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[reddogs]

Hillary has noticed it, the media has caught up into it, the young people are being overwhelmed by "Obama fever" or the Obama "phenomenon" , the last time I saw something like this it was the Beatles and the whole world was in a frenzy over them, and John Lennon was making comparisons. Well it seems to be a similiar occurance with the Illinois senator’s campaign, has he gone beyond the realm of a political campaign to almost a following of 'believers'....Here is what they are saying:


"....Obama's believers...
There’s a theological underpinning to what’s going on with the Illinois senator’s campaign.
Engaged, well-informed young Americans are being moved to act and follow in what feels like a religious awakening....


New York Times columnist David Brooks has likened them to Hare-Krishna people and to Moonies — "Soon they'll be selling flowers at airports and arranging mass weddings." Joe Klein of Time has dubbed their "mass messianism" to be "just a wee bit creepy." And William Lowther, Washington correspondent for the Telegraph (United Kingdom), reported something "unnervingly akin to the hysteria of a cult, or the fervour of a religious revival" at Obama events.

Picking up on the hysteria theme, syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker has dismissed their "New Age glossolalia" as spiritual hunger gone terribly wrong, seduced by Obama's rhetoric, which "drips with hints of resurrection, redemption, second comings." MSNBC's Chris Matthews, going Parker one better, was quoted in Australia's The Age as saying, "I've never seen anything like this. This is bigger than Kennedy. Obama comes along and he seems to have the answers. This is New Testament."


Actually, Parker and Matthews may, however unwittingly, be onto something here. It has to do with two concepts that are deeply embedded in the Protestant theology that derives from the New Testament. And these concepts go a long way toward accounting for what is going on at Obama rallies.

The first is kairos (in the biblical Greek), which refers to an "opening" in ordinary time, a historical moment when a collective sense of deeply meaningful change is in the air. The other is metanoia (another Greek term), which refers to a radical change of mind or consciousness.....

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/04/obamas-believer.html

[Johann]

Do you expect a revival? One of true godliness?

[reddogs]

I feel this is what will happen in the last days, people being swept up in a religious like fervour into a movement.....

Lets say it was a fundamentalist preacher that was causing all of this fervour, would that make a difference? Yes it would, and there would be a fear of what he could do with those that follow so intensely, but being a politician that is the center of this "phenomenon", we hardly even take notice......

[inga]

Obama has charisma. That's why the comparison with John F. Kennedy is appropriate.

The US hasn't had a charismatice candidate since Ronald Reagan.

Canada hasn't had a charismatic candidate since Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Whether it will be a charismatic president or a more reserved, high-brow president who will lead the US into making the "image to the beast" is a question we can't answer till it happens. I remember that when John F. Kennedy became president, many thought he would be the one ...

[Johann]

If I remember right John F. Kennedy did certain things which Seventh-day Adventists had not expected of a Catholic president. So we might still be in for some surprises if the time isn't ripe yet.

[reddogs]

The thing is, when people get swept up in a euphoria for a cause in response to possibilities of change, they can be manipulated. Take for instance the people of Rome in the fall of the Roman Empire, they were manipulated to force the issue in politics or riot for one cause or another with rhethoric, by distribution of food and water and sometimes by distribution of coin. Some Caesers were elected depending on what level of fear had been put into the Senators by the mobs behavior in reaction to being swept off their feet or convinced by a combination of charm, promises or money.

The same with Cuba, Castro charmed the people with his promises, and the Cuban people got swept up in a national euphoria for a cause in 'response to possibilities'. The result was Castro was put up in power by those who loved what he represented and believed in the speeches of freedom and cleaning of corruption in goverment that Castro promised.

Well as you can see those promises from Castro didnt come true, and they were left in a worse off position than they could have ever imagined. So responding to possibility of change is not a issue, but getting swept up into a movement controlled by unknown forces or people, can come up with other results than you might envision........

[PCarroll]

I think it more likely that people are being motivated by the possibility of real change after eight years ineptitude.

[Gailon Arthur Joy]

I think it more likely that people are being motivated by the possibility of real change after eight years ineptitude.

That is an interesting point of view and I will happily take serious exception to the term ineptitude and challenge you to point out an inept move and I would be happy to counter.

I happen to believe this presidency has done as much, or more, than the Reagan presidency to raise the stature of the Vatican and to cause the world to wonder after the beast.

Ineptness is not the proper word, but rather coldly calculated steps move us ever closer to a one world government, but with the Governor being American in tandem with the Vatican.

But, open forum time...so pose an example of ineptitude and let's take a look at it.

Gailon Arthur Joy

[Chrissie]

I think it more likely that people are being motivated by the possibility of real change after eight years ineptitude.

That is an interesting point of view and I will happily take serious exception to the term ineptitude and challenge you to point out an inept move and I would be happy to counter.

I happen to believe this presidency has done as much, or more, than the Reagan presidency to raise the stature of the Vatican and to cause the world to wonder after the beast.

Ineptness is not the proper word, but rather coldly calculated steps move us ever closer to a one world government, but with the Governor being American in tandem with the Vatican.

But, open forum time...so pose an example of ineptitude and let's take a look at it.

Gailon Arthur Joy

I note that PCarroll has not been able to reply to you Gailon! One's words are more credible if they are backed up by facts. 

[RedFalcon]

Obama is young and promises change. Many of the young people think that any change would be better than it is now.  With the economy close to a recession and an unpopular war dragging on in Iraq many of the young people think that a young president to promises change is a good thing.

[Chrissie]

Obama is young and promises change. Many of the young people think that any change would be better than it is now.  With the economy close to a recession and an unpopular war dragging on in Iraq many of the young people think that a young president to promises change is a good thing.

But... is your current government 'inept'?

[bonnie]

Obama is young and promises change. Many of the young people think that any change would be better than it is now.  With the economy close to a recession and an unpopular war dragging on in Iraq many of the young people think that a young president to promises change is a good thing.

But... is your current government 'inept'?

Obama has never specified anything but change, without telling us what the change will be. Except higher taxes which isn't much of a change. When I hear the remarks by some of these young people it makes me cringe. Thought stops at the door. I have listened to them being interviewed on college campus. Scary thought that maybe some of these young people are going to turn the tide in the vote.
When asked why they would vote for Obama, they all responded with he will bring change.

 "Like Man, you know like health care,like something needs to be done,and Obama says he is going to. Question, what is his plans for our health care crisis??  Answer, he is going to change it?? Question,What will he do and how will he change it??
Answer,Like man, you know change it and make it so we can have health care like we should. Question, How will he do that?? Answer, Like you know it is in a mess and somebody needs to take care of it.
Not one young person interviewed could identify one accommplishment or anything else about Obama

Is our current government inept?? You might say that. Congress has the lowest approval rating (11%) and Bush (20%) I can remember.

[Ozzie]

Obama is young and promises change. Many of the young people think that any change would be better than it is now.  With the economy close to a recession and an unpopular war dragging on in Iraq many of the young people think that a young president to promises change is a good thing.

But... is your current government 'inept'?

Obama has never specified anything but change, without telling us what the change will be. Except higher taxes which isn't much of a change. When I hear the remarks by some of these young people it makes me cringe. Thought stops at the door. I have listened to them being interviewed on college campus. Scary thought that maybe some of these young people are going to turn the tide in the vote.
When asked why they would vote for Obama, they all responded with he will bring change.

 "Like Man, you know like health care,like something needs to be done,and Obama says he is going to. Question, what is his plans for our health care crisis??  Answer, he is going to change it?? Question,What will he do and how will he change it??
Answer,Like man, you know change it and make it so we can have health care like we should. Question, How will he do that?? Answer, Like you know it is in a mess and somebody needs to take care of it.
Not one young person interviewed could identify one accommplishment or anything else about Obama

Is our current government inept?? You might say that. Congress has the lowest approval rating (11%) and Bush (20%) I can remember.

Thank you Bonnie, for answering the question.