CHICAGO (AP) - A young Barack Obama was searching for answers, and perhaps a place to belong, when he decided to visit a fast-growing church recommended by friends. What he heard left him in tears.
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(Photo: AP Images / Paul Beaty)Trinity United Church of Christ, the church frequented by Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is seen on Wednesday, March 26, 2008, in Chicago. The church pastor's, Rev. Jeremiah Wright's, remarks about everything from race relations to the Sept. 11 terror attacks have provoked the greatest crisis for Obama's campaign thus far, but Obama has refused to leave Trinity, saying there is much more to Wright and the church.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright preached that day about suffering — about the seemingly endless problems of the world and of individuals. But he also talked about the importance of hope, the audacity of believing things can be made better.
"Hope is what saves us," Wright said.
That message moved Obama to embrace Trinity United Church of Christ, along with its philosophy of translating faith into action. But it's a side of Wright that has been overshadowed by his inflammatory remarks about everything from race relations to the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
The furor over Wright's remarks has provoked the greatest crisis for Obama's presidential campaign thus far, but Obama has refused to leave Trinity or sever his ties with Wright, saying there is much more to Wright and the church.
Asked Wednesday on MSNBC's "Hardball" if he thought the questions about his relationship with Wright were unfair, Obama said: "I think that's fair game in the sense that what my former pastor said was offensive. I think that in politics, whether I was white, black, Hispanic or Asian, somebody would be trying to use it against me. I do think that it is important to keep things in perspective."
Trinity is a predominantly black congregation in a mainline, mostly white denomination — the United Church of Christ. Its 8,000 members include politicians, doctors, lawyers and other leaders on Chicago's South Side.
The rapper Common, the former director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, the former director of the state Department of Professional Regulation, and at least one state representative are members of the church. Oprah Winfrey has attended services there.
The church offers a long list of services — housing and employment programs, scholarships, a ministry to people with HIV/AIDS — that mesh well with Obama's political philosophy.
"It's his deep faith in God and his desire to be an agent of change in the world. That's kind of the Trinity mantra," said the Rev. Michael Pfleger, a priest at a South Side Roman Catholic church.
Obama eventually joined Trinity and was baptized there. Wright performed his wedding ceremony and baptized Obama's two daughters. Years later, he took the theme of Wright's sermon as the title for a book, "The Audacity of Hope."
Most Americans know Wright only from video excerpts of sermons in which he says God should damn the United States for its racism, accuses the government of spreading AIDS and suggests the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were retribution for the country's past wrongs. Obama's long connection with Wright has raised doubts among some voters about Obama's beliefs and judgment.
His Democratic rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, said she would have left the church if it had been her pastor saying such things. Obama denounced the most inflammatory of Wright's comments, which he said he didn't know about until recently. But he acknowledges, without providing any detail, hearing Wright make other controversial remarks.
Obama argues it would be wrong for people to judge Wright solely on a handful of remarks. He has tried to place Wright's comments in the context of anger from a black man who came of age in a time of segregation and civil rights turmoil. Continue >>
Comments
D. Walker
Jeremiah Wright's unforgiveness towards God because he was born black and his unforgiveness towards the white people in the way they treated the blacks has left him full of bitterness, resentment, and hatred. His root of bitterness has caused many to be defiled. His ungodly rampants indicate the condition of his sin sick soul and it does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20)
Jesus said that if you don't forgive, God will not forgive you.(Mark 11:25-26). Unforgiveness is a sin. He needs to repent. If he doesn't, he will go to hell.
Hebrews 12:14-15
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the gracce of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Well some cannot believe Rev. Wright said G-d ----America?
Do you truly understand God's truth about the nature of men?
Do you foolishly think that the flesh is always under control at all times in God's children? To be so self-righteous is so Pharisee like.
Rev. Wright spoke hard truths that are very hard for most to accept. He is a child of God regardless of anyone disagreeing with God on that matter. And, look how many of you who are claiming to follow Christ have fixed their heart against God's child. That should concern you more than anything else.
"Let them shoot themselves in the foot" by the books they write,...Not just Barack Obama,....
Not a product of that Church? Come on........
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/coulter040308.php3
The Southern Baptist Convention is the is the religious arm of the Republican Party??!!?? What, are you on drugs or just pretending to be knowledgable? And what does this have to do with the story of Obama.
Obama found a home alright!! Right in the lap, for 22 years, of a black separatist, white-hating, fear-mongering, racist, Anti-jewish church which spouts hate and venom!! And this is the guy who wants to be the President of this nation!!! I DON'T THINK SO!!! He's lost ALL credibility, and he hasn't earned the right to be President of anything. Obama needs to come to the Cross of Christ afresh and ask God to forgive him for his sins of arrogance and murder and perversion. The ideas that homosexuals should be given equal access and protected and affirmed is perversion. The idea that women have a RIGHT to murder their unborn is murder. And the idea that he believes that he is entitled to be the first black President of this nation is sheer arrogance!!!
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!!!!
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION IS THE RELIGIOUS ARM OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, ITS A JOKE TO TRY TO SAY THAT THEY FALWELL AND ROBERTSON WHO ARE BOTH SOUTHERN BAPTIST HAS NO BEARING ON MCAIN WHO ATTENDS NORTH PHOENIX BAPTIST A SOUTHER BAPTIST CHURCH A COMPLETE JOKE TO SAY OTHERWISE.
To Hawkins and Wills: what kind of 'journalism" is this? In fact, it is advocacy.
The Sen. belonged for 20 (twenty) years. No clue Pastor is a racist? Sorry, Sen. Obama, you lose in the discernment column. The first-term senator may not be fully qualified for the Presidency.
To Hawkins & Wills: to assert the Italians are just as bad really doesn't convince me. Moreover, to trot out a pet priest means you've never watched the videos of Pope John Paul II in Latin America.
To all those sad souls, despairing souls who are willing to vote for someone "not quite as bad as those other guys": will "not quite as bad as those other sinners" really cut it at the Pearly Gates?
To Hawkins & Wills: whatever the people who attend the same flawed church say in defense of their fellow congregant, the rest of us know how to take that even if you don't. To pitch denomination against denomination merely plays into the hands of the Junior Senator from Illinois's hands. sow dissension among the believers. I (as in Sen. Obama) will deliver them.
JHS,
The Title southern baptist is the name of a denomination that is part of the (church body) not the name of a church.
JHS,
No actually I am correct. They may share the same denomination, but John McCain has established his membership in Phoenix Arizona.
I do not agree with Reverend Wright in spirit. True Christians empowered by the Holy Spirit say and pray “God Bless America,” and many are now saying “God Please Help the US.” However, the Holy Spirit would never inspire a true follower of Christ to say or pray “God Damn American” in any context, much less as part of a taped public sermon. Scriptures say to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). Reverend Wright obviously has a fiery spirit that is condemning at times, particuarly when he curses our nation in public sermons. It's certaintly not Christ-like or characteristic of the Holy Spirit. Most of his life Senator Obama has trusted and tollerated this particular pastor. Since there is reason to not trust the spirit in which Reverend Wright has made such remarks, there is reason as well to question the spirit leading the youthfull Obama Hussein Barack as a professed Christian and possible president of our nation. May God’s Holy Spirit be our guide.
Hope Page: http://itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com
I do think what Wright said was offensive. But, I don't think we can judge Obama over everything Wright has said. Believe me...I have plenty of other things I disagree with Obama about, as I am a Conservative Republican.
I think it is fair to question Obama over it, but not fair to port over every belief or statement Wright has had and overlay them on Obama.
<McCain says he is not "born again" and has not been baptized. He says he is "just a Christian," who for many years has been attending the North Phoenix Baptist Church in Arizona with his family. He was raised in the Episcopal Church and attended Episcopal High School, an elite boarding school in Alexandria, Va., where he was required to attend chapel every morning and church on Sunday. At the US Naval Academy, church attendance was also required. >
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1018/p01s06-uspo.html?page=1
TerryH
Actually you are wrong, both Robertson and Falwell are bothe southern baptist as is Mcain.
JHS,
2 points here. First, John McCain is not a member of either churches you mentioned.
Second if you will read the article in this site titled, Jewish Leader Calls Hagee 'Extremist' you will see that McCain distanced hiomself from Hagee.
THATS ALL RIGHT LOOK AT JOHN HAGEE, OR THE LATE JERRY FALWELL OR PAT ROCBERTSON, TRUST ME ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS GET THEIR REMARKS ON 911 AND THAT WILL DO MCCAIN IN. BOTH SIDES ARE FULL OF IT.