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Obama administration’s attitude toward religious freedom

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Written by Emily Belz

January 28, 2011, 8:53 AM

Emily0128b WASHINGTON—Two years after President Obama took office, the position of ambassador for international religious freedom remains vacant, sparking concerns about the government’s preparedness to deal with religious elements related to the turmoil in Tunisia and other international conflicts.

Tom Farr, who served as director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom in the Bush administration, condemned the Obama administration’s “utter indifference” to religious freedom and said the two-year vacancy in the religious freedom office was a “scandal.” The unfilled position has already hampered the government’s efforts to address growing persecution of Christians and Islamic extremism in the Middle East, as just one example, Farr said. . . . MORE >>

Read Emily Belz’s complete report from Washington here.

Topic: News Desk, Religion

Keywords: Congress, Middle East, Obama administration, State Department

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back to top19 Comments to “Obama administration’s attitude toward religious freedom”

BY Xion 01.28.11 AT 9:14 AM

Where was Tom Farr, director of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom when the Bush Administration was helping draft the Iraqi and Afghan constitutions which make the oppressive tyrannical religion of Islam the state religions?

Even though those constitutions give lip service to religious freedom, you cannot have true freedom under a religion which imposes the death penalty for saying anything amiss about their founder who was a terrorist.
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BY Chas 01.28.11 AT 9:43 AM

I don’t fault Obama on this. I can’t imagine what real good a director of international religious freedom will do. Issue statements? That hasn’t helped in Burma, China, Pakistan,, or any other place in the world.
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BY Bob Buckles 01.28.11 AT 9:57 AM

And who would Obama appoint?
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BY Sawgunner 01.28.11 AT 10:01 AM

The nations that routinely violate the rights of religious minorities are nations impervious to whatever pleas we make. A tourism boycott would be effective but most of those are countries no one wants to visit anyway.
The international Religious Freedom office was most likely like so many other govt posts: a sinecure sop offered to well-connected donors. This one however allowed the President to point and say that Religious Liberty was on his radar screen.
Far better that publicizing violator nations be left with Voice of the Martyrs, Freedom House– I support those ministries and encourage all of you to do so as well.
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BY Neil Evans 01.28.11 AT 10:37 AM

I tend to agree that the position has not been and likely would not accomplish much in terms of real religious freedom for religiously oppressed people around the world. However, it does say volumes about the attitude of this administration toward Christianity when other non-western religions have received such attention. Despite the words they say, in reality they see neither the United States of America nor Christianity as exceptional in our world.
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BY Debra 01.28.11 AT 11:05 AM

For goodness sakes let the position remain vacant! There is such a thing as going from the frying pan to the fire; and with Obama’s track record, he’d end up filling it with the likes of Imam Rauf.
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BY Pastor Roy 01.28.11 AT 11:28 AM

Bob Buckles 01.28.11 AT 9:57 AM
And who would Obama appoint?
–
Rev Wright, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson etc.
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BY Pastor Roy 01.28.11 AT 11:29 AM

Cut the office complete it will save money for the nation.
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BY mrs.news2me 01.28.11 AT 2:11 PM

GET RID OF THAT gov’t position.

They CAN’T CONTROL what other countries are doing.

Just another position that increases gov’t spending.

How many people are employed in that dept.?

We have shown no matter HOW MUCH MONEY we give them, countries do whatever they darn well please.

HELLO???
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BY mrs.news2me 01.28.11 AT 2:12 PM

Hey PASTOR

I just noticed YOUR post after I posted mine.

Pretty funny.
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BY Pastor Roy 01.28.11 AT 2:19 PM

mrs.news2m – how are you
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BY mrs.news2me 01.28.11 AT 2:34 PM

I am fine, thank you for asking. And you?

I don’t get here much these days.

Lots to do for the home.

Sometimes I don’t want to read all this stuff.

Obama and HIS people (like Pelosi) make me sick.
As well as some of the people SENT to World to say stupid stuff.
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BY mrs.news2me 01.28.11 AT 2:35 PM

Did anyone notice the Tums BIDEN was popping during Obama’s speech? It was either Tums or No Dose.
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BY bob dylan doesnt believe you 01.28.11 AT 3:48 PM

How did you know the Administration pays me per comment? You sure are perceptive.
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BY kwatson 01.28.11 AT 5:56 PM

Obama nominated Suzan Johnson Cook for the position and Senator DeMint (R-SC) put a hold on the nomination. It’s funny how facts that don’t fit with the narrative are simply ignored. It’s called lying by omission.
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BY hrw 01.28.11 AT 6:52 PM

Talk about gov’t waste — why a special post for something diplomats in the respective countries should take care of. I find myself weirdly agree with other posts.

It does seem strange though that Obama is receiving criticism for leaving the position open yet its a Republican congressman who put the hold on Obama’s appointment,
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BY NJLawyer 01.28.11 AT 8:17 PM

The position shouldn’t even exist.
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BY Xion 01.28.11 AT 9:00 PM

#15 HRW “I find myself weirdly agree with other posts.”

Yeah, weird. The problem is this:

On the one hand, religious freedom is the freedom to think and express one’s thoughts and beliefs. This is most fundamental freedom and therefore the most critical element in any nation.

On the other hand, no entity is more inept and wasteful and misguided than government. Put them in charge of religious freedom and you’ll get the opposite. Even the Supreme Court of the United States interprets religious freedom as censorship of anyone who mentions religion.

Shut it down!
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BY summerlinphil 02.11.11 AT 2:59 PM

It is very disturbing that as our Christian brothers and sisters are being persecuted in these evil nations, our government still sends millions of dollars in aid. The only way that we might make a difference in issues in other nations is to CUT OFF FUNDS!
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