Posted on 05/01/2008 9:42:38 PM PDT by The_Republican
Do white right-wing preachers have it easier than black left-wing preachers? Is there a double standard?
The political explosion around the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was inevitable, given Wright's personal closeness to Barack Obama and the outrageous rubbish the pastor has offered about AIDS, Sept. 11 and Louis Farrakhan.
After Wright's bizarre and narcissistic performance at the National Press Club on Monday, Obama would have looked weak and irresolute had he not denounced him. But if there was a moment of courage in this drama, it was not Obama's condemnation of Wright but his earlier and now much-criticized effort to avoid a complete break with his unapologetic pastor.
In March, Obama tried to explain the anger in the black community and insisted that "to condemn it without understanding its roots only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races."
In light of this racial gap, it's worth pondering why white, right-wing preachers who make ridiculous and sometimes shameful statements usually emerge with their influence intact.
The catalogue goes back to Bailey Smith, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Speaking at a 1980 religious convention that was also addressed by Ronald Reagan, Smith declared that "God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew."
Reagan later asserted that he thought Jewish prayers were answered, but he was less than definitive. "Everyone can make his own interpretation of the Bible," the Gipper said, "and many individuals have been making differing interpretations for a long time."
Two days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Jerry Falwell, appearing on Pat Robertson's "700 Club," declared: "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way................
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
There is only one absolute standard and that is God's word.
Robertson’s lamenting that Americans sinfulness has cost us God’s protection is quite different than Wright declaring America created AIDs to kill blacks, introduced crack to the hood, and was mean and nasty to Muslims and thus deserved Al Quaeda...not to mention his Jew hatred and cozying up to Farahkan.
E.J. Dionne proves there is a double standard when it comes to a black politician standing by the person making the ridiculous and sometimes shameful statements. He thinks it was courageous to stand by Wright after his lies about AIDS, his bigotry, and his hate filled sermons became public even though Wright never apologized or tried to explain. Only now that Wright has simply reiterated his lunacy has Obama chosen to change his tune.
Had a right-wing politician stood by someone spouting bigotry and lies on the level of Wright, I’m certain E.J. would have been calling it something other than courage.
Wright's words and the sycophants who stand by him prove the chasm of misunderstanding between the races is becoming an abyss that they are all to willing to throw taxpayer money and their future generations into. Obama's campaign of change has been revealed as more of the same.
Bailey Smith, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson were never the pastor for 20 years of any Republican candidate. EJ Dionne’s comparisons are absurd
One false move and right wing preachers get killed by the MSM and same for a Republican associated with them, however tenuously. But just watch them spin for crazy ol Reverend Wright who is out of a really bad Sanford and Son episode
The black communities of America had their act together a lot better in the bad old days of segregation and little welfare. Back when Rev Wright was a little boy
I think Wright looks like Sanford and acts like he would as a minister. I am serious. The left wing preachers are a heretic in nature. They preach socialism ie. marxism. What dionne calls right wing does not preach political economic systems. They are more orthodox. There is a big difference. Ther is no real right or left wing Christianity. There is biblicial Christianity. Which is nothing like left wing ranting. Conservative Christianity is more true Biblical teaching. Has nothing to do with pollitics.
Rev Wright sure knows how to ham it up like Red Foxx. But at least Foxx was infinitely entertaining and funny. Wright is just an angry man with a messiah complex
Wright is kinda white and over compensating
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
If he really wanted change he would be speaking out about self reliance in the black community. Instead he just wants to breed more reliance on a paternal government that simply maintains the state of poverty while eliminating the need for a family breadwinner.
There are extreme right wing heretics like Fred Phelps, David Cloud and Peter Ruckman who are just as bad as Wright.
The Rev. William Danaher, a professor at the General Theological Seminary here, argued that left-wing preachers who are black draw more fire because their critique of American society tends to be more fundamental.Er. "Personal morality and individual behavior"...isn't that what we EXPECT a preacher to preach about?! This is where Dione's argument goes off the rails. Wright's message is just the opposite: personal failure is OK because it's society's fault. And note that we never hear Wright describe Christ as his Savior (not his liberator). Wright's preaching seems to be nothing more than a big ole meeting of the nutroots which happens to be in a building called a "church"."The left black preacher is challenging the social structures that everyone lives in," Danaher said. "The white preachers on the right don't challenge these structures. Instead, they talk about issues of personal morality and individual behavior."
While I'm here: what the heck has gotten into John Danforth? I really admired him when he was escorting Clarence Thomas through his confirmation and heading first President Bush's VP search team. But since leaving Congress he seems to be waging his own personal war on the "religious right".
I’m not familiar with why they’re just as bad. I agree some “right wingers” say things just as hateful. But there’s one difference I’m curious about.
I never hear Wright discuss salvation or anything. He seems to speak ONLY about politics. I suspect that isn’t true of the preachers you mention. I would guess they weave their political rantings into a more spiritual setting.
But I could be wrong. I’m just speculating.
They are not as political as Wright but they are dividers and revilers who turn Christians against one another who have poisoned the Church. Their sin is just as great as Wright’s.
Yep but that is not who the MSM and the left talked about in this report was it. Phelps is a one family congregation. He is not in anyway a orthodox, traditional Conservative Christian. No they pick on any religious group that tends to believe what the BIBLE teaches. They do not want to hear about SIN, judgement and such. Do not speak of fornication, adultry, homosexuality,lying or marriage vows,coveting etc, cheating, laziness etc.. These are taboo and evil.
That's pretty much standard New Testament dogma and goes back to the words of Jesus himself.
Exactly!
I remember an O'Reilly interview with a black preacher who said exactly that. He was angry at Jesse Jackson and similar sorts who want to keep blacks down as victims because Jackson and similar sorts make their living off of blacks being victims.
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