Text 6425, 105 rader
Skriven 2008-03-14 20:52:00 av Bob Klahn (1:124/311)
Ärende: What obama said RE:Pastor
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 This is Barrack Obama's response to the controversy about his
 former pastor's remarks.

 Notice where he "vehemently condemns" those statements.

 When McCain was speaking out against the smearboat liars,
 (Swiftboat vets for Truth) I don't recall him saying anything
 close to "I vehemently condemn those statements".

 When Hillary was asked whether she thought Obama was a Muslim,
 she said there was no proof of that, not that she condemns such
 statements, vehemently or not.

 Obama spoke out strongly against the words spoken by someone
 once important to him. When Hillary and McCain show such
 character then they will have something to talk about.

 **************************************************************************

  The Huffington Post </>


    Barack Obama </barack-obama>


  On My Faith and My Church
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barack-obama/
 on-my-faith-and-my-church_b_91623.html

 Posted March 14, 2008 | 04:28 PM (EST)

 The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently
 preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has
 touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn
 attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling
 remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my
 political opponents.

 Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and
 strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of
 this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that
 disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our
 allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have
 no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign
 stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements
 by Rev. Wright that are at issue.

 Because these particular statements by Rev. Wright are so
 contrary to my own life and beliefs, a number of people have
 legitimately raised questions about the nature of my
 relationship with Rev. Wright and my membership in the church.
 Let me therefore provide some context.

 As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity
 United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev.
 Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United
 States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone
 who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from
 Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also
 led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the
 South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation
 that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each
 day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to
 reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.

 Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a
 gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never
 been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons
 I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God
 and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek
 justice at every turn.

 The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this
 controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach
 while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private
 conversation. When these statements first came to my attention,
 it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it
 clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But
 because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because
 of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I
 married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not
 think it appropriate to leave the church.

 Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements
 that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I
 vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and
 directly contradict my profound love for this country.

 With Rev. Wright's retirement and the ascension of my new
 pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III, Michelle and I look forward to
 continuing a relationship with a church that has done so much
 good. And while Rev. Wright's statements have pained and angered
 me, I believe that Americans will judge me not on the basis of
 what someone else said, but on the basis of who I am and what I
 believe in; on my values, judgment and experience to be
 President of the United States.

 **************************************************************************

BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

... Bin Laden would not threaten the US if Bush had killed him the first time.
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