The Rev. Wright seems to think wrapping his hatred’s in a Christian blanket makes them less intemperate than they are.

If you can fill up a Church in Chicago with five thousand human beings unable to parse your hatred it is a profound and sad commentary on the City of Chicago.

The Rev. Wright no more speaks for Senator Obama than he speaks for the long dead construct of “American Blacks”.

The Rev. Wright has his head fully planted in the past. Locked into historic hatreds.

The next President is going to be the President of all of us, or none of us.

Obama, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, has been a member of Trinity UCC for 20 years.” “Trinity UCC is rooted in and proud of its Afrocentric heritage,” Thomas said. “This is no different than the hundreds of UCC churches from the German Evangelical and Reformed stream that continue to own and celebrate their German heritage, insisting on annual sausage and sauerkraut dinners and singing Stille Nacht on Christmas Eve. .” While Trinity UCC is predominately African American, it does include and welcome non-Black members. The Rev. Jane Fisler-Hoffman, Illinois Conference Minister, who is white, has been a member of the congregation for years.
“Trinity is a destination church for many members of the UCC, a multi-racial, multi-cultural denomination that is largely Caucasian,” Thomas pointed out. “When in Chicago, many UCC members flock to Trinity to share in and learn from its vibrant ministries, dynamic worship and justice-minded membership. Contrary to the claims made in these hateful emails, UCC members know Trinity to be one of the most welcoming, hospitable and generous congregations in our denomination.” [...]

Rev. Steve] Gray, a member of First Congregational UCC in Indianapolis (mainly caucasian), has worshiped several times at Trinity UCC and is most impressed by the overflowing sense of welcome it extends to visitors. “When you’re Euro-American, (White) the people [at Trinity UCC] are so exceedingly gracious, warm and welcoming. They hug you and say, ‘Welcome to our church!’”

This ramped-up smear campaign against the UCC’s largest congregation and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s home church — Trinity UCC in Chicago — has raised the ire of the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC’s general minister and president, who called the e-mail-driven claims “absurd, mean-spirited and politically motivated.”
The Main Stream Media has been filled with images and video of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s controversial statements for the past four days, 24/7, which Obama has strongly condemned. My concern, however, relates to equal time. When Senator Obama, who, after all , is actually the Candidate, gave a speech in Indiana, addressing his faith, diversity, and unity, and Invoking Robert Kennedy, it has gotten such a tiny percentage of coverage in comparison to Rev. Wright’s controversial statements shown every hour in the hour. The main stream media has asked the questions how is Obama to deal with this controversy and when he does they give very little air time to his Answer, which he spells out beautifully in this Indiana Speech. This is just not Right.

On the Other hand we have an Interesting article on Huffington Post describing how a right-wing preacher is treated with similar contoversial remarks:

When Senator Obama’s preacher thundered about racism and injustice Obama suffered smear-by-association. But when my late father — Religious Right leader Francis Schaeffer — denounced America and even called for the violent overthrow of the US government, he was invited to lunch with presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush, Sr. Every Sunday thousands of right wing white preachers (following in my father’s footsteps) rail against America’s sins from tens of thousands of pulpits. They tell us that America is complicit in the “murder of the unborn,” has become “Sodom” by coddling gays, and that our public schools are sinful places full of evolutionists and sex educators hell-bent on corrupting children. They say, as my dad often did, that we are, “under the judgment of God.” They call America evil and warn of immanent destruction. By comparison Obama’s minister’s shouted “controversial” comments were mild. All he said was that God should damn America for our racism and violence and that no one had ever used the N-word about Hillary Clinton.
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May be this is part of Obama’s mission, since he is a Unifying Force. In order to be a Unifier, one must get the people talking about those issues which stand and impede unity and discuss those issues so one can understand and overcome these issues.

Another question is whether this will affect public policy should Obama or McCain be elected. Obama has made his position on separation of church and state quite clear. I’m also less bothered by Obama referring to Wright as a spiritual mentor than as a political adviser.

In contrast, McCain is working to get closer to figures from the religious right who have a definite political agenda and a desire to use the power of government to impose this upon others. We also know the politics behind this as McCain needs to get out the vote from the religious right, which isn’t all that fond of him. Once he is in office what will he do in return for this political support?

2.McCain backer Rev. John Hagee says America is damned by God because we tolerate Muslims. He has inferred more than once that the only good muslim is a dead muslim.

3.Obama supporter Rev. Jeremiah Wright says America is damned because we neglect the poor and practice bigotry.

My money is on the third, given my knowledge of the Bible, democratic values, and a sense of human dignity, Yet the mainstream media tells us we must tolerate hate: Hagee & Robertson— but not those who don’t believe we should tolerate hate — Wright.

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No other candidate in this race has been grilled as much as Obama has been — just in a 24 hour period on religious affiliation/association.
This is truly manufactured news for a desired result– “let’s get Obama.”

Obama is running for president, not Rev. Wright.

Looks like the media conglomerates have a plan to ride Obama for his pastor’s comments. McCain’s John Hagee, condemns Catholicism — The media didn’t even blow this up half as much as the Wright controversy. Rod Parsley said America is hell bent on destroying Islam– no media outlet has grilled McCain on either one of these statement.

Why all of the heavy handed treatment toward Rev Wright? Nothing fair and balanced– no equality being shared on the subject of religion by the media with all of the candidates.

Our founding fathers got it right– Separation of Church and state- religion is too personal and it should not be on the table unless all candidates are being grilled on their pastors’ take on Christianity.

“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. . . . America’s chickens are coming home to roost.”

– Sermon, September 2001

“What goes around comes around.” All Rev Wright was expressing in his 9/11 sermon is what many people agree with. One cannot continue to destoy and kill and it won’t reciprocate. I love my country but our history is steeped in wars and killing. We were blessed to have only had 2 attacks on American in recent history; Pearl Harbor and 9/11. We are a blessed nation we are a blessed people.

As we debate Rev Wrights words there is a war of ignorance being waged in Iraq fueled by a lie– Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Here we are killing people again. Why?

We may all have different takes on war but we all know that it is not good and not the will of God no matter what name your religion gives your God. Whether your God is called Jesus, Allah, Buddah or Elohim we all know “Thou shalt not kill. “

Agree the argument against Obama here looks pretty ridiculous when placed in perspective.

If we were to compare Obama to an ideal perfect candidate, this might be a problem. However compared to the religious ties you mention with McCain and Huckabee, as well as some of Hillary Clinton’s quite conservative religious ties, this means very little.

My spritual advisor, my Episcopal priest, has said things I do not agree with. I would not like to be held accountable for some of his statements. But I am not planning on switching churches. It is not all about the priest.