By Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editors
(CNN) - On our sister blog The 1600 Report, CNN's Alex Mooney notes a discrepancy in the official White House transcript of a California fundraiser Monday night, during which a person who heckled President Barack Obama was escorted out by security.
Here's the White House transcript's account of the heckler:
AUDIENCE MEMBER: The Christian God is the only true living God, the Creator of the heavens and the universe.
But Mooney observes that the White House pool report records the heckler as being much more blunt, yelling "'Barack Obama is the Antichrist!"
The president interrupted his remarks at the fundraiser, held at Los Angeles' House of Blues, to respond to the heckler.
"First of all, I agree Jesus Christ is the Lord," Obama said. "I believe in that. I do have a question, though. I think the young man may have left his jacket... "
Ironically, the remark about Obama as the Antichrist came the same day that The New York Times ran an op-ed arguing that the Antichrist is assuming a bigger place in the public discourse, as evangelical Christian ideas about the end times gain traction.
In a piece titled "Why the Antichrist Matters in Politics," Washington State University history professor Matthew Avery Sutton argues that, for some Christians, Obama fits into ideas about the Antichrist, whose arrival is believed to be a portent of the end times and Jesus' second coming:
For some evangelicals, President Obama is troubling. The specious theories about his place of birth, his internationalist tendencies, his measured support for Israel and his Nobel Peace Prize fit their long-held expectations about the Antichrist. So does his commitment to expanding the reach of government in areas like health care.
The op-ed was the most e-mailed piece on nytimes.com for much of Tuesday.
In the 2008 campaign, Republican presidential nominee John McCain released an anti-Obama ad called "The One" that ridiculed Obama for what it said was his messiah complex. Some critics claimed the spot was a veiled attempt to paint Obama as the Antichrist, though the McCain camp denied it.
What do you think? Is there a gathering movement to paint the president as the Antichrist? Are such charges overblown attempt to discredit Obama's critics?
Read Mooney's full report here.
Well he ruined the economy, what do you expect!
Where have you been. It shows your ignorance to blame President Obama for the mess that we are in. What rock did you crawl out from under?
*poot*
I am the "anti-brains".
Oh, Please! Our president is an intelligent man and a compassionate leader. He is definately NOT the anti-Christ. How stupid and insane are these people who would dare to call him this? This is slander against a great President. Stop the insanity.
Frankly, if you believe in the antichrist.. you should kill yourself, and preferrably your entire family in order to avoid his/hers evilness.
That's all.
Did you ever think that the people who wrote the OP ED and who are spreading these ugly lies might be the anti Christ or working for him? Racists, neo nazis, all people who spew hatred fall into that category. Hopefully we aren't that stupid to believe such poison
Do you believe that jebus crisco died for your sins? If so, we are that stupid.
PLEASE, bring on the antichrist comparisons...PRETTY PLEASE! Nothing will marginalize the GOP more than if the religious right latches on to crap like this!
If you believe in an invisible magic WHITE GUY WITH A BEARD who lives in the sky, then really you are not very good at logical thinking and quite capable of believing just about anything. Remember, it was a 98% Baptized Christian German nation that was stupid and gullible enough to enthusiastically annoint an Austrian corporal as their FUHRER. So it's not so strange for some gullible, illogical evangelicals to come up with this nutcase scenario!
Galileo, Newton, and Gregor Mendel were all christians.
christian inbreeds are stupid and must not be allowed to occupy any position of power........ever.
Seriously?
He's right, although it could have been said more intelligently.
I also love our President and feel embarrassed for him that he has to deal with such a bunch of Christian GOP Congressmen and women who want to do nothing more than see him fail and will do everything they can to. Did I say Christian? Too bad they don't live it.
Well they gotta do something! Gosh!
why is this an issue? This country full of people from all different religions and cultural backgrounds. There is no place for religous wars in the US! We claim to be the best country in the world....we just voted for a black president and people cant stand it, never had a female president and will most likely never have a non christian as a president. Clearly he doesnt believe in the devil.....but why does he have to make it a point in mentioning the specific god he prays to? Keep politics and religion seperate!
You're stupid if you believe this. Thanks
Do you really think Obama could get everyone to put 666 on their forhead........What a joke, What a laugh, he can't even get me to think I need the goverment to provide me health inusrance and I have pre existing conditions and cant get health Insurance...
This is almost too "whack-job" to comment on....
So what if he is, shouldn't we be rejoicing if that means the second coming is near ?
People have been calling anti-christ ever since there was a bible and politics in the world.
Antichrist? No. Wrong about almost everything? Absolutely.
this is a test...
Drink yourself
Haha...no, not THAT kind of test...just trying to get CNN to actually let me post something. Was attempting an end-run around their security.
Just plain silly. The antichrist is supposed to user in an era of peace. I think he missed the boat.
Next time elect a conservative...
Daniel 8
Anti-Christ will come through peace treaties..mmmmm
23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many