--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was reminded that it is my obligation…" description: "\"I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possib..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg" --- # I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an… ![“I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg) > “I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges personal and civic duty to reconsider stance on gay marriage, guided by faith and pluralism. **In simple terms:** I should rethink my view on gay marriage. Key Takeaway Stay open to evolving perspectives. Themes faith politics LGBT rights Mood thoughtful conflicted Type ethical When to use this quote - legislative voting - faith community dialogue Key Concepts ethical reflection public duty Questions to Reflect On - What values influence your stance? - How can you reconcile faith with policy? A Different Perspective Changing views can cause political backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Elected officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected-officials/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Gay rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-rights/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-gay-marriage/) ## Related quotes > [Who cares if it's a campaign strategy, and who are other people to say it's ridiculous? 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I support gay marriage too, but Obama only does things to stir the pot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-a-campaign-strategy-he-s-all-about-getting-the-votes-i-support/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I didn't have a perfect model, but I wanted to try to blend my own personal reflections and experiences with this broader canvas to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-didn-t-have-a-perfect-model-but-i-wanted-to-try-to-blend-my-own/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As an elected official who comes from the African-American community, there are some similarities. You are always trying to reconcile your own personal biography…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-an-elected-official-who-comes-from-the-african-american-community/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Support gay marriage. I didn't vote for your marriage, why should you vote for mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/support-gay-marriage-i-didn-t-vote-for-your-marriage-why-should-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Marriage is about Love, not Gender! I support gay marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-about-love-not-gender-i-support-gay-marriage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a UFC fighter, a macho-type sport. I am a heterosexual guy in a tough macho sport, which is exactly the reason I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashad-evans/i-m-a-ufc-fighter-a-macho-type-sport-i-am-a-heterosexual-guy-in-a/) [Rashad Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashad-evans/) > [I don't support gay marriage, but I also don't support a constitutional amendment banning it. 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I also happen to think that gay marriage bans like Prop 8 are violations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/look-i-support-gay-marriage-from-a-policy-voting-booth-perspective-i/) [Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/) > [ It's none of my business what somebody's \[orientation is\]. Now, when somebody makes it my business, like on gay marriage, I'm going to stand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/it-s-none-of-my-business-what-somebody-s-orientation-is-now-when/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us. Society is stronger when we make vows to each other and we support each other. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/conservatives-believe-in-the-ties-that-bind-us-society-is-stronger/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [I have many gay friends who don't support gay marriage either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-creighton/i-have-many-gay-friends-who-don-t-support-gay-marriage-either/) [Lucinda Creighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-creighton/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. 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I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation-not-only-as-an-elected/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation-not-only-as-an-elected/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e7/barack-obama-17_christian_i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation_1974704.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was reminded that it is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation-not-only-as-an-elected/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-reminded-that-it-is-my-obligation-not-only-as-an-elected/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```