Bush Pastor Launches Pro-Obama Web Site

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CBS News/Washington Post

Sparks are flying in the 2008 culture wars.

The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, leader of the largest Methodist congregation in the country, launched a website yesterday titled "James Dobson Does Not Speak For Me." The site is a jab at Dobson, a stalwart of the religious right who this week called Sen. Barack Obama's interpretation of the Bible in a 2006 speech distorted "to fit own world view, his own confused theology."

Caldwell's site launched a day after Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program aired a harsh assessment of Obama's speech on faith and public policy and encourages readers to sign a statement declaring that Dobson does not represent them.

"I think it's a crime and a shame that Senator Obama has had to explain the fact that he's a Christian," Caldwell said in a recent interview. "Criticize his politics. Criticize his stance on whatever, but don't question his faith. Never in the history of American politics has someone said that he is a Christian and someone came back to say, 'No you're not.'"

If Rev. Caldwell's name sounds familiar, it may be because he is the same Rev. Caldwell who introduced President Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention and last month officiated at Jenna Bush's wedding ceremony at the presidential ranch in Crawford. This election Caldwell is firmly in the Obama camp and doggedly trying to help the campaign bring other pastors and parishioners along.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/27/politics/washingtonpost/main4214927.shtml

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Cool! The website: http://jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com/

[BOSSHOG]

1. dobson daily proves the statement

don't tell me you are a christian let me figure it out all by myself. I'm not a poster boy christian (I'll share that blame with my church) but I strongly believe that Jesus is gonna open a can of whupass when jimmy goes knocking on the pearly gates. Pure fucking evil wrapping itself in the bible.

[RavensChick]

2. He's a very brave soul for doing this!

I'll give him credit--not all believers share the same views as Dobson. Frankly, Dobson should just repent and stay on his knees until November 5th! Thanks for the link, Rambo!

[Indenturedebtor]

3. Bwahahaha another one comes out to smack Bush in the jugular n/t

[superconnected]

4. I like that he didn't cross the church/state boundry by telling people how to vote.

I don't see this as an Obama support site. He just says kind words for Obama while disagreeing with dobson. So I don't think he's crossed the line. Since Dobson has brought the Bible into his public tv outburts, I think all ministers have a right to comment on that. This guy is only commenting on the Bible and christianity, as toted by politicians, not politics.

[Igel]

12. Agreed.

The problem with his POV is that in taking a stand he does what he doesn't want done.

To call Dobson out is to break unity; for Dobson to call out Obama is to break unity. However, Obama started off in '06 by (rightly in my view) describing as "Christianities" the religion taught by Dobson and that of Sharpton, that is, denying that there's any unity apart from a sort of syncretism--one that looks a lot like a social gospel, produced by reason--that can result in a democratic, secular society. Which appears to be Obama's kind of spirituality.

In other words, there are two levels: The first, at which there are multiple Xianities, with competing and contradictory sets of doctrines, applications, and views. At that level, there is no unity. Then there's a second, at which we somehow (non-uniquely) form some sort of syncretic whole and dub that "true" Xianity, and produce our own unity; after all, the New Testament says Xians would be united, and if we're Xians, we have to find how we're united. Let's leave aside that there are numerous takes on what the second level would be--Obama's is a common one, but not the only one, and far from unique with him.

Dobson only sees the first level. Obama sees the first level, but that's unpleasant and doesn't serve his interests, so he focuses on the second level. Caldwell sees the second level, and wants to deny the first exists, even as his cry for second-level unity is motivated by a distinction only available if we posit two levels, or a diversity of belief and of Xianities at the first level.

Other issues might also be involved. Many support Obama for a plethora of reasons, or feel at the very least sympathetic to him for sundry reasons, but don't discuss most of them. More than a few want to see history, and many deny acknowledging anything historic.

[Ian David]

5. See also:

OK Freak out time. Guess who started "Dobson Doesn't speak for Me" Website???? KIrbyjon Caldwell
Topic started by Perky on Jun-25-08 06:54 AM (28 replies)
Last modified by Perky on Jun-26-08 06:32 AM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6408921


Is Dobson's Obama Hit Backfiring?
Topic started by BareNakedLiberal on Jun-27-08 02:56 PM (11 replies)
Last modified by cbc5g on Jun-27-08 04:27 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6419666


Obama dismisses Dobson criticism about Bible
Topic started by Lone_Star_Dem on Jun-24-08 07:39 PM (31 replies)
Last modified by VeraAgnes on Jun-26-08 05:30 AM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3366500

[Phred42]

6. A Christian leader with integrity ! Whod a thunk?

[Bluebear]

10. Caldwell? Integrity? You mean the "ex-gay ministry" pastor?

http://web.archive.org/web/20061115103427/http://www.kingdombuilders.com/templates/cuskingdombuilders/details.asp?id=23260&PID=236324

[regnaD kciN]

7. RNC: "Obama's got another loony radical pastor..."

"...Oh. Never mind."

:evilgrin:

[earth mom]

8. Why does this sound and smell like Obama has * & Cos blessing?

:yoiks:

:tinfoilhat:

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

9. K&R!

And thanks for the link to the website!

[Bluebear]

11. Caldwell's "Metanoia Ministry": ChristCentered instruction for seeking freedom from homosexuality

http://web.archive.org/web/20061115103427/http://www.kingdombuilders.com/templates/cuskingdombuilders/details.asp?id=23260&PID=236324

Caldwell's help we don't need.

[Baby Snooks]

13. And of course there's a scandal there as well..

Ask anyone in Houston familiar with what happened to the musical director at Caldwell's church. Just a little scandal that really was a big scandal but was hushed up. Not everyone at Windsor Village apparently shared Caldwell's public disdain of homosexuality and suffice it to say his public disdain with regard to the scandal is questionable if not outright hypocritical.

But then hypocritical sums up Kirbyjohn Caldwell given his support of the Bushes. Who apparently believed the African-American community in Houston had forgotten Congressman George HW Bush's very vocal opposition to the Civil Rights Act. They had not.

[regnaD kciN]

14. I'm reminded of the Baptist pastor who baptized Newt Gingrich...

...and later commented "maybe I should have held him under longer." :rofl: