Obama at Hartford: the Last Hurrah?

It's my impression that the Obama campaign is over, finished, toast. Why? I cannot remember any other candidate running for president who insulted the religion of the American people and was given the privilege of heading his party for the general election.

At a speech before the UCC, his church denomination, Obama made charges that some people have hijacked Christianity. That doesn't play well with me, it won't be liked by the general public, and it won't be liked by many Congregationalists, nationwide, who still believe that each person receives his own insight on religion through a relationship with God, earnest study of scriptures, and discussion with others.

Obama is missing the traditional respect that candidates show for all of America's many religions--we have something like 600 Protestant denominations alone. This is serious stuff.

Obama gave his speech in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, founded by the Rev. Thomas Hooker in 1636. Hooker was a Congregationalist minister and a tremendous religious and political thinker, whose many writings are still important today. Hooker once wrote "there neither is, nor never was any mere naturall man absolutly rightuous in himself" and hence "voide of all unrightuousnes, of all synne." Somehow I find that quote important, and I will leave you to ponder that thought.

Update: Oops! Re-reading this post makes me realize that I was quite unclear. The Obama campaign is not about to fold its tent and disappear in the night; what I meant was that the Obama campaign--through ill-chosen remarks--has already lost his party's nomination, although it will likely be months before that is evident.

Further Update: Atheist Austin Cline has written a tremendously insightful article on Obama's speech at Hartford in front of the UCC and I recommend it highly. Obama's speech troubles him, in particular he questions Obama's commitment to the separation of church and state. Two worthwhile quotes: "Doing 'the Lord's work' is a thread that runs through Christian churches; in secular politics, however, politicians are expected to do the work of the people," and "If a politician cannot use evidence and reason to justify their positions and must resort to private religious revelation, they should give up politics and enter the ministry."