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Theologian helps Obama find his religious voice
Friday, June 27, 2008 at 3:02am
Shaun Casey at Lipscomb University on Thursday. Matthew Williams/The City Paper)
Shaun Casey, a religious adviser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, was on a family trip to California in March when he got word — he was a pinhead.
At least, that was what he was christened by Fox News pundit Bill O’Reilly.
Just days before, Casey had been enlisted by the Obama campaign to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America to defend the candidate in the wake of controversial comments made by his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. O’Reilly called the defense “nonsense” and “B.S.” before saying Obama “needs to explain the situation himself, not that pinhead.”
Casey — who, by the way, has a normally shaped head — laughed off the insult, yesterday calling it a “badge of honor,” during a stop in Nashville for the Christian Scholars Conference at Lipscomb University, where he will speak at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
His three graduate degrees from Harvard University (Master of Divinity, Doctorate of Theology and Master of Public Administration) tend to suggest a broader intellectual capacity. He also is in a key position during what many, including Nashville author Stephen Mansfield, believe is an important shift in the way religion influences national politics.
“The ‘Religious Left’ is finding its voice, so to speak,” said Mansfield, a former pastor and self-described pro-life conservative whose new book, The Faith of Barack Obama, will be released in August.
“There has always been a Religious Left,” he said. “That’s what Martin Luther King Jr. would have been. … But it’s never really had a strong national voice. Now it’s finding that voice in Obama.”
Casey is one of the people who helps Obama find that voice when it comes to religion. As “Senior Adviser for Religious Affairs,” he tells Obama whom to talk to and how to talk to them; he is not a personal spiritual adviser.
“I think the person who wins the presidency is usually the person who tells the best story,” Casey said. “Faith is part of Barack Obama’s compelling story. … It’s a much more compelling religious story than we’ve seen from Democrats in the past.”
Obama, who became a Christian as an adult in the late 1980s, has a small group of campaign staffers who advise him on religion and do religious outreach, and he is the first Democrat to have such a staff during the primary season, said Casey, whose interests range from the ethics of war to some Americans’ quasi-religious devotion to baseball.
There is a sense, he said, that many religious voters previously taken for granted by Republicans are now up for grabs.
“I think we’ve seen the peak of the Religious Right,” Casey said. “It’s not clear how large the Religious Left is; only time will tell. It’s certainly more vibrant and active now. But it’s really the center of the evangelical world where the most seismic move is taking place, where people are saying, ‘I’m not comfortable with the James Dobsons, the Pat Robertsons. They don’t speak for me.’”
In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush overwhelmingly beat John Kerry among white evangelicals, but Casey thinks that gap is closing in large part because of dissatisfaction with Bush’s leadership and ambivalence toward presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.
Different issues are moving to the forefront for religious voters as issues such as abortion and gay marriage become less decisive, he said.
According to Mansfield, Obama is going to talk about poverty, about the oppressed, he’s going to talk about the injustice of the war and he’s going to talk about care for immigrants, but the religious element is in there.
“He’s oriented toward those social-justice issues, [where] most conservative evangelicals think in terms of two real strong moral values when it comes to politics: homosexuality and abortion,” Mansfield said. “But social-justice liberals who are also evangelicals will say, ‘But there’s more than that. Poverty is also a moral issue. War is a moral issue. The environment is a moral issue.’ They would say it’s not one party being moral and the other party being immoral. It’s each party representing certain moral positions and you having to choose which of those moral positions are more important to you.”
The battle for moderate evangelical votes is particularly important in Tennessee, where 51 percent of the population self-identifies as evangelical Protestant, according to a recent poll by The Pew Forum On Religion & Public Life.
Gray Sasser, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, said he was encouraged by the job Obama has done addressing issues of concern to religious voters in the state, such as providing affordable health care, improving schools and protecting the environment.
“We’re not going to concede the faith vote to Republicans,” he said, “and I don’t think Republicans can take for granted that people of faith are going to vote in the Republican column.”
Still, Casey said, it is unrealistic to expect Obama to win a majority of evangelical voters, but he should do better than Kerry did in 2004. The importance of religion to Obama may earn him a second look from conservative Christians, he said, but it’s unclear whether that will translate into votes and victories in traditionally ‘red’ states.
David Fowler, a former Tennessee state senator and president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee, said he has seen a growing distrust of political parties among religious voters that he believes Obama is trying to seize on. Nonetheless, he said he thought McCain was right on the key issues of gay marriage and abortion, and he thought religious voters would prioritize those issues very highly.
Mansfield said he would be surprised if Obama won Tennessee in November.
“Tennessee has just started to turn Republican in the last few elections, but the trends this time are such that it is possible there could be a shift back,” he said.
A Rasmussen Reports survey released Thursday showed McCain with a 51 percent to 36 percent lead over Obama in Tennessee. That is down from a 58 percent to 31 percent lead for McCain two months ago when Hillary Clinton was still in the race.
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Filed under: City News
This entire article deserves a dirge; virtually every thought expressed therein is to be lamented. Perhaps the saddest story within a story is the demise of a once great bulwark of The Faith: Lipscomb. From its beginning as Nashville Bible School, through its finest hours as David Lipscomb College, it provided an excellent adjunct for Christian families. That is but a memory now; the encroachment of religious Liberalism first weakened, then crippled, and finally destroyed the school that Lipscomb and Harding founded. The hosting of a pseudo-scholars conference is typical now.As to Messrs. Casey and Wright, they should make a congruent pair. It is one of the greatest paradoxes in religion that hardly no one knows less Bible teachings than theologians. Black Liberation Theology well meshes with a "social gospel." While faithful Christians will certainly practice benevolence, political issues such as "social-justice" are outside the purview of the church. The practice of New Testament Christianity will in itself right injustices, but not force them.Those Christians who dutifully oppose infanticide and sexual perversions of all types may be called the "religious right"; they are for certain correct.
Did someone seem to forget he is a Muslem? Trying to make him politically correct for the almighty vote is not of God.
So how does he explain that Barack is so radical that he lobbied hard against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act while serving the the state senate in IL. How can a pro life Christian even begin to defend his radical support of partial birth abortion. Why would Lipscomb even give him a stage at all-disappointing. Barack is dangerous and his religious viewpoints are an inch deep. He joined the Chicago church for political reasons and sat under the teachings of Wright for 20 years. He is concerned about the oppressed but not about the lives of babies who are oppressed. I will bet this pastor advisor is a former pastor of the United Church of Christ. They co owned the very hospital in IL where it was exposed that they were practicing infanticide. Maybe the good pastor was out on a march for the environment while this infanticide was going on.If a politician does not get it right on the issue of life, I am assured he will not get it right on the other issues. There is no more important issue.
As long as Casey toes the line Lipscomb's policy and doctrine concerning no music, no alcohol and no dancing, all will be fine. As far as pro-life talk goes, perhaps Lipscomb teaches you can get pregnant by sharing a swimming pool with the opposite gender.
So he hires someone to tell himself and the voters what he believes? Where did the days go when a canidate stood infront of voters and spoke from the heart and not a spiral notebook of a "religious adviser"? Like my grandmother used to quote: "Tell the truth,theres less to remember".Yet another reason why this guy worries me.
"Casey is one of the people who helps Obama find that voice when it comes to religion. As “Senior Adviser for Religious Affairs,” he tells Obama whom to talk to and how to talk to them; he is not a personal spiritual adviser."He is one of the handlers who script Obama. It is political image and does not reflect reality.
bnakat, While I admire your obvious intelligence and commitment to your faith, I must respectfully disagree with you that "infanticide and sexual perversions" are somehow not political issues like "social-justice." If social justice is "outside the purview of the church" as you say, then you must also ignore abortion and homosexuality since thy too are just social and political issues. While I too am against abortion and gay marriage, I am also for civil rights, immigration reform, and a less aggressive stance on war with other countries. The belief that "New Testament Christianity will in itself right injustices" has allowed for slavery, Jim Crow laws, and continued prejudice in this country. If God allows us all the free will to chose to follow him, why does man seems to want to try and force the issue through war and oppressive laws? east, If you're saying that Barack Obama is a Muslim, you're either mistaken, lying, or misguided. Mr. Obama has been a Christian for over 20 years, and your assertion that he is not is based on either erroneous information given to you or your own assumptions based on his name.
Doublecw, I'd advise you to contact Barack's half brother and ask him if Barack grew up a Muslim as a young man.I agree with Wolfy, tell the truth and you won't have to remember how to shake it down.
"Mr. Obama has been a Christian for over 20 years""Barack grew up a Muslim as a young man."You are both correct. Obama is 46.
JPig: read Obama's book, then talk to us. The Muslim faith is not mentioned. When he was growing up, his family and friend called him Barry - not Barack. He lived with his grandparents (who were from Kansas) in Hawaii most of his life. Not many Muslims there that I know of.
Funny, I've seen Obama give a speech without notes discussing his beliefs and not seen even a spiritual advisor for McCain. Yet no one seems to be questioning whether McCain's a Christian. The bible says "Thou shalt not kill," which I presume is the basis for our standing against abortion. Yet it's okay for McCain and Bush to order people to kill (and be killed) as part of their military service and aggressive war stance. Yet no one questions their faith. Bush has been in office for nearly 8 years, and when he initially started Congress was controlled by Republicans. Yet for some reason, abortion is still quite legal. As Christians and missionaries, we're constantly talking about converting people and bringing them to God and Christ. It's funny that someone can be a Christian for over 20 years, yet other Christians will not accept his conversion and say it was only for political reasons (even when he wasn't up for a political office when the conversion was made). The reason Obama has a political spokesperson is for this very reason: Even when he says it himself and writes it in a book many people won't seem to accept it.
Does anybody know if Obama has named his adviser on Secularism yet?
1 "Do not judge others. Then you will not be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others. Matthew 7 (New International Reader's Version)
cynn_28, you may want to finish reading Matthew 7, emphasis on verses 17 through 20.
OK, since we have a secular government, why does this campaign sound so much like a bible study class?
We don't need a theocracy, folks!
No one is advocating a theocracy. But, it is important to know a person's belief system to judge their character.In this instance, it appears that Obama has hired religious image consultants that tell him "whom to talk to and how to talk to them". He is, once again, disguising what he believes in.
Some folks are bound and determined to believe Obama is Muslim yet forget that our country was built on religious tolerance. So why should that matter? If he were Muslim would that be a character flaw?
Do you really think that some of the founders of our country (think Ben Franklin and Thomas Paine) would really give a flying flip about Obama's religious beliefs?
Thomas Jefferson studied Islam, the Koran, and fought against the Barbary Pirates,and was very aware of history. Check out the Moors (more than just a "Seinfeld" episode punch line), Ottoman Empire and other 15th to 18th century history.
Our founding fathers were some pretty amazing individuals.
If Obama happens to go off script, and say something that might offend some religious group, they trot this guy out and he spins it.Or as they say now, walk it back.I think this is counter-productive myself, but he probably wins the election.
Obama is a Christian and always has been. Anyone who says otherwise - like the bozos in this thread - are either lying or ignorant.
And while we're on the subject...The United States has had more acts of terrorism committed against it by Christians than by Muslims.Fact.
Isn't not terribly crazy to assume Obama had a Muslim influence, since his father was a Muslim.However, it is terribly crazy that people, at this stage in the election, still haven't heard/realized that Obama's father left when Obama was 2 years old. His father had no influence on him at all, and he was raised exclusively by his non-Muslim mother.
Talk about a load of crap. OH my GOD Obama the new Savior has arrived. NOT. Obama is nothing more than a racist with half black skin. You sit in a church that calls itself "Christian" and hear the hate filled vial that came out of the man, who Osama Bin Bama sat there and heard for 20 years. You WILL take on its teachings. Had that been a white male sitting in a church that spewed that kind of hate. The liberals would have butchered that mans character to go along with his family, friends and the guy at the local market.Proud to be a WHITE MALE and I’m not feeling guilty about it. Like most of the liberals would like me to be.
morpheus, Obama has NOT always been a Christian, that didn't happen until the mid-80's. Here is what Obama writes about his mother and his upbringing:"This isn't to say that she provided me with no religious instruction. In her mind, a working knowledge of the world's great religions was a necessary part of any well-rounded education. In our household the Bible, the Koran, and the Bhagavad Gita sat on the shelf alongside books of Greek and Norse and African mythology. On Easter or Christmas Day my mother might drag me to church, just as she dragged me to the Buddhist temple, the chinese New Year celebration, the Shinto shrine, and ancient Hawaiian burial sites." And, from Firesign Theater, "We're all bozos on this bus".
Being exposed to multiple religions does not make one a follower of all those religions.But, yes, we are all Bozos!
as if being exposed to multiple religions and cultures is a bad thing. in fact, that's good experience to have if you're going to be dealing with foreign affairs.
Abortion is not one issue among many. It is the lynchpin to all social justice. You can't have things like universal health insurance if you are in turn denying such "rights" to the unborn. Obama's politics inform his "religion" not the other way around. And he is really condescending too with the clinging to guns and religions comments. The numbers don't lie. Regarding those who attend church regularly, it's about 70-30 McCain to Obama, and I don't see how that can change. Obama is simply saying the "right" things to get into office because so many Americans are annoying religious and he has to pander to us.
i'd like to know where you get the 70/30 number.
Do some googling BlanketNazi. It was widely reported Bush got around 70% of the evangelical vote, I don't remember the exact number. Despite what Mr. Casey says, I don't think Obama can shift that number based on his 100% pro-choice voting record, support of gay marriage, condescension to all things religious, and he favors gun control to boot. It just won't play well. He is trying to make his extreme views seem less than they are but people are smarter than that.
then not all church goers, just evangelicals. "smarter" in your opinion...
Isn't this an opinion forum? I said those who attend church regularly. Obama holds zero positions consistent with that voting bloc. He will not win them over with his pretty oratory.
zero positions?
Barack Hussein Obama believes that children born as the result of a botched abortion should not be given life-saving medical care. Instead, they should be left to die. He led the opposition for years to the "Born Alive Infant Protection Act." A man with such an inhumane view is not qualified to be our next President. His judgment on everything else must be questioned in light of his willingness to let helpless innocent babies die.
I like how gun control was a stance attributed to the evangelical vote.Maybe Obama was right about "clinging to religion and guns"?
You're right, Wicked, gun control is more of an American issue, not just Evangelical. And of course Obama is on the wrong side of it, like most of his positions.Making fun of people is not the way to win their vote.
Perhaps Casey’s head is normal shaped; it’s the emptiness of it that gained him the label of “pinhead”.Mr. Casey is a perfect example of one who has spent his life pursuing degrees rather than real life experiences. Reading the Bible and other religious books does not make you a Christian or even a religious person. Casey has enough knowledge and degrees to be impressive to some folks but his behavior has not been that of a person devoted to God. His support for abortion for convenience, partial birth abortion and even permitting an abortionist to kill a child that survived an abortion, support for uncontrolled and illegal entry into this country, support for Hamas and total detachment from the majority of those who work for a living make him just another Marxist seeking the downfall of this nation thru the continual distance between it and God. The simple matter of having to have, “a small group of campaign staffers who advise him on religion and do religious outreach” should be enough to tell most folks that this is simply a campaign driven religion to manipulate those dumb enough to fall for their devilishness. Why would anyone need others to “advise him on religious matters” if it was something they tried to live daily instead of to talk about?Obama obviously wants to take us back to the Johnson era of pouring more money down the poverty drain. Trillions have been spent trying to wipe out poverty and the only thing that has happened is it has grown. New Orleans shows the overwhelming success of what happens when free money is made available without any responsibility requirements.Mr. Casey states, “I think the person who wins the presidency is usually the person who tells the best story,” Mr. Casey is working very hard to earn his thirty pieces of silver for making a “good story” for Sen. Obama to sell to the masses and those already declaring him to be the messiah.
The lie is that Senator Obama is a muslim. If you keep repeating it you become the tool of the republican smearing liars that are so totally lying and evil. If you don't believe a wonderful minister you are worthless and not worthy to vote. We need honesty and integrity restored to America and it will take President Obama to fix the damage that Bush has caused in his mission to take oil the evil way.
Barrack Obama was never, I repeat never, a muslim. Obama was not religious and did not become a christian until he worked in Chicago. Senator Obama is the target of this hate and wickedness by you republican attack dogs. Look hard at yourselves, you are the tool of all that is evil. Obama is the fine decent and worthy man who you can't hope to be like. He is what America needs.
George Washington's Farewell Address To the People of the United States.Published in The Independent Chronicle — September 26, 1796 10 For this you have every inducement of sympathy and interest. Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of american, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the Independence and Liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes. 27 Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.