Yes, we can.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Alex

Black Liberation Theology

or, BLT.

Mmmm. Where do I join?

[Morrigoon]

I just don't buy into this whole "pastor's-thoughts-are-Obama's-thoughts" crap.

I had a pastor I liked a lot when I lived in Texas, went to church weekly, etc. But you know what? He's against gay marriage. Doesn't mean I am. I think anyone who knows me can appreciate just how much I am in favor of legalizing gay marriage. Granted, I only heard it once the entire time I attended there, so it's not like he harped on it the way that Rev. Wright harps on the AIDS thing, but my point still stands.

This may come as a surprise to the atheists, but churchgoers CAN think for themselves and decide to what degree they want to listen to their religious leaders.

[sleepyjeff]

"My faith teaches me that I can sit in church and pray all I want, but I won't be fulfilling God's will unless I go out and do the Lord's work,"

~B.H. Obama

Sounds to me like he is saying that he not only listens to what the Pastor says but intends to act upon it.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by SacTown Chronic

Still waiting for evidence that Wright is racist or un-American.

Wright has specifically acknowledged a man named James Cone as the father of the philosophy he believes in and has based his church upon. Some quotes from James Cone -

All white men are responsible for white oppression.

To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people.

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.

You get the idea.

He has also honored and lauded Louis Farrakhan, who is indeed a racist himself.

Now, I suppose ractist may not be the correct term, and I mean that sincerely. But he indeed propote racial hatred.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

Sounds to me like he is saying that he not only listens to what the Pastor says but intends to act upon it.

Wow...if a Republican said that there would be hell to pay.

[innerSpaceman]

Obama must believe as Wright does as Wright must believe as Cone does.



You are stretching, scaeagles. Don't pull your sphincter muscles.

[Strangler Lewis]

I don't see why there would be hell to pay if a Republican said that. All Obama appears to be talking about is faith through salvation (or sitting on your butt in the Astrodome) vs. faith through good works.

Whether this is truly admirable, of course, all depends on what one defines as God's work.

[scaeagles]

Not a stretch at all, there, really. Wright says he based his entire philosophy on Cone. Obama says (or has implied, certainly) that Wright is a mentor.

If A = B and B = C then A = C.

As far as being in trouble, the whole topic of conversation would be whether or not the republican could keep his religious views out of his governing. He wants to do the Lord's work? What exactly does he think that means? Locking women up in the kitchen with no shoes????? Who's Lord is he referring to?!?!?! We all have our own religious or non religious views and he CAN'T IMPOSE HIS ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sleepyjeff]

"What I value most about Pastor Wright is not his day-to-day political advice. He's much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I'm not losing myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that's involved in national politics."
~B.H. Obama

Never mind the implication that Wright did indeed provide "day-to-day political advice".

So Obama needs Wright to keep from losing himself "in some of the hype and hoopla" of "national politics"...

What will he do now to keep himself from being lost?

[Alex]

That's true. But I would argue then when most Republicans say they are pursuing the Lord's work (as many of them have without seeming to suffer too much for it) that is often the only reason they can give for it.

So far, I haven't yet heard Obama say "I'm proposing Policy Z because it is what God would want." When he does that, I'll mock him just as much as I do any of the other hundreds of politicians that have pulled that stunt. I don't ask that religious people not be informed by their faith (though I would be happier if they weren't), just that their faith not be presented as justification.

While we're using math:

"mentor" != = & ∴ B != C ∴ A != C