American Thinker - Bible Verses Obama Seems to Have Missed

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By W.A. Beatty

Dear Leader Barack Hussein Obama loves to quote (and misquote) the Bible in order to lend credence to what he is saying. For example, he (actually, his speechwriter), in Newtown, Connecticut, quoted several Bible verses, including Matthew 19:14: "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'"

Bible quotes, in and of themselves, are fine. But when Obama misquotes and/or misinterprets what he quotes, that is not fine. For example, on March 30, 2012, in an address to supporters at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont, Obama said, "I am my brother's keeper. I am my sister's keeper." He was speaking about values and thought this misquote would further his cause. That Bible quote came from the fourth chapter of Genesis. The actual verse is: "Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'I don't know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother's keeper?'" Cain said this to God after murdering his brother Abel and was trying to hide the act from God.

When taken in its entirety, not just as one verse Obama lifted out of context, the verses present an entirely different interpretation from what Obama intended. The misquote was not about values at all. Obama's misquote and misinterpretation was an attempt to twist the Bible to further his personal political agenda.

Obama, at the 2012 Prayer Breakfast, quoted Luke 12:48 -- "... From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked" -- in an effort to justify his "fair share" tax agenda. . Again, Obama took a part of a Scripture verse out of context.

In verses 42-48, Jesus is telling the parable of the wise steward. The meaning of the verse is quite different when taken in its entirety: "But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Jesus is speaking, in this verse, about how to avoid the blows of punishment by living within the limits set by our parents and/or our legal system. He is not talking about taxes.

If we take Obama's partial quote in good faith, it still doesn't convey the meaning for which he is searching. The verse can be, taken alone, interpreted as being about personal stewardship. Taken in that context, one must ask: "Who is doing the giving and demanding?" Obama would say government, whereas Jesus would say God.

While Obama is undoubtedly fond of quoting Bible verses, here are some verses he seems to have missed, or purposely ignored, since it would be difficult for him to twist them to suit his agenda:

2 Thessalonians, Chapter 3:

10: For even when we were with you we gave you orders, saying, If any man does no work, let him not have food.

11: For it has come to our ears that there are some among you whose behaviour is uncontrolled, who do no work at all, but are over-interested in the business of others.

The Bible calls for us to give of our own accord (2 Thessalonians 3:13: "And you, my brothers, do not get tired of well-doing.")! There are no verses in the Bible that call for us to support an ever-growing government. Yet that is exactly what Obama is currently doing with the food stamps program by forcing us to subsidize, to feed those who will not work. Notice that I do not include those who are willing to work but cannot find a job. Obama wants those who, following his interpretation of Luke, have "been given much" to pay for food for those who will not work -- but will vote for him.

The food stamps program predates Obama, but he has perfected its growth. The number of food stamp recipients added to the rolls was, during its greatest period in 2004 under George W. Bush, something under 2.5 million people. The total number of people added to the food stamps roll was, during Bush's eight years, about 11 million. Obama, in just his first three years, exceeded that total, or about 18 million people added. His greatest year, 2010, saw about 7 million people added to the food stamps roll. Further, the number of adults on food stamps doubled after Obama suspended the work requirement. There are currently over 46 million people receiving food stamps. In fact, the number of people receiving food stamps now exceeds the entire population of Spain.

As Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) said:

"When President Clinton left office only one in 16 Americans needed food stamps. Under President Obama, it's grown to nearly one in six. ... The number of Americans forced to subsist on food stamps to avoid hunger has grown faster than those finding jobs under President Obama."

To further Brady's point, a report by Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee concluded that "For Every Person Added to Jobs Rolls Since January 2009, 75 People Added To Food Stamp Rolls."

Michael Youssef said, in February 2012:

"Misquoting the Scripture is a common practice by some politicians to advance their cause, but this abuse of the Scripture and viewing one's [Obama's] administration as the judge and executioner, not for crimes, but for personal stewardship, has reached a new low in egotism."

The Bible must be taken in its entirety, quoted correctly, and interpreted correctly. Barack Obama seems to cherry-pick Bible verses that he thinks will bolster his political agenda. He is, indeed, a hypocrite, and his actions illustrate that conclusion.

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