In Obama's mind, what does "clinging to religion' mean, exactly?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

is he saying if someone weren't so simple, they would compromise their religious beliefs?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

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I think what he meant is when people spend their lives in a reality that falls short of the good ‘ole days, and public officials consistently fail to deliver on their promises, it is easy to become cynical about anyone or anything that carries with it the promise of a better future. Instead, people find scapegoats to blame for it all and then turn inward to God and tradition - the two most good and wholesome things in life to many of them that, no matter what happens, cannot be taken away.

Those who lack hope must fill in its place other things to cope.


Edit: Which in hindsight I suppose is a less thorough variation of what Lief explained!

but, the way Obama said it was that "clinging to religion" is bad.  I wonder if Obama thought the lives Paul, Peter, and Jesus were examples of people who lived out their lives "clinging to religion"?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Well, "clinging" to anything is bad.

really?  so "clinging" to honesty and integrity is "bad"?   That is the whole point of this thread - what, exactly, was "bad" about their religion?

...or, was the "problem" the mere fact these clingers were willing to stand for something and therefore expose the flaws in Obama's character?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

but, the way Obama said it was that "clinging to religion" is bad.  I wonder if Obama thought the lives Paul, Peter, and Jesus were examples of people who lived out their lives "clinging to religion"?

If Paul had clung to his religion, he never would have stopped persecuting those who believed that Jesus was the messiah.  Indeed, the whole New Testament is about how people should not cling to their religion simply because it is what they have traditionally believed in.

  obviously, Paul left his old beliefs, but found a new set which he "clinged" to even more, even to death.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

True, but my point was that Paul didn't cling to those new beliefs because they were a venerable tradition handed down to him from those who raised him.  If one takes the account of his conversion on the road to Damascus as accurate and truthful, then when presented with evidence suggesting those beliefs might not be correct, instead of rejecting the evidence a priori because it contradicted what he had already believed, he considered it and used it to form a new conclusion.

so, then you're saying the religion of those Obama is referring to is wrong?