Wright breaks silence on controversy

Amen.

""He's a politician, I'm a pastor. I do what I do. He does what politicians do.""

"I felt it was unfair. I felt it was unjust. I felt it was untrue. I felt -- for those who were doing that -- were doing it for some very devious reasons"

Excuse me but I think Pastor Wright would very well heed the phrase , "People who live in glass houses........"

Mr. Wright's words speak for themself. He probably wouldn't have spoken them if he knew they would have been reviewed by the media, but he didn't, so he spoke his mind. One time I can believe the were taken out of context or he mispoke, but as many different vidoes that has surfaced clearly show he is a racist. He is no paster, but a activist leader.

Dear Rev. Wright,

You had cause to say, “God damn the United States of America.” William James, the Harvard philosopher used the similar words in 1898 when he declared: "God damn the U.S. for its vile conduct in the Philippine Isles." These words called America to a higher standard.

In 1967 Martin Luther King said, “… my country is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.” And he explained how our economic system thrived on exploitation and violence… One year later, to the day, he was assassinated. Martin Luther King’s family knows who killed him. A Memphis jury determined that King had been assassinated by a conspiracy involving the Memphis police, the Mafia, the FBI, and the Special Forces of the U.S. Army. Ray, the patsy, had left town before the shot was fired. The commercial media won’t tell you this. See: http://www.thekingcenter.org/news/trial.html#Statement which connects to the trail transcript.

Saint Paul said, “The truth will set you free.” Rev. William Sloane Coffin added, “But first it will make you miserable.” Can Americans be honest with themselves? The military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us against controls America. The corporate press covers up for them. Rev. Dr. David Ray Griffin, a retired theology professor, accurately describes our government as an Empire. It has become the largest and most high-tech brutal empire the world has ever seen.

Since 2001, we have caused the deaths of over a million human beings in the Middle East by allowing a small group of psychopaths to lead us to war. If the dead were white Europeans who looked like most Americans these wars would never have started and we can only conclude that these wars are racist to the core.

As I understand, Wright’s most passionate statements were made in our nation’s aftermath of September 11, 2001 when we were told a group of Muslims with box cutters had overcome the security of the most sophisticated and expensive military system on the world. Rev. Dr. David Ray Griffin, a skillful and careful researcher, joins with others who question what really happened on September 11, 2001.

I am pleased to see Rev. Wright coming to the for front to give us his own narrative, so we can put this story to rest. So he can do what he dose and let Senator Obama get on to winning the White House.

I hope most people will tune in Friday night to hear the pastor's full interview.

I think that people in general should leave both parties alone. They are friends till the end, we all have our opinions and whether we like it or not, accept what was said and move on. I disagree with my buddies at times but when push comes to shove, they're with me till the end. God made us all different, if we were the same, what a boring world this would be. My grandma would say, "dust yourself off now, continue on with life"!

Those who honed in on selected passages from selected sermons knew exactly what they were doing. What was disappointing was how the press gobbled the sound bites up without doing any research to determine if they were his usual topics or if those phrases were part of bigger message sermons.

You are incorrect that this is the first time the Rev. Wright has broken silence since he became an issue in the Democrat Primaries. He was on Hannity and Colmes on FOX News. In his interview he advised us to get educated on a book by James Cone called "A Black Theology of Liberation".

If John McCain were consorting in a simliar way with an evangelical that reached white supremacy, what would you be saying about the connection?

I urge people to check out Mr. Cones book. I have no comment on it. Get educated.

The ideas Rev. Wright expressed, in or out of context represent what we have come to think of as Christianity. I stuggle to imagine him standing before Jesus and uttering these things and for any person who holds dear the love of Christ to amen the idiot. "This last commandment I give to you, love one another." Rev. Wright's comments fall short of this. His sentiments and reasoning belong in the Old Testement, lex talonis.

How does Rev. Wright have the audacity to say that playing video of his own words is unfair, unjust and untrue? Was the video doctored? Is he claiming that he didn't make those statements? How are we to take "God damn America!" out of context? Talk about a double-standard!! Retirement to a multi-million dollar mansion and the odd speaking engagement is MUCH too good for this demogogue.

i respect all pastors & beleive they are all ordained by God. I believe all men of God are just human and very prone to error and prejudice. many, many black people are very prejudiced towared white people!!! Reverand Wright is extremely prejudiced and hates all white people! It is obvious by his own words! He is not Christ-like. JESUS was not and is not prejudiced to anyone! He only hates sin; but loves every sinner; of every race! we ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD! Jesus Christ paid the price for all of our sins by his blood-for everyone of every race. Rev. Wright has placed himself higher than God in his Prejudice and rejection of whites.

Frank ... look out for the black helicopters ... they are following you and listening to you.

Of course its devious. Hillary and the Republicans are cut from the same cloth. Neither have anything to campaign on so they create false conflicts. I think the Democrats are taking a really big risk. The Republicans would love to run against Hillary thats obvious. If she should steal this nomination she will not win in November. We have lived through Bush and we can live through McCain. I am just one vote but there are many who feel as I do. Rev Wright is not a politician he is a preacher. Obama has said he was not there when this sermons were given and if he was what difference would it make? Should the 8000 members of the church just got up and left? This is silly. Hillary and the Republicans have nothing to run on so they run on race.

Well Richard seems you aren't so "educated" yourself, or you know that McCain has been and continues to be consorting with a certain Rev. John Hage, and Reverend Rod Parsley. Since you are so much more educated I can only assume you are aware of the teachings and sermons these two are known for. If not, I suggest you educate yourself about them.

Reverend Wright is reviled by most in mainstream America not because he speaks as a preacher but because he speaks like a Southside Chicago politician. There is nothing Christian in his vitriolic statements. Just because Reverend Wright and David Duke can preach to a sympathetic choir that shouts back their "amens" should not make their vile statements any more acceptable. Barack Obama's candidacy and his success serve as the greatest single rebuke to Reverend Wright's world view. The America people are much better than Reverend Wright knows and understands. America will only achieve its destiny when we are as intolerant of ignorant racist statements from Blacks as we are of ignorant racist statements by Whites. Barack Obama's campaign is changing America and Reverend Wright and his vitriolic demagoguery is suddenly so yesterday.

As you said Jon, McCain has been and continues to be consorting with a certain Rev. John Hage, and Reverend Rod Parsley, yet has taken no flack at all for it. He changed his religious affiliation at age 71, obviously done to appeal to the right wing... but the press has barely noticed. Why is that if not demonstrating a right wing bias?

People who hate Obama were just looking for excuses to justify their hate. You know who you are and most importantly you know it does not matter if it was Wright, Michelle, his daughters or a simple word like bitter. You would never cast your vote for a black man. So stop pretending like Wright is makes a difference.

Unfortunately Mr. Oceanside, many have NOT lived through the Bush Administration including the 4000+ soldiers in Iraq. And many more will not live through a McCain Administration.

This man lived through slavery and he bears in these words the anger of that era, It is not Obama's responsibility to censor the man's words and actions. I am sure if you lived through the days of slavery you will say some of the same words. Moreso he is a Reverend Minister ordained by God and answerable to God, it is not Obama's responsibility to call him to order on what and how he preaches. The least Obama can do is renounce these words the way hea has and hope that the man is touched by the outrage these words have caused.

Bill Clinton and Mark Penn have taken money from the Columbians, Hillary simply said I do not agree with those views but the money comes into the family coffers and no one is pushing it, should she have been asked to divorce Bill because she did not agree with him? I think other ministers should come out and say though he said the wrong thing, it is not the respionsibility of the congregant to critisize him.

Quite frankly, I see nothing wrong in having friends like Pastor Wright, despite his excessive language. Obiously those of all races and denomiantions are thinking very highly of him as a pastor. I see much more wrong in a President who pardons 140 known felons, including convicted terrorists, on his last day in office, is earning a lot of money with China and is bound to play a major role should his wife be the nominee. Or candidates who are cultivating the friendship of more than 100 major lobbyists.

You people who are bashing wright for them comments need to wake up bigtime. There is footage on the World Trade center from start to finish on the internet with demolition experts that talk about how those towers fell and it was not from a plane. Why do think our government made sure there was no investigation into the steel beams of those towers. Why do think they shipped all that steel to china as fast as possible and made sure no one looked at it. How did airline stocks get shorted in the market days before the towers were hit. We are talking about millions of dollars and that much money has no problem being followed and they just said, we dont know where it is. I don't even want to get into drugs . The DEA shows one bust on TV and lets 50 go. This has all been proven years ago but you people just don' t want to believe that our government has sold us out. Those towers coming down was to sell the american people on the Iraq war. Believe it or not. And OIL and business is why our best military people are dieing.

sheryl hollingsworth

Are you serious? Many, many black people are not prejudiced to whites. Where in the world did you get that informations from? I'm pretty sure you didn't ask a black person. With as many interracial couples as you see how can you even open your mouth to say many, many blacks are prejudiced to whites. As many biracial kids are born every day how can you say that blacks are prejudiced to whites.

Aren't you judging Rev. Wright? Rev. Wrights life/actions are for God to judge, not us. What he said is wrong in my eyes but he is still a man & even a just man falls 7 times.

In what context is "God Damn America" not offensive?

There can and is no justification for a person to sit through 20 years of Wright's inflammatory racist rhetoric and not confront it or leave for another church.

Put yourself in those shoes and then hold Obama to that standard.

He has miserably failed this very basic test of character.

Shame on you evil people at Trinity United Church, you people including Rev. Wright are evil, jealousy- hearted people who are purposely trying to hurt Senator Obama chances to become President. Pride comes before the fall. Please do not just write of my view has a white angry person because I am a black Christian who believes in the preaching “The Good News of Jesus” not your hateful rhetoric. Jesus commanded all is followers to spread the Good News of Christ’s Forgiveness for all humankind who believe in him. Your doctrine is false and you are false prophets’ deceiving people. I f you people hate America so much why don’t you all pack up and relocate to Africa.

In what context is saying white men invented AIDS to kill black men not racist?

As was done with Reverend Wright's selected sermons, no doubt selected snippets of the Bill Moyers conversation will be taken out of context and broadcast to imply something other than what was actually meant.

In today's "YouTube" based society, the essential meaning of an entire message is most often lost in the easy quick intentional pursuit of national media soundbite sensationalism.

It is virtually guaranteed that his comments will be snipped by Senator Obama's opponents to broadcast a twisted perception of the worst possible interpretation, the truth and reality of what Reverend Wright says be damned.

Yet, in the final analysis, better to have snippets taken out of context when Reverend Wright is speaking calmly to Bill Moyers rather than the continued broadcast of his out of context snippets emotionally spoken as part of a sermon.

Ideally, every American who has a sincere interest in this issue will listen intently to the entire interview and then make a judgement on that basis.

But of course, the entire interview will more likely be listened to by those who already are sincerely looking for any comment that can be taken out of context or for that matter taken without any context at all and subsequently used against Senator Obama on behalf of their own sad self-serving agenda.

Type your comment hereI have seen some of these videos and the Rev. Wright seems to be untroubled by humility. The views expressed are stark but not that alarming. Any student of history should realize that how you view history is often governed by whether you personally or earlier generations of family were in the position of being the hammer or the nail. Even so these videos by Rev. Wright to continue the metaphor, point to a tendency on his part to explain away all problems as caused by white handled hammers therefore excusing any responsibility for his nails (while conveniently ignoring that hammers and nails actually come in many shapes, colors and lengths) also need to be strait, strong and sharp. In the mean time the board which is the purpose for all of them being there is tormented, split, weakened and finally ruined by the incessant bickering of the hammers and the nails. ...

Things are better accessed by looking at the BODY OF WORK rather than singular comments that poorly represent the point of the overall statements that were made. It would be very hard to pastor a predominately black church in a predominately white denomination for a quarter of a century if one was a racist (a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others). Pastors are called to be the moral compass for our communities and as such are required to make what some would term as hard sayings. Jesus himself had many "hard sayings" that may shake your bland theologies such as: Matt. 5:22 - But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool!’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You moron!’ will be subject to hellfire. Matt.10:34 - Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Dr.Wright is of the Propheic mold of a Jeremiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jesus who spoke truth to power. Read Ezekiel 22.23-30 and be thakful that the same man who speaks truth to power also becomes the intercessor for the very ones who are sinners. In truth, if we are wiling to face the truth, Jerusalem sins are applicable and reveals that if America continues to sin, it too must pay for the sins of political and economic oppression. We all must stand before God and be judge for our wrong doings, and all have sinned and fallen short. Did we fall short with the Tuskegee test? Did we fall short with slavery? Are we falling short with equal justice today? Our children are out of control, we have over 35 million living in poverty, foreclosure madness, and leaders who are out of touch with humanity based upon insidious and ancestrial attitudes. We are a great country and can be greater if we face our sins as a nation. If we do not face our sins, change our ways and humble ourselves, God will judge us as a nation. Prophets of God speaks the truth, and the truth will set you free. As a 20 year veteran of the military, school teacher, political science major and preacher I am aware that political and economic system work together and the reality, religious system often support each, at least that was the way it was in slavery days and quit prevalent today. . So now where are the evangelicals again? Why have you not come forth to share the truth of a prophet. The Catholic Priest in Chicago was right to defend a prophet. God is the God of the oppress also, but how do you know one feels oppressed if one does not speak to the issue. If you are fair and balance, then be fair and balance and do no do what Satan did, "Satan translated part of Psalm 16, not all of it" it was out of content, now put it all in content and Pastor Wright 's sermon spoke truth to power. If we do not straighten up the sexual revolution, feed the hungry, cltoh the naked, take care of widows, orphans, and turn from our wiked ways as people of this nation we will be damned by God. In closing, "we either learn to live together as sisters and brothers or perish together as fools," as stated bu Dr. Martin Luther King. So. "If God's people (we as American claim that we are God's people) will humble themselves and seek God's face and turn from their wicked ways , Then God will hear from heaven and then God wil heal our land." Right now America is broke with political, economical, social, environmental, religious and economical racism that swings upon he hinges of destruction from God. We are facing floods, draught, storms, fires and diseases. Wake up America, God's damnation is already upon us and we must repent as a nation and individually. We need a mind of God and the character of Christ. May God Bless America and have mercy on all of us.

I have watched Rev. Wright's sermons where the comments were taken out of context. Those sermons were full of God's love and forgiveness. I am continually surprised by the media, who keeps reporting on a few phrases out of context without looking at the whole (and what about the man's long career that is quite distinguished). The media is either very lazy in their reporting or have an agenda of their own to smear Obama. People listen to all of the man's sermons, look at the good works of the congregation. Christ would listen to the man as a whole not a few words used to make a point of the imhumanity of man.

Many of you American Christians who are throwing comments at Wright's message shows that you know little of your faith. Remember when Paul rebuked Galatians in his own words, "foolish Galatians who bewitched you."
You need to first see images of dead kids in Iraq or a genocide in Darfur that US can't do nothing about because its in bed with Arabs in Sudan in their so called war on terror. Should you be reminded that American image has totally faded in face of all these wars and bizarre policies? That America did nothing to save one million Rwandese who were butchered in 1994. And who was in power again?
I need some one to explain to me why America is so afraid of religion? When many Muslim friends are checked on your borders like they are the Bin ladens, what do you think goes through their minds - God damn America. When we see gruesome images of children blown by cluster bombs in Lebanon- God damn America. Americans should know this election is the only chance to redeem themselves of not only today's problems but future militants that your policies are very well raising in the middle east.

Yes, yes, mega-dittos my friends on the right - mega-dittos indeed...

How dare Reverend Wright be critical of the United States in his preaching! After all, its not patriotic to question your country and its leadership is it?

So what if George Bush started an unprovoked war in a sovereign nation that neither attacked us or was at risk of attacking us?

So what if the US's unprovoked war is not only costing future generations billions of dollars (as the good conservative fiscal policy philosophy is to borrow from future generations rather than tax the current one) and has in the process killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi men, women, elderly and children?

God shouldn't DAMN America for that, he should BLESS it, right? I mean the accepted word of God states that we shouldn't kill, but c'mon - it's a just war afterall, right?

I mean some terrorist group from the Middle East did attack us, and the bible does state an eye for an eye... Just because it was Bin Laden who poked us in the eye, what does it matter who's eye we poke back?

@ Grace: Rev. Wright lived through slavery? Hold on a minute! Slavery ended with the Civil War which, if I remember correctly, was somewhere around 1865. "Living through slavery" would make Wright over 100 years old. Now, I know he's old & just retired, but I don't think he's close to 140 yet. Yes, slavery has been outlawed for 140 years; when are some people going to wake up and realize that?

@ James: It is entirely possible to criticize one's country and its leadership without asking the Deity to damn it. It is also entirely possible to criticize one man's evil deeds - G.W. Bush's war, for example - without tarring all of his countrymen with the same brush. Just because it was Bush who provoked this war, what does it matter who all you blame for it? Apply your own logic, please.

For the record, not everyone who disagrees with you is "on the right." Not everyone who doesn't support Obama is a Republican thug. Or is there no room for disagreement or difference of opinion in Obama's brave new little world of unity? Sounds more like the Soviet Union to me. No thanks!

It amazes me that so many people are so out of touch with reality and truth. Not the truth that you would like to believe but actuality, the day to day struggle of African Americans in this country. So many of the comments surrounding Rev. Wright have indeed been taken out of context and analyzed to present a fanatic pastor who is racist. When the truth is we live in a country that is still racist...Oh yes, for those of you who believed that this country was over racism, you are wrong. This man has served this country and his community with a vigor and passion that most of us will never experience. But yet, mainstream America, which does not understand the black church or that had never heard of Jeremiah Wright before this controversy has summed his entire legacy into snippets that have been used to deter Americans for voting for Barrack Obama. Racism is alive and well in this country and for anyone to think otherwise they are kidding themselves. Why hasn't the comment made from Rev. John Hagee been looped over and over and over again? This is a valid question that most of you will not even take the time to think about. If the media were to call all of the questionable associations of political leaders out, do you really think that Rev. Wright would be at the top of the list?