For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle -- as we did in the O.J. trial -- or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina -- or as fodder for the nightly news.
We can play Rev. Wright's sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words.
We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, "Not this time."
~Barack Obama, powerfully defusing those who'd lie and twist words to blow this nation up, yesterday.
Amen, and amen.
I predict that there are some few on the more Rabid Right who will hang on to this non-issue about Reverend Wright's sermons and strive to swiftboat Obama with lies and vapid, empty-headed non-charges and baseless allegations.
I further predict that this will only further serve to marginalize the Rabid Right as the haters and deceivers that they are, God have mercy on their souls; that the rest of us are ready to move on and, with Obama, say, "NOT THIS TIME!"
29 comments:
Is there any biblical justification for preaching the empowerment of a race, people or social class?
There's biblical basis out the wazoo for preaching empowerment of the oppressed. To the degree that our black brothers and sisters have been or are oppressed, it makes sense that we do so.
Seems to me.
The bigger question I have is: Is there any biblical basis for making unsupported charges and accusations based on how somebody's words make you feel? As in, "I FEEL like he's saying he hates all whites! I FEEL like his words indicate that he hates the US!"
Any biblical basis at all for that sort of demagoguery? No.
Seems to me.
I will take that as a NO.
There's biblical basis out the wazoo for preaching empowerment of the oppressed.
That is a YES. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear.
how about,chapter and verse
Another Jeremiah said:
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Reform your ways and your deeds, so that I may remain with you in this place. Put not your trust in the deceitful words: "This is the temple of the LORD! The temple of the LORD! The temple of the LORD!"
Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds; if each of you deals justly with his neighbor; if you no longer oppress the resident alien, the orphan, and the widow; if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place, or follow strange gods to your own harm, will I remain with you in this place, in the land which I gave your fathers long ago and forever. But here you are, putting your trust in deceitful words to your own loss!
Are you to steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, go after strange gods that you know not, and yet come to stand before me in this house which bears my name, and say: "We are safe; we can commit all these abominations again"?
...The people of Judah have done what is evil in my eyes, says the LORD. They have defiled the house which bears my name by setting up in it their abominable idols.
~Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah condemned the People of Judah harshly, saying they steal and murder, etc. Does that mean that Jeremiah the Prophet hated Israel???
What a ridiculous thing to think!
And in the process of condemning Judah, Jeremiah also preached the demands that they treat the oppressed, the foreigners, etc with justice; that they have policies that empower these marginalized.
Or how about the Exodus story?
Then the Lord said: I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians...
~Exodus 3:7-8
If that's not a story of empowerment of a people, I don't know what is.
Or here's one from Psalm 146:
The maker of heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them, Who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free; the LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD protects the stranger, sustains the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked. The LORD shall reign forever, your God, Zion, through all generations! Hallelujah!
In the book of James, he reminds the church that they are oppressed by the rich and that the poor have been chosen by God. Talk about class warfare!
Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?
... Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire!
I can provide chapter and verse all day with these sort of passages - written in defense of a people (although not a Race) and a social class - as it is quite central to Biblical teaching. Do you want more?
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By "swiftboat", you mean to challenge an opponent's record with documentation and witnesses, right?
you exaggerate black people’s plight. How can you say they are being oppressed when one is running for President. If Egypt had treated the Jews as The US now treats people of all color then mosses would have had a much harder time getting them out.
Jeremiah 7 could better be applied to problems being inflicted on black society by black society. Such as high crime rate, and illegitimate birth rate .
Finally, James warns against empowerment:
"Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire!"
Nice try though.
Consider: Ephesians 6:5-9
5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Before you get all crazy, I am not advocating slavery or justifying its use in the US. We are centuries beyond that. But the moral of the verse is:
A slave is the lowest social class a person can be they have zero money,freedom and rights. Yet verse 9 assures us that the Lord will not show favoritism based on social class. I will go a step farther and say the Lord is indifferent to social class.
Where I disagree with Write is where he is preaching something that is obviously not meant to worship God but instead scapegoat and covet.
I dont think BHO belives what Write does but I do think he put up with it becuse belonging to that church was important politically at the time.
Now he is done using them and must discard them.
Say what you want about Bush, but he never denounced his church.
"bush never denounced his church..."
No, perhaps not. Your point?
There comes a time for correcting those we love and with whom we share community.
Drood also blasphemed:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
Yeah, I'll pass that on to my black brothers and sisters. They'll eat that up.
'preciate the tip, boss. We'll be SHO 'nuff pleased to meekly do what our masters tell us.
Do you people NEVER wonder WHY a whole race has written off the Republican Party? Does it not even cross your minds how you come across??
Drood also presumed to speak for God thusly:
I will go a step farther and say the Lord is indifferent to social class.
Then you need to read the Bible more.
James warns AGAINST empowerment??
Really? That's what you get out of that passage?
I don't think that word means what you think it means...
Im sorry the Bible offends you so much.
So you believe the Lord will show favoritism based on social standing or not?
Dan if you are so skilled in history then tell me the election that turned African Amercians against the Republican Party.
(becuse you are right but I bet you don't know why)
Drood blasphemed further, stating:
Im sorry the Bible offends you so much.
"God's Word," which Drood confuses for "What I just said."
God's Word is God's Word. Drood's thoughts are Drood's. Hopefully the twain shall occasionally meet. But let's not confuse the two, right?
im not going to defend myself to you. read the post next time before you jump to conclusions.
Ps. Take his statement off your blog as you have no idea what it means.
"An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a definite proposition"
Huh.
Drood also blasphemed:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
Yeah, I'll pass that on to my black brothers and sisters. They'll eat that up.
I didn't know that quoting Ephesians 6:5 is blasphemous, and I didn't know Ephesians needs to be passed on one's black brethren.
Pray tell, do blacks have a different Bible than the rest of us?
So you believe the Lord will show favoritism based on social standing or not?
I believe that the Bible repeatedly, consistently, often and throughout its pages - front to back - has passages that indicate that God especially is concerned with the oppressed and poor.
Which is not to say that God "hates the rich" but rather that the Bible consistently portrays wealth as a trap - a thing to be watched out for and the dogged pursuit for wealth as a sure sign of straying from the Way.
What did Jesus say would mark the difference between the Sheep and the Goats? What they did - and didn't do - for the "least of these." What did Jesus tell the wealthy? "WOE TO YOU who are wealthy now!"
Now, clearly, I don't think Jesus or James, or Moses, or the Prophets, or Paul, or Mary or ANY of the people of the Bible hated the wealthy or taught that God hates the wealthy. But just as clearly, there is danger in trusting in wealth. There is a tendency to have oppression when there is a surplus concentration of goods.
And just as clearly, the Bible repeatedly shows God as a God of the poor and oppressed especially.
Again, James:
"Listen, dear brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom he promised to those who love him?"
Again, the psalmist:
The maker of heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them, Who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free; the LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD protects the stranger, sustains the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked.
Why do you think the Bible consistently portrays God as a God who looks out for the poor and oppressed? The rich generally as oppressors?
back to square one.
Is there any biblical justification for preaching the empowerment of a race, people or social class?
So if you are poor and/or oppressed then the lord will look out for you. I agree.
To ask the Lord for help is one thing. To ask the Lord for earthy Power for you and your people where is the biblical justification.
Pastor Write seems to dwell on earthly power and not the rewards that come from God in heavan.
Pastor Wright, Jesus, James, Moses, the Prophets, yes, a lot of people think that living for "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done ON EARTH, as it is in Heaven," is a good thing.
A lot of people think that "If I say to the poor, 'Go, be well and at peace' and do nothing to help them, it is a crock."
I agree.
Is there any biblical justification for preaching the empowerment of a race, people or social class?
Last time: How many passages do you need? I've provided a handful, I could keep providing them all day.
What do you mean by "empowerment?"
I mean, "Giving power to people to make their lot better. Changing policies so that people are free to make their lot better. Providing common assistance in helping people make their lot better."
Or, if you prefer the dictionary definition:
to give power or authority to; authorize, esp. by legal or official means
What exactly do you think it means?
God, through Moses, gave power to the nation of Israel to implement policies that gave aid to the poor, oppressed and foreigners.
The prophets worked to empower the poor and oppressed by demanding the State and the Religious institutions obey the laws given by God to Moses.
The disciples/early church were empowered to help the poor and oppressed be empowered out of destructive poverty by sharing things in common.
Front to back, it's there.
Unless you have some alternative definition of "empower."
(To take away power? To oppress/enslave? Is that what you mean by "empowerment"?)
ANOTHER Jeremiah once said,
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Well, apparently DAN can.
I'd say this is closer to what one can find in Scripture concerning God and the rich:
He pities them.
Keep up the good fight, Dan. Yer earnin' metaphorical jewels for yer metaphorical crown. (Hee hee.)
God, through Moses and Joshua gave Israel power to "oppress" and kill the Caananites, and to occupy their land. Or did it stop being God's power somewhere. What ever happened to "In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free...". The key words there, it seems, are "in Christ". The Biblical model is where racial and class definitions take a backeat to Christ. BTW, I'm not seeing "empowerment" for the oppressed so much as mercy. Matt 5 doen't say anything about anyone getting power, just the KIngdom of God (where one could presume God has all the power, and as we have seen there are no race/class distincition). So why not try to work for
"Thy kingdom come...on earth as it is in Heaven"
I'm not sure why you are referring to only the "Rabid Right". I could be wrong, but from my understanding, the Clinton camp is making this an issue as much as the Republicans. I may be wrong, but that is the impression I am getting. I haven't spent too much time researching Wright because frankly, I don't care.
Also, I think reasonable people can disagree on this issue, at least concerning Rev. Wright himself. Yes, you said that (correct me if I am wrong), you agree with the core of what he is saying, you do admit that they do sound divisive. But the point being, whether right or wrong, the things he said is controversial, so it's not like people are simply grabbing things out of their butts when they criticize him.
I think looking at someone's religious influences is fair game. If McCain went to a church like the one in Kansas that bashes gays (not saying Wright is the equivalent), that would strongly concern me.
Are people primarily playing politics with this issue, of course. But reasonable people can have concerns about the man's spiritual influences.
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