FROM BARACK OBAMA:
"The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my political opponents.
Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.
Because these particular statements by Rev. Wright are so contrary to my own life and beliefs, a number of people have legitimately raised questions about the nature of my relationship with Rev. Wright and my membership in the church. Let me therefore provide some context.
As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.
Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.
Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country.
With Rev. Wright's retirement and the ascension of my new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good. And while Rev. Wright's statements have pained and angered me, I believe that Americans will judge me not on the basis of what someone else said, but on the basis of who I am and what I believe in; on my values, judgment and experience to be President of the United States."
Source: The Huffington Post
"The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my political opponents.
Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.
Because these particular statements by Rev. Wright are so contrary to my own life and beliefs, a number of people have legitimately raised questions about the nature of my relationship with Rev. Wright and my membership in the church. Let me therefore provide some context.
As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.
Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.
Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country.
With Rev. Wright's retirement and the ascension of my new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good. And while Rev. Wright's statements have pained and angered me, I believe that Americans will judge me not on the basis of what someone else said, but on the basis of who I am and what I believe in; on my values, judgment and experience to be President of the United States."
Source: The Huffington Post
4 comments:
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation.
I've given this much thought, and have heard the Senator personally repudiate the comments of his pastor. But something doesn't feel right and I don't believe the statement above is accurate.
There have been too many small things in the past year that have happened that, when put together, appear consistent with the hate speech I have heard that pastor over the last couple of days.
I can't say that Obama believes that and is lying to us, but something isn't right. And it is disappointing to see this in someone that I would not vote for, but respected nonetheless.
There have been too many small things in the past year that have happened that, when put together, appear consistent with the hate speech I have heard that pastor over the last couple of days.
I can't say that Obama believes that and is lying to us, but something isn't right.
There is absolutely nothing, NOTHING in Obama's record that indicates he agrees with the over-the-top rhetoric of his pastor.
People who don't like Obama, or who don't want to see him as the Democratic nominee, and perhaps president, have latched onto this unfortunate incident as proof of something amiss in Obama's character.
Are you familiar with Martin Luther? The man who is responsible for the Reformation, and whose name is attached to a very large Protestant sect?
He was one of the most virulent anti-Semites in history. And this wasn't some youthful aberration. He vehemently spoke against the Jews all his life and encouraged that hatred--even their annihilation when he realized they would not convert to Christianity!
And yet there are thousands and thousands of people who proudly call themselves Lutherans.
They've been able to take the positive things Luther was about and leave his vile anti-Semitic preaching behind.
I see this as a parallel with Obama and his pastor.
Would you suspect that all Lutherans are cryptic anti-Semites because the founder of their religion was one of the worst anti-Semites in history?
Think about it.
There is absolutely nothing, NOTHING in Obama's record that indicates he agrees with the over-the-top rhetoric of his pastor.
I agree there is nothing in his record. But, as I posted on my site, there is something amiss here. Senator Obama was on Fox News Friday night specifically to answer questions about this, and I watched and listened very carefully. And when he said he had never personally heard these comments from the hate spewer, I got the impression he was trying to cover his ass.
I can't necessarily base it on any factual material. But I've watched enough politicians try to give the properly modulated answer and give off subtle signs that they're in spin city. And this was the first time I really saw Obama seriously off his game.
I would have been more convinced had he admitted that, at one time, this hate speech did appeal to him, but as he spent more time away, his viewpoint had changed, but he had kept going to this church out of sheer inertia.
Nonetheless, hearing him try to explain this was not convincing, or at the very least, a too little, too late effort. I'll leave it to Democrats to make the final call here, though. After all, they have to live with their nominee.
As for Martin Luther:
I don't know all the history that is involved here, but let me try to comment based on what you have put forth.
Perhaps all of Luther's followers were, at that time, as anti-semitic as he was. It is possible for that hatred to have been screened out over the centuries. But I don't know what the people of Luther's time took away from him.
Churches do evolve their thinking and ideas over time. Trust me, I'm a Catholic. My church has been evolving (and making many many mistakes along the way) for millenia.
But unlike Lutherans, who haven't been getting it from Luther's mouth for centuries, Obama has heard almost two decades of sermons, some of which had to have this hate philosophy infecting it. So either Obama heard it, or knew about it, for a while now.
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