Controversial minister leaves Obama campaign

The video was made more than a year ago

In a sermon on the Sunday after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001,

In a 2003 sermon, he said blacks should condemn the United States and he also gave a sermon in December comparing Obama to Jesus, promoting his candidacy and playing down Clinton.

Just a couple of extracts from another article on this subject. Hope it doesn't take Obama this long to make decisions when the need is really critical.

I guess that attitude was OK till it became public knowledge. Funny how that works.

Mike Heemer

On Sen. Obama's website, www.barackobama.com he states he attends TRINITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST which is located in Chicago, IL.  The church website www.tucc.org states the Rev. Dr. Wright has been pastor there since 3-1-1972.  Somewhere I read Mr. Obama had been going to that church for more than 20 years.

If Sen.Obama does not agree with his pastor, why does he go to church there?  If the pastor does not like the USA, why does he continue to live in USA?

Obama’s , and his hands. 

http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2007/10/20/obama-no-hand-heart-pledge-either-will-msm-notice  

Michelle Obama’s comment about pride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufb46_WvSkQ&feature=related  

“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country … not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change,” she said. “I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment.” 

Could it be that the way Michelle Obama feels about her country is due to the preaching of her pastor of twenty years? What about Barack, Why would he choose not place his hand over his heart when our national anthem is played? Could it be he is not proud of his country, due to the racism and hate sermons his pastor spews from his pulpit at his church? This is some food for thought. I am very surprised that the fellow blogers have no reply for this blog. To me this enlightening information about Barack is a huge news story, and yet many in the main stream media has chosen to ignore it, and it seems my fellow blogers have done the same. This enforces a comment that I have made in another blog about how the media have an agenda of their own they try and push. It was just last week when my better half and I were talking about the candidates and I made the remark that I don’t think we have really seen the true face of Barack

Barack was on the news Friday night to denounce the allegations made about him and his church. If you look online you will find many clips on his pastor giving these racist hate sermons at all different times and dates. Barrack’s comment was he has never heard his pastor make any comments in that manner, and if he did he would not agree with them. NO one; and I mean NO ONE can convince me that you can set in a pew for twenty years and not hear any of these comments his pastor has made. And if you disagreed with them there is no way in Hell you are going to set in a church for twenty years and listen to sermons that you disagree with.

GW,

I'm taking a time out on this one.  It's nothing against you or from lack of interest.  I, as with other bloggers have covered this in a previous blog, "Political "Kingdom of Faith," religious left or right," 03.13.08.  If you wish, you can scroll down to my last reply for the reasons.

I can't tell you the reasons why the press keeps a story going or drops it.  I can tell you that I am still seeing snippets of it as of a day or two ago.  Is it important?  Yes.  How important is it for the press to keep it up front?  For that, you might have to ask the press.

RichK

Imagine in 1999, that a videotape had come to light showing the pastor of Texas Gov. George W. Bush's church making vicious, hateful comments about America and cruel, racist statements about Americans of color. Suppose this preacher had given a lifetime achievement award to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, and had traveled to Europe with Duke to meet with neo-Nazi terrorists. Now try to envision that the candidate's family had attended this church for more than twenty years, that George and Laura Bush had been married there, by this pastor, and that the Bush daughters had been baptized by him. Picture George Bush titling his autobiography after a phrase in one of this minister's sermons, writing that the man was his mentor, and then putting him on the presidential campaign staff as a trusted advisor and confidant. Say it came to light that for several years George W. Bush had been friends with Eric Rudolph, the notorious Olympic Park bomber and anti-abortion terrorist. Furthermore, let's suppose that Bush had remained friends with Rudolph over the years and still considered him a colleague today. Now imagine Laura Bush, on the campaign trail for her husband, telling supporters and the national media that America is "mean" and that for the first time in her adult life she was proud of her country. Is there a doubt that Republican officeholders would have run from the Bush campaign like rats from a burning barn, that he would have become the political leper of the 2000 campaign? And what about the media? They virtually crucified candidate Bush that year for daring to give a speech at Bob Jones University, which had once banned interracial dating. I cannot imagine the field day they would have had with something like this.

Your last entry is especially enlightening.  I'm a little worried about just what sort of change this man would bring about, I see alot of things that for me are red flags.  I'm still alarmed over his wanting to build a "Kingdom" on earth.

Marsha, et al,

We should be worried @ what politicians say whether they are running for office or are already there.  There has been no shortage of quotes on religious thoughts.  Obama is not the first, nor will he be the last.  Here are a few more.

From Katherine Harris who, in August, 2006, was running for Senator.  In an interview with the Florida Baptist Witness, she said, “The Bible says we are to be salt & light.  And salt and light means not just in the church & not just as a teacher or as a pastor or a banker or a lawyer, but in government & we have to have elected officials in government & we have to have the faithful in government and over time, that lie we have been told, the separation of church & state, people have internalized, thinking that they needed to avoid politics & that is so wrong because GOD IS THE ONE WHO CHOOSES OUR RULERS.”  (Caps are mine.)

If, according to the gospel of Ms. Harris, the founding fathers lied to us, we should also ask what else they lied about & why were doing all this lying in the first place?  If God chooses, why do we need political parties, or voters, for that matter?

From Mike Huckabee.  Speaking to a not particularly religious crowd near Detroit on Monday, before the Michigan primary, he slipped into an argument to amend the Constitution to ban abortion & same-sex marriage, “so it’s in god’s standards, rather than try to change God’s standards.”  So much for the Constitution speaking for all the people.  I’ll spare you his thoughts on evolution.  It’s too early in the morning.

From Mitt Romney.  In his now infamous speech explaining his Mormon religion in College Station, Texas, he said, “Our constitution was made for a moral & religious people.”  How thoughtful of him to not only automatically exclude people of no faith, but also to make an attempt to reword the Constitution.  But it gets better.  He went on to say, “Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom.”  With this one, short sentence, he, & no one else, made himself the target of historians, people of no faith, non Christians, many Christians, the legal profession & Constitutional scholars.  That’s a pretty wide audience.

From George Bush II.  In August, 2003, W said, “And then God would tell me, George, go & end the tyranny in Iraq.  And I did.”  That explains so many things. None of them good.

As I said, these were just a few.  If you look back in the quotes of any politician, you will find many things that I would guess they would like to take back whether they were speaking on religion or anything else.  Such is the fate of public office.  Such is what we get stuck with.  (Sorry for ending in a preposition)  JATFUR.

RichK

I think the focus of the thread was meant to be on Obama, not all Bible quoting politicians. 

Correct me if I'm wrong FreeSpeech but was the overall message of your last entry not to display the double standard that may be occuring over this situation?  That the voices of judgement would be voiced much louder if you took the same set of events and inserted a white candidate?

Good luck to you Marsha on keeping some folks focused on Obama and his religious comments. 

I do agree it is interesting the attention Obama is getting over his minister's comments, but not near as much attention over his very own comments of building his Kingdom here on Earth. 

Freespeech - your comments are spot on.  Huckabee and Romney only had to mention the word Christian and the press was on them like white on rice.  Obama's own comments, even discounting his pastor's, have brought him a much more objective reporting from the press - almost a byline. 

I think they can't believe their golden boy might be getting tarnished. 

Just as recent as a few months ago Obama was praising his minister for his guidance, and actually had him listed on his campaign material.  This guy makes Al Sharpton look balanced.

Marsha,

Yes, you're right in that the focus of this thread is on Obama.  Fortunately, at least I hope it will be fortunate, we will learn a bit more on his press conference. 

I did not offer "all bible quoting politicians," only four.  The purpose, as I stated, was to put into context that Obama is not the first & in all probability, won't be the last.  When one brings up a subject, any subject, it must be taken in context to the situation & compared to similar situations to have a more complete picture.  Otherwise, why would you ask @ the "voices of judgement," in inserting a white politician in the same situation?  If nothing else, with my above reply, I answered your very question.  As far as the reactions, one can go back into numerous coverage from any number of news organisations to judge the reactions.  JATFUR.

RichK