Politics and religion.

[Pam]

I can't believe I am the first one to post on this. My own personal opinion on this is that if I had ever attended a church where someone shouted these things from the pulpit I would never return. In fact, it wouldn't even need to be racial/political things that would drive me away. I have left churches before and would not hesitate to do so again if there was a good reason.

That all said, I do think Obama's speech was excellent. I have never lived as a black woman and really do not know what life would be like as one except from what I am told. I think the fact that this has opened up a dialog is excellent. Sooner or later it would have come up, should he become President, so it is best to do it now. Not every white person is KKK USA, per the pastor nor is every black person someone to be feared (and thus cross to the other side of the street to avoid). Unfortunately many people still have these views so it is good to get them out in the open and air them out a little and, hopefully, see how far we have come.

One thing that was said was that the most segregated hour of the week begins at 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings. Today if that is the case it is because people want to be segregated rather than because they have to. The churches that I have attended have all had black people in attendance, but the racial make-up has mostly been white. Though I have never worshipped in a black church, my daughter and my daughter-in-law have. They were warmly welcomed and there was none of the kind of hatred being spewed from the pulpit that this pastor seemed to frequently dish out. The worship service was quite different from what they were used to, but it is merely a cultural difference, with the singing and *praising* being quite different than what you would find in most white churches.

My concern with this pastor is the fact that he used the pulpit for something other than what he was ordained to do, and that is to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was not teaching IMO. It was brainwashing and inciting people and that should NEVER be done in a house of worship of any kind by anyone.

I can sympathize with Sen. Obama for not wanting to cut himself off from a close friend of 20 years who has become such cause of embarrassment to him now. He is to be commended for his loyalty. What I just don't understand, though, is how that friendship ever got started if this pastor has always held these views. If he has and Obama knows it, staying in that church remains very puzzling to me and does cast a bit of a cloud over him.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

The matter of race has always whizzed right over my head. I've never seen the sense of not liking someone just based on their color.

I think the reason lots of ministers use the pulpit to spout their own racial hatreds is because they have a captive audiance. People don't want to offend God by walking out. I would have been out the door in a heartbeat, however, if I was ever in a church with all that stuff being said. God would have been the first one out the door, I'm sure.

[RICHARD]

BO isn't going to let go for a few reasons.

First, The BS he'll get again for not being black enough or being too white.

2. MONEY MONEY MONEY. It's the thing that greases the skids. People will punish him by withholding contributions.

3. Flip flopping. If anything the new breed of politicos have learned not to veer from any ideals, lest they be called flip floppers. It don't look good when the media plays your old speeches.

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This is an extreme example but let's try anyway?


I had a long time friend who owns a beagle.

When I visit anyone's home where there is a pet I expect to get sniffed in the crotch, hair on my clothes, slobbered on and nipped at.

(my best gal pal did have a weineramer -sp?- that would grab my wrist and try to pull me outside...it hurt but who am I to protest?)

Anyway,
When the beagle would get next to me I would scratch his ears-the dog would respond by jumping up on me, following me around and climbing into my lap. The dog was literally crying and whimpering because I was paying attention to him.

The "friend" started to yell at the dog, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off of me.

I told him it was O.K.

He answered that the dog wasn't allowed to jump on people, climb on the couch, sniff people -the list went on and on. He then went and put the dog outside, where the poor thing sat at the window and stared.

Later, when his wife and kids were out of earshot he confided in me that he couldn't stand the dog and only put up with him because of the wife and kids.

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After 25 years of knowing this guy in school and life, it hit me that I really didn't know him at all. He wanted to control every aspect of his world....down to an animal who was thrilled to see someone who didn't mind a little attention.

With that in mind I didn't have any problems putting distance between us.

And I really don't any problems with my decision.

[Pam]

I just thought of something else. Hubby said he heard a bit of Rev. Wright's sermon (granted, not a lot) and hubby took one of his statements to mean that he (The Rev.) was taking a side for the Palestinians and against Israel. Of course the U.S. position is pro-Israel. I am hoping that Senator Obama was able to recycle this sermon to his own personal mental *trash bin,* and then press Delete, along with a lot of the other garbage that he has been hearing for 20 years.

[caseysmom]

I think it would be refreshing for our president to look at both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian issue, I think our hard stance in that area has not helped anything or anybody.

[RICHARD]

I think it would be refreshing for our president to look at both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian issue, I think our hard stance in that area has not helped anything or anybody.

That's a tough one, there have been many attempts by the U.S. to bring both sides together.

You have to look at the history of Israel and the area to understand the conflict. It's a complex situation and both sides haven't been pristine when it comes to the politics that keep them at odds.

The Palestine Liberation Organization has kept their thumb on their own people. Yassar Arafat stole millions, possibly billions of dollars from the people he represented.

Keeping the people in the area poor and uneducated, hungry and dependent on the government is one way to plant the seeds of discontent. Blaming the neighbors for the problems at home keeps the heat off of you.

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The U.S. has been blamed for everything in the Middle East for years.
The whole thought is that our government has provided money, arms and support for the Israeli government. The PLO has just enough money to buy arms and put together rockets to fight.The rest of the money goes to buying the faith of the citizens.

The PLO is a great BS machine. The PLO will launch rockets into Israel, when Israel strikes back the PLO rebuilds the houses that were destroyed and offers monetary and food support to the people affected.

The people are bought with this kind of Terrorist FEMA.

You cannot say bad things when a bunch of thugs help you recover from an attack that they start...

Did I mention the fact that your house was bombed because the PLO has a clubhouse in your area from where the attacks were launched?


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Here's one thought that bounced around in my empty skull for a while.

Why are there so many clips of the rev being naughty?

If he had a momentary lapse of reason, I'd give him the Dottering Old Fool Pass-of-the-Week, But that and the comments on the Natalie Holloway cases really make me question his morality.

[RICHARD]

Another thought about the rev and his rants.

Everyone focuses on the "race" part...What about the hate speech against the government?

Not about some of the fools we have in office, but just the general tone and hate against the system?

Most of the other 'revs' (ain't gonna capitalize the word because they really don't deserve it.) are commenting about statements being taken 'out of context' and misconstrued. Hmmm, I wonder what else we and the media have missed?

Al Sharptongue was vehement in his support of BO, Jesse Jackson was cornered at a function and stuttered his way into deflecting the question posed by the reporter about his thoughts on the matter.

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I guess everyone knows about BO's unwillingness to wear a flag pin on his lapel or putting his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance.

You want to lead the country that your spiritual advisor dislikes so much?

A talk show host made the observation, as I did, about the flags behind BO during his speech-he won't stand behind a pin on his lapel, but he'll stand in front of eight of them in his time of political need?

I have more questions than he has answers.

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And here's a little foible that I really am focused on.

The 'Three Umm Rule'.

A talkshow host here in Lost Angeles would kick callers off the air if they called up and "Ummed" more than three times during the call.

Bo has an annoying UM and hesitancy when he speaks. He pauses and searches for an answer or a word.....

Kind reminds me of other politicos that aren't well versed in off the cuff speaking.

Check it out.

[lizbud]

It has been getting to be an every other thing with Obama.He seems
to give speechs to interpret & explain ,what he said in his last speech.

Now he's explaining his Grandmother was acting like any other" typical
white person" in holding a bias against blacks.

What the heck is a "typical white person"? Is it like a "typical black person"?

I'm surprised all caucasians havn't rioted in the streets at hearing that.