The former president's religious beliefs were often shrouded in mystery, which is why one political commentator took it upon himself to do the research.
Throughout his presidency, former POTUS Barack Obama had separated his religious life from his political life, causing some to wonder if he was ever a Christian like his successor, former President Donald Trump. In fact, his religious life was so far separated that there had been conspiracy theories that pushed the idea that Obama secretly practiced Islam.
Now, political commentator Dinesh D'Souza has some revelations to show following his research on Obama, Charisma News reported. His findings were discussed in a recent conversation with preacher and author Jack Hibbs.
"Here's my take on it: [Obama's] father was born a Muslim but became an atheist. His mother was an atheist from a very young age. His stepfather, a guy named Lolo Soetoro from Indonesia, was also born a Muslim but became an atheist," D'Souza remarked. "So he was raised by three atheists."
D'Souza said however that he does not believe Obama "he has an ounce of religious faith of any kind in his upbringing" but he has religious beliefs. The Christian apologist and author explained that Obama's father and mentors were influential in him "[developing] a passionate hostility to the United States of America as being a rogue nation."
D'Souza described Obama as a leader who was "sympathetic to these Muslim rebel movements" who he believes were being "oppresed" by Americans. He likened the U.S.' occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan to the occupation of the British in India and Kenya. He explained, "So the guys we're fighting, they're heroes. They're like Gandhi. They're like Mandela. They're like his [Obama's] dad. They're freedom fighters."
D'Souza explained that Obama's atheism caused him to forego religious services anywhere during the beginning of his political career. The Democratic leader, however, did work with Chicago's left-wing church groups that were "fighting for social justice." The author explained that Obama was once approached and advised to "pretend to go" to church. He then found Trinity Church in Chicago, where he met Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose "main theme was not civil rights," but instead "foreign policy."
D'Souza sais that Rev. Wright's message was "how America is the evil nation in the world." The author claims that his research on Obama has led him to conclude that conspiracy theorists and most commentators and voters do not understand the former president's real convictions. Instead of labeling Obama as not a Christian, a Muslim or even a civil rights activist, D'Souza says he is an "anti-colonialist who thinks America is fundamentally an evil empire," the report said.
"I'd call it third-world liberation theology. That's his doctrine. It's not traditional Christianity," D'Souza explained. "Third-world liberation theology makes Jesus into a Marxist guerrilla revolutionary. He's fighting against the 'evil empire': The United States."
In 2021, Pew Research reported that Obama was "raised in a nonreligious household but converted to Christianity as an adult," explaining why he worshiped at a United Church of Christ congregation, the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. However, he left the church during his first presidential campaign in 2008 following controversial comments made by Rev. Wright. In the history of America, there are two religiously unaffiliated presidents: Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
