At prayer breakfast, Obama says Christian faith guides his policies [View all]

[alp227]

President Obama used an appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday to reaffirm his faith at a time when Republican critics have accused him of a “war on religion,” telling an audience of religious leaders that his policies are grounded in his Christian beliefs.

Obama, speaking to 3,000 people at the Washington Hilton, used passages from the Bible to make the case that his push for a more equitable economy is rooted in a long-honored value system. And he suggested that his proposal to increase taxes on wealthier Americans is consistent with the teachings of Jesus.

“For me, as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required,’ ” Obama said. “It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who’ve been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration for others.”

As he has done in recent speeches, Obama emphasized that theme of economic fairness, aiming to draw a contrast with Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor caused a stir Wednesday when he said in a CNN interview that he was “not concerned about the very poor” because they have a safety net in place.

full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/at-prayer-breakfast-obama-says-christian-faith-guides-his-policies/2012/02/02/gIQAzNyakQ_story.html

Wasn't Obama brought up as an atheist? I wish he could've been elected without having to be religious.