Obama's Pastor

What was and is un-Ameircan is having a double-standard. You have Falwell, and Robertson saying that the people of new orleans got what they desrved, and McCain supporters Hagee and Parsley who have said same incredibly inflamatory comments from their pulpits. When we start to hear as much complaining about these people, then you can can criticize Wright all you want. Until then, your condemnations ring rather hollow.

Interesting point I read:

In his speech on race, Obama sought to evoke sympathy for Wright. He described a “lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one’s family…”

Obama said this was “the reality in which Rev. Wright and other African-Americans of his generation grew up. They came of age in the late fifties and early sixties, a time when segregation was still the law of the land and opportunity was systematically constricted…Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways. For the men and women of Rev. Wright’s generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years.”

In retirement, Wright will continue a life of privilege that dates back to Central High. As a retirement gift, Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ is building him a million-dollar home abutting Odyssey Country Club and Golf Course in the nearly all-white Chicago suburb of Tinley Park. The home sits on land the pastor purchased in 2004 for $345,000. In December 2006, Wright sold the land to his church, which took out a $1.6 million mortgage on the property. In April 2007, the church applied for a building permit for the brick and stone structure.

Wright’s new home has 10,340 square feet of space, about four times the size of a typical suburban house. It includes four bedrooms, an elevator, an exercise room, and a four-car garage.

Rather than being a victim of oppression of blacks, as Obama has claimed, Wright is a symbol of the American dream !

4/29/08: FINALLY, Barak ‘I can no more disown Rev. Wright than the black community’ Obama, has had a sudden change - people I know came to that very same conclusion (Wright is wrong) a very long time ago - just 48 hrs ago he was defending Rev. Wright - today the sudden change - some chickens have apparently come home to Roost !

Heard a commentator put it this way today: Obama’s speech didn’t help his candidacy. He attempted to make Americans feel guilty again. It’s his hatemongering reverend who needs the lecture on race, not the good people of this nation.”Senator Obama is not the agent of racial healing. He is the product of it.”…interesting take.

After watching the Obama speech today, I have some Random thoughts:

• He stated previously that he was not present at any of these inflammatory sermons, yet today said ‘I was’.

• Previously stated he wasn’t aware Rev Wright was ‘controversial’, yet months ago the reason he gave for canceling Rev Wright to give the prayer at his entering the race announcement was ‘some of his sermons are kind of rough’.

• His wife is middle-aged, yet she states ‘now is the first time I have been proud of America in my lifetime’ (not exact words but close).

• it is common for people to judge people by ‘the friends they keep’

• I find many of Rev Wright’s views frightening for many reasons.

• it seemed to me he was saying in the overall tone of the message - whites are racist / African-Americans are not.

• he seemed to equate what Rev Wright said with what Geraldine Farraro said.

• he remembered what his Grandmother’s views were from childhood, yet not more recent views of Rev Wright.

• seems to me if you genuinely believe for 20 years he did not notice / figure out what was coming from that pulpit - how can one come to the conclusion as President he would have the ability and awareness to recognize bad judgement, execute due diligence, and be able to accutely discern matters - be an effective Leader of the Country.

• He is selling himself as very different from Rev Wright, he refuses to totally separate himself.

Again, these are just Random thoughts I had which I think merits ‘food for thought’.

The same people who have gone ballistic when some prominent figure is found to belong to some all-male social club are full of excuses for why Barack Obama remained a member of a racist and anti-American church for 20 years.

Thanks - I was afraid it was another, ‘I voted for it before I voted against it’ type spin.

“Contrary to Senator Barack Obama’s claim that he never heard his pastor Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. preach hatred of America, Obama was in the pews last July 22 when the minister blamed the ‘white arrogance’ of America’s Caucasian majority for the world’s suffering, especially the oppression of blacks.”

• Ron Kessler of NewsMax.com
• NY Times also reported

I can’t understand the reason why he seemed to ‘throw his living grandmother under the bus’ - he stated: I can no more disown [Jeremiah Wright] than I can my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe…interesting

He has already repudiated his statements. There was no delay, he did it immediately, and wright has quit working for the campaign. It took Hilary 2 days to give a luke-warm denunciation of Ferarros comments.

amblessed, you are clueless to what the black experience is in this country. I am not black, but I understand this at least; no one but a black person can understand what it means to be black in this country. I do not think what Wright said was so horrible. Inflamatory, yes. It was meant to be. This was a speach at his own church, in front of his own constituents, that is now being used to paint Obama as anti-white.

Why do some white people think that blacks have no right to ever express anger at their mistreatment? Or do you really believe blacks have not been mistreated?

He has separated himself from the comments, he has stated the man is like family and will not separate himself from the man. Case closed, move on.

And do you find anything untrue about that statement?

Did Obama say it?

Have you ever heard someone you normally admire say something you don’t agree with?

Do you think McCain should denounce John Hagee? Why hasn’t there been even the slightest blip on the corportate controlled media. You know, the guy who called the catholic church a wh0re, and accused it of inspiring hitler.

Well, in that case I think that he’s taken appropriate action. I’ve been in a situation myself where I was able to love and appreciate the people of a church, and the work God is doing through them, whilst not being able to retain membership myself due to certain issues with the leadership. It’s important to realise that a church, while being represented by its leadership, is really made up of every Christian who worships there. Hard to denounce such a large and diverse body of Christians.

justsearching makes a good point in his question and I’ve read and seen other accounts in the media that what was apparent to them was the speech went from the abomination of slavery … to somehow using that to justify the un-American and vitriolic language of Jeremiah Wright.”

I bet almost everyone has a friend, family member, or close acquaintance who is racist.

Considering that the New Testament was compiled by the Catholic church, do you really think they would have included Revelation if the wh0re of Babylon referred to them!? Of course not.

The ‘wh0re of Babylon’ refers to Marcionite gnosticism, which no longer exists, but was a major competitor to Catholicism at the time Revelation was written.

I haven’t read everything that Rev. Wright said but I do know for a fact that none of it affects Obama’s qualifications for President. He clearly meets the guidelines that the Constitution sets forth. Whether or not he’s capable of being a good leader is another question entirely.

“The same people who have gone ballistic when some prominent figure is found to belong to some all-male social club are full of excuses for why Barack Obama remained a member of a racist and anti-American church for 20 years. “

You are truly an abomination amblessed. It is not anti-american, nor racist. They do not deny any one membership based on race. It is not there fault that no whites want to join.

Why do you feel the need to make the same posts in multiple threads? Are you race baiting?

Wonder what this means - Obama noted his resignation (from the church) should not be interpreted as a denouncement of the church. “It’s not a church worthy of denouncing,” he said

Researched - interesting to see who else said something similar to what the grandmother said: There is nothing more painful to me … than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved. – the Reverend Jesse Jackson, as quoted in US News, 3/10/96

eleni, good answer. Do you think a man who has followed the teachings of Pastor Wright and still does, is making good judgement

Any preacher that in their sermon uses such phrases as ‘God-Da_n America’ is not Honoring God !!

Interesting…Obama says he only ‘recently’ bcame aware of ‘inflammatory’ statements: http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=30494@wbbm.dayport.com

The bible calls it the wh0re of babylon

I think it means that Obama is intelligent and compassionate enough to realize that not everything about the church deserves denouncing…

HE isn’t the sort of person to lump everything different from what he believes into one, tidy little “hate” category…

This was something the church wanted too. Obama’s membership has been just as disruptive for them as it was for him. He did it to protect them from further scrutiny, as well as to further distance himself from the controversies.

There was no delay, he did it immediately, and wright has quit working for the campaign.

I’ve followed this story very closely and there was a lengthy dely in repudiating the statements, it was not ‘immediately’ and Wright did not quit right away.