Obama is NOT a Muslim

I finally got that email from a fundy, retarded relative who refuses to fact check anything that looks like it came from a Christian (what? they never lie!). I always address these issues by referring everyone on my family email list to snopes.com with hopes that some of these people will get the hint to look this stuff up on their own. I'm happy to report that I have reached a few people but the majority still won't bother.

After going back and forth with one relative who seems genuinely interested in the truth (small "t" also known as facts) she emails a letter where she is concerned that Mr. Obama could possibly be forced to become a Muslim because his paternal grandfather was Muslim.

This is my response:

I'll get back to you on this. Research is required before I can answer this question. What I do know from my studies on religion, some of it being Islam, is if you are not a Muslim you are not of any concern. (I think Jews are a problem but that is not what we are talking about so I won't refer to it here.) If you convert to Islam you have reached salvation but if you convert to another religion you are condemned to death and will not be accepted back into Islam. I believe shunning and perhaps death is part of the process.

I have never read or heard that if you are a Christian (or another faith) and your paternal grandfather is Muslim then you are a Muslim. I think you are considered a non-Muslim and thus not a concern of other Muslims. Being Christian is mildly acceptable and considered convertible.

If Mr. Obama lived in a Muslim country and was an average citizen and was a Christian with relatives that are Muslim then that might be a problem. Obviously this is not the case.

If I had any thought that Mr. Obama could be forced to accept Islam or Sharia Law just because he was related to a Muslim I would not consider voting for him. As an American (and most of us feel the same way) we take our freedoms very seriously, especially the freedom of religion and of speech. There would be no way one could force or insist that I accept a belief just because my grandfather was X religion. I would be surprised if Mr. Obama didn't feel the same way.

On the other hand, I feel that his unique background will give him the upper hand in our foreign policy.

Anyway, how could Mr. Obama be forced to be Muslim? I suppose someone could take his family hostage and "force" him that way. That would be quite an interesting and explosive scenario.

Anyway, I'll get back to you when I find something out. This may require some digging.

Does anyone know the answer to this question? I'll post if I find it. Also, if I've written something that is not factual please post the correction in the comments. Unfortunately, being that I'm surrounded by Christians and was raised in a Christian environment I'm mostly familiar with Christianity.