Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite

Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite

Professor, Chicago Theological Seminary

Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite is professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. She was president of CTS from 1998-2008. Her area of expertise is contextual theologies of liberation, specializing in issues of violence and violation. An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ since 1974, the “On Faith” panelist is the author or editor of thirteen books and has been a translator for two translations of the Bible. Her works include Casting Stones: Prostitution and Liberation in Asia and the United States (1996) and The New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Translation (1995). She edited and contributed to Adam, Eve and the Genome: Theology in Dialogue with the Human Genome Project (2003). Close.

Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite

Professor, Chicago Theological Seminary

Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite is professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. She was president of CTS from 1998-2008. more »

Main Page | Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite Archives | On Faith Archives


Rev. Wright and the Religious Right

Susan Thistlethwaite | The weakness of Rev. Wright’s theology is that it locks us into the “good vs. evil” frame, the same frame used by the religious right.

» Back to full entry

All Comments (61)

rafamdergem:


Ms Thistlethwaite

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth shall come to visit Istanbul and Ankara, also Bursa on May 14th for five hours, Day of St Matthias.

i always waited for Elderness from Elders. because we grow with Love and Conversation of Elders.

and Her Majesty shall visit on board of a Plane Ship. there may be 14 planes on board.

my father was a mechanic in the air force, and May 14th is my birthday, in Eskisehir.

rafamdergem:


it is better than explaining the Hammer of CIA :)
isnt it, Williams Bush and Robert GAtes?

rafamdergem:


on a newspaper i read about Jeremiah Wright say "destroy america".

it must be C+A, religious islam or st germain canada. or re-explain someone merry.

Terra Gazelle:

ooops...I did not mean for you to use www.barackobama.com as a repuable place to research...but it is certainly one place to check out Obama's policies.

terra

Terra Gazelle:

Would anyone like to prove that obama sat in that church for 20 years? After all he was a state senator in Springfield...the church is in Chigaco. He is in DC...the church is in Chicago. He took state sponcered trips...how many Sundays did he spend in the church?

It has been proven that he was not in the church at the times when the far right wing nutcase found the clips he wanted...which were taken 6 years apart. So tell me, if you all are such good Christians then stop judgeing when those judgements are based on untruths.

How much knowledge do you all have that are making those judgements?

I would not mind all this bruhaha...if any of it was true. We are being dumbed down.

Tell me what is the difference between Hillary and Obama/ who is the "elitist"? Do you know the life of either?

Stop repeating lies from people who have a reason to spread those lies. It came from Hillary's campaign the lie that Obama was a Muslim...and more.

Just do your own research from reputable places...
check out: www.barackobama.com

terra

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated:

Some poetry worth perusing:

"Born on the Nile River in Sudan, KOLA BOOF is an exciting new voice in literature. Her remarkably beautiful (but controversial) poetry collection, "NILE RIVER WOMAN" is now available at Amazon.Com. Some of the classic poems from that collection are printed right on this page!! Also see her tribute to her slain friend, Theo Van Gogh: poetwomen.50megs.com/catalog.html"

Published in Africa/1997:

"BINT IL NIL"

I want a new religion.
The one our mothers had in the river.

I am tired of Jesus and Mohammed.
I am tired of man's foot.
I am tired of the White man's mother.
I am weary...from doing nothing about it.

I want my own religion.
I want my real mother.

Africa, I want you.

Make me pregnant with God.
Our own perfect babies...Black as perfection.
Tall as the sky. Healthy as light sparkling on
clear water.

I want my own religion.
I want my own voice.
I want my own face.
I want my own hair.
I am Naima/the one who is victorious
the one

who is praying


esoteric:

Ever wonder why Black people see this issue so differant than white people....Our struggles define the need to look for support in any man who takes the courage to bring our issues to the table...we not agree 100% with what is being said but under all that speaking what we do see is the desire for anyone to request a must needed change...white america and black america has deep insecure issues while just being played out in opposite ways.....Black people don't feel the security to get up and create change in their communities while white america don't feel the security to see us do it....

This deep rooted insecurity needs to be brought to the surface so we can effectivity deal with them.....

Peace

esoteric:

Ever wonder why Black people see this issue so differant than white people....Our struggles define the need to look for support in any man who takes the courage to bring our issues to the table...we not agree 100% with what is being said but under all that speaking what we do see is the desire for anyone to request a must needed change...white america and black america has deep insecure issues while just being played out in opposite ways.....Black people don't feel the security to get up and create change in their communities while white america don't feel the security to see us do it....

This deep rooted insecurity needs to be brought to the surface so we can effectivity deal with them.....

Peace

gary kent carpenter:

I must express what a stunning analogy of the situation. I completely agree with the author's views and comments. I only wish "the gull-ables" within our society came be persuaded by such profound intelligence. Gary K. Carpenter/Austin,Tx.

Anonymous:

Amen

Bill Rush:

I couldn't agree more.

Mildbanter:

Call me stupid, but how does the Susan Brooks article relate to the title of the article?

Bait and switch?

At least there should have been some mention of evangelical theology in contrast to liberation theology.

Most black preachers are evangelical, but not part of the religous right, a little spoken or reported fact.

anonymous:

Me:
Love Undone
Oh love where is your sting
I pursue breaking away
From that which is an affliction
To experience a new thing
All the lies, cheating, and scrutinizing have played their course
The addiction holds secure without any remorse
Steal what you will un-natural affection
Alone for now but close is my redemption
Holding me to a higher standard
That you were not willing to live by
Hidden is your agenda hoping your whor*s will continue to lie
I have now seen the light since knowing about Portside
Hacking will not save you from me saying good-bye
O heartbreak where is your sting
It will lie within the one who neglected to consecrate the ring
Oh what a mistake you made in quenching the fire
Now what was once love has turned to a lack of desire
Others spoke for you and reported what I said
But I fed the lions the evil of which you dread
Now come hear the truth my life soon will begin anew
And in this newness hope is alive to be without you

Written by: Me

garyd:

Given how the Bible defines adultery I doubt seriously if there is anyone in the US over the age of 20 that isn't an adulterer, given that JC Watts isn't a Bible specialist he probably isn't aware of that.

Biblical if you've had more than one sexual partner you are an adulterer.

hesingswithfrogs:

Garyd ... its funny that you would mention JC Watts, the man, who in the midst of the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal proclaimed that the Republican party would never nominate an adulterer. Guess he didn't see McCain coming, did he? Given his moral profession, it sounds like JC Watts should support Obama or Clinton ... or maybe he's just a hypocrite like the rest of the Republicans.

garyd:

Ihatebiggots, do you also hate what stares back at you from your mirror every morning? I only ask because that last post sure looked like bigotry to me.

There are a goodly number of Black men I would cheerfully vote for if they were on the ticket, Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, J.C. Watts, to name but three, Obama isn't among them and Jeremiah Wright has little if anything to do with it.

Ms. Thistlewithe sorry you missed the primary difference between this Jeremiah and the Biblical Prophet. Nothing much really. Just the truth.

IHATEBIGGOTS:

The Wright controversy isn't about Wright at all. It's about placing the N!gg3r label on Obama. Look at the polls ... the biggest decline in Obama's polling since the Wright smear is with uneducated white voters from areas where racism has been rampant for decades. Connecting Obama with Wright forces these voters' feeble minds to see Obama as a N!gg3r, not as a the man he is who has transcended race. Call me politically incorrect but its the truth.

afreemerryinca:


so is this a good and evil case? well, this is a case of protection of truth and the truth itself.

afreemerryinca:


i wrote about St Nicholas, i am in Bursa. i am the one with Finland and Portugal, Austria too in my life after 1991, year i was in Ankara.

afreemerryinca:

i am not in Austria, not in Germany, not in Trabzon, not in Sivas, not in Facebook, i am not Alevi, i dont use er.oin, i am not doctor, i am not in Deniz Portfoy,

i am on yahoo groups universalhealing, universeofzen, ygo, as dovem.otions, afreeme.rryinca, lemurarts, rafamdergem, hakelmin.opuv, wobow.odow, installmass, allca.nwithwind, vesairves.ait, spiritualcinema,

and i am in Washing.ton Post, dancentrum, atlas, jazz, i play GO, melungeon, classicsnetwork, astrofakulta, KALID, lezzetler, lemurian arts,

afreemerryinca:


there are two Selma Kozan, one is similar to the face of President Bush, i know her, we were together one year and we did to each other what we wouldnt do, plays in an amateur theatre.

and the other one is in Facebook and in Denizhaber.com, has written about UND Adriatic purchased from ULUSOY.

what did happen to her and me for one year in 2006?

afreemerryinca:

in Google, Le.vent Alkan plays poker, is in porno sites, donjuan in russia, computer hacker, fenerbahce fan, petroleum business in Russia,

what did You report to Pope Benedictus and Presidents about me? in these three years what did happen to me?

Walter Beamon:

I have read with great interest your offerings related to Liberation Theology and appreciate very much your historical progression of the movement. I too, agree with the progressive approach and believe thats the only way that we'll ever make the kind of progress in racial conditions that we so desperately need in this country.

friksho:

Lisa E.:
"Beyond saying that Obama will "bring us all together", I have yet to hear anyone of any age group articulate one solid reason for supporting this man for President. "

The solid reason is that for effective governing, and real policy, a government that truly tackles the issues of retirement, health, and even the economy, there needs to be a concerted effort including the conservatives as well as the liberals, marrying the conservative fiscal responsibility (self help) and liberal good of all principles. These principles not pitted against each other but working with each other.
Listening to each other even when we differ with them, our targets are the same despite differing strategies.
For example I dont need to be a racist to understand that J. Wright's articulation or the lack there of depending on who you speak to, arise from his perspective from within the web of the interlocking hierarchies. As opposed to damning him as wrong, when such is his reality, I ask how could we move one from such a position to where they are feel of equal footing-and in his word NOT seeking superiority.
On the "terrorism" I would ask, how can we effect change in the minds and hearts of those that differ from the American perspective, without the shock and awe that leads to losses, that breed anger and bitterness which have the potential to engender ambitions of revenge.
While not very articulate, J. Wright could have been calling for introspection-we look at ourselves as muslims, christians, jews, buddhists, aethists...... and fairly assess ourselves-Are we good ones?
Peace ya'all

NANCY L. HENRY AND PROUD OF IT:

THERE ARE MANY REASONS I WILL VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA AND THE MEAN REASON IS "RESPECT". HE KNOWS THE MEANING OF THE WORD AND HE NEVER DENOUNCED HIS MINISTER WHEN EVERYONE ASKED HIM TO. HE IS RESPECTFUL AND TRIED HARD TO GIVE REVEREND WRIGHT THE RESPECT HE WAS DUE AS BEING HIS REVEREND. WAS THAT ENOUGH FOR REVEREND WRIGHT??? HELL NO, INSTEAD OF ADMIRING BARACK OBAMA FOR NOT DENOUNCING HIM, HE TAKES HIS ONE DAY OF FAME AND GOES OFF AT THE MOUTH. WHY ARE WE ALWAYS DESTROYING ONE ANOTHER. LIKE THE BUNCH OF CRABS IN A BARREL IF ONE TRIES TO ESCAPE, THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER CRAB PULLING HIM DOWN AND BACK INTO THE BARREL. REVEREND WRIGHT, YOU FORCED BARACK OBAMA TO DENOUNCE YOU IF HE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU HAD KEPT YOUR BIG MOUTH CLOSED, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES COMING TO YOUR CHURCH ON SUNDAYS. INSTEAD THE FAME HAS GONE TO YOUR HEAD AND YOU ARE DOING MORE DAMAGE TO BARACK THAN ANYONE. THE NAACP THOUGHT THEY WERE HELPING YOU BY GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO DEFEND YOURSELF. REVEREND WRIGHT WASN'T SMART ENOUGH TO SEE THAT HE HAD A CHANCE TO PROVE THAT WHAT EVERYONE THOUGHT ABOUT HIM WAS WRONG, INSTEAD YOU THREW GASOLINE ON THE FIRE. I AM PRAYING THAT YOU NOW GO HOME, SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND ENJOY THE 5 MINUTES OF GLORY. YOU HAVE DONE MORE DAMAGE TO THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THAN ANYONE. MY GOD AND YOUR GOD ARE TWO DIFFERENT INDIVDIUALS. MY GOD WANTS BARACK OBAMA TO BE PRESIDENT. YOUR GOD IS MEETING WITH THE DEVIL AND WORKING AGAINST US. I READ YOUR BACKGROUND REVEREND WRIGHT AND WAS INDEED HONORED TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR CHURCH. AFTER LISTENING TO YOU YESTERDAY, I WILL SKIP MY VISIT TO YOUR CHURCH AND ONLY ASK THAT YOU GO BACK INTO RETIREMENT AND STOP DEFENDING THE BLACK CHURCH. WE DON'T NEED DEFENDING, SUNDAY HAS AND WILL ALWAYS BE A SACRED DAY TO US. OUR MOTHERS TAUGHT US THAT AT INFANCY. SUNDAY CHURCH IS A WAY OF LIFE WITH MINORITIES. YOU KNOW THAT AND FOR YOU TO DESTROY WHAT MANY OF US BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN IS WRONG. PLEASE REVEREND WRIGHT GO HOME, SHUT YOUR MOUTH, THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK IF YOU MUST. LET BARACK OBAMA GO ON AND WIN THIS NOMINATION. YOU OWE HIM THAT, PERSONALLY I WISH YOU WOULD APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE SAID AND INFORM EVERYONE THAT BARACK OBAMA KNEW NOTHING ABOUT YOUR BELIEFS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT THEY ARE ONLY YOUR BELIEFS. I END THIS BY THANKING BARACK OBAMA FOR BEING THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I KNOW HIM TO BE AND THAT IS RESPECTFUL. HE DIDN'T LET YOU OR HILLARY DETACH HIM FROM WHAT HE MUST DO. HE IS CALM, COOL AND COLLECTIVE AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE MY PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN.


afreemerryinca:


the messages in Turkish are related with Broken-Hearted Prophet, believe me.

KYJurisDoctor:

The media has to sell newspapers and advertising, so a story like Rev. Wright's rants, will cause the media to follow and stay glued, just like stink on the rear end of a skunk!

OsiSpeaks(dot)com

afreemerryinca:

Ms Thistlethwaite,

the last time i danced cheek to cheek was in the last year of the primary school, at the graduate party. now this is 196 cms.

afreemerryinca:


Moses, Noah, Abraham, para istiyorum para. hayatimin icine ettiniz. borc icinde yasiyorum. para kazanamiyorum. herseyim birinizin elinde.

biriniz kullandiniz biriniz yediniz yedirdiniz. ne Napolyon ne zikkimin koku. elektromanyetik alani da kaldirin hazir baslamisken. nasilmis kazin ayagi sayin hukumet?

Eti Kazi Kazan kampanyasina benziyor mu sizce? benzemiyor degil mi? Mehmet Firat Mir Dengir niye acti Bizans Carsisini? MEciddeli Meryemin Altinci Kupu icin mi? Cumhurbaskani acmayacak miydi?

ah Basbakan denilen adam ah, bize verecegine kendi kupune koydun, hizli tren de hizli hizli gider herhalde. Lagendijk niye kabul etmiyormus? ters mi geldi? baska elleri mi farketti? lale koklayacak degiller herhalde. sogan sarimsak yasak biliyorsunuz ziyaretinde Hanimefendinin.

du dut. Ahmet Mehmet Sureyya iste. canim sikkin da. ayaklarim da kokuyor, ayakkabilarim goctu. annemin dayisi kavafti, bayramda bir kere ayak ucumda bulmustum sabah vakti. yalnizim be Basbakan denilen adam, yalnizim.


afreemerryinca:


and i know the Four Riders, Elijah Andreas Jesus, who is the fourth? i know St George, and St Germain too. some study GAbriel Michael Raphael Uriel too. some study Kuthumi Adamus. Sirius, Pleiades, Orion, Arcturus.

so why not You make up Your mind to study, from 6th of May on?

the father husband looks like a woman. and the court has sentenced him for "fifth teen" years. who is the fifth? is there any Aphrodite genetics in Austria?

afreemerryinca:


my birthday is 14 May 1973 and as it has been 24 years as it is with the father husband in Austria and his daughter Elizabeth,

i am not in Masonry, but i know from Andreas and Enoch. i am not in Masonry, but Quran of Ahmet prophet itself consists of the techniques of Masonry and Ethiopia. maybe Quran is not His book but of Masonry.

the names of the teachers are Yuksel Kaya and Hamza Kaya in Bursa Namazgah Ihsan Dikmen Ilkokulu. they are around 170 cms and thick. and i want an explanation from OSYM, for university and the high school exams. i read Bible and saints.

afreemerryinca:

ey insanoglu, ey insanlik. eger ki vurulursam da buralardan gidersem bilesiniz Eskisehir'de dunyaya geldim, Bursa'da ilkokula gittim. Eskisehir Frigya Merlin Cenova memleketi, Bursa da Bizans Lidya Olimpos Zeus HAnnibal Osmanli sehri.

Milliyet Bilgi Yarismasi takimina alindim sonra da sunnet param 28.000 TL ile dershaneye gonderildim ve devlet sinavi ardindan parasiz yatili olarak Kadikoy MAarif Kolejine kabul edildim. adim Levent soyadim Erzincan Eskisehir Manisa Artvin dolaylarinda bulunan Alkan. buyukler Uskup'ten gocmusler. Uskupe nasil gitmisler bilmem.

bugun sahsi borcum 28.000 YTL, toplam borc 48.000 YTL, 20.000YTL bir arkadasin. annemin dayisi bana Gel Bakalim Kocum Benim demisti bir bayram da Ben Hayvan Degilim demistim.

when someone is marked as rabbit for hounds, and while foxees are in the trees, characters of hounds are identified. the spell is the party itself.

afreemerryinca:

Williams Bush is building a mosque in USA.

the girls cheered when they first met the moon. and the poisonous gas in case of being out of the basement.

is there any minority in Amstette that are not appropriate for the municipility?

seven daughters from Elizabeth, and Amstette is a city of Roman-Germen Empire. this must be a subject of the neighbouring nations around.

afreemerryinca:

Joe Black may be Lack of Job as we see in the character of Brad Pitt, with reference to Prophet Job.

Fred Jones:

Obama wants to focus on anything but his own character and judgment. He cannot erase a 20-year relationship with a racist and anti-American pastor who he considered to be his "mentor and spiritual adviser," by merely making a public denunciation required by his falling poll numbers. This transparent gesture won't fool anyone but his most ardent supporters. The press has really let us down regarding Obama by not vetting him sooner. Perhaps they will make up for it by investigating the nature of Obama's religion; black liberation theology. Why? Because anyone who would subscribe to such a racist theology for 20 years, is not fit to be President of the United States. Rev. Wright cites James Cone as his theological mentor regarding the theology Obama has been soaking up for the last 20 years. Here, in his own words, is James Cone's description of Obama's so-called religion:

"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community. Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love."

Dallas:

I'm glad to hear a reasoned voice among the babble that pretends to inform the electorate.

J Cline:

That's all very nice ivory tower jibberish, but the reality is that Jeremiah Wright used his pulpit to expound a stupidly bigoted, un-Christian political agenda, based on the original hateful theories promoted by James H. Cone in his 1969 screed, Black Theology & Black Power.

Anyone can google the book, which contains this charming example of what black liberation represents:

"The time has come for white America to be silent and listen to black people. . . . ALL WHITE MEN are responsible for white oppression. . . . Theologically, Malcolm X was not far wrong when he called the white man 'THE DEVIL.'. . . Any advice from whites to blacks on how to deal with white oppression is automatically under suspicion as a clever device to further enslavement."

And this book, with its "white devil" rhetoric, was suggested reading for Wright's Trinity congregation. I don't doubt that Barrack and Michelle Obama read it as well, and although it's hard to say how much influence it had over them, it's clear that Wright's endorsement of the "white devil" stereotype did not cause them outrage enough to leave Wright's flock.

More loving, Christian discourse from Wright's mentor Cone:

"There is no use for a God who loves white oppressors the same as oppressed blacks. We have had too much of white love, the love that tells blacks to turn the other cheek and go the second mile. What we need is the divine love as expressed in black power, which is the power of
blacks to DESTROY THEIR OPPRESSORS, here and now, BY ANY MEANS at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject God's love."

And finally, given Obama's messianic cult following, this must seem apropos: "To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people!"

How uplifting for the rest of us. I just find it rather creepy that there is only one degree of separation between Obama and the liberation-bigot James Cone. That bridge is Jeremiah Wright, who fed Obama on the hateful ideas of Cone for 20 years before Obama supposedly found him offensive enough to disengage.

That says a great deal to me about Obama's true beliefs on the subject of race in America, as well as his stunningly poor judgment. Perhaps it is just plain hubris that Obama felt he could aspire to national office despite such unabashed ties to a demagogue who would foreseeably alienate every reasonable person in the country.

Tom Taylor:

your view of obama is off the scale of reality. the rev.Wright had this all maded up for a year or more and is a sham to draw undecided voters and to give pity. oh my! what a good and thought through scheme to say he has divorced the rev. wright. obama is a shrewd con artist trying to fool the american people but Indiana will see through him as did penn. and Ohio i beleive the rev. wright said their would come a time when obama would have to give this very speech that he gave rebuking the rev wright so voters beware a wolf in sheep clothing.
than you
Tom Taylor

Beetle:

This is a sugarcoating of Black Liberation Theology. You're totally ignoring the core aspects of the religion.

Mainstream black christian ministers say that Black Liberation Theology is a racist religion.

It was created by James Cone by combining Black Power and Christianity.

This is a racist anti-white religion that claims black people are oppressed by white people. It states that all white people are the enemy because they are members of the "ruling class".

They say white people must give up control of the country to black people to atone for the "sin of slavery" and must pay reparations to black people.

Black Liberation Theology believes that hatred of white people is not wrong. They claim they are not racist because they do not say white people are inferior, just different.

It also preaches against the separation of church and state, because Black Liberation Theology itself is a mixture of politics and religion.

undeceived:

Matthew 22:22 - When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

James 1:26 - If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

undeceived:

Matthew 22:22 - When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

James 1:26 - If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Idiots o Parade:

I see the "Christan Talaban" is alive and kickig here !
I wonder who will truly burn in hell.

Sunny Florida:

It is not so simple as to label the preferred "view" of America and the differences inherent in a country built on a vast mix of cultures, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds. Isn't it more important to say "ok, what needs to be done to heal us, join us and lift us all up to a greater level of quality of life"? Senator Clinton has openess if one looks at her thru no specific lens and the same is true for Obama. Put aside "histories" and sound bites and just read what their records show, what their plans say and make a leap of faith. Every time a journalist or anyone qualifies what either candidate stands for by first reminding of us of their "history" we are back at square one and no further ahead than before. I have been a lifelong Democrat, proud of the values and ideals the party stands for. Now, I am disappointed, disenfranchised (yea, I am one of the "no vote counts" Floridians) and really ticked off at the debacle our party has made of the whole primary season. Had we done it like Republicans, there would be a clear winner already (actually, long ago) and we would not have had this long battle. On the good side, it allows all of us to see what each candidate is made of, good and bad, and how they respond to stress, scrutiny and missteps. So play it out.
I am really, REALLY ticked off at the media for their lack of journalistic oversight early on in this campaign to expose all the skeletons in Obama's closet so we would know what to expect, BEFORE we voted. What a concept. WE all know, ad nauseaum, about Hillary's issues and at least can see her for her strengths and weaknesses and make an informed decision. Just NOW “realizing” that Obama has some serious judgement issues and associations that the Republicans are sure to exploit, is annoying and down right scary. Shame on you. Let the voters all vote (yea, even FL and MI), let the info be out there for all to see, and let the system the DNC so "carefully" put in place 20+ years ago actually play out. Otherwise, what was the point? Note to Joe Andrews: do NOT tell us we should "end this now", and do NOT assume just because YOU have decided to back Obama, that we should all just fall in line (Sounds Republican to me) behind you. Hypocrisy and arrogance. Two things I am starting to see more and more of from Obama's camp and supporters. Ugh

undeceived:

John 7:12 - And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.

Romans 16:18 - For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Ephesians 4:14 - That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Ephesians 5:6 - Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

2Corithians 11:26 - In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

Galatians 2:4 - And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

patrick@onlyjesussaves.com:

"I think we have gone too far in the direction of 'we vs. they' and 'good vs. evil.'"

Because they refused to have the knowledge of Yahweh in their hearts He gave them over to a reprobate mind to do all manner of evil.

Your liberation theology is heresy because you refuse to receive who God, Yahweh, is and have sinned against Him making a god to suit your sins. For this sin He has given you over to your vain imagination and let you run to all manner of confusion and sin. Until you reject all that is not in His Bible and run to Yahweh for who He is, instead of what you want Him to be, you will not be able to receive His mercy in His Son Yeshua, Jesus. And Hell is reserved for those who reject the Mercy of Yahweh.

As God says, in Psalm 2, you must kiss the Son while you are able before His anger is kindled and you perish.

Lisa E.:

Beyond saying that Obama will "bring us all together", I have yet to hear anyone of any age group articulate one solid reason for supporting this man for President.

Clearly, both Mr. and Mrs. Obama have bought into Rev. Wright's message for at least 20 years or they wouldn't be in that church. The idea that after 20 years of hearing the man preach, Obama had no idea of the nature of Wright's theology is ludicrous and I can't believe the way the media just accepts this explanation. It's crazy. Now that Wright's views have become politically inconvenient, Obama has thrown his pastor under the bus. Shame on him.

At this point, it looks like Obama is going to be our next President. No one can say they weren't warned about Obama's real beliefs.

candide:

In a Catholic church you can stay despite your violent disagreements with the parish priest because you attend for the sacraments primarily, not for the homilies. Even so, many Catholics shop around for a parish and priest they like.

Protestants, except for some liturgical ones, come for sermons not sacraments. In this case, as in Obama's, there is no way to avoid confronting whether you agree or not with the sermons. Obama took 20 years and still did not find the sermons of Wright a problem. Now they have become a problem, but not yet even for his wife who refused to comment on them.

I am not saying I could not vote for Obama, but I certainly will if I do understand I am not voting for a perfect man.

Tony:

Amen, can we all just step back from the edge, take a breath and remember there is always outrage when an American of African decent speaks truth to power. Sure we believe that our country is moral and right in most things but not always. Slavery was the law of the land as was Jim Crow in the South. Lynchings, murder, suppression of rights. As if we were living within a terroristic society. Now what Rev. Wright has said about AIDS and how the government did it to us. Crazy maybe but history tells us that the American gov't knowingly infected some black men with syphilis watched the disease progress without giving them medicines that would help. That's crazy.
I would like to close with there are plenty of crazies that are clergy who propagate inflammatory
views: Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim. This is who we are... Get over the hype and let us
move forward not back. Let's reflect on what our history really tells us about us and the legacy we pass on to our children. Man life is complex. Peace be with all, I'm out.

Al K:

Obama did not disaffiliate with Rev. Wright because he disagreed with him; he did it because it was politically expedient. He sat in this man’s church for 20 years and knew his message well, despite his denials of the same. Wright was his spiritual advisor and mentor.

Furthermore; I disagree with your apparent distain for the “good vs. evil”. There is good and evil in this world; however, the left has a great deal of difficulty identifying those elements. They perceive conservatives as evil, not just a different philosophy. They perceive terrorists as being such because Americans are so evil.

This is the cause of the national divide; and so long as it is Obama is not the person to change it. We heard the “real” Obama in San Francisco. He is just another politician seeking power.

You refer to the progressive view. A term used attempting to conceal the truth of the liberal agenda towards socialism and communism. Their strength, as you stated, is to reach out across historic divides and build new coalitions is all rhetoric. More code words for forcing liberal opinions on conservatives by suppressing free speech. You want to inflict change, the change YOU want without input from those who disagree – you just want to suppress the views that are different than your own.

The “polarizing division” you are tired of is freedom of thought and speech. But that is the liberal agenda, eliminate freedom of speech, actions, and property rights. Take from those who work and give it to people who don’t in the name of humanitarianism. Equal benefit from society regardless of contributions to society; (except, of course, for those elite liberals that are above the proletariat).

To me the answer is simple. The first and foremost duty and responsibility of the Federal Government is to protect and defend the citizens of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic. That’s the business of the Federal Government. Anything else that is not specifically given to them in the Constitution is not their job, it is the job of either the States or, more importantly, the INDIVIDUAL.

I don’t want your socialist “we”. I want the ability to excel based on my abilities, and it is my responsibility to learn, develop, and refine my abilities to be valuable to society. Obama and Clinton both want welfare states. That is the receipt for the financial collapse of the United States.

Baffled:

What would you call a Church with a white woman preacher getting up to the pulpit on Sunday mornings in front of her congregants and spewing hatred for MEN. Women certainly have historic reasons for anger and hate of the injustices suffered at the hands of their oppressors-MEN. I would call it a church that has its tax exemption removed and church doors padlocked. women in this county earn about 60% of their male counter parts wages. This is true TODAY measurable inequality. Why are 80% of Black voters blindly voting for a half black half white man? Black men had the right to vote before black and white women did. Why are Black women not fighting the fight for Women's justice? White America may well be ready for a Black president but it seems Black America is not ready to move away from the out dated Black Liberation Theology. Is it possible the racisim in the Black community is greater than the white community? Black women and white women earn the same for the same job and that is 40% less than a man is paid for that job. Now this is something to get upset about. Obama should be ashamed of his church and Rev. but he is not. Don't tell me this is a black church thing so I wouldn't understand. Hate is Hate. The Islamic radicals feel the same way about non muslims as Wright does about "the racisit whites". Wake up America.

Amare Gebre:

I agree in most what Susan Brooks said on liberation Theology, but the labeling of Dr. Wright sermons as good vs evil is baseless. The phrase oppressed vs oppressor is more meaningful.
To separate Obama's views from Dr. Wright's views on liberation theology with out giving any examples and line Mrs Clinten on good vs evil sighting what James Carvel said is disingenuous.
Obama has been with this church for 20 years and to tell us he does not share views of liberation theology does not convince me. Go to his books and articles he wrote before he started campaigning and who associates with and try to define him.
Regards,

Come on people!:

Obama sat in a church and listened to hate monkering for 20 years. This theologian calls him progressive. COME ON PEOPLE! Obama can talk a good talk but let's listen to his actions! Because I'm white I can't understand the Black Liberation Theology. That is insane. If a women had a church and went up to the pulpit on Sunday and started spewing hatred for Men I can assure you that church would lose their Church exemption ASAP. Women have been kept down in America and have plenty of reasons to be filled with hate. Black men had the right to vote before White and Black women. This country is ready for a Black president and most feel the race has a right to a Black president. How about women seeing a woman president? If obama goes to his church for other reasons than the minister fine. His church gave Farekan, a Jew hating races, the Lifetime achievement award. I find it disheartening that some 80% of blacks are voting for Obama and 30% are stating race is an issue. This means Black women identify with Blacks and not with women.
Perhaps white America is ready for a Black president however Black America is still filled with prejudice and anger. Women go to work every day and earn 60% of what their male counter parts earn. This is measurable inequality.
Wake up America and spell the the true inequality.

numi:

Ugh! To me there is no bigger waste of time than arguing over invisible sky fairies.

Mick Gee:

Very well said. Too bad at least 50 percent of the voting populace won't have a clue what you're saying, thanks to the last 30 years of binary politrix.

John:

Neither Hillary or McCain wear flag pins on their lapels.

Hillary has been knowingly married to a lying, philandering skirt chaser for 33 years.

McCain is on his second marriage to a woman he dated while still married to his first wife.

John McCain actively sought the endorsement of John Hagee, a war mongering, racist, radical right wing preacher who's known for his fiery rhetoric and has publicly called the Catholic church "the great wh*re".

Hillary and Bill have earned over $100 million in the last 10 years, not counting 2007.

McCain is married to a woman estimated to be worth over $100 million.

McCain's wife Cindy will not release her tax returns.

McCain uses his wife's private jet in violation of his own campaign finance law.

McCain admits he understands little about the economy, continually gaffs on foreign policy.

Hillary grossly inflates her participation in her husband's administration.

Hillary lies on Bosnia sniper fire.

Food for thought.

Gina:

It's not a religious issue ,it's a judgement issue 20 yrs of judgement. now it's political and he had to denounce. Judgement wright, tony wait till all this comes out i guess he'll say he was sorry and all is forgiven.but the underlying thing is judgement all these people have been friends or so for years and years not just for the campagine

Mark:

I'm afraid that Julia only infers that Obama meant that religion is a panacea. He implied no such thing. He meant that bitter people often cling to religion. There is a big difference, and Julie and much of the mainstream media have inferred what he said incorrectly.

Finally, I am at a lost to comprehend this statement of yours: "There's no one more bigoted than a person who hates bigots." You take Obama's words and twist them. Evidently, according to you, he can criticize no one without becoming a bigot.

anna hecht:

Thanks for your thoughtful and enlightening point of view.