President Barack Obama marked the 239th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with his annual video tribute to America, but some people noticed something he didn't say.
"Obama left out any mention of God in his recent address," wrote Gateway Pundit. "Instead, this year, he chose to end his speech with a very politically correct, 'Thanks, everybody. From my family to yours, have a safe and happy Fourth of July.'"
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References to God have been fading over the past two years. Obama ended his 2013 Independence Day address with the typical presidential closing, "So, God bless you all. And may God bless The United States of America."
In 2014, he shortened it to simply, "God bless you all."
Obama did mention the "Creator" as he quoted from the Declaration of Independence in praising "our founding patriots" who proclaimed "that all of us are created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Some might give Obama "points" for that, wrote Dave Urbanski at The Blaze.
Reaction was mixed on The White House YouTube channel. A user going by Enlighten Ment sparked a lively debate, saying, "President Obama no longer has the right to say 'God Bless America.' Well if he says it, he's not talking about the God of the Bible because the God of the Bible would never support such a sinful nation."
Yes. Government and the political elite have become so corrupt that to mention God not only violates separation of religion and state, but is blasphemous to boot.
And as George Carlin said: "What kind of vague meaning is 'God Bless America'? Is it a request? An order? Basically it means 'Good luck America' and is about as meaningful." (slight paraphrasing because I don't have the transcript, but have heard this bit many times so it's close).