Question for Barack Obama: What part of the gospel promotes racism?

Barack Obama’s controversial black nationalist reverend is back in the news today, thanks to some detective work from ABC News (language warning):

Sen. Barack Obama’s pastor says blacks should not sing “God Bless America” but “God damn America.”

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side, has a long history of what even Obama’s campaign aides concede is “inflammatory rhetoric,” including the assertion that the United States brought on the 9/11 attacks with its own “terrorism.”

In a campaign appearance earlier this month, Sen. Obama said, “I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial.” He said Rev. Wright “is like an old uncle who says things I don’t always agree with,” telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family.

[…]

An ABC News review of dozens of Rev. Wright’s sermons, offered for sale by the church, found repeated denunciations of the U.S. based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans.

“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people,” he said in a 2003 sermon. “God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”

In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda’s attacks because of its own terrorism.

“We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye,” Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001.

“We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America’s chickens are coming home to roost,” he told his congregation.

Isn’t it interesting that Senator Obama doesn’t view essentially calling the US a white supremacist nation nor equating the US and its military with the 9/11 terrorists as “particularly controversial”?

As I’ve mentioned in prior posts this week, I’m sick of all the demanded apologies and denunciations coming from each of the campaigns, so that is not what I am asking for here. What is troubling though is the national media’s mostly glossing over BO’s longtime friendship with Wright, only throwing out the occasional bone on the mentorship, in what I guess are their lame attempts at appearing “fair.” ABC (and Fox), on the other hand, should be commended for doing the deep digging the Newspaper of Record hasn’t – and won’t – do. The Louis F.-praising Wright is not merely a “supporter/endorser” of BO’s campaign, he has been described by BO as his “spiritual mentor,” someone with whom BO has sought not just spiritual counsel but political counsel as well, and someone who was the inspiration behind his second book as well as his famed 2004 DNC keynote. Wright also married Obama and his wife and baptized BO’s two daughters.

I won’t even bother explaining what would happen if this were a Republican candidate who had the same type of relationship with a white nationalist reverend that Obama has with Wright, because we all know what he would be subjected to. The lame excuses BO has repeatedly given for Wright wouldn’t work with any GOP candidate, nor should they. But the double standards on display here both by supporters (scroll) and the mediots alike (but I repeat myself) are worth noting and emphasizing.

What’s also troubling is how Obama, who largely hasn’t run a race-themed campaign (although he doesn’t mind reaping the benefits when his surrogates trump up the race card against his opponent), continues to make excuses for Wright’s racist, anti-Jew, America hating remarks, even saying that one part of Wright’s style of preaching he likes is Wright’s commitment to the “social gospel”:

Obama has praised at least one aspect of Rev. Wright’s approach, referring to his “social gospel” and his focus on Africa, “and I agree with him on that.”

I’m sorry, but can Barack Obama state where exactly in the Bible are there passages that promote racism and hatred of your fellow man? Probably the same place where where he read that mere human beings have the ability to create a “kingdom right here on earth.” Or maybe it’s in the Sermon on the Mount, which, according to Rev. Obama, justifies civil unions.

Welcome to the genuine Cult of Barack Obama, ya’ll. Complete with its own Bible filled with BO/Rev. Wright-crafted scriptures and Commandments, the first one on the list being:

Thou Shalt Not Hold Me To The Same Standards To
Which You Hold Others, And If Thou Doest,
Thou Shalt Be Considered A Racist.
Bonus: Fox News reports that Rev. Wright’s pro-Obama sermons may land the purveyor of “social gospel” in hot water with the tax man:

CHICAGO – Barack Obama’s controversial pastor and the church he’s served for 36 years may be in hot water over statements he has made from the pulpit in support of the Illinois senator’s run for the White House.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. preaches that he follows the righteous path, but when it comes to the federal tax law, his Trinity United Church of Christ may have crossed the line.

Although Wright delivered what was billed as his final sermon last month on his path to retirement, prior to his departure he delivered commentary from the pulpit now being scrutinized in which he praised Obama.

“There is a man here who can take this country in a new direction” Wright said during his Jan. 13 sermon, according to recordings obtained by FOX News.

Here’s video of one such sermon:

So that’s what “social gospel” really looks like, eh? Karl at PW has a link to another Wright sermon.

Here’s more from the Fox News piece:

“It’s pretty clear an indirect endorsement of Barack Obama – that’s not something you’re supposed to do according to the tax code” said Andrew Walsh, a professor at Trinity College who specializes in religion in politics.

The tax code bans churches from participating in or intervening in a political campaign. Violations can result in the loss of a church’s tax exempt status.

[…]

The Internal Revenue Service wouldn’t comment on whether it is looking into potential tax violations at Trinity United. The church declined to make Wright available for an interview.

Show of hands how many of you believe Wright’s church would actually be investigated by the IRS? They won’t if they don’t want to be branded as a bunch of white supremacists.

Some final thoughts and questions from Tom Maguire:

Barack, healing the racial divides. It’s a pretty thought, and I suspect that many others share that hope.

So, watch this video of Barack’s minister, Jeremiah Wright, delivering a sermon recently, and ask yourself a couple of questions:

1. When does Barack work his reconciliation magic on his minister?

2. Does Barack actually bring his two young daughters to that church to listen to that stuff?

Obama has a huge opportunity for some racial reconciliation pretty close to home, and seems to have accomplished nothing (or, heaven help us, is this a newer, calmer Wright?)

Nor, apparently, did he accomplish much for his district when he represented it in the Illinois State Senate, outside of his last year, thanks in no small part to his kingmaker, Senate President Emil Jones, Jr.

Bbbbut we’re supposed to believe he’ll “heal” racial and religious divisions, among other godly-type things if he’s elected as president. Why? Well, because he (and his wife) said so, dammit – at tent revival after tent revival.

Who the hell are we to question him – outside of being racists, of course?

Update: Read related thoughts via The Anchoress.

Comments are closed.