RAW DATA: Obama’s Statement Condemning His Pastor’s Controversial Sermons
The following statement was released by the Barack Obama campaign Friday in response to criticism over sermons delivered by his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.:
On My Faith and My Church
The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He’s drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my political opponents.
Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.
Because these particular statements by Rev. Wright are so contrary to my own life and beliefs, a number of people have legitimately raised questions about the nature of my relationship with Rev. Wright and my membership in the church. Let me therefore provide some context.
As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It’s a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.
Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he’s been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.
Let me repeat what I’ve said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country.
With Rev. Wright’s retirement and the ascension of my new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much good. And while Rev. Wright’s statements have pained and angered me, I believe that Americans will judge me not on the basis of what someone else said, but on the basis of who I am and what I believe in; on my values, judgment and experience to be President of the United States.
It’s obvious that about 97% of the comments written here are from uneducated people which ironically, are the people voting for Clinton or McCain. The other 3% are probably highly educated and of that 3% 1.5% are maybe highly educated but on LSD; i.e., student from Africa.
Barack Obama is not responsible for his ministers words or actions. Pastor Wright is no longer BO’s spiritual leader; get the facts straight people!
Enjoy your place…
You can sure bet Elliot Spitzer will vote for Obama to thank him for getting Spitzer off the front page!
Clinton said he smoked dope but didn’t inhale. Obama said he went to church but didn’t hear the sermon. Both are slick, slimey liberal liars - one loathed the military, the other loaths America. John McCain has gravitas, loyalty and integrity and looks better every day.
The real question is who finances Obama and why? What will the quid pro quo be? It is obvious that zObama plays the ” all things to all people very well”. This approach usually indicates an opportunist.
Dear Editor”
Mr. Obama is a long time member of this church. The congregation shown an excitement whenever the pastor made such stinging accusations against America. It is questionable if no one really told him that the pastor made suching preaching and the people really enjoyed. If so, He is a great politician but did not have good church firends. or just he is not telling the truth that he did not say anything about the preaching as he did not disagree with him at the time. Ask him if he really did not know his style of praching????????
For Obama to claim he never heard his pastor’s racist, anti-White hate speech during 20 years at that church is like Lenin claiming he never read Marx. Just watch the videos, the whole congregation hoots and hollers and high-fives those sermons. The whole church is a disgusting nest of Black racists, and Obama feels quite at home there.
Obama is a suave, smooth talking, lying snake. Any White person who votes for him is an idiot.
Sirs.As a kid years ago we used to hear this comment “hey,so what,he (Mussolini) did make the trains run on time!” and that was said both in a mocking manner and condensending tone. No one ever,ever changes abruptly from one role to another…moderate and reasonable to ..pow…stand back he is swinging that axe rather wildly at the moment! As the former Gov.of New York state was a ‘regular’ customer..it is hardly feasible that Obamas minister just ranted at this one time and one time only…what a field of candidates this time around..a Hobsons choice indeed!………….Nino
I am so sick and tired of these out of touch with reality politicians thinking they can do or say anything and we the voters are too stupid to even notice. They think if we did hear…why there is no way we would even understand what they are saying… don’t you know we took that completely out of context. The Obamas are far more dangerous for our country than the Clintons could ever be. I hope the media will have the courage to investigate the Obamas before it is too late for our country.
I believe this is a very dangerous time for our country. I pray that God will guide us as we select our next leader.
“We sow the wind and we reap the whirlwind.”
Hosea 8:7
Sincerely,
SH
Every logical mind should be able to work out that 911 was planned years ahead and brilliantly executed. If you don’t know that, don’t even bother to read any further.
Many have said Senator Obama possesses a rare combination of skills, in fact so rare, no single other politician comes even close. What is not realized is the Senator also possesses a brilliant political mind. He knows everything he does, he does it with finesse, when he is not sure, he tests the waters to verify his plan. If he finds the test results satisfactory, his plan goes in. The Senator, to summarize, is a master Strategist; he leaves nothing to chance.
He knows full well he cannot win in November, so for now he goes in as the Peace Messiah. Nobody even knows or suspects he is testing the waters.
The Iran hate America Bush plan was executed with perfection. After that Ferraro and the race conflict. Nobody can point a finger at him. He rides across the screens hands clean, the Grand Uniter, Peace Messiah. Inside he knows he is closer to his goal than the day before. He knows it perfectly well.
You don’t believe this? Let me tell you his next big step [test] is Denver. If he fails in Denver he knows he will have to withdraw. But don’t think you know his private definitions of fail or win.
Herein lies the point. Senator Obama will win August if Denver erupts in flames. That is the grand and final test for him, inside him. So either way he wins. He simply cannot loose, whichever way it goes. …. Superbly confident, because everything has worked according to plan so far. He is the “Yes, I Can” man.
Another comment somewhere said: “don’t afterwards say you did not know I was a snake when you took me in.”
You cannot tell me that you can sit in an evangelical church for twenty years and not know your pastor’s positions. Especially things that come out as passionately as Pastor Wright’s anti white, anti American feelings. I’ll bet that a video or some witnesses will come forth showing that Senator Obama was at some of these sermons.
What about his wife? Has Pastor Wright influenced her to a point where she was not proud of America until just recently? Her statement sounds like an “Amen” to much of what Wright has been preaching.
Those who do not go to church regularly should not be fooled. The sheep of a congregation usually take on charachteristics of the shepherd.