I thought of this kind of "passion" the other night as I watched and waited for the lunar eclipse.  It seems that others had been waiting for a great moment too. We had been warned that this new leader was coming.  A prophet even said look to the skies!

"We are the ones we've been waiting for'" indeed!

Note how much the "leader" in this video resembles Obama. Same ears, same round head, same collarless shirt...the only difference is that Obama is black and this other leader was "orange". Coincidence?

Media outlets label Obama supporters as 'cult-like'

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Media_outl ets_label_Obama_supporters_as_0220.html

Hillary Clinton's campaign may be focusing its attacks on Senator Barack Obama by suggesting that the candidate is plagiarizing his speeches. But to the media, another issue may be just as important: the strong base of supporters that Obama has built up in the course of his campaign. And many press outlets seem convinced that Obama's following is less of a movement and more like a cult.

A Tuesday night broadcast on ABC News' Nightline offered an example of behavior it implied might be 'cult-like.' Show host Terry Moran started out the report calling Obama's base "a massive and fervent following." Correspondent David Wright then referred to the supporters as a "congregation," and proceeded to compare Obama events to Bruce Springsteen concerts, and Obama's starpower to that exerted by The Beatles or Hannah Montana...

Nightline hasn't been alone in advancing this theme.

Last Friday, CNN's Wolf Blitzer also intoned that Obama supporters might be "a little too passionate." Correspondent Carol Costello started out her report suggesting that critics of Obama believe he has started "a cult of personality."

Some humorists have had fun with the suggestions that Obama's base is cult-like. Wonkette's Ken Layne has joked that Obama is a witch doctor who has "the ability to hypnotize young voters."

But the charges of having a "cult-like" base of supporters have taken a more negative tone in place. The LA Times' Stein warned that "Obamaphilia has gotten creepy." And Slate's David Plotz went as far as to suggest Obama's manner of speech was "fascistic."

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And Obama Wept -Jake Tapper ABC News

www.drudge.com/news/103933/and-obama-wep t

Inspiration is nice. But some folks seem to be getting out of hand.

It's as if Tom Daschle descended from on high saying, "Be not afraid; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of Chicago a Savior, who is Barack the Democrat."

Obama supporter Kathleen Geier writes that she's "getting increasingly weirded out by some of Obama's supporters. On listservs I'm on, some people who should know better - hard-bitten, not-so-young cynics, even - are gushing about Barack...

Describing various encounters with Obama supporters, she writes, "Excuse me, but this sounds more like a cult than a political campaign. The language used here is the language of evangelical Christianity - the Obama volunteers speak of 'coming to Obama' in the same way born-again Christians talk about 'coming to Jesus.'...So I say, we should all get a grip, stop all this unseemly mooning over Barack, see him and the political landscape he is a part of in a cooler, clearer, and more realistic light, and get to work."

Joe Klein, writing at Time, notes "something just a wee bit creepy about the mass messianism" he sees in Obama's Super Tuesday speech.

"We are the ones we've been waiting for," Obama said. "This time can be different because this campaign for the presidency of the United States of America is different. It's different not because of me. It's different because of you."

Says Klein: "That is not just maddeningly vague but also disingenuous: the campaign is entirely about Obama and his ability to inspire. Rather than focusing on any specific issue or cause -- other than an amorphous desire for change -- the message is becoming dangerously self-referential. The Obama campaign all too often is about how wonderful the Obama campaign is. "

Then there's MSNBC's Chris Matthews who tells Felix Gillette in the New York Observer, "I've been following politics since I was about 5. I've never seen anything like this. This is bigger than Kennedy. [Obama] comes along, and he seems to have the answers. This is the New Testament."

And behold, Obama met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

The Holy Season of Lent is upon us. Can Obama worshippers try to give up their Helter-Skelter cult-ish qualities for a few weeks?

At least until Easter, or the Pennsylvania primary, whichever comes first...

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Lets put Barack Obama through the "Is he a dangerous cult leader" check list and see how he does ! :)

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CULT WARNING SIGNS

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   Potentially unsafe groups or leaders "come off very nice at first, they go for vulnerable people who are looking for answers, lonely, what you'd call 'normal people.' They're very good at what they do and can get people to believe anything. You might think you'd never get taken in, but don't bet on it. "
    -- Margaret Singer, Ph.D.

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By Rick Ross, Expert Consultant and Intervention Specialist

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Warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.

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  No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.{CHECK!}

  Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.{CHECK!}

   There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.{CHECK!}

   Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.{CHECK!}

   There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the extremes of the group/leader.{CHECK!}

   Followers feel they can never be "good enough" for the group/leader.{CHECK!}

   The group/leader is always right.{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

  The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

--

Warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader.

--

   Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.{CHECK!}

  Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.{CHECK!}

  Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

 Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.{CHECK!}

  Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

   Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede any personal goals or individual interests.{CHECK!}

   A dramatic loss of  sense of humor.{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

   Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.{CHECK!}

  Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

  Non followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted.{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}{CHECK!}

Yup, it's a cult alright...

Kick some "False Gods" Ass tonight Hillary!

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be according to their works.
(2 Corinthians 11: 13 -16 KJV)