A Personal Story of Rev. Wright's ministry

[bhikkhu]

Rev. Wright in a Different Light
By William A. Von Hoene Jr.
The Chicago Tribune

Wednesday 26 March 2008

...."I do have a bit of personal context. About 26 years ago, I became engaged to my wife, an African-American. She was at that time and remains a member of Trinity. Somewhere between the ring and the altar, my wife had second thoughts and broke off the engagement. Her decision was grounded in race: So committed to black causes, the daughter of parents subjected to unthinkable prejudice over the years, an "up-and-coming" leader in the young black community, how could she marry a white man?

Rev. Wright, whom I had met only in passing at the time and who was equally if not more outspoken about "black" issues than he is today, somehow found out about my wife's decision. He called and asked her to "drop everything" and meet with him at Trinity. He spent four hours explaining his reaction to her decision. Racial divisions were unacceptable, he said, no matter how great or prolonged the pain that caused them. God would not want us to assess or make decisions about people based on race. The world could make progress on issues of race only if people were prepared to break down barriers that were much easier to let stand.

Rev. Wright was pretty persuasive; he presided over our wedding a few months later. In the years since, I have watched in utter awe as Wright has overseen and constructed a support system for thousands in need on the South Side that is far more impressive and effective than any governmental program possibly could approach. And never in my life have I been welcomed more warmly and sincerely than at Trinity. Never"....

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040308C.shtml

I know there is a tendency to avoid "the Wright issue", but I (as an agnostic by policy) have to say - the more I learn of him, the more he seems a man any of us would be privileged to know. As this is not a common opinion here, I have posted this little write up, well worth reading at the link, hoping that some open minds might remain and benefit.

[jobycom]

1. I've liked a lot of what I've seen about Wright. I felt bad for him, getting attacked just because

he was associated with Obama. And even though I don't like Obama, I felt sorry for the man for having to cut loose and criticize someone who obviously meant a lot to him on a personal level.

Nice post. Thanks.

[ClayZ]

2. Thank you. That is a great story!

K and R

Rev. Wright seems RIGHT ON to me!

I have watched several of his full sermons on Trinity YouTube channel.

[bhikkhu]

4. That seems to make the difference...listening beyond the sound-byte

His sermons are well-reasoned and thoughtfully put together, one passage leading to the next, and "all of a piece", as it is said. So no intelligent conclusion can be made based on sound-bytes.

Based on the polls, it seems most people agree, or at least have some basic aversion to heaping dirt upon a man who seeks to serve god.

[BenDavid]

3. hey personally I do not care about some personal story about

the pastor wright because I am only following obama's lead in this when it came to the imus matter, obama did not care that imus had invested so much time and money to afford kids with cancer and their parents to come out to the Imus ranch and have some quality time together as a family. Obama said, that did not matter.....so,pastor wright's good does not matter either.....

[bhikkhu]

5. Wright and Imus are a bit different

as most readily understand. I appreciate what Imus has done...I would do the same in his position, if only toward atonement for the harm done by his profession (though I really don't know who Imus is - I would infer from miscellaneous second hand accounts he is like Rush or Hannity).

Wright was the pastor for many years of a large church community - a whole different category of responsibility and interaction.

Perhaps you are correct, Wright's good has nothing to do with Obama. But he was an inspiration...so perhaps you are not correct. If you have ever been truly inspired by a person, what is that worth? How often does that happen, really?

[pop goes the weasel]

6. I had no idea

that Imus had been castigated for making comments disparaging to cancer victims and children. Oh, wait, he wasn't. It was those remarks he made about race, an area in which he has not exactly been a pioneer. So, as it turns out, his remarks weren't taken out of the context of his life's work.

[DemVet]

11. Exactly, a racist is a racist, no matter what his other "accomplishments" are

[quakerboy]

7. That is what its about

not some BS about who hates who. What effect does someone have in the world.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. I still don't like Wright's attitude towards white people.

He does NOT qualify his statements.

He says "White people do _____"

He does NOT say "MOST white people" or "SOME white people" or "A FEW white people".

He makes a blanket statement "White people" which to me implies "ALL white people".

I think it's hate speech.

Saying "White people are racist" and "White people will hold you back" is just as bad as a white person saying "Black people are lazy" or "Black people are stupid."

I see no reason why white people should not be as upset about his statements as black people would be over a white racist's sweeping and absolute statements about them.

Rev. Wright is guilty of hate speech, IMNSHLO.

[bhikkhu]

12. The opposite seems to be clear in the account

I suppose it is the difference in whether a person treats people as individuals or as race members. I don't see racism in Rev. Wright, though for a person dealing with the immediate and large scale effects of racism he must often speak of it.

In this case, the best approach to a change of opinion is to listen to what he says, and to those who have known him.

[babylonsister]

9. Thanks for this, bhikkhu. I figured since Obama took a lot of heat

for not divorcing himself from the man, there was a lot of good in Wright. This reinforces that.

[Window]

10. K/R.

Wonderful heart-warming story to add to the many others regarding Reverend Wright and his good works.

Thank you for this post.

:kick: