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Is Obama a Muslim? Examine the Evidence!

2010-08-22 · John · watch on YouTube · US politics & society · news analysis

Prompted by a poll finding more than 20% of Americans believe Obama is a Muslim, John deadpan-tests Obama's public record against the Five Pillars of Islam, concludes he is either not a Muslim or a really bad one, stresses there is nothing wrong with being Muslim, and asks the media to talk about something else.

What is said

00:00:00 — Bonus video: a poll finds over 20% of Americans think Obama is a Muslim; why not just take his word for it

  • ★★★ John reports an opinion poll last week found more than 20% of Americans believe President Barack Obama is a Muslim. — 00:00:01 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ John notes Obama repeatedly says he is a Christian but also repeatedly said he'd allow importing prescription drugs from Canada, which hasn't happened, so they won't take his word. (playful) — 00:00:08 · Barack Obama, Canada

00:00:21 — The Five Pillars of Islam checked one by one against Obama's public record: Shahada, prayer, zakat, sawm, hajj

  • ★★ John explains the Five Pillars of Islam are its most central facets of belief and practice; the first, the Shahada, is reciting and believing there is no deity but God and Muhammad is his prophet. — 00:00:21
  • ★★ John says no one can prove Obama has, or hasn't, ever said the Shahada. — 00:00:36 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ John says observant Muslims pray at least five times a day: dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. — 00:00:41
  • ★★ From Obama's public schedule: during evening prayers on April 8, 2010 he dined with Dmitry Medvedev, and during noon prayers on April 5, 2010 he hosted the White House Easter Egg Hunt; no one saw him pray. (playful) — 00:00:48 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ John says zakat is almsgiving: Muslims are required to give 2.5% of their wealth every year to the poor. — 00:01:20
  • ★★★ Per Obama's public tax returns, he and Michelle gave on average less than 1% of their income to charity in 2000-2005, so he was not performing zakat. (playful) — 00:01:27 · Barack Obama
  • ★★★ John says Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to dusk in Ramadan, which began August 11 this year; on August 17 Obama was photographed ordering and eating lunch, and he eats in daytime nearly every day. — 00:01:40 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ John says able Muslims must make the hajj to Mecca once; Obama hasn't and likely never will, since the Saudi government bars non-Muslims from Mecca. (hedged) — 00:02:03 · Barack Obama

00:02:22 — Conclusion: not a Muslim or a really bad one; nothing wrong with being Muslim; the media should find something else to talk about; sign-off

  • ★★★ Since Obama fails four of the five pillars (never mind beer and pork hot dogs), John concludes he is either not a Muslim or a really bad one. (playful) — 00:02:22 · Barack Obama > «either President Obama is not a Muslim, or he is a really bad Muslim.»
  • ★★★ John stresses there is nothing wrong with being a Muslim; President Obama just isn't one. — 00:02:39 · Barack Obama
  • ★★ John asks the Drudge Report, Huffington Post, CNN and Fox News to find something else to talk about. (playful) (hedged) — 00:02:47

Humor (significant)

  • On April 8, 2010, during evening prayers, Obama dined with Medvedev, who did not emerge saying 'Oh my God'... — 00:00:58 > «Barack Obama pulled out a prayer rug, turned it in the direction of the Kaaba and proceeded to pray."»
  • The Obamas gave on average less than 1% of their income to charity in 2000-2005. — 00:01:35 > «Meaning that, in addition to being a bit of a tightwad,»
  • After concluding Obama is not a Muslim, John lists other things he is not. — 00:02:42 > «He's also not Jewish, not a baby and not the starting left fielder for the New York Yankees.»

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