President Obama Calls for Unity Under the Golden Rule

During the annual National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama called for unity among both faith groups and secular groups under the Golden Rule. In what he called his "hope and . . . prayer," President Obama reminded all in attendance of the unifying nature of the Golden Rule, which appears in several religious and nonreligious ideologies.

"Whatever our differences, there is one law that binds all great religions together," Obama said in his keynote address. "Jesus told us to 'love thy neighbor as thyself.'"

President Obama went on to site different renditions of the Golden Rule from several different religious groups. Among his examples was the Islamic saying attributed to Muhammad's "Farewell Sermon": "Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you."

Obama's reference to the Golden Rule came as part of his call to end divisions among both different religious groups and religious and nonreligious groups. According to the President, the Golden Rule "requires us not only to believe, but to do . . . to give something of ourselves for the benefit of others and the betterment of our world." In other words, letting go of our differences to unite under shared causes.

"Instead of driving us apart," President Obama said, "our varied beliefs can bring us together to feed the hungry and comfort the afflicted, to make peace where there is strife and rebuild what has broken, to lift up those who have fallen on hard times."

These statements served as a preface to President Obama's announcement of the new White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This new office, which expands upon the office developed under President Bush, would help both religious and secular community organizations to work on a wide variety of community issues. According the President Obama, the goal of this office "will not be to favor one religious group over another, or even religious groups over secular groups."

"It will simply be to work on behalf of those organizations that want to work on behalf of our communities," Obama said, "and to do so without blurring the line that our founders wisely drew between church and state."

Sources:

USA Today ("The Oval"), "At Prayer Breakfast, Obama prays for 'God's grace' to 'fill the space between us'" , USAToday.com

Steven L. Warren, "Obama Says Faith Should Not Divide" , Christian World News (CBN.com)

Mark Silva, "Obama broadens Bush's faith-based programs" , Los Angeles Times