Profile In Courage: Obama Abandons His Longtime Church For Political Convenience

[BobbyVan]

Who does he think he's fooling?

Does he expect us to think that the hateful, racist, anti-American rhetoric that we've all heard from Trinity United only began once Obama started running for President of the United States?

[Higher Standard]

1. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't

I just think it's a tragedy that he was put in a position where he had to do it to begin with.

[DevonRex]

2. Yep, I agree. A tragedy. nt

[BobbyVan]

3. He looks like a guy who can be pushed around.

The Presidents of Cuba and Iran must be licking their chops, waiting to sit down with an American President who will give away the store.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

17. Give away the store??? Already been done or haven't you been

paying attention these past 8?

[rodeodance]

24. yup he kicked his church under the bus now--for his political dreams. tsk tsk

[anigbrowl]

83. At least he didn't throw them.

I've heard that hurts worse when you hit the ground.

[BobbyVan]

28. I guess you want more of the same huh?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

37. I want change......

[apocalypsehow]

78. That "give away the store" business is a freeper meme, which tells you something about the OP. n/t.

[anigbrowl]

81. Yep..the mindset that sees America and Americans as commodities to be bought and sold. Good catch.

[City Lights]

11. Yup.

I'm still waiting for Parsley, Hagee, and Coe to be as closely scrutinized at those who entered Trinity UCC.

[PurityOfEssence]

60. He put himself in this position

The adulation this guy engenders is literally godlike: everything good comes from him, and nothing bad is ever his fault.

He's a classic, unimaginative POLITICIAN of the most facile kind: ducking any controversy, on both sides of tricky issues, and playing the short-cut-to-power of religion like any true-red conservative. It backfired. HE'S the one who raised the religion issue to being so paramount in his philosophical makeup, and that's why it's being more scrutinized for him than it is for others. HE did it. It's HIS fault. He tried to invoke god to sweep up vast blocs of the faithful and buy them off the rack wholesale, and he thought he'd get away with it. Surprise: religion's dangerous. It comes with unintended baggage: xenophobia and homophobia.

The world is not just a bunch of big meanies picking on his private and sincere beliefs, it's an unblinking witness to the PUBLIC FACE OF RELIGIOUS POLITICS. Much as we are, as a species, suckers to religion, we have a healthy wariness to religious institutions. (Well, we do toward OTHER religions, that is...)

He joined a church with a history of strident and very public political action, and much as that helped him get votes early on, it's a bit different with a different constituency. Now it's a liability, so he has to dump it like a clunky old appliance. Good luck with that, though; it's going to sit there rusting in the front lawn as an embarrassment for all to see.

He played religion for personal gain and he did it clumsily. Now he's got to backpedal and still hold on to the advantages of grandstanding piety.

The thing that bugs me so much about many of this guy's supporters is the endless carping that we somehow owe him something. We don't. He hasn't been a huge force for good, he's largely an unknown quantity, and besides consistent corporate enabling, much of what he has done has been extremely careful, ultra-moderate positioning, just like Senator Clinton. He OWES US. He owes it to us to not make bone-headed moves and have to disavow himself of affiliations to such a degree that it seems like he has no loyalty as well as no judge of character.

This is his fault. He needs to deal with it. The Republicans are going to be much worse, and he's left himself so vulnerable to so many things that so many of us have been warning about. We've been met with pooh-poohing and outright derision about our concerns and now we've got a problem.

The self-righteous denial of reality is astonishing. The acolytes pride themselves on how many people they have on ignore, how many other sources of news "just don't count", and how many groups of their friends all agree with each other all agreeing that everyone agrees that he's just the cat's pajamas. It's sickening. No wonder the more strident Obama supporters lash out with such vehemence at any dissent: it SIMPLY CAN'T EXIST, so it has to be crushed immediately to keep the fragile construct of their fairy-tale universe properly aligned.

There needs to be a serious injection of sober rationality in a big hurry if we're to overcome this guy's HUGE character and affiliation problems in the general election. The glassy-eyed joy of the messiah has already netted all the fans it'll net; the rest need to be swayed with reason.

[Rene]

101. With that rhetoric going on...and attituded in that church he should have left 19yrs 11 months ago

[TexasLady]

103. exactly.

[azmouse]

4. So you think that is all the church preached?

You learned that from a few seconds of film clips. What a genius.

[rodeodance]

16. its a pattern.

[Heather MC]

44. Hillary has a pattern of Lies, I guess that makes her a liar!

She also has a pattern of not paying her bills so she's thief
and she has a pattern of Hysterical behavior so she's crazy

and she has a pattern of making up rules to suit her whims
so she is a cheater

wow
a liar, a thief, a cheater, and shes crazy
Yep she's the one
NOT

[guruoo]

74. You too....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6212155&mesg_id=6215088

[K Gardner]

5. Your post (s): PROFILE IN DELUSIONAL DENIAL that your candidate LOST.

[BobbyVan]

8. Obama let the media run him out of his own church -- how Presidential!

[azmouse]

15. At least he knew when it was time to go...

unlike your 'girl'. :eyes:

[K Gardner]

18. LOL !

[arikara]

58. Ever think that maybe, just maybe

he left for their sake as well? All that idiocy and repetition of 10 second sound bytes can't be nice for the congregation either.

[BobbyVan]

93. As if the context would make those sound bites better

[ecdab]

69. Hillary and people like YOU focusing on a group of people trying to worship

made it a logical choice for Obama to part ways with the church not just for his own good - but for the good of the church - in order to get people like YOU out of their lives.

People like YOU have been dancing around screaming about how strange and un-american the people at this church are - people like YOU have been claiming Obama has no business being there if he want to represent the people of this nation. Now people like YOU are actually posting shit like this - grow up, get a clue, find a life, fill in your cliche. You are an embarrassment.

[TexasLady]

104. or just maybe he was giving those poor church people a break

from the stupidity that is our media. That's my vote.

[dkf]

6. He did it because you people were harrassing his church and its members.

[rodeodance]

20. oh Puff!! ha ha. so obama suckered you into believeing that lie.

[dkf]

29. C'mon...you people are taping every freaking sermon that goes on in the church

going through all their old church bulletins?

His church was getting death threats.

He understands the scrutiny he is getting, but to put his church through that? Its ridiculous. I always thought so.

[BobbyVan]

31. He didn't quit to save his church -- he quit to save his own hide

Who else will Obama abandon when the going gets tough?

[dkf]

48. He did it because every person who speaks there is now getting scrutinized

as heavily as he was.

Again, its ridiculous.

[Bluerthanblue]

65. you are projecting your own motives on someone else-

your perspective speaks more of you than of anything else.

Sad-

I hope you find healing.

peace~

[BobbyVan]

90. Why else would you leave your church of 20 years in the height of the political season?

it was a calculated move to throw his church under the bus. did his church change, or did obama's circumstances change? (rhetorical question... obviously the latter)

[MonkeyFunk]

75. LOL

"You people"

The church was selling it's OWN videotapes on the internet! You all act like covert agents broke into the secret church vault and stole security-cam tapes.

No, the church WAS SELLING THE DAMN TAPES!!!!

You guys are just delusional.

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

82. Still waiting for that answer on Bill Donohue

[leftofcool]

7. Obama the wimp!

[Kahuna]

9. "Anti-American rhetoric?" I think YOUR rhetoric is anti-American. nt

[BobbyVan]

26. Goddamn America?

[Cant trust em]

32. It's God Damn America

Get it straight.

[BobbyVan]

34. Oh yeah, that's much better

[Cant trust em]

38. It's clearly a big difference.

One of them is talking about God indicating displeasure on actions taken by our government. The other is taking the more common use of the phrase.

I know that you don't really want to have a discussion, so I'll let this be my last post.

Have a nice day.

[Bluerthanblue]

72. go read the sermon in its entirety- the relevancy will

help you to have a better understanding of what is so wrong with this world in general.

peace~

[Kahuna]

43. Riiiight!

:thumbsup:

[muryan]

62. You're right

We should all be waving the flag while troops are dying in Iraq, 47 million people don't have health insurance, people are falling below the poverty line at a record pace, and foreclosures are still forcing people on the streets.

So I guess pointing out that this country has faults is anti-american? Take your right wing bullshit somewhere else

[stillcool]

96. reality sucks, doesn't it?

I so wish our political discussions would be about the million dead Iraqi's, our interventions in countries across the globe, our use of torture, the use of our military for business interests, and how global corporations have bankrupted our country. The use of divisive politics will insure our demise, to the point where we will look like Iraq. I'm sure there are some that will be happy. I wonder about the day when people have to go to Mexico to get a job. I hope they are treated as they have treated others.

[Cant trust em]

10. Let's look at a couple of the things that has gotten him into trouble re:TUCC

Two of these things were statements directly involving Hillary Clinton. Then Wrights comments at the National Press Club were enabled by the attention he received for being Obama's pastor. It's ridiculous to believe that we'd know about any of this stuff happening if Obama were not a candidate for president of the United States. By stepping aside he's hoping that things can return to normal.

[BobbyVan]

27. That's right, when the going gets tough, Obama gets going

[rodeodance]

12. It is a Profile in political calculation ONLY. what a stupid headline!

[anigbrowl]

85. What a weak display of acting.

[parasim]

13. I knew that's how the Republicans would spin it.

He specifically said in his press conference that he was doing it because it was unfair to the congregation to be harassed because of of him. Such as when the press started calling the ill and shut-in congregants to dig up dirt, etc...

[rodeodance]

19. Most can see through that empty excuse!!

[madrchsod]

14. "hateful, racist, anti-American rhetoric"

yup obama is a hateful, racist, anti-American

you need to work really hard to make sure he never becomes president and his reelection in illinois.

this is going to be your mission in life-save us from the evil that is barack obama

[AllentownJake]

21. I had to leave a church once I loved

First it was Terry Shiavo issue (which I walked out of a service over) and than the pastor said that children that weren't being raised in a Christian home should be taken from the state. It was a hard decision however I understand how hard and painful it is to make.

I was friends with the Pastor however he had just made too many statements I disagreed with.

[amandabeech]

79. You did the right thing.

I had pastor problems as a teenager. The guy was out of control and was eventually defrocked.

I couldn't walk out and still expect to be fed at home, but I protested as I could. No one could get me to confirmation classes, and I'm proud that I held out.

As much as you like the folks in your church, sometimes you just have to take a stand.

[RazBerryBeret]

22. Do you realize that reporters

were taking church bulletins and calling members of the church? the ill and the shut ins? no one needs to be harassed like that. It's unfortunate, but better for both parties.

[rodeodance]

47. obama brought his church into the political scene when he assigned Wright to his campaign. Its open

season once he did that.

[RazBerryBeret]

50. Jeremiah Wright left the Obama

campaign March 4....

[Catch22Dem]

23. Just order the McCain yard signs and get it the fuck over with

We all know it's coming anyway.

[Nitrogenica]

25. Profile is ignored. Bye Bye

[Colobo]

30. Obama is our nominee. Deal with it.

[BobbyVan]

33. If he wraps it up, I'll support him

But don't say you weren't warned

[Colobo]

41. Let's unite, Bobby.

[BobbyVan]

91. We will in the end, behind either Clinton or Obama

Let the strongest candidate win.

[Liberal Veteran]

35. I'd say that's between him and God and none of your fucking business.

But don't let that stop you.

[Rowdyboy]

51. Concise and to the point.....I agree 100%......

[LTR]

36. Okay, first you fake-outragemeisters demand he leave his church...

...then he does just that and you claim he's doing it just for political convenience.

Which is it, then? Make up your minds already! Sheesh!

Bunch o' whiny sore losers.

[IsItJustMe]

39. You are too cynical for you're own good. Not everything in life is done for political reasons.

I do understand that Trinity church has had serveral bomb threats since this all started. Do you think that could, just maybe, have something to do with it?

I feel sad for you if you don't even think that may be a part of Obama's reasoning for leaving the church.

[BobbyVan]

89. Obama did it to save his own skin --he never mentioned the safety of Trinity as a reason for leaving

[gort]

40. Religion is a private matter

Too bad it is used as a political target.

Do you like to peek in people's bedroom windows, as well?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

42. OMG REVERSE RACISM!11!11

OMG TEH WHITES IZ DOOOMED!11!!1 SCARY ANGRY BLACK PEOPLE! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

[bowens43]

45. don't you love the smell of sour grapes in the morning?

take your right wing talking points and pound them straight up your.....

[MethuenProgressive]

46. Character is what you do when no one is looking.

A man of character would've quit that church - or tried to change it - years ago.
Quitting after the public spotlight illuminates the issue shows a lack of character.

[cliffordu]

57. Your post shows a lack of intellectual honesty...So?

[Bluerthanblue]

70. indeed it does- it also involves

speaking about things based on facts and personal knowledge not on gossip.

What you know about Trinity is based on your own experience with the church then? or with the news bites and slander you hear from the media.

You would do yourself a big favor to be sure you know what you condemn - before doing so.

Our character also causes us to feel regret and remorse when we speak words of hate against people we don't know, only to find that our assessments have been based on partial truths, and twisted facts.

peace~

(by the way- the book your title quotes is actually a very good one- written by a pastor)

[Cheap_Trick]

49. And if he'd stayed, you fuckwits would have been bitching about THAT too

so just shove it up your ass. It's long past time Hillary renounces HER church.

[cloudythescribbler]

52. for some reason, lately they've been HIGHLIGHTING those views Obama has said he found objectionable

if I were Obama, I'd have every desire to quit also. They almost seem to be DELIBERATELY undermining his efforts at the presidency.

[bow-tie]

53. Are you a republican?

You fucking sound like one.

[NOLALady]

54. The way I see it,

he did it to help his Church.

They were harassed and vilified because he was a member. Now they can worship in peace.

The rhetoric at Trinity isn't much different than the rhetoric at other Churches. You choose to see the questioning of the status quo as hateful and racist. That's your choice. There are those who saw the preaching of MLK as hateful, communistic and anti American. They were wrong also.

I was raised in the Catholic Church, in a Catholic city and a Catholic state. But I've always been aware of the non Catholic Churches. I find it amazing that some people were not aware of the sermons of other Churches in their communities. They live and work side by side with people of other religions and cultures, yet they have no clue.

I'm sure the members of that congregation are breathing a sigh of relief.

[Turn CO Blue]

55. Do YOU still go to church?

A person would be very lucky, or blessed or fortunate, or whatever, to find a church where he/she can agree with even 60% of what the church is doing (good works), saying (sermons and worship music) and where you can find a friend or two that doesn't talk behind your back. And if you don't agree, then you've never been to church. Church sucks. They ALL suck, and if you say that YOUR church and your own pastor isn't full of shit, then you're a fucking LIAR of the first water.

I'm so sick of all these holier-than-thou posts.

Yeah, your chicken-shit OP is a profile in hypocrisy.

[4_Legs_Good]

56. /ignore

It's easy to ignore ignorance!

What a bunch of ignorant bastards who bring this sh*t up when they know NOTHING about the circumstances.

You people make me sick.

David

[Vinca]

59. Religion - or no religion - should be a personal matter.

Obama didn't drag it into the contest. I imagine he would like to somehow regain a bit of privacy about his faith. That will never happen with political operatives and the media staking out the Trinity Church for the next object of pastorbation.

[GoldieAZ49]

61. Political Rhetoric is not courage

the post in my journal has some of the highlights of his religious campaign with his close ties to his mentor Wright. The protege didn't like the mentor stealing his spotlight :rofl:

[swishyfeet]

71. Well, it's not courageous like dodging sniper fire...

or throwing a tantrum at a DNC meeting, but it's the right thing to do anyway.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rodeodance]

76. too bad for you. your lectures suck as he is not the nominee.

[Bluerthanblue]

64. "hateful, racist, anti-American rhetoric"- that is a pretty good label

for your OP-

You have obviously bought the package the media's been selling. I challenge you to read or listen to the "rhetoric" you choose to condemn with your slander actually assess the comments in context and in their entirety- and then come back here and defend your assertions.

As for Obama leaving his church out of "political convenience"- I call you on your bullshit. Obama could have ditched Trinity long ago if he was only interested in how it "looked"- or getting votes. The media circus that surrounds him, and those who desire to find any means to create controversy- (legit- or not) created hardship and chaos for the people who attend Trinity- you know, the people who actually ATTEND the church many claim to know so much about- having never even set foot in the place - The Obamas concern for the good of the church and the church family as a whole factored into the decision in a MAJOR way.

I'm ashamed of those fellow dem's who condemn an entire body of people based SOLELY on manipulative sound bites put out by the media, and championed as you have chosen to do here.


I pity you.

peace~

[kwenu]

66. That's it. Get it out of your system because it will be a dead issue in a few weeks.

[anonymous171]

67. Profile in Hypocrisy: HRC supporters demand Obama leave his "hate church" then call him a coward for

doing so.

[BobbyVan]

92. Geez, Obama let people hound him out of his own church!

I agree, he was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. But it makes you wonder, why was he there to begin with? It makes you wonder, why did he STAY for 20 years, knowing the garbage that Rev. Wright and others preached there?

[PseudoIntellect]

68. He's fooling no one. I resent his decision. But it'll stop this from being as much an issue later.

[guruoo]

73. Hillary's done. Get over it.

[Hansel]

77. Hillary abandon more important principals than that when

she voted for the IWR. And she did it for reasons far more significant to this contest. She did it so she could hang on to her Senate seat so she could run for president. I can live with Obama's "political convenience" of resiging from Trinity. At lot of people did not live because of hers.

And good for you for falling for the racist Sean Hannity's BS. His white supremist friends thank you.

[berni_mccoy]

80. Clinton Lost. Move On.

[GoesTo11]

99. You understand the OP's motivation perfectly!

Hope your words have an effect.

[Bensthename]

84. You better hurry and post more like this. In a couple of days you will have your own head stone..

You may hate the dem nominee so your next choice is McCain. Better start looking for a nice GOP forum..

[SanchoPanza]

86. People have been stalking members of Trinity United for months.

Sometimes when your very presence attracts unwanted attention to an institution you love the best course is to leave and hope the parasites go away.

However, this suffers from the faulty assumption that parasites actually have a conscience.

[uponit7771]

87. FAIL +1

[FredScuttle]

88. I see....perhaps he should have offered to nuke Trinty United into the Stone Age

n/t

[MindMatter]

94. How many assholes can I have in my ignore list?

[Dawgs]

95. Fyck Uou!!!

[Whisp]

97. he left the church to save the death threats against them.

it's pretty damn obvious to anyone without a Hillary induction of ignorance.

and that is a damn shame.
for him to have to leave his friends, Michelle's friends of 20 years, let alone what the girls had, his connections to the community, because Anderson CopOut from CNN and all those other assholes just can't take there sniperscope off of Trinity church, as ordered by their Telecom Act enabled masters that Clinton the big man had part in forming.

only if they had this kind of fervor for Bush's archilles heal of the Iraq war - but not a small percentage compared did they pay the vitriolic attention to Bush's mass murder rampage as to Rev. Wright.

Fuck them all to hell.

Rev Wright is good toxic that the simple american brain can deal with, not the destruction of a country and millions of people. FUCK! Wright is the new Saddam Hussein!

what the media has done to that church is unforgivable. People are suffering because of that, just for a juicy soundbite over and over again to keep that black skinny ultra smart man out of presidential privileges.

and Asshole Anderson, it is Not a 'black church', but you just love to keep saying that like it's something bad.
fuck you, javex head.

[RBInMaine]

98. BS ! It is a CHURCH !! They don't deserve to be scrutinized constantly by the RIGHT WING to tear

them and Obama down because they can't win on the real issues. Your post is CRAP. He did this as much to shield the church from right wing attacks as to distance himself from foolish distractions that have NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, to do with the real issues facing this country. If this crap is all you care about, you are a SAD, SAD individual !

[Tippy]

100. Political convenience was not WHY he chose to leave

He and Michell did not want the members of Trinity to be harassed any more...Elderly have been harassed by the press at their homes, since all this came about...It is a shame Obama was blamed for this mess and it more shameful the press can violate peoples rights in the name of a story....

[BobbyVan]

107. R-r-r-r-ight... I'll just pretend Obama didn't say it was because of a "cultural and stylistic gap"

[Honeycombe8]

102. Warning warning: another newbie who suspiciously bursts thru the gate w/negativitity.

As if he/she is VERY comfortable with the forum.

[TexasLady]

105. Rush approves of this message

[Elspeth]

106. He did the right thing.

He couldn't possibly carry this albatross of a church around his neck into the convention or the GE. The little priest sent it all over the edge, and Obama was prudent to let the church go.

[BigDDem]

108. "I can no more disown...."

oh wait, never mind, you're disowned.

:rofl:

[CTLawGuy]

109. and Hillary Clinton

condemned 4000 of our troops to DIE for political convenience.

Which is worse?

[Mezzo]

110. I don't think he should have quit the church he belonged to TWENTY YEARS

it makes him look contrived. I started a thread abt this last night that turned into a flamefest (certainly not the first time).

But the question is a just one: How could Obama throw his CHURCH. under the bus?

[GoldenOldie]

113. As a member of this church for 20-years..........

it should be obvious to one and all, that he and his family have many fellow parishioners who are also close friends. Not only have the media and his political opponents been scrutinizing all church services/sermons for any scraps of theatrics that can be used against him but they have also been hounding their fellow parishioners and personal friends, outside of the confines of the church itself, going so far as entering nursing homes which have residents which are listed as parishioners of Trinity.

As others have stated, he is damned if he does and he is damned if he doesn't. The Obama's decision to resign from Trinity, reflects their deep concern for others and his ability to quickly resolve minor problems and openly relate the situation to We the People.

[FlaGranny]

111. FLASH: Obama Quits His Church

so its parishioners are left alone by the news media.

[SeaLyons]

112. Nobody believes Obama when it comes to Trinity....

the whole thing is a joke. He voiced more concern for the church and it's members, than the hateful rhetoric being spewed. He never mentioned any concern about Hillary being used for entertainment by the priest.

Nobody believes Obama. 20 years is 20 years, and Obama has no problem with the racist, hate filled sermons over the last 20 years. He heard them, and he stayed. That's who Obama is - there can be no other reason.