Obama’s Church Fires Back
File; Barack Obama with Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. (AP Photo)
The Chicago church attended by Barack Obama is fighting back against media coverage of its controversial pastor, issuing a statement on Sunday, saying reports on the inflammatory remarks by Rev. Jeremiah Wright are an attempt to attack “the history of the African American church.”
“Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.’s character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of oppressed women, children and men in America and around the globe,” the leaders of Trinity United Church of Christ wrote Sunday in a statement distributed to the media.
Claiming that Wright’s 36 years as pastor of the church — the largest United Church of Christ congregation, with 8,000 members — is being demeaned, Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president, said, “It saddens me to see news stories reporting such a caricature of a congregation that has been such a blessing to the UCC’s Wider Church mission … It’s time for us to say ‘No’ to these attacks and declare that we will not allow anyone to undermine or destroy the ministries of any of our congregations in order to serve their own narrow political or ideological ends.”
Neither Wright nor Obama was present at the church on Sunday, but all of talk news has been on the subject of the pastor, whose many sermons have been captured on video and replayed across television and the Internet over the past few weeks.
Some of the more flamboyant sermons have included statements saying that the U.S. created the AIDS virus to kill African Americans and that the United States was asking for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks because it had supported “state-sponsored terrorism” against black South Africans and Palestinian
Obama’s campaign has tried to distance the candidate from his Wright, the man who coined the phrase “the audacity of hope” that became the title of Obama’s bestselling book.
Speaking in a conference call on Sunday, Obama’s advisers acknowledged that the pastor was supposed to appear at the announcement of Obama’s presidential campaign last year, but was cut from the program in part because they knew he was controversial and didn’t want him to become a target or distraction, both of which he nows appears to be.
But even as attention is focused on Obama, Hillary Clinton’s supporters have refrained from pouncing on the opportunity to link Obama to his 20-year-long spiritual adviser.
“I mean, as you know, I prefer Senator Clinton for a whole lot of reasons, but I don’t cast aspersions on Senator Obama for what somebody else said,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told “FOX News Sunday.”
Calling Trinity’s social justice and outreach programs “inclusive and global” Moss added that not much has changed since the era of Martin Luther King’s sermons for equality. He claimed that African American churches, “born out of the crucible of slavery and the legacy of prophetic African American preachers since slavery” continue to treat marginalized victims of social and economic injustices in the face of prejudice.
“This is an attack on the legacy of the African American Church which led and continues to lead the fight for human rights in America and around the world,” he said, adding “The African American Church community continues to face bomb threats, death threats, and their ministers’ characters are assassinated because they teach and preach prophetic social concerns for social justice. Sunday is still the most segregated hour in America.”
Click here to read the Trinity United Church of Christ statement.
FOX News’ Caroline Shively contributed to this report.
[...] Obama’s Church Fights Back The church attended by Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, which came under fire this week when former minister Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s comments about Sept. 11 and the government’s involvement with AIDS were made public on news channels and YouTube, fought back Sunday on the cable news shows. [...]
I agree with R. Fred Theiss Jr. Although I am a huge conservative, I do not believe that it is right for everyone to criticize Obama. There are probably many beliefs of my pastor that I don’t know about. Even though I do not agree with anything Barack says, I think standing up for him is the right thing to do. He shouldn’t be held responsible for his idiotic priest’s beliefs.
Amen our brother, you hit the nail on the head. We really do have to pray for America as we are living in the last days. May the Peace of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be with you today and ever more. Amen, Amen, Let all of God’s Chidren say Amen!
A& P Davis of MA
Hello Trinity United Church Members and Members of The National Unitied Church:
We have just finished reading the statement that Triniity United Church posted in the news paper and felt that we have to make a comment. Our comment is in regards to the lack of concern for what Pastor Wrights’ comments have done to Senator Obama’s campaign for the presidency. Since he is and has been a member of your church for 20 years, we would really think that the church would make a stament on Senator Obama’s behalf. It seemed that Rev. Wright was supporting him in his message that is now being used against him by the media.
Our question to all members of the church is : Do you want Senator Obama to win or loose? if you do want him to win, why don’t the church let the media know how you really feel about your member and stop letting them destroy and degrade him. We thought better of your church but we guess you would prefer to just try to protect Rev. Wright and leave Senator Obama out in the cold or ratrher leave him for the wolves to devour. We would really like to get a response. We have called and left several messages for someone to call us in regards to the issues surrounding Rev. Wright’s sermon and it’s connection to Senator Obama and no one has ever took the time to return our call (it as been about 2 weeks) It would really be great for Rev. Wrigh to make a statement to the media on behalf of Senator Obama and note his feelings about how the media and Whites and others are preceiving him (Rev. Wright) and how they are taking the sermons and teachings of your church and linking all of this to the way that Senator Obama will act if he s nominated for president of the USA.
We think it would also be a great idea to note how the White members of your church feel about the srmon that Rev. Wright did and how they feel about the media’s that Rev. Wright and Trinity Church and Senator Obama is getting. We thank you in advance for your time and consideration of your request for help for Senator Obama.
Sincerely,
Alphonse & Pamela Davis
The man’s comments are such an outrageous lie that they don’t deserve comment except for the fact that there are people who believe them. The terrible consequence is that the people who believe these lies are subjecting themselves to slavery. Jesus said, “the truth shall make you free.” All people are in one of two conditions either slavery or freedom. Anyone who believes a lie is putting himself into slavery.
A prophet of God does not lie. J. Wright, Jr. is not a prophet of God.
The larger problem is that this theme runs through the dogma of this church. Since the Obamas were there for so many years, they would have to be affected by it. In my opinion this makes Obama unfit for office. Any office
It is not unusual to have our fellow countrymen not “see” Afrocan-Americans, as a whole. We have always been supported and educated regarding social issues, in our churches. To think - where else would the ‘Civil Rights’ movement been initiated? Most assuredly, it was divinely inspired to begin to construct and improve the “ills” of our nation..
We are all too aware - daily - that racism is “alive and well”, in this country. However, we continue to pay respect and honor our country. It is indeed “our” country, as our forefathers were instrumental in providing (free) labor.
I personally, do not place the blame of all social ills, on my countrymen for their forefathers social, civil and moral negligence. However, the issue of race MUST be continuously addressed.
I do not “hate white prople”, was never encouraged to do so by parents, church or schools. What is hateful, is to see our country spend billions of dollars abroad to cure social problems and than blatantly neglect the findings and suggestions, of programs to begin to cure our own social problems.
As a members of a Pilgrim Congregational United Church or Christ, Houston, Texas (41 years) Pastor Wright is truly a valued leader and spokesman for us. Our country need always to be reminded of our social ills and to remain on a positive pathway of improving - for ALL AMERICANS.
Most of us feel a genuine sense of pride - when the flag is pledged, the National Anthem played and homage to the many who paid the ultimate sacrifice, for our freedom. I have taught my children and students to do so.
We need a leader who can now re-direct our country, restore our international image and who possesses integrity - above reproach. The founding fathers were God fearing and based the Constitution on moral convictions. Let us return - or we may all well perish.
All the church is trying to do is bully the media.Anyne with with half a brain
knows the church is racist .Trying to cast this hate as anything else boggles
the mind.
The Trinity Church shows why improvements in race relations are not acknowledged. The replacement pastor is no less inflammatory that Rev. Wright.
No one is making a racial comment what people are upset about is the sermons about GDAmerica that we brought 911 on our self the aids virus came from people dirty needles, your church can say what it wants but when you have a person that wants to be president of this country ,then Americans have a right to voice our concerns ,Now, Obama never have a flag near him until fox news made this story public, now he even closes his speech with God Bless America
If any church in America should be burnt down it’s that one and make sure the preacher wright is in it when it’s lit. NO GOOD HYPOCRIT.