This is the photo that is igniting a firestorm of controversy all over the internet. This photograph from Time magazine is of Barack Obama displaying the items that he carries with him for good luck. These items include a bracelet that belonged to a soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler’s lucky chit, a tiny Madonna and child, and most notably of all a small idol of a Hindu god.The Hindu god that Obama carries with him has been circled in red. Time magazine did not identify the specific Hindu god that the idol represents, but some Hindu websites have been quick to point out that the Hindu god depicted is actually known as "Hanuman".
The Hindustan Times is just one of the publications that are positively identifying this idol as Hanuman:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=fa4bfb48-8347-4da7-a7dc-0a0fefff413d&MatchID1=4706&TeamID1=6&TeamID2=7&MatchType1=2&SeriesID1=1188&PrimaryID=4706&Headline=Obama+seeks+Hanuman
Obama's father was a Kenyan and his mother was from Kansas, but Obama did spend a portion of his early life in Indonesia where Hinduism is a very popular religion. Some are speculating that is when he may have acquired this particular idol, but nobody really knows.
Hanuman is one of the more important of the Hindu gods. There are many temples devoted to the worship of Hanuman, especially in India.
According to Hinduism, Hanuman represents pure devotion, complete surrender and the absence of ego or the lower self. They believe that once one completely surrenders to the inner self and the mind becomes devoted completely, the mind can obtain miraculous powers and perform amazing feats like that of Hanuman. Hindus also believe that all the planets in the solar system are under the control of Hanuman's large tail. In addition, it is thought by Hindus that whoever worships Hanuman is granted tremendous fortitude and strength.
But wait, isn't Barack Obama supposed to be a Christian?
Apparently Obama must not be familiar with the 2nd of the Ten Commandments:
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image"
-Exodus 20:4
What in the world is a "Christian" presidential candidate doing running around using a Hindu god for "good luck"?
It is time for someone to begin asking Senator Obama the hard questions.
The command to not make a graven image does not apply. The good senator is not worshipping it, simply carrying it in his pocket along with a Madonna and child.
ReplyDeleteReally, when did American Politics fall to this level of inanity?
everyone's weird in their own special way. obama is no exception. i dont think it really means anything. his religion should have nothing to do with the presidency.
ReplyDeleteIndonesia is less than 3% Hindu; that number is even lower in Jakarta, which is where Obama lived. That's like saying he got a lot of Muslim influence in the US (since the US is about 2-3% Muslim).
ReplyDeleteKiwimac, Hindu gods are false gods. Having an idol is mortally sinful. Making the idol is mortally sinful. Praying to the idol is mortally sinful.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Obama isn't really Christian at all. Look at his voting records. He is one of the most pro-abortion Senators in Congress.
How dare you say Hindu Gods are false. I am fuming. What is the big deal? So what he is carring a Hindu God. It's what you believe in. Why is everyone making such a big deal of this...as if he should go to jail. Just because he is Christian, doesn't mean he can't believe in other faiths. Get a life you rascist losers.
DeleteHindu Gods are about as fake as your face.
Deletekiwimac,
ReplyDeleteyou're arguing semantics. Seminarian Matthew has stated the correct Christian perspective to hold on this matter. I'm personally tired of behavior like this being justified on a daily basis. People have forgotten that knowledge begins with fear of the Lord. Perhaps Obama should spend more time praying and actually reading his Bible instead of relying on trinkets for "luck."
The article is right. What on earth is he playing at. He is Christian and should follow the teachings of Christianity, not a hybrid of religions that totally contradict each other. Either that or you dont call yourself christian. Anyway small metalic or clay "gods" have no power, all power and might belong to the One supreme being.
ReplyDeleteHanuman is a great devotee of the Supreme Lord who represents total love of God. Notice, he is not the Supreme Lord, but his great SERVANT. If you are Christian, have an open mind.
ReplyDeleteI am a Hindu and think this is awesome.
Best of luck to Obama
ReplyDeleteReally Great, This is awesome
ReplyDeleteall the best
America has freedom of Religion, who cares what of what religion he is, the most important thing that he is a good human being. Best of luck to our new president elect. Keep all your good luck charms.
ReplyDeleteWe all believe in God call him by any name Hanuman, Jesus , Allah or any other name. None of us has seen God. So what is God? God doesnot come down and speak to you. When a person helps you in distress, we consider him as Gods messenger. When things happen, which are beyond our reasoning ability, we says it is Gods wish. God is a supernatural power above all of us on whom we look for strength and courage. So does it really matter which Idol a person carries or which religion a person follows. With science and technology advancing so such and extent we still are arguing on religion. Lets us all have the freedom to worship trust and understand every religion. I am sure THE GODS are not figthing above to see who is superior. GOD IS JUST ONE CALL HIM BY ANY NAME.
ReplyDeletereligion is defined when you combine the following: (one) Knowing God (two) Loving him unconditionally.
ReplyDeletereligion is not fake. unfortunately in the 'modern' age of material dependence humans have forgotten the need to seek the truth. humans have learned to label themselves with artificial barriers and divide themselves as Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Atheists etc. and the irony is that all religions teach the exact same thing or as you prefer 'philosophy'.
but majority of them fail to even read or know about their own beautiful and true religion. they rather follow certain principles which 'adjust' with little or no sacrifice into their current way of living. that is fake religion. true religion is when you follow your religions teachings word to word or are even just trying to but just completely giving up certain aspects and picking what suits best is wrong and thats manufacturing religion, that in its true sense is fake religion.
when you drop a drop of water in the ocean can you differentiate that drop from the rest? well that ocean is God/Krsna/Allah/Buddha/Jesus(insert any name whatever you seem fit that will appease your material need to be different and better from the rest) and the drop of water is you. what I am trying to say is you are part of God, God is in you... you just have to awaken and remind yourself.
ignorance is the biggest sin, i don't know everything and i am still learning but thats what human life is all about .. an opportunity to seek, to learn. follow the religion your parents thought you or seek another if you must... but remember don't lose your ability to have faith for thats the key.
i beg your pardon for the length of the post... but one last thing, a small patch of time for attaining spiritual goodness and realization lies in this great dark age and it has already begun... will be here for couple of thousands of years before materialism takes over consciousness. so try to seek the truth now while the sun is shining.
inspired by santana-dharma (not modern day hinduism)
I think every one is in title on having any kind of object that will provide luck, I carry an Egyptian coin that a friend brought me a few years ago. I have a friend that always carries a Kamagra pill for good luck.
ReplyDelete@Seminarian Matthew
ReplyDelete"Kiwimac, Hindu gods are false gods. Having an idol is mortally sinful. Making the idol is mortally sinful. Praying to the idol is mortally sinful."
LOL. dude, try having an open mind. All religions are the same. Besides, it's a sin in your religion to pray to other gods because it fosters on insecure philosophy which fears that it'll lose many of its followers.
@c-quel: "He is Christian and should follow the teachings of Christianity, not a hybrid of religions that totally contradict each other."
It's his wish to choose what he wants to follow. Right to freedom of religion, remember?
Oh by the way, the bible is FULL of contradictions so don't go around pointing out that other religions are flawed.
there is only one god and we ignorant people call him by different names.Hinduism grants equal status to all forms of worship,[5] and therefore it neither prescribes nor proscribes worship of images (murti) or "idols". Although Hinduism is commonly represented by such anthropomorphic religious icons such as murtis, aniconism is equally represented with such abstract symbols of God such as the Shiva linga and the saligrama.[6] Furthermore, Hindus have found it easier to focus on anthropomorphic icons, as Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Verse 5,
Delete“ It is much difficult to focus on God as the unmanifested than God with form, due to human beings having the need to perceive via the senses.[7] ”
Christopher John Fuller, professor of anthropology at London School of Economics notes that an image cannot be equated with a deity and the object of worship is the deity whose power is inside the image, and the image is not the object of worship itself.[8]
The misleading notion that Hinduism is fundamentally idolatrous was addressed in the context of Abrahamic religions by the 11th century Muslim scholar Al-Biruni. Al-Biruni rejected the notion and established that Hindus do not necessarily need anthropomorphisms, but the crowd and the members of the single sects use them most extensively.[9] Al-Biruni wrote that the Hindus believe with regard to God that He is one, eternal, without beginning and end, acting by free-will, almighty, all-wise, living, giving life, ruling, preserving; one who in his sovereignty is unique, beyond all likeness and unlikeness, and that he does not resemble anything nor does anything resemble Him.[9]
half knowledge is more dangerous
u and me don't have the right to criticise the sanatana dharama