God-o-Meter just sent an email query to Barack Obama’s church–Trinity UCC in Chicago–about the controversy over retired Rev. Jeremiah Wright and thought the reply message was worth sharing. It’s a form email sent to members of the media, but it’s a tidy defense of Wright that appears to be the church’s blanket reply to reporters seeking comment on the controversy:
Thank you for your interest in Trinity United Church of Christ and for your consideration of our member, Sen. Barack Obama, in the Democratic primary election. Due to the high volume of emails and inquiries, we are unable to respond to each one personally. We were overwhelmed with “hits” after Senator Obama’s historic victory in the Iowa democratic caucus.
Barack Obama has been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ for nearly two decades. As a young community organizer, new to Chicago, Barack met with Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Trinity’s Senior Pastor, seeking advice. He received good counsel about the complexities of life in Chicago and the challenges faced by residents in poor communities like South Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens.
The United Church of Christ (http://www.ucc.org), Trinity’s denominational affiliation, is “a community of faith that seeks to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.” It was founded in 1957 through the union of several different Christian traditions. Not only does Trinity not exclude anyone from membership or attendance based on race or ethnicity, but:
The majority of UCC members are white; the conference minister of the Illinois Conference of the UCC (Rev. Jane Fisler Hoffman) and her husband (both white) are members of Trinity (You can watch a video of Rev. Hoffman speaking at Trinity about her positive experiences there.); Trinity has been instrumental in working with and lending financial and staff support to the development of new UCC churches in Gary, IN (with the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the UCC, Milwaukee, WI (with the Wisconsin Conference of the UCC), and Benton Harbor, MI (with the Michigan Conference of the UCC). There is no anti-American sentiment in the theology or the practice of Trinity United Church of Christ. To be sure, there is prophetic preaching against oppression, racism and other evils that would deny the American ideal. Trinity is “Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian.”
Trinity was founded in 1961 and had 87 families when Dr. Wright started his tenure in 1972. Currently, as Dr. Wright anticipates a 2008 retirement, there are more than 8,000 members, 70 ministries, and three Sunday worship services. You and your family can watch these services online at 7:30am, 11:00am and 6:00pm CST.
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posted March 21, 2008 at 12:47 am
Jeremiah Wright , This man is a bigot. A man that speaks the word
of god to his fellow ship members does not Preach the word of Hate
as he did. This man still thinks like a Black man back in the Slave days. That was 40, 50, 60 years ago. This is 2008 no wonder there is still so much hate in the world. And black and white will never come together as one when you have a man like that preaching in church.
If a white man had said what this preacher did, they would want to hang him. are have a riot. Get a life and get over it. and move on. I was thinking about voting for Obama untill this came out, because I can’t believe Obama sat in that church for the PAST 20 YEARS and not learn to hate white people. Also after I learned this.
Here we have a man who was BORN INTO ISLAM, expresses his admiration for Islam and vows to stand with the Muslims in his books, a man whose biggest backers are American Muslim activists! Investigate just who this man is, who his backers are. Are you aware that one of his biggest backers, Tony Rekzo is being brought to trial Feb 25 on federal corruption charges- and that Obama is linked?
Obama is currently displayed as banner boy on the Project Islamic Hope site. Some of the founders of this organization have been indicted for terrorist support. http://islamichope.org/ That’s just a few of the things I’ve learned about this man! Very very frightening!! I have been attacked for “swift-boarding”, racism, bigotry and lying. This is untrue. I am just an American teacher who loves American and our American way of life. I hold nothing against a man for the color of his skin. I have stood up for the black race and defended whenever I saw an injustice. I have worked for civil rights for blacks and all minorities. This has nothing to do with racism, but everything to do with a man born into Islam and who defends it still. A man whose biggest backers are American Muslim activists. When the facts are out there for investigation, there are no “lies” here. All I ask is for the public to investigate for themselves. Don’t take my word for it. But I WILL NOT stand by while this mans seeks to ride himself all the way into the White House on the insane PC and White Guilt in this country!! _________________ Exposed; http://www.freedomsenemies.com/_more/obama.htm, “The Veteran’s Dispatch http://www.usvetdsp.com/ NEVER forget: http://www.frugalsites.net/911/attack/
And Rev. Wright’s words were UNAMERICAN and disgraceful. I would feel that way if Rev was white, brown, yellow, or neopolitan.
How in the world can Obama continue to honor a man who teaches his congregation to hate white men? How in the world can Obama continue to honor a man who tells his AMERICAN congregation, protected by our government, God Damn American. Why is he running for president of a nation he has been told by his spiritual mentor to hate? I think AMERICA needs to question Obama’s true agenda. Don’t you? I also think that Obama will not be our next president.