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Barack Obama's Mentor and Spiritual Adviser:

10K views 77 replies 16 participants last post by  TheDude 
#1 ·
 
#2 ·
Birch Barlow said:
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I'm not sure what you posted, my browser offered an error message saying "the page may not display correctly." I'm guessing it might have been a video of sorts because my computer does not watch TV.

In any case, I would seem likely from your title that you intended to discuss the following story...

Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11

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.

Rev. Wright married Obama and his wife Michelle, baptized their two daughters and is credited by Obama for the title of his book, "The Audacity of Hope."

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.

Rev. Wright, who announced his retirement last month, has built a large and loyal following at his church with his mesmerizing sermons, mixing traditional spiritual content and his views on contemporary issues.

"I wouldn't call it radical. I call it being black in America," said one congregation member outside the church last Sunday.

"He has impacted the life of Barack Obama so much so that he wants to portray that feeling he got from Rev. Wright onto the country because we all need something positive," said another member of the congregation.
I am beginning to wonder if Obama's particular form of "Christianity" may be more of a liability than if he had stuck to his Muslim roots. :eek: :shock:

:|
 
#3 ·
You should be able to watch a Youtube video Bonzo, you can probably change those settings if you wish to. You might have to download a free newer version of Windows Media Player. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/window ... fault.aspx

Even if it takes a little while to download it's worth watching.

Anyway, here's a direct link if GF's youtube feature isn't working right now:
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the advice Birch.

Upon looking deeper into this thing I found the folllowing information.

Pastor inspires Obama’s ‘audacity’

When he took over Trinity United Church of Christ in 1972, Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. was a maverick pastor with a wardrobe of dashikis and a militant message.

Obama, was not a church-goer at the time, but he found himself returning to the sanctuary of Trinity United. In Wright he had found both a spiritual mentor and a role model.

Wright eventually returned to Howard University to finish bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English with a focus on African spirituals. At the University of Chicago Divinity School, he earned another master’s in the history of religions with a focus on Islam.

In his 1993 memoir "Dreams from My Father," Obama recounts in vivid detail his first meeting with Wright in 1985. The pastor warned the community activist that getting involved with Trinity might turn off other black clergy because of the church’s radical reputation.



When Obama sought his own church community, he felt increasingly at home at Trinity.

Later he would base his 2004 keynote speech to the Democratic National Convention on a Wright sermon called "Audacity to Hope," â€" also the inspiration for Obama’s second memoir, "The Audacity of Hope."

Though Wright and Obama do not often talk one-on-one often, the senator does check with his pastor before making any bold political moves.

Last fall, Obama approached Wright to broach the possibility of running for president. Wright cautioned Obama not to let politics change him.
 
#5 ·
Dipshits like the pastor can damn America till their jocks rot off. If he would just postscript his rants with."Thank you America for letting me sound off and not putting me in some land fill as would many other countries in response to my mouth. He could always go to Nairobi.
 
#6 ·
Praise Armalite and pass the ammunition.
NBC just had B. Husseini O's minister on TV doing his rabble rousing best. Another religious nut to be sure.

Having that nitwit for a mentor would not be a credential I would want in my 'folio. Obama was videod as downplaying the man of god. Humbug
 
#7 ·
Here's some more pearls of wisdom sick: from the man Barack Obama has described as his 'Mentor and Spiritual Adviser': nuke:





Obama and the Minister

By RONALD KESSLER
March 14, 2008; Page A19

In a sermon delivered at Howard University,Barack Obama's longtime minister, friend and adviser blamed America for starting the AIDS virus , training professional killers, importing drugs and creating a racist society that would never elect a black candidate president.The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., pastor of Mr. Obama's Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, gave the sermon at the school's Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel in Washington on Jan. 15, 2006.

"We've got more black men in prison than there are in college," he began. "Racism is alive and well. Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run. No black man will ever be considered for president, no matter how hard you run Jesse [Jackson] and no black woman can ever be considered for anything outside what she can give with her body."

Mr. Wright thundered on: "America is still the No. 1 killer in the world. . . . We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns, and the training of professional killers . . . We bombed Cambodia, Iraq and Nicaragua, killing women and children while trying to get public opinion turned against Castro and Ghadhafi . . . We put [Nelson] Mandela in prison and supported apartheid the whole 27 years he was there. We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God."

His voice rising, Mr. Wright said, "We supported Zionism shamelessly while ignoring the Palestinians and branding anybody who spoke out against it as being anti-Semitic. . . . We care nothing about human life if the end justifies the means. . . ."

Concluding, Mr. Wright said: "We started the AIDS virus :eek: . . . We are only able to maintain our level of living by making sure that Third World people live in grinding poverty. . . ."

Considering this view of America, it's not surprising that in December Mr. Wright's church gave an award to Louis Farrakhan for lifetime achievement nuke:
. In the church magazine, Trumpet, Mr. Wright spoke glowingly of the Nation of Islam leader. "His depth on analysis [sic] when it comes to the racial ills of this nation is astounding and eye-opening," Mr. Wright said of Mr. Farrakhan. "He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest." nuke:

After Newsmax broke the story of the award to Farrakhan on Jan. 14, Mr. Obama issued a statement. However, Mr. Obama ignored the main point: that his minister and friend had spoken adoringly of Mr. Farrakhan, and that Mr. Wright's church was behind the award to the Nation of Islam leader. light:

Instead, Mr. Obama said, "I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan. I assume that Trumpet magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree." Trumpet is owned and produced by Mr. Wright's church out of the church's offices, and Mr. Wright's daughters serve as publisher and executive editor.

Meeting with Jewish leaders in Cleveland on Feb. 24, Mr. Obama described Mr. Wright as being like "an old uncle who sometimes will say things that I don't agree with." He rarely mentions the points of disagreement.

Mr. Obama went on to explain Mr. Wright's anti-Zionist statements as being rooted in his anger over the Jewish state's support for South Africa under its previous policy of apartheid. As with his previous claim that his church gave the award to Mr. Farrakhan because of his work with ex-offenders, Mr. Obama appears to have made that up.

Neither the presentation of the award nor the Trumpet article about the award mentions ex-offenders, and Mr. Wright's statements denouncing Israel have not been qualified in any way. Mr. Obama nonetheless told the Jewish leaders that the award to Mr. Farrakhan "showed a lack of sensitivity to the Jewish community." That is an understatement.

Hearing Mr. Wright's venomous and paranoid denunciations of this country, the vast majority of Americans would walk out. Instead, Mr. Obama and his wife Michelle have presumably sat through numerous similar sermons by Mr. Wright.

Indeed, Mr. Obama has described Mr. Wright as his "sounding board" during the two decades he has known him. Mr. Obama has said he found religion through the minister in the 1980s. He joined the church in 1991 and walked down the aisle in a formal commitment of faith.

The title of Mr. Obama's bestseller "The Audacity of Hope" comes from one of Wright's sermons. Mr. Wright is one of the first people Mr. Obama thanked after his election to the Senate in 2004. Mr. Obama consulted Mr. Wright before deciding to run for president. He prayed privately with Mr. Wright before announcing his candidacy last year.

As for Mr. Wright's repeated comments blaming America for the 9/11 attacks because of what Mr. Wright calls its racist and violent policies, Mr. Obama has said it sounds as if the minister was trying to be "provocative". nuke:


Mr. Obama obviously would not choose to belong to Mr. Wright's church and seek his advice unless he agreed with at least some of his views. light: In light of Mr. Wright's perspective, Michelle Obama's comment that she feels proud of America for the first time in her adult life makes perfect sense. wink: : .

Much as most of us would appreciate the symbolism of a black man ascending to the presidency, what we have in Barack Obama is a politician whose closeness to Mr. Wright underscores his radical record.

The media have largely ignored Mr. Obama's close association with Mr. Wright. clown: This raises legitimate questions about Mr. Obama's fundamental beliefs about his country. Those questions deserve a clearer answer than Mr. Obama has provided so far.
 
#10 ·
I'm not defending Rev. Wright, nor Obama's relationship with him. That's Obama's job. So far his teflon coating and silver tongue have kept him out of too much trouble, so I doubt that this will stick, but we'll see...

What's interesting to me is the timing of this. I fully expected the GOP to dig up any skeleton they could find and do their best to "swift boat" Obama if he makes it to the general election, but why now during the primaries?

My theory is that they realize that Clinton is the nominee they are rooting for because McCain would stand a decent chance of beating her. I agree - a "moderate" republican nominee and a Clinton as the democratic nominee is the best hope for a republican victory (which is exactly why I'm not a Clinton backer). It's finally dawning on the right that Obama is for real, and that he will be tough to beat in November if he secures the democratic nomination. It seems an easier task to cut him down a notch now so he hopefully loses the nomination than it would be to sully his reputation enough so that McCain can beat him in November.

I think the attacks on Obama's character, and the timing of them, show just how scared the GOP is of running against Obama in the general election. If they shoot their wad now, and Obama survives, what will they do come the general election?
 
#12 ·
'If they shoot their wad now, and Obama survives, what will they do come the general election?"

In the bigger picture there is a ton of issues that Hillary cannot bring up and use against Obama because they are pandering to the same crowd right now. Against McCain much more can be used. He has exposure on almost every single issue.
 
#14 ·
How does one conclude that the attention suddenly focused on Rev Wright is the GOP's doing?

I'm thinking that's not the case, AT ALL. Hillary's old lady backers are behind this. I "know" these types of women and what they're capable of. :mrgreen:
 
#15 ·
It is puzzling to me that there isn't more folks finding Obama scary based on what we learn of him. 'Course all that is the standard right wind conspiracy we hear about now and then.
I find him scary. He has too many of the wrong connections. bad energizer bunny.
 
#16 ·
TK, I don't think issues are enough to defeat Obama. His rhetorical skill, and the nature of his appeal, will allow him to talk his way out of a lot of corners. And besides, Iraq is the mother of all issues - it trumps all other issues. When polls show 60% + of americans are not in favor of the war in Iraq, the Reps have to know that this one issue may spell defeat for their candidate and his pro-war stance.

That's why they're trying to come up with DIRT. His pastor hates the US. So does his wife. He's in bed with a slimey developer. He won't say the pledge of allegiance (and there's a picture to prove it). He's a radical muslim. He participated in an Al Quaeda initiation ceremony (and there's a picture to prove it). And so on... And of course there's no reason to ruin a perfectly good smear campaign by sticking to the facts.

Like I said, they're scared, maybe rightfully so. We'll see how all this shakes out...
 
#17 ·
Coho's point about this "swift boat" job is too funny. Guess what, the Dems have a pretty effective smear machine of their own. The Clinton camp can fling and smear with the best of them and this is where all this is coming from. The Republican strategy right now is to sit back, let the Dems beat each other to a pulp, and raise money. Also, all of the talk about race has been coming from where? The Dem side particularly the Clinton camp, not the Repubs. I would be will to bet that the Repubs will not even mention race if Obama is the nominee, they won't have too. There is more than enough differences between McCain and either Obama or Clinton that race and gender won't be mentioned at all.
 
#18 ·
Skorzeny said:
It is puzzling to me that there isn't more folks finding Obama scary based on what we learn of him. 'Course all that is the standard right wind conspiracy we hear about now and then.
I find him scary. He has too many of the wrong connections. bad energizer bunny.
Go figure. It took a lot of the population six years to realize what an idiot GWB is. The information was there, but a lot of folks didn't want to believe what they read. Some still don't.

It is puzzling to me that more folks don't realize even now that Bush's idiocy is anything but benign. It is threatening to bankrupt this country.

But we were talking about Obama. Perhaps folks are just so hungry for a change that they are willing to take their chances with the guy who is most different from the current "leadership".
 
#20 ·
And besides, Iraq is the mother of all issues - it trumps all other issues.
The media and pollsters keep telling us that interest in the Iraq war is diminishing and it's the economy that folks are most concerned with. Bush's fault or not, that doesn't mean I'm willing to support someone whose record I can not ascertain.
 
#21 ·
"When polls show 60% + of americans are not in favor of the war in Iraq, the Reps have to know that this one issue may spell defeat for their candidate and his pro-war stance. "


A couple of issues here. One must ask why are they not in favor of the Iraq war. You will find many subsets there and some if not all can be overcome orat least neutralized with the right information. Very few people have more than a nightly news level understanding of what is going on. Secondly the economy ranks much higher as peoples primary concern right now and I doubt increasing spending by $800 billion once exposed is going to sit real well with the voters.
 
#22 ·
Theking said:
"When polls show 60% + of americans are not in favor of the war in Iraq, the Reps have to know that this one issue may spell defeat for their candidate and his pro-war stance. "

A couple of issues here. One must ask why are they not in favor of the Iraq war. You will find many subsets there and some if not all can be overcome orat least neutralized with the right information. Very few people have more than a nightly news level understanding of what is going on. Secondly the economy ranks much higher as peoples primary concern right now and I doubt increasing spending by $800 billion once exposed is going to sit real well with the voters.
Very true that most people have only a nightly news level of understanding of what is going on in Iraq. And their (our) opinions may very well be based on a few simple ideas: Bush lied, Iraq had no WMD, this administration got us into an incredibly expensive quagmire, and this administration has no plan to end the war. Over the last five years, right wing propaganda hasn't done so hot at rallying the support of the nation, so I'd be surprised if "the right information" will fix that in the next 7 months. So all of you people who are smart enough and informed enough to appreciate all the nuances of the war may have to settle for knowing that you know better than the general population.

Also very true that the economy is the other big issue. Regardless of who is really to blame, we have slipped into (or toward) a recession on Bush's watch. Raising taxes is never popular, but right now neither is pumping hundreds of billions of borrowed dollars into a senseless war. Which seems directly related to the economy.
 
#23 ·
And all of those things like the Iraq war, the lousy economy, high gas prices etc... are what's REALLY driving America's fascination with Barack Obama.

The American people are SO desperate for change... ANY change... that they're willing to follow the first pied piper with an attractive message of change and hope... no matter how realistic his message may be!

The radical right-wingers just gotta face the fact that Joe and Ethyl Sixpack have had ENOUGH! Neoconservatism has been a disaster for this country and it wouldn't matter if Reagan himself rose from the dead to run again for the Republicans this year... they are going to pay the political price for it... for a long time to come.
 
#25 ·
Nope!

Kerry didn't get elected because:

He wasn't very likeable or personable.
Bush was the incumbent "war president" and in 2004 we were only a year into Iraq.
The Karl Rove "politics of fear" tactics were working perfectly then.
The economy was on an upswing after 9/11.

Even with all of that going against him... Kerry STILL came very close to pullin' it off.


This year... NO CONTEST!
 
#26 ·
Theking said:
I don't think he will get elected for the same reasons Kerry failed to get elected.
I disagree. Like Webo said, It's a different time, and the political winds have changed direction since 2004. People are fed up.

I also disagree because Kerry was an entirely different candidate than Obama. Frankly, Kerry was a lousy candidate. There was nothing about him to get excited about except that he was NOT George Bush. A lot of people are very excited about Obama, they're ready for change, he represents change. Different time. Different election. Different candidates. Different outcome? I sure hope so.
 
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