To testify

Submitted by Zerian (United Kingdom), Sep 5, 2008 at 21:34

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the link, unfortunately I couldn't open the page to the NY Times website it seems to be down presently but I'll try again tomorrow.

You raise an interesting point when you ask "what message does this send to the Muslim world?" but I still don't think this will make Muslims think that Mr Obama is "one of us", so to speak.

Clearly Obama remembers his early years, where the call to prayer from the muezzin is heard 5 times a day, so its natural that he would have recollection of this. However, the fact that he can remember the words does not mean that he ever recited them with sincerity. It's the sincerity that is the key. You have to really believe it.

I came to live in Britain from Bosnia when I was 14 and went to a Catholic school for 2 years. I can remember every word of the Lords Prayer and appricate its beauty and purity. This doesn't make me a Christian. I can remember the songs and prayers of Serbian Orthodox Christians from my childhood and can respect them without wishing to become one of them.

Hearing the choir at my school was, to quote Mr Obama, one of the prettist sounds on earth. I can appriciate the beauty of it, without dening my own faith. Similarly, Mr Obama can talk in a warm fashion about aspects of Mulims culture without actually identiting himself as one.

I don't have any particular partisan support for Obama, I am not an American so have no say in whether he is elected or not. Perhaps he is too inexperienced for such an important role, maybe too naive, and McCain may be better for safeguarding American intersts. However, I don't think you need fear that Mr Obama is actually secretly a Muslim who will ally with America's enemies.

Zerina

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