Comments on: Obama Pastor Jeremiah Wright

By: epiphyte

epiphyte — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:14:56 +0000

Not my Christ – I'm an atheist. I started off as a catholic but after living long enough in Northern Ireland and the Middle East that all just kind of wore off. Left and right aren't pigeonholes I really recognize as relevant either. For what it's worth, you can tell a true believer by who he's telling you to question; if it's yourself (or a group you identify with – e.g the USA), then he's the real deal. If he's extolling you to hate someone else, then he's a rabble rouser and a fraud. Hagee's the latter, Wright might possibly be the former. What I'm looking for in a president is someone who will govern in good faith. If I had to choose on the basis of who they look to for spiritual guidance, then I think I'd go for the one who's looking to make things better, thank you very much.

By: elrod

elrod — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:13:50 +0000

Macan,
That's true. Both are divisive. I'm more sympathetic to Wright than Hagee but I recognize both as divisive.

As for Obama, the only real question at the heart of this is whether or not Obama holds the same political views as Wright. Since every single public utterance and private correspondence reported by anybody who knew him has suggested otherwise, I think it's safe to say Obama is not a black nationalist. Until other evidence comes up saying that he is, I'll consider this story one of guilt by association.

Now people might say, “OK, Obama is not a hateful man like Wright. So why did he stay there for so long?” The answer is that Wright is a more complex man than these incendiary sermons, and TUCC is not an extremist church. Wright turned Obama on to Jesus when working as a community organizer. Wright has counseled Obama on faith and family. Obama did not go to TUCC because of these sermons. By contrast, McCain DID seek counsel from Hagee and Parsley BECAUSE of their hatefulness and, consequently, their appeal to the most paranoid members of the Christian right.

The summary statement of Wright's theology that Obama embraces is included in the Audacity to Hope sermon. Read it and you'll see how someone who rejects the militant extremism of the video sermons could still see value in Wright's spiritual guidance.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily...

If this doesn't convince you that Obama's relationship with Wright is more than mindlessly inhaling race hatred then you are hopeless.

By: elrod

elrod — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:59:15 +0000

“The African American people are what they are all about . It shows they have no time for White people or others .”

This, my friends, is called racism.

By: Macan

Macan — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:54:16 +0000

Epiphyte…your Christ is clearly a
“see no evil (except on the Right), hear no evil (except on the Right), speak no evil (except of the Right)” liberal.

One can't, in all conscience, condemn Hagee as hateful and divisive, and yet praise Wright.

By: BERT_CONVY

BERT_CONVY — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:04:16 +0000

*
Didn't this …?Christian?… preacher ever hear “judge not lest ye be judged”? How in the world did a person with so much hate and pregidous ever get to such an elevated position and how is it that Obama with all his powers of perception not notice in 20 years of hearing his preaching not pick up on the fact that his mentor was a raging racist?

*bert

By: T_Steel

T_Steel — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:54:19 +0000

Wright and Obama have created a new racical divide in this great country .

How? There's always been a racial divide. Not as bad as the Jim Crow days but bad enough. The Wright-Obama Affair is just another chapter. Not the damn book.

By: epiphyte

epiphyte — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:45:38 +0000

When you look at Pastor Wright's comments in context, they don't seem at all bad. I can't remember who it was that said “Don't say that God is on our side; the question is “Are we on God's side? “” , but it seems to me that the sole purpose of Wright's assertions are to vociferously echo this sentiment. In contrast with the hateful and divisive bile that is the stock in trade of Hagee et al this smells to like nothing less that Christianity.

By: monyneen

monyneen — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:43:15 +0000

Wright and Obama have created a new racical divide in this great country . Of course Obama knew what Wright and there church stands for . The African American people are what they are all about . It shows they have no time for White people or others . Obama can never lead this great country . We want to be One American . Obama has shown by his ” standing by ) of his church and Wright that he can never be the leader of a One People America . Obama should step down .

By: Obama Pastor Jeremiah Wright | The Spin Doctor

Obama Pastor Jeremiah Wright | The Spin Doctor — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:44:13 +0000

[...] Kiwiblog wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptObama Pastor Jeremiah Wright March 16th, 2008 by CAGLE CARTOONS Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com Category: Barack Obama, Democrats, 2008 Elections, Politics | [...]

By: Obama Pastor Jeremiah Wright

Obama Pastor Jeremiah Wright — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:02:54 +0000

[...] Beyond the Rhetoric – Freelance Writing, Personal Development, and Making Money with Michael Kwan wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptObama Pastor Jeremiah Wright March 16th, 2008 by CAGLE CARTOONS Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com Category: Barack Obama, Democrats, 2008 Elections, Politics | [...]