15 percent of Democrats believe Obama is a Muslim

[oberliner]

And 14 percent of liberals believe that according to the same CNN poll.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2015/images/09/12/iranpoll.pdf

What the hell?

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I don't believe he's a Muslim,

but really wouldn't care if he were. There is to be no religious test for holding office in the US - or at least that's what I've been told.

[GreenEyedLefty]

2. One of my daughter's friends said yesterday because Obama's middle name is Hussein he's Muslim.

I said, no, the name is Arabic. There are no "Muslim" names.

[MADem]

16. "Hussein" means "Good Looking." It's not an inherently religious name.

The "religious" name is BARACK (blessed), if you want to get down to it!

[oberliner]

35. And Barack is based on the Hebrew Baruch, I believe

I'm sure there are other linguistic influences as well.

[MADem]

39. Mohamad Hosi MUBARACK had it as a last name--it gets around~! nt

[Reter]

38. There are definitely Muslim names

Mohammad, Ali, Khalid, Ahmad, etc. are just a few of the many Muslim names that Christians in the ME don't name their kids. Sure, Christians technically can names their kids those names, but it's about as rare as a Muslim naming their kid Christian.

[MADem]

40. In Lebanon especially, a lot of kids have a "Christian" and a "Muslim" name.

Or one that can go either way. Makes it easier to get along in swirly families and neighborhoods....

Many Biblical characters are found in Islam. For example the mother of Jesus (he's ISA over there--same guy, and he is regarded as 'a' prophet--and I know Muslims named Isa, too) is Maryam (I know quite a few Muslim Maryams). Abraham of the Old Testament is Ibrahim.

Ahmad is one of Mohamad's names, and Ali is a variant on Allah. One could aver that they are to some extent 'faith based.' Khalid isn't a terribly religious name, it means "Immortal" or "eternal."

Salim is a popular name regardless of religion--it just means peace.

[elleng]

3. and where born???

Another country (SPECIFY) 13%
Africa 4%
Kenya 4%
Middle East 1%
Indonesia/Other Asia 1%

Considering the length of the poll and positioning of these questions, at the end, I give little/no credence to it.

[oberliner]

8. And 1 percent think he is Jewish?

I'd like to ask those people how they came to that conclusion.

[elleng]

9. LOVE IT!

THAT would be GREAT!

[Gothmog]

21. Many consider Obama to be the first Jewish POTUS in the same way that B. Clinton was first AA POTUS

He holds a Seder at the White House each Passover

[LeftishBrit]

44. Well, he does have a Jewish ex-stepmother and a Jewish half-brother, who lives in China and is

married to a Chinese woman. (I was just looking up Obama's family background.)

So maybe Obama is both Jewish and Chinese! It would make about as much sense as his being a Muslim.

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. In other news, large numbers of Americans are utter morons. n/t

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

34. Hahaha...

and we are surrounded by them here Obama/any democrat=really bad. Trump/Cruz/any repub=gooooood.

[A HERETIC I AM]

36. You poor dear!

Keep your heads down!

[Garrett78]

46. Yep.

Here's something I just learned: more Louisiana Republicans blame Obama for the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina than blame Bush. Apparently it doesn't matter that Obama was a freshman Senator and Bush was POTUS when Katrina struck.

And then you've got the people who are opposed to Obamacare but support the Affordable Care Act.

The ignorance, it burns.

[Hortensis]

54. Moronic being an end stage of profound dishonesty maybe?

Having adopted any lies that make them feel good, then eventually coming to believe them?

That still leaves all the first-stagers who just delight in dishonest smears but can still connect with the truth if necessary. I used to think this was mostly a right-wing problem, but I'm no longer sure. People on both extremes seem particularly prone.

[Fred Sanders]

5. Approximating the same percentage of "Kim Davis Democrats" who believe Obama is the anti-Christ.

[GreenEyedLefty]

6. People can be ignorant as fuck.

That's about all that I know for sure.

[Glassunion]

7. Obama is a Muslim. He's just really fucking terrible at it.

1. No beard
2. Supports women's rights
3. Supports gay rights
4. Eats pork
5. Drinks beer
6. Only has one wife
7. Has two dogs that are black
Etc...

If Obama is a Muslim, he's really shitty at it.

[MADem]

13. Well, some might aver he has it down to a science!!!

There are many, MANY Persians who call themselves Muslim and behave the very same way!

[krispos42]

45. Well, of COURSE Obummer fails at being a Mooselim

He fails at EVERYTHING!!!

Under him, the stock market PLUMMETED to twice its value! The unemployment rate has SOARED from 11% to 6%! And look at those outrageous gas prices!

[Turbineguy]

10. Obviously these people

are ripe for recruitment to the GOP.

[yeoman6987]

15. I hate to say it, but I hope not

If GOP gets another 15 percent, we screwed election wise. We just need the 15 percent to shut up.

[Kingofalldems]

31. Too much man.

[MADem]

11. Are any of the fifteen percent Muslim, themselves?

Thinking that someone is Muslim is perceived as "bad" by some--but not by all. In America, the headline is

"WAAAAAAAH---15 Percent of--gasp--DEMOCRATS!!!!--- Think Obama is a MOOOOOOOOOS-LEMMMMM!!! Oh, the HUGE MANATEE!!!"

In the Islamic world, the headline is thus:

"Only 15 percent of American Democrats acknowledge Obama is a Muslim in surprising survey results."

Many Muslims do believe that if your father was Muslim, you are, too. It's like being Jewish, only with a different line of determination.

I think POTUS is what he says he is, and beyond that, I really don't care.

It wouldn't disturb me in the slightest if he left office after the next inauguration and headed straight for the masjid, though--in fact, I'd laugh like hell.

[TeddyR]

12. People are ignorant

Even some Dems. Even if he is it doesn't matter (except of course to the RW idiots that want to kick Muslims out of the country). I don't really care what his personal religious beliefs are if he does a good job.

On edit, I should clarify I don't care what his personal religious beliefs are period. Religious beliefs are what they are.

[Jappleseed]

14. Pretty sad isn't it

"You don’t believe that Senator Obama’s a Muslim?” Kroft asked.
Of course not. I mean, that’s, you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn’t any reason to doubt that,” she answered.

“You said you’d take Senator Obama at his word that he’s not a Muslim. You don’t believe that he’s a Muslim?” Kroft said.

“No. No, there is nothing to base that on,” Clinton said, adding, “As far as I know.”

[GeorgeGist]

17. “As far as I know.”

[Rex]

18. Kim Davis is a Democrat, so what. Some people are really stupid.

Who realistically floats around the idea that Dems are all the exact same? New one to me.

[oberliner]

19. I've never heard a Democrat promoting the idea that Obama was a Muslim

I've only ever heard it from Republicans and the like.

Thus, I was surprised by the results of the poll.

[Rex]

20. I am surprised at the number, was hoping it would be closer to 5%.

Never doubt that we have idiot people in our party too, it is just unrealistic to think we are all progressive minded imo.

Yeah, that number is very disappointing.

[RichGirl]

25. Apparently only an American born person can be president.

If this weren't the case...I would be fine with Obama being a Muslim and I think many others would too. It's likely that those dems who think Obama is Muslim, don't really care if he is or isn't.

[MADem]

41. Lots of people ARE both "American born" AND "Muslim."

???????

This guy is one of the most famous:





He is a Muslim, and he was born right here in the good ole USA.

[merrily]

55. .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_citizenship_conspiracy_theories#Origins_of_the_claims

[oberliner]

56. That Wikipedia uses this Politico article as the source of their claim

For what that is worth:

http://www.politico.com/story/2011/04/birtherism-where-it-all-began-053563

[merrily]

58. I remember when this came out during the 2008 primary.

I have no way of knowing whether it was the first time it came up, but it happened. The interns were removed from the campaign, but the damage was done. IMO, the culture of both campaigns is similar.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. That link does not say what you claim it says. Did you post the correct link or are you riffing?

nt

[Mosby]

27. See page 32.

[oberliner]

28. Yes it does

Check Page 32.

The question asked is:

Do you happen to know what religion Barack Obama is? Is he Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, something else, or not religious?

They break down the responses on page 32 by party affiliation (and various other categories)

[truebluegreen]

23. I'm fine with that.

There's nothing wrong with having a Muslim president, or a Jewish one, or an atheist.

[RichGirl]

24. Obama's mother was an Athiest...

...she wouldn't have raised her son to be a Muslim. She also wouldn't have raised her son to be a Christian but he lived with his grandparents until about six I believe, in Kansas, so he probably has a Christian background. My guess is that he leans Athiest.

Personally, I think a persons religion or non-religion shouldn't matter in the least.

[merrily]

59. Factually incorrect on several points.

Obama was born in Hawaii and, AFAIK, he never lived in Kansas. His grandparents had moved from there well before he was born. His mom and Dad met in Hawaii.He and his mother lived with his grandparents when he was very young, she being very young, and probably technically unwed as well given that Obama Sr had a wife in Kenya when he came here to study. Obama and his mom were on welfare for a time during this period.

At some point, his mom married one Soetero, and they all went to live in Indonesia, when Obama was six. He lived there between the ages of six and 10. I believe, but am not 100% certain, that age 10 is when he went to live with his grandparents, but his mother did not. (Check his wiki.)

Age 10 would have been the youngest he lived with his grandparents, but without his mom.

[RichGirl]

64. I read "Dreams from my Father"

...and obviously don't remember all the details. But my point is the same. They have Christian churches in Hawaii and Obama's grandparents would have gone and taken him. He has some form of Christian training.

I was raised Christian and took all the good from it (teachings of Jesus)....but the bulk of it, stories of the death and destruction God inflicted on his "children"... that I left behind. I kind of think Obama has done the same.

[merrily]

65. I don't think we know if his grandparents were churchgoers or that they would have taken him against

his atheist mom's wishes. In any event, his atheist mom was with him from birth to at least the age of ten. What he did in those years probably had a lot more to do with her than with his grandparents.

[loyalsister]

66. I read it too

I remember that he wrote about having access to a wide range of religious texts which is not surprising given his mom's discipline. And, it seems that he has a healthy respect for all religions. I don't remember any mention of religious upbringing when he wrote about living with his grandparents.

The way I remember Dreams From My Father, is as an account of his personal evolution in discovering what it means to be Black. It started with his work in Chicago, which led to his finding an intentional Black family connection via a congregation.

Religious rhetoric appears in his speeches very often, and it typically reflects the most common elements of most religions. If I were to guess, he comes across to me as more academically oriented in his reflections and his personal history. And, I think it's possible that his connection with the congregation drives his interest more than specifics of theology. Not that it really matters, anyway.

He identifies as a Christian, and I take him at his word. Whatever his beliefs, they seem to inform his worldview positively. I agree with Colin Powell - even if he were a Muslim, so what?

[kydo]

26. They are really republicans who never got around to changing parties

Dixiecrats and or raygun dems. I know tons of these idiots. They are registered as democrat but vote rethug. They love to say they are dem but voted for the other person and then proceed to slam democrats.

[RKP5637]

29. FFS! n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

30. Most likely just polling noise.

27% of the sample called themselves Democrats. The sample size was 1,012 people, so, 273 of that are Democrats. 15% of 273 is 40 people. The sampling error of the subgroups is 8.5%, which could certainly swing such a small sample.

[Fumesucker]

32. What percentage of those were just yanking the chain?

Not everyone is dead serious when taking these polls, sure some believe that but I suspect some were having a lark.

I'd probably have voted for Jewish myself..

[oberliner]

33. I did wonder about that

There definitely could be some folks who are just trolling the pollsters.

[Reter]

37. I know a Muslim who says Obama is a Muslim

He really likes the President, too. He says Obama went to school in Indonesia, his father was Muslim, was always around Muslims growing up, and even his name is Muslim. Says he only pretends to be a Christian because only Christians and Jews can get elected.

[branford]

42. People like that couldn't be LESS helpful...

In any event, I love polls like this. I fairly certain that if it asked if Obama was an martian or Elvis is disguise, the results would similarly be around 15%, and irrespective of political party.

In any poll, presidential or otherwise, there's always a statistically significant number of people that either just like to screw with the pollsters or are frighteningly ignorant or insane, and it crosses all demographics.

When you realize that with a population of approximately 320 million in the USA, and that 15% is a whopping 48 million people, I wonder why more Democrats don't support the Second Amendment. A great number of our friends and neighbors might secretly have a dangerous lack of grounding in reality...

[LeftishBrit]

43. Well, he doesn't go to mosque, and doesn't pray 5 times a day, and doesn't avoid all alcohol or pork

So no one with sense could call him a practicing Muslim. I always find the whole 'secret Muslim' idea bizarre. Islam, like Orthodox Judaism and several other religions, involves observance of key rules and rituals, not just private belief; so is simply not a religion that a public figure could practice secretly.

They may mean that Obama has some Muslim ancestors. He does from long ago. That doesn't make him a Muslim. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, also has some Muslim (Turkish) ancestors and no one says he's a Muslim.

[oberliner]

53. Aren't there secular Muslims who do not do those things?

Not sure that those actions define who is or is not a Muslim.

In fact, I believe that if you testify to their being only one God and acknowledging that Mohammed was his prophet then that is enough to make a person a Muslim.

[Contrary1]

47. I don't care one way or the other what he is...

Seems like the word "Muslim" is a synonym these days for evil person who wants to kill Americans.

He is our president, and he has done some very good things. What faith he follows, if any; is no concern of mine.

[akbacchus_BC]

48. This is mind boggling! 14% of liberals believe that President Obama is

Muslim! Shame on people who feel this way. This President is American and definitely not Muslim. Have no idea why this is an issue again.

[branford]

49. Not all Democrats are liberal,

and people can be both an American (nationality) and a Muslim (religion). In fact, many peaceful Muslims, secular and religious, are loyal American citizens.

Nevertheless, President Obama is not Muslim, as evidenced by his own statements and actions, and the accusations are ludicrous. If he were, that too would be perfectly acceptable.

[oberliner]

52. IF you read the survey at the link, it breaks it down by liberal/conservative/moderate

As well as by political party.

14 percent of those who identify as "liberal" believe him to be a Muslim.

[Codeine]

63. That's nearly as racist as you are!

Nearly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7178151

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

50. Must be the Reagan Dems, I wonder if that is an accurate percentage of them in the Dem Party?

However I don't know any nor do I socialize with any Conservative Dems either so I cannot confirm or deny it either

Only see em on the TV spewing their conservative and turd way BS.

[oberliner]

51. But 14 percent who call themselves "liberals" also have this belief

So it's not even limited to conservatives, which I find strange.

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

60. People self ID in polls heck I have been known to make up answers when I get the calls just to

F with them.

I know I am not the only one who does it.

[oberliner]

61. Yeah I thought of that too

Definitely could be some folks just messing with the pollsters.

[Bluenorthwest]

62. Look, most recent polling shows about 26% of Democrats oppose marriage equality, on DU those

who were opposed to equality always claimed to be super liberal, ultra liberal in fact. So that's a quarter of Democrats who are against the rights of millions of other Democrats. Most of them would self identify as liberal, if they were conservative they'd be Republicans. 'Liberal' like 'conservative' is a term of art and relative to any standard the speaker applies.

[orpupilofnature57]

57. I would ask them what he's done to display that, then ask what Christian ethic has been

displayed in government in the War, Exploitation, and disparaging spirit toward anything that isn't WASP .