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By Lloyd Mackey
THE AMERICAN presidential
race took on a new dimension a few days ago, when one of the two
contenders for the Democratic nomination was required to defend his
long-time pastor's rhetoric.
Barack Obama disavowed a selection of the expressed views of Jeremiah
Wright Jr., who, earlier this year, retired from 36 years as senior
minister of Chicago's 9,000-strong Trinity United Church of Christ.
Among the views from which Obama distanced himself was Wright's
attribution of American foreign policy as one of the reasons why that
nation was visited with 9/11.
That point struck a bit of recall in this scribe's mind. It had to do with
a comment by another preacher, the late Jerry Falwell, shortly after
9/11. He declared that 9/11 could be blamed on America's acquiescence to
abortion and gay rights.
Falwell later apologized for those comments, suggesting that they had been
made in the heat of the moment.
At the time, a
New York pastor, David Epstein, who had previously been senior minister at
Metropolitan Bible Church, here
in Ottawa, went public with his criticism of Falwell's comments. Epstein,
minister of 1,300-member Calvary Baptist
Church in mid-town Manhattan, suggested that, no matter how strongly
he might feel about life and family issues, Falwell needed to take care
with his language. His argument was that if evangelical Christians were to
effectively reach out to people in large cities who might differ from
themselves on these issues, they could not afford to negate their outreach
through spurious claims of blame for cataclysmic events.
Obama, of course, has already been a target of those who suggest that his
background and family roots are not all that far removed from Islam. Some
of the critics, in fact, like to make something of the presidential
contender's middle name, Hussein.
There are some points worth noting about Obama's church.
Firstly, it has all the characteristics of a black evangelical church,
including strong preaching, electrifying gospel music and an emphasis on
social justice issues that have always been at the heart of black
theology. Caucasian evangelicals tend to be much slower to adapt to the
social gospel -- likely because oppression and poverty has been much less
of an issue to us.
Jeremiah Wright frequently emphasized that his church was unabashedly both
Christian and black. And, while the Christian designation would clearly
separate Trinity from the accusation of being some sort of pseudo-mosque,
the black identifier would be seen, by some critics, to be portraying
racism and hatred.
But the point to be made, in the Canadian context, is that what goes on in
churches, in terms of pulpit rhetoric, often becomes radioactive when it
spreads outside worship walls.
That is why, for the sake of political survival, Christian politicians
sometimes need to reinterpret the words of their pastors, spoken "in
private" to the faithful during worship services.
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Undoubtedly, there is much not needing to be interpreted. The message that
Jesus calls us to integrity, honesty and clear thinking on the great
issues of life, family, poverty and the environment is sure to get us some
admiration, if not acceptance in the outside world.
But when inflammatory behind-the-pulpit rhetoric gets cut into little
snippets and scattered to the public breezes, it can create much
unnecessary harm. True, it may help to build a cult following for a
captivating leader, a following that might include people who are in
politics and the public service.
But the interpretation of that rhetoric into the larger public sphere
calls for both integrity and diplomacy on the part of Christians who are
in that sphere, if the messages of faith are to be as useful as they
should be, to society at large.
* * *
Lloyd Mackey is a member of the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery in
Ottawa and the author of Stephen Harper: The Case for Collaborative
Governance (ECW Press, 2006) He can be reached at lmackey@canadianchristianity.com.
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kin won't vote Obama
A visit with my born-again Texas cousins
and their "Steeple People" allies is a window into Christian salvation,
Southern politics, and the conviction that Muslims like Barack Hussein
Obama have no chance of going to heaven. By ancestral blood, my relatives
here in the suburbs of Houston are as Jewish as I am, on our fathers'
side, yet they are certain that, when the Rapture comes, they alone among
the Abels shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air, as prophesied in 1st Thessalonians, while I and all the
others in the family who have not received Jesus as our Saviour will
remain affixed to the profane Earth through the seven awful years of
Tribulation.
Allen Abel, National Post, March 15
Barack
Obama's selective silence on his racist pastor, Jeremiah
Wright
Obama should have taken ownership of his long-term lack
of judgment. But he didn't. In fact, he implicitly shifted the blame for
his moral blindness in asking people not to assign "guilt by association."
The real moral flaw, Obama seems to suggest, isn't his association with a
racist; rather it is the flaw of judging others.
Barbara Kay,
National Post, March 19
A
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Senator Barack Obama really has only one
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Father Raymond J. De Souza, National
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Crying
uncle
For Obama to say, as he did, that he doesn't think
Farrakhan deserves the award is certainly better than for him to say that
Farrakhan does deserve it, but it's hardly as strong a statement as one
would hope from a man who aspires to lead the free world. In fairness,
this seems to have dawned on Obama as well. The coin finally dropped.
Maybe somebody shook the box or kicked it, but the Senator's latest
statements no longer mention old uncles. They now stress retirement
instead.
George Jonas, CanWest Publications, March 20
March 27/2008
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Large numbers of Republicans have been voting for Barack Obama in the DEMOCRATIC primaries, and caucuses from early on. Because they feel he would be a weaker opponent against John McCain. And because they feel that a Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama ticket would be unbeatable. And also because with a Clinton and Obama ticket you are almost 100% certain to get quality, affordable universal health care very soon.
But first, all of you have to make certain that Hillary Clinton takes the democratic nomination and then the Whitehouse. NOW! is the time. THIS! is the moment you have all been working, and waiting for. You can do this America. "Carpe diem" (harvest the day).
I think Hillary Clinton see's a beautiful world of plenty for all. She is a woman, and a mother. And it's time America. Do this for your-selves, and your children's future. You will have to work together on this and be aggressive, relentless, and creative. Americans face an even worse catastrophe ahead than the one you are living through now.
You see, the medical and insurance industry mostly support the republicans with the money they ripped off from you. And they don't want you to have quality, affordable universal health care. They want to be able to continue to rip you off, and kill you and your children by continuing to deny you life saving medical care that you have already paid for. So they can continue to make more immoral profits for them-selves.
Hillary Clinton has actually won by much larger margins than the vote totals showed. And lost by much smaller vote margins than the vote totals showed. Her delegate count is actually much higher than it shows. And higher than Obama's. She also leads in the electoral college numbers that you must win to become President in the November national election. HILLARY CLINTON IS ALREADY THE TRUE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE!
As much as 30% of Obama's primary, and caucus votes are Republicans trying to choose the weakest democratic candidate for McCain to run against. These Republicans have been gaming the caucuses where it is easier to vote cheat. This is why Obama has not been able to win the BIG! states primaries. Even with Republican vote cheating help.
Hillary Clinton has been out manned, out gunned, and out spent 2 and 3 to 1. Yet Obama has only been able to manage a very tenuous, and questionable tie with Hillary Clinton.
If Obama is the democratic nominee for the national election in November he will be slaughtered. Because the Republican vote cheating help will suddenly evaporate. All of this vote fraud and republican manipulation has made Obama falsely look like a much stronger candidate than he really is. YOUNG PEOPLE. DON'T BE DUPED! Think about it. You have the most to lose.
The democratic party needs to fix this outrage. I suggest a Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama ticket. Everyone needs to throw all your support to Hillary Clinton NOW! So you can end this outrage against YOU the voter, and against democracy.
I think Barack Obama has a once in a life time chance to make the ultimate historic gesture for unity, and change in America by accepting Hillary Clinton's offer as running mate. Such an act now would for ever seal Barack Obama's place at the top of the list of Americas all time great leaders, and unifiers for all of history.
The democratic party, and the super-delegates have a decision to make. Are the democrats, and the democratic party going to choose the DEMOCRATIC party nominee to fight for the American people. Or are the republicans going to choose the DEMOCRATIC party nominee through vote fraud, and gaming the DEMOCRATIC party primaries, and caucuses.
Fortunately the Clinton's have been able to hold on against this fraudulent outrage with those repeated dramatic comebacks of Hillary Clinton's. Only the Clinton's are that resourceful, and strong. Hillary Clinton is your NOMINEE. They are the best I have ever seen.
"This is not a game" (Hillary Clinton)
Sincerely
jacksmith...
Barak Obama is younger and has fresh ideas. Those fresh ideas, along with his intelligence are what captures people's hearts.
Hillary Clinton has a Pastor too, wonder though why CNN has decided to NOT film her Pastor's ranting. The fact is, a Pastor is just that - a Pastor. The congregants follow the teachings to a degree. The person of the Pastor has nothing to do with the congregants. The fact that Obama's Pastor spurts off things that the 'nation' disagrees with, has nothing to do with Barak Obama.