Obama to speak at National Prayer Breakfast

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, questioned Obama’s visit to a mosque.

“No man who enters upon the office in which I have succeeded, can fail to recognize how every president of the United States has placed special reliance upon his faith in God”, he said. “Fear can lead us to lash out against those who are different, or lead us to try to get some sinister “other” under control”, he said a day after visiting a mosque to urge religious tolerance.

“Like every president, like every leader, like every person, I’ve known fear”, Obama said. Another example was an American Muslim who prayed in public, despite his fears of persecution, the day following terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, Calif., by Islamic extremists.

Some commentators interpreted the president’s references to fear as a veiled critique of 2016 Republican presidential candidates, whom Obama has criticized for playing on America’s fears. We are driven to do this because we’re driven by the value that so many of our faiths teach us — I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. The President described the fear of such changes as “a primal emotion” that “we all experience”, adding “it can be contagious, spreading through societies, and through nations. What better time than these changing, tumultuous times to have Jesus standing beside us, steadying our minds, cleansing our hearts, pointing us to what matters?”

” I pray that our leaders will always act with humility and generosity”.

“They too are Americans and welcomed here”, Obama said today at the prayer breakfast.

Commander in chief made final appearance as president at event on Thursday… Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro quipped that the president has been good – in a way – for religious life. This breakfast is a national tradition because prayer is a part of our national heritage. Speaking at the bipartisan and non-denominational event on Thursday, Obama expressed how his own faith has been important to his strength as a world leader. Other religious minorities are under assault as well, including Shiites and Turkmen.

The breakfast also featured a keynote address by producer Mark Burnett and actress Roma Downey – the husband and wife team behind the popular 2013 History Channel miniseries “The Bible” – which was once the subject of criticism because the actor who played Satan was said to resemble Obama.

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The couple also offered a patriotic talk about healing tribal differences.

“We learned to become bridge builders”. The White House has not yet posted the text of Obama’s remarks; I’ll post a link here when it is available.

“(T)here is nothing more comforting – or more humbling, really – than to hear someone say, ‘I’m praying for you.’ Because when hear you that, you realize, you’re not alone.

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