For those who actually wish to see the context and view the whole sermon instead of just sound bites, it can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ.  It’s VERY different from what has been portrayed and Wright was actually quoting Ambassador Peck. Sigh. Isn’t it funny how we keep getting back to religion.  First Romney, now Obama.  Let’s go with Dawkins et al and dump them all.

You said it all Ron Ranft, and very well.

For those of us who have been subjected to the hate filled posts of Jacob Freeze, he’s long been revealed for what he is. He represents the poison that still exists in our society.

His hate is real, and he leaves it’s droppings everywhere he can. Sadly he is not alone, as there are others who perpetrate this blog (and as many as they can reach) to spread the virus. Some are more deceitful than others, just because they have better perfected their perfidy.

The better news is that they are not the majority, (or even close) and that for the most part, we can recognize them for what they are. If nothing more, it keeps us on our toes, and paying attention.

For what YOU think it’s worth.  I received this as a comment to a blog I wrote.  Hopefully, this commenter doesn’t mind my sharing their story.  I thought it fitting.

“Submitted by blacksilver (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 7:51am.
Ran across your blog while out cruising and though I’d add my two cents to the discussion. I have been following Rev Wright since Obama announced his candidacy. TV one broadcast Trinity every Sunday morning and I’ve watched it often, I’ve even watched some of the steaming video sermons. Rev Wright has never tried to hide his views, his sermons are available for purchase.

Now, as an african-american lesbian that quit the church over thirty years ago, I found watching his sermons refreshing. Not only was he anti-war, but he preached against sexism, racism and homophobia. He preached about personal responsibility, against miscogynist hip-hop and gangster rap and the gospel of prosperity. Not only did he take black folk to task, including other black mega-church ministers, going so far as to call them out by name, but he also took on politicians both on the state and national level.

Now, as far as separation of church and state, does that exclude ministers from speaking out against social injustice or does that mean that there is not an official church of USA? If it means the first, then we would have missed out with Malcolm X, Dr. King and Ft. Groppi in Milwaukee.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I ain’t no Obamaholic, I try and look at the issues and not let my emotional mind over ride my rational one. But the politicos had to listen to a lot of Rev Wright to find something to disagree with.”

**You’ll have to scroll down to the comment.  I found it moving.

http://www.uppitywis.org/obamas-preacherits-hard-not-agree

‘Our’ VP just responded to the fact that 2/3 of the country are against the Iraqi War with “So”!!!
Who the Hell does he think he is? What country does he think his In? Who’s lives or kids lives does he think he is endangering? Who’s economy? Who’s Honor and integrity has He been using and abusing? Whos Flag does he think he was hired to Protect & Defend. Who the hell does he think he Works for?
“SO”!!!!!These are two letters that spell Indictment for Treason to me..“SO”!Those letters signify a fundemental UNAmerican philosophy and Doctrine. What the Hell is this vile being still in Gov’t ? Still NOT in Gitmo?
Rev Wright did not offend me, in fact I found him to be rather insightful for ‘03 - when many were still beating the drum to kill anyone or anything tha tso much as looked like an ‘enemy’ . the enemy has been Hiding right before our Eyes. 9/11 was an attack on Dick’s boys- they are the ones who placed our citizens in danger through their unethical Business pracitces around the world with oppressive Regimes and ‘royal’ Families (Bin Ladens). I easily see the scum that have sold out their own people in the ME to the multinationals (wrapped in OUR Flag)who came to call.These Traitors to mankind often kiss and hold hands while they place Us all on the Auction block (along with our eggs and semen for their ‘Futures Market’). Frankly I want Dick Captured more than I do Binny (his own people will ultimatley take care of him once they realize the Scam)

Bill:

“H.G. wells said in the thirties…: ‘There is trouble so long as there are borders between countries.’  If there is a Big Man in the Sky he surely does not favor a country built from racism.”

If there is a Big Man in the Sky, He ALSO had nothing to do with drawing the arbitrary borders between countries.

Peace.

Cyrena:

Re MLK, understood.

Re “I’ll let you know when to order the pizza..got tons of other piles to work through before I get to the fun stuff on how to put Dick Bush under the jail at the Hague”; just make sure that at least SOME torture is involved…LOL.

Peace.

Maani,

You’re right that MLK didn’t ‘claim’ Liberation Theology as his own. That was only a theoretical comparison that I’d considered myself, when I was originally studying the whole concept of Liberation Theology.  At the time, I was considering it in the social science area rather than from a religious studies perspective.

The two do cross quite frequently though, as do so many other things in the most inclusive view of social sciences. So, it it’s all relevant to my own inquiries in the field of Law & Society.

I don’t know how Dr. King would have theorized that, but I suspect his work could very much be interpreted as incorporating a Liberation Theology.

Meantime, I’ll let you know when to order the pizza..got tons of other piles to work through before I get to the fun stuff on how to put Dick Bush under the jail at the Hague.

Now Blackspeare,

You know as well as I do that folks with latent (or not so latent) anti-Black sentiments were gonna vote for McCain, anyway…conscience be damned.

Folks with these tendencies can convince themselves of anything they want. So, it’s not ‘thanks to Rev. Wright” whose 30 second sound bytes would never have made it out of Trinity Church, (and certainly not outside of the greater community there) had it not been for an actively ‘searching for dirt’ coalition, and a compliant media, anxious to add to the fray.

And if it WASN’T Rev Wright, it would have been SOMETHING ELSE…trust me. And, that could still come.

Still, that’s also exactly why it made sense to nip this in the bud now, and put it all right out there, in plain view and sight, for all to see.

That is true of a crucial subject that has never been openly addressed, but it is even MORE critical in the totalitarian regime of this 21t Century, when everything is kept secret, and where chaos and confusion must prevail, in order to maintain the totalitarian movement.

Totalitarian movements and regimes, (like the neo-cons and their representatives in the State) can only operate as long as they can maintain instability. Any socio-political stability prevents that movement from attaining it’s ultimate mission. (global domination).

So, this is simply part of that. Otherwise, you know as well as I do, that the comments made by Rev. Wright would never have come to light to begin with, and they wouldn’t have created this reaction.

If the comments of someone like John Hagee, (which aren’t all that different from the preachings of Hitler or Charles Manson) can be totally disregarded by the American population, even while John McCain solicits and embraces his endorsement, then we see right there, who is running the rumor mill, and thereby directing the attention away from the real interests of the majority.

Let’s face it
only the most well-informed
open-minded citizens
will evaluate objectively
the criticisms of our empire

the rest
just cannot tolerate
anything other than
“my country right or WRONG”
———and————
“agree with those who rule this empire
,or LEAVE this country, you TRAITOR”

that’s why we will forever have to fight
for our Bill of Rights. . .
to protect ourselves from the majority

Thanks to the right Reverend Wright’s diatribe-like sermons and the spin on BHO’s follow-up speech all those folks with latent anti-Black feeling can now vote for McCain with a clear conscience——thank you Reverend Wright!!!

Cyrena:

This is now the third (or fourth?) time I am agreeing with you today.  This is getting to be a habit, and it’s a little scary.  LOL.

Yes, liberation theology actually has older (or almost equally old) roots in Latin America than in the U.S., and was one of the few mitigating forces re the Latin American slave trade. [N.B. If you have not seen the movie “The Mission” - which is based on a true story - you should.]

As for MLK, I’m not certain he would have claimed his “brand” of Christianity to be “liberation theology,” though there were certainly aspects of it within his words and actions.  One of the the “images” I really love re MLK was provided by Rev. Jim Wallis, the founder of Sojourners and a left-leaning Christian minister.  He talks of “Martin Luther King, who spoke with a Bible in one hand and the U.S. Constitution in the other.”

Peace.

^the Black or African-American claim to Liberation Theology, I just wanted to mention that this Theology is not JUST practiced by or embraced by the African American Christians in America.

It has equal if not deeper roots in the Catholic Church and Latin America as well.

I don’t generally like to rely on wikipedia as an ONLY source of information, but the links below give a general picture of how Liberation Theology has been practiced by oppressed peoples throughout the world.

Father or eventually Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated as a leader and preacher of this theology. Initially a quiet ‘bookish’ he became a true servant of God in his attention to the needs of Guatemalans in THIS life.

The late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was also a practitioner of Liberation Theology, for anyone with the time and interest to do an objective comparison.

I mean, if ya’ll really wanna know what this is about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology

Archbishop Oscar Romero
Oscar Romero: Bishop of the Poor

Renny Golden

In 1980, in the midst of a U.S. funded war the UN Truth Commission called genocidal, the soon-to-be-assassinated Archbishop Oscar Romero promised history that life, not death, would have the last word. “I do not believe in death without resurrection,” he said. “If they kill me, I will be resurrected in the Salvadoran people.”

http://salt.claretianpubs.org/romero/romero.html