There has been serious media attention during the 2008 Presidential primary process on the Church's of the two top Republican candidates. Newsweek has done two separate issues one on the religion of Governor Mitt Romney and the other on Governor Mike Huckabee.
Recently two members of the Hillary Clinton campaign in Ohio sent out an e-mail saying that Senator Obama is a Muslim. I even received a copy of this e-mail, which shows how quickly this kind of slander can make its way around the Internet. Senator Obama is not and never has been a Muslim. However, Senator Obama is a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
This article will look at Senator Obama's church and in a follow-up article we will look at Senator Clinton's Methodist Church.
Let's start with two stories about the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, one done by MSNBC's Tucker Carlton and one done by Fox News' Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes.
MSNBC Story
Fox News Story
In the Fox News story Eric Rush was interviewed and talked about an article he wrote about the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Here is the lead in to his article:
"How many Americans would vote for a presidential candidate who was the member of a church that professed the following credo?
1. Commitment to God
2. Commitment to the White Community
3. Commitment to the White Family
4. Dedication to the Pursuit of Education
5. Dedication to the Pursuit of Excellence
6. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
7. Commitment to Self-Discipline and Self-Respect
8. Disavowal of the Pursuit of "Middleclassness"
9. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community
10. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
11. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
12. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.
The question is rhetorical, of course. The answer is that such a candidate wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected dog catcher (apologies to America's animal rescue and public safety personnel) let alone President, because that candidate would be instantly branded a racist, among the most vile and frightening of white supremacists.
And those holding the branding irons would be 100% right.
Yet, in the "About" section of the U.S. Senate website for Barack Obama, Democratic senator from Illinois and contender for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, it states that Obama and his family "live on Chicago's South Side where they attend Trinity United Church of Christ."
So?
Well, to say that the Trinity United Church of Christ (http://www.tucc.org/) is Afrocentric in the extreme would be a gross understatement. It's not simply Afrocentric, it's African-centric. In fact, one could argue that this organization worships things African to a far greater degree than they do Christ, and gives the impression of being a separatist "church" in the same vein as do certain supremacist "white brethren" churches - or even Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam."
As the media is making an issue of faith in the Presidential primaries perhaps they should look at the top candidates on both sides. This would only be fair.
Monday, December 17, 2007
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10 comments:
Goodness this is silly. If Africans had not been brought to the United States as slaves, they too would enjoy the knowledge of their ancestry as white Europeans do. History, being different, would allow for churches with names like, the Nigerian Christian Congregation or the Ethiopian . . . and so on as European Christians have with the Greek Orthodox Church, etc. There are many Christian churches that have an emphasis on their European foundations. The Catholic mass was in Latin. The suggestion that a church claiming to be supportive of white values would be called racist is not an apt comparison. Obama’s church mentions Africa and race in the absence of a more complete history of it’s members. Asking Barack to deny that he is black is ridiculous. This is about preserving a cutural heritage, not about separatism.
Anonymous, there's a big difference between the "Greek Orthodox Church" and the "White Orthodox Church".
These people are using words like "heritage" to mask the same hatred and racism that you would claim to despise when it comes from white people. You're a hypocrite and a liar.
This is about preserving a cutural heritage, not about separatism.
So it is Heritage not Hate?
Just checking.
Anonymous: I can't believe people can find excuses like you make. They are profoundly ignorant. Orthodoxy and Catholicism embrace and speak for all and any. Never, and I mean never, is race or color mentioned. In fact, it is against our religion to do so. No, a church whose aims are as that Trinity church has is all in all racist and miserable in aim. Sad.
I too had at first been swept away by Obama's charm and yes he is a very talented orator. And yes Obamas so called Christian church is very racist. They do not allow anyone from anyother race to join.
They teach that the black race is superior. And they pledge to some African flag. Quite possiblythis is why Obama does not hold is hand over his heart if he must say the pledge to the U.S. flag. And quite possible this explains his refusal to wear the flag lapel pin that our politicans do. Quite frankly I now fear this man and his racist beliefs. Can you imagine any white candidate belonging to a church that did not allow blacks to join! Can you imagine a white church that gave alligence to lets say Germany. Can you imagine a white church that said only to support the black race and only black children.
Come on everyone this is David Duke is different clothing.
I agree with the first commentor. What white Americans fail to understand is that the lives and experiences between people of various races in this country are drastically different. Black Americans in this country have been stripped of identity and pride amongst other things. Such institutions are common and create a support base for empowerment, whites dont need that because they havent been made to feel subhuman or lacking in identity and self-pride. You are the ones who are ignorant if who are living in a country, in a world were you are unable to see or understand this issue. There are organizations for women that are invested in women's issues, to empower girls and raise the status of women in society etc... These are organizations where i'm sure men aren't technically allowed. If you understand our society then you should be able to understand why it is that way. How dumb would you be to switch the wording and change women into men and then complain about if men had such an organization it would be called sexist. Get real!! Get real!!
By the way, i forgot to add in that such church's are examples of the social gospel that exists in the black church. Figures like MLK Jr. came from places like these. They aren't trying to say they are superior, you must be crazy, they are trying to empower their community. They are trying to heal the black community. I am not suprised that Barack Obama comes from such a church. He has a great deal of pride and strength as a father, husband and leader that is fostered in places like these.
Check this out:
"Is Barack Obama a Racist or Guilty by Association?"
The comments on this piece are particularly interesting.
Ok, where are the educated people in this post?
What is church for? To worship GOD, duh! Not to preach anything but the word of GOD. Any use of a church or using the GODs word to push an agenda other than that of GODs will is a SIN.
THE CHURCH IS FOR THE WORSHIP OF THE LORD AND TO TEACH THE WORD OF GOD. Everyone is welcome, Black, white, asian, middle eastern,ect... If a preacher will not teach me because of the color of my skin, he is an abomination. He most likely isn't a christian himself.
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