While Obama has no control over what a visiting priest says at his church, I would be disgusted by the cheering reaction of the congregation and that would be enough for me to decide I no longer wanted to be associated with them. So maybe it was political, but maybe Obama is honestly fed up with them and their mocking hate mongering. I sure as hell would never want my children to sit in a congregation and witness the spiritual leadership mock another human being before a cheering crowd. Disgraceful. I'm glad Obama quit the church and I hope he and his family can find another one that suits them better.
Posted by CG at May 31, 2008 04:06 PMIf Obama is as smart as I suspect he is then he realizes that the whole religion is a bunch of hooey and joined the church just for show. He'll find another church that is politically acceptable and go from there.
I suspect this is true of most US politicians, including the far-right wingers -- their alleged membership in a religion is only to placate the masses.
Someday it will be acceptable for people in public positions to honestly admit that they think Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are full of nonsense and that anyone alleging to speak for God should be ignored as a crackpot. But today public figures in the US still have to feign believe in unproven superstition.
Posted by Anonny at May 31, 2008 04:18 PMGee, that's surprising.
His church is political suicide, his unfavorables are skyrocketing, and he's overcome with sudden disgust for Trinity Church.
Craven hypocrisy.
Posted by Reality at May 31, 2008 04:36 PMTime for the Democrats to move on from Obama.
I find his hypocrisy singularly odious.
He ain't black.
He ain't white.
He's transparent.
i'm anxious to hear the reaction of those crying about Trinity's scandals being an extension of the misunderstanding we have of the Black Church.
Posted by misfitina at May 31, 2008 05:17 PMCG: fair and well-said
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"Someday it will be acceptable for people in public positions to honestly admit that they think Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are full of nonsense" - Anonny
Without taking a 'side', I think it is reasonable to look at the behavior of western Europe. The overt manifestations of worship and its trappings, e.g. marriage and regular church attendance, are in consistent decline. To say that public officials will publically ridicule organized relifion in our lifetime is a reach.
++++++++++++++++
'Reality' and MarkL: Dream on!
Posted by pragmaticprogressive at May 31, 2008 05:18 PMIt's already come out that David Axelrod is on the fundraising committee for Pfleger's Saint Sabina church. Now it turns out that he had been working on a documentary about Pfleger.
Obama should repudiate and cut all ties with David Axelrod.
Posted by madam, i'm adam at May 31, 2008 05:31 PMi loathe axelrod as much as i loathe mark penn. is it a requisite that campaign strategists be so smarmy?
Posted by Turkana at May 31, 2008 05:35 PM"To say that public officials will publically ridicule organized relifion in our lifetime is a reach."
Nor should they.
Obama should repudiate and cut all ties with David Axelrod.
Why?
Like what's-her-face cutting Mark Penn loose? He's still on her campaign...you did know that, I hope.
Posted by phidipides at May 31, 2008 05:59 PMturkana: Apparently, Rove has lowered the bar for everyone.
phid: Because he's a snake.
Posted by madam, i'm adam at May 31, 2008 06:48 PMIt is repeatedly reported that Trinity church brought Obama to Jesus.
Who if anyone did he worship before finding Jesus?
He also said he and Michelle will pray, and God's will will bring them to their next church.
I hope his foreign policy comes from a lower place.
Posted by TIKI AL at May 31, 2008 06:52 PMLick the dust diplomacy.
Posted by onar at May 31, 2008 07:22 PMWhat could he have done? He could have and should have walked out a long time ago, as any good American would have. Instead he kept his head firmly implanted up his ass, for whatever reason? We're in the last throes of another idiot whose radical beliefs have disrupted this nation, and we're firmly on course to coronate another.
Posted by jimbo at May 31, 2008 07:54 PMjimbo,
obama is neither an idiot nor radical. in fact, i wish he were a little more radical.
Posted by Turkana at May 31, 2008 07:58 PMB. Hussein Obama has proven, ONCE AGAIN, that he is incapable of makeing a decison. He attended the church and ate up all the racism, bigotry and anti American hate speeck. First Obama said he had never "heard" anything controversial. Through denial, dodges, first a speech that he would never disown Rev. Wright, throws his own grandmother under the bus. After more, and more coming to light, he throws Rev. Wright under the bus. Sure shows how much his word is worth.
Now comes another long time connection preaching the same white hate from the same church. It seems that the Rev. Wright Church was really P' O'd when Obama even started to distance himself from them. Not unexpected, since the Rev. Wright had brutally excoriated Oprah Winfrey when she left so they could have been a lot of anger in that church.
Now he'll be trying to defend his domestic terrorist friends and the members of the Chicago underworld who have started and helped finance his lifestyle.
What a three ring circus!
Posted by Markle at May 31, 2008 08:12 PMObama's position that he never heard any of the angry divisive sermons preached in TUCC get less and less believable by the day. Watching to the intro of Pfleger by the pastor last Sunday, it's clear that Father Mike is no stranger to the TUCC pulpit. I would also argue that the reaction of the choir and congregation to his ranting is both approval and familiarity.
Unless Barack is going to tell us that his repeated professions of strong faith were untrue and that he actually only went to church on Christmas and Easter for the past 20 years, there is no way he could have avoided hearing this sort of rhetoric again and again. His supporters and the MSM may ignore this, but I think his chance of becoming President is remote.
Posted by Pieter B at June 1, 2008 11:16 AMThe crowd in that church loudly cheered Pfleger's vile sexist comments. They cheered his vile racist comments just as loudly.
Obama has been a member of that congregation for forever.
You're trying to tell me to get over his being a longterm member of a vilely sexist and racist congregationd?
As if.
Posted by No Blood for Hubris at June 1, 2008 01:00 PM