Obama's gospel controversy

[nadine_mn]

From CNN

Obama's gospel concerts raise hornet's nest of a dilemma:

Obama holding concerts to win over African-American Christians in S. Carolina

But lineup offends homosexuals, angered by appearance of anti-gay singer

Obama disavows preacher-singer's views, asks gay pastor to appear too




On Tuesday, Obama was forced to confront the uncomfortable truth that some Christians and gays are a little more than just strange bedfellows, especially among blacks.


http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/27/obama.gospel/index.html

[terrya]

1. That's an understatement:

"some Christians and gays are a little more than just strange bedfellows". Particularly when some Christians say that you can be "cured".

[varkam]

2. Yes, as that nomenclature

presumes that homosexuality is some sort of a disease. :eyes:

[NMMNG]

4. Of course it is

And you pray hard enough it will go away. Why, those Reparative Therapy programs have a success rate of almost 4%!

Of course there are likely side effects, like severe psychological and spiritual trauma. But what's that compared to the risk of eternal damnation? :sarcasm:

[terrya]

6. Thank goodness there are people who see the light....

And who are talking about the damage and abuse of these truly evil "ex-gay" people.

http://www.beyondexgay.com/

[NMMNG]

13. I'll say

They are truly heinous and, IMO, should be stopped. It's nothing more than psychological/spiritual abuse disguised as therapy.

[varkam]

9. My ex-fiance...

came out to her parents in high school, who responded by sending her to a place called "Crossover Ministries". The shit they did to her there...suffice it to say severe psychological and spiritual trauma is a good way of putting it.

On of my favorite books in college was James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time. To paraphrase and adopt a blurb in that book to our ends here, seems appropriate:

Straight people in this country will have quite enough to do in learning how to accept and love themselves and each other, and when they have achieved this--which will not be tomorrow and may very well be never--the gay problem will no longer exist, for it will no longer be needed.

[NMMNG]

18. I feel for anybody who has been put through that hell

Especially as a child/teen. At least as an adult there's some choice to it. It disgusts me that this sort of abuse is allowable because it's "religious".

[varkam]

21. When it comes to sex and sexuality...

our laws are very strange when it comes to abuse. It appears that, so long as you don't actually have sex with your child, you can do pretty much whatever you want. I recall the jury that recently acquitted that FL woman for mutilating the genitals of her child and shaving her head to make sex uncomfortable for her and to make her unattractive to boys. Nope, no abuse there. :eyes:

[NMMNG]

22. Wow

:scared:

Sometimes words fail me.

[nadine_mn]

3. Cured - like a ham?

sorry, I am just so tired of homophobic crap like the "gay agenda" and that through prayer homosexuality can be cured...it makes me insane. And you know what...shame on Obama for not realizing the effect that choosing that asshat McCLurkin then apologizing...

[hisownpetard]

5. I agree - which puts me in a mental dilemma, bec. I am an Obama supporter and this is the

first thing that's happened to make me wonder if I should change my prospective vote.
I don't know why he didn't disavow this Donny McGherkins' views in a more believable way.
If it can be assumed that he knew about McGherkin's views before he agreed to appear at the venue,
then I would also have to assume that, given the African-American community's purported homophobia,
he was sort of playing into it or winking and looking the other way. If this, indeed, proves to be the case,
I would have to seriously re-consider whether to support another candidate for President.

[Bitwit1234]

7. It is about time people started ignoring this crap and get on with the real issues.

Obama has a right to choose any body he wants to associate with. Gay or non-gay and people have no right to deny him this. If they would shut up about it, it will finally go away.

[terrya]

8. To say that homophobia is "crap" is shameful

No, goddammit, we WON'T "shut up about it"

[Bobbieo]

10. Obama has the right to chose anyone he wants for his campaign BUT

he will have to pay the price!!!!

[IndianaJones]

14. what are real issues to those that oppose civil rights? nt.

[msongs]

15. 1933: "oh those nazis really aren't gonna gas jews. shut up and it'll go away" nt

[varkam]

16. I don't think that anyone is arguing Obama doesn't have the *right*...

...to associate with anyone that he wants to. Nor is anyone trying to deny him the right to make friends with whomever he wants. I think it is perfectly understandable, though, that people would be upset if Obama choose to associate himself with individuals who hold ideals that are contrary to the ideals of swaths of the Democratic party (especially given that he is asking for our support).

[nadine_mn]

19. Tolerance and equality...those are pesky real issues for me

1. Either he knew that he was asking a homophobic asshat as part of his "Gospel Tour" and hoped no one would notice (which to me seems just as frickin hypocritical as what ppl accuse other candidates as being) OR
2. He didn't know which then puts him in my should-be-smart-enough-to-know-better-too-stupid-to-be-a-candidate category


In my opinion there is no wiggle room or "choice" for gay rights...just like there isn't for any question of equality

[jonnyblitz]

11. I am glad to see this is on CNN. nt

[bigwillq]

12. Me too.

:) :hi:

[JackBeck]

17. "...angered by appearance of anti-gay singer."

That should read: "singerS", since McClurkin isn't the only bigot attached to this mess.

But a good start, nonetheless.

[MethuenProgressive]

20. CNN? That kills his DU gang's chant of "Nobody cares! Nobody cares!"

I was scolded to 'give it a rest, nobody but you cares' when I brought this topic up.
Thanks, CNN.
:kick:

[Adsos Letter]

23. It has been said here before regarding this issue...

...but I agree with those who look upon any explicit association of religion with electioneering/governance as wrong-headed and dangerous.

IMHO, the candidates need to address issues as secular issues, and refuse to cave to the temptation to use religion as a "bandwagon" for political governance of a secular nation.

People of religious beliefs can choose their candidates according to their stated positions regarding civic issues without the need for a supposedly secular office seeker to wrap his platform in some kind of religious packaging.

Just shooting from the lip here...and yet, I believe it to be true...