Classical Values :: race out of the church? <br> (Or would that be "church out of the race"?)

race out of the church?
(Or would that be "church out of the race"?)

M. Simon has an interesting post which raises a good question -- whether Barack Obama's Trinity United Church of Christ (and its minister, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright) is racist.

The place certainly seems to be dedicated to a nutty left wing liberationist theology, and there are a variety of troubling connections (among other things, between Wright and Muammar Kaddafi.)

I had read about the racist allegation in Newsmax, and I am not 100% percent convinced that it is as true as is claimed. I suppose, however, if this becomes an established meme, the backlash will cause similar scrutiny to be focused on some of the the crackpot views of Romney's and or Huckabee's churches and ministers. (No, I have not looked. But I don't doubt there's some fertile stuff there. Maybe something a little "race-ier" than Romney's underwear.)

As to the TUCC, they proudly proclaim that they're "Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian" -- but my initial question is simply, do they allow white members?

For example, in San Francisco there are churches which might proclaim themselves "Unashamedly Gay and Unapologetically Christian," but I'd want to know whether they refused to accept straight parishioners before I'd consider them, um, "homosexist."

Apparently, TUCC does have some white members:

"Despite the rich history from which the value system emerged, despite the xplanations provided by the Tribune and the church itself, rumors that the church was a black supremacist movement sprouted like algae in the Chicago River. Imagine how surprised Trinity's white members must have been."

I'd also note that even Newsmax seems to concede there are a few:

"....only a handful of white men -- aside from a few members of Obama's Secret Service detail -- were present among a congregation of approximately 2,500 people."

Oprah Winfrey is a member, and also (unlike many black churches) they do "outreach to gay and lesbian singles."

Plus, the controversial Jeremiah Wright is described as resigning soon. Coincidence?

Certainly, no white candidate would get away with belonging to a church which proclaimed itself "Unashamedly White and Unapologetically Christian." But this touches on the whole identity politics issue, which sees racism as only possible among members of the dominant group. ("Unashamedly Gay and Unapologetically Christian" would not be seen as "homosexist," but "Unashamedly Straight and Unapologetically Christian" would be seen as "heterosexist.")

But don't look at me. I'm "Unashamedly Pagan and Unapologetically Christian."

Comments

Quite parenthetically, from Obama's standpoint, I do think Huckabee is the perfect opponent, because Obama's main weakness lies in a lack of foreign policy expertise. Huckabee takes that issue off the table!
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Another canard. I hate to break it to you guys, but other than McCain, NONE of the Republican candidates have ANY foreign policy expertise. All of the Democrats have at least SOME foreign policy expertise. Now remember, you are the folks who gave us a president who did not know the name of Pakistan's president. You like your candidates to be stupid, lazy, and lacking in curiosity. Fred Thompson is your man.

YogiBarrister · January 8, 2008 12:30 PM

So tell me Yogi. Exactly what is McCain's Foreign Policy experience?

Fred was on the Senate intel committee. So I don't think none is the right answer for Fred.

However, you are right. Fred doesn't generate much enthusiasm. He just has policies which I rather like. Which is probably not good enough to get elected.

We will wind up with a jihadi in sheep's clothing (Obama). It will be a very tough 4 years. If he gets in I see a nuclear war on the horizon.

M. Simon · January 8, 2008 03:03 PM