attend church services since winning the White House earlier this month, a departure from the example of his two immediate predecessors.

On the three Sundays since his election, Obama has instead used his free time to get in workouts at a Chicago gym.

Asked about the president-elect's decision to not attend church, a transition aide noted that the Obamas valued their faith experience in Chicago but were concerned about the impact their large retinue may have on other parishioners.

"Because they have a great deal of respect for places of worship, they do not want to draw unwelcome or inappropriate attention to a church not used to the attention their attendance would draw," said the aide.

Both President-elect George W. Bush and President-elect Bill Clinton managed to attend church in the weeks after they were elected.

...Obama was an infrequent churchgoer on the campaign trail, though he did make a series of appearances in the pews and pulpits of South Carolina churches ahead of that heavily religious state's primary.

The issue of where he worships is, of course, fraught. For about two decades, Obama and his family attended Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. But, with the public disclosure earlier this year of incendiary sermons at Trinity by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama and his wife, Michelle, in June resigned their membership in the large South Side congregation.

At the time, the then-Illinois senator said that he didn't want his "church experience to be a political circus" and expressed regret for the unwanted attention members of the congregation had received, noting that some reporters had taken church bulletins only to call sick members and shut-ins.

During the campaign, Obama returned to Chicago to attend the South Side's Apostolic Church of God on Father's Day Sunday to give a speech aimed at the black community on the importance of fatherhood and family.

A number of Washington, D.C., churches of different denominations and traditions are now competing to become the spiritual home of the new first family.

The Obama aide said the family "look[s] forward to finding a church community in Washington, D.C."

If the Obama family has been skipping church services since June, that's their choice.

If Barack Obama prefers to go to the gym when he has some free time on Sunday rather than spending a little time at a church, that's his business.

What bothers me about this is not that Obama is failing to attend church services. What concerns me is that during the campaign he pandered to churchgoers, frequently referring to his Christian faith.

Was he being sincere about the importance of his Christian faith in his life, or was it all campaign crap, telling the people what he thought they wanted to hear?

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush managed to attend church services when they were each the president-elect. If Obama really wanted to attend, he could be going to church rather than making up excuses.

Again, I don't care that Obama's not taking the time to go to church. I care that it appears he misled the American people about his commitment to his faith.

Note to Obama: It's possible to go to the gym AND go to church.

I suppose it's better that he doesn't go to church. Sunday services shouldn't be a photo-op. It think it would be a hypocritical exercise for him to go.

No one can accuse Obama of clinging to his religion. He prefers to cling to a basketball at the gym.

I'm learning more and more about the real Obama every day.
________________

I wonder if the very Catholic Joe Biden has been to Mass since the election.

If he has attended Mass, I don't think he was too generous when the ushers took the collection, based on his record of charitable giving.