Thoughts on Obama's Woes

I have wanted to offer a few thoughts on the Obama - Jeremiah Wright story, and a few other Obama matters, and since I am wide awake at 11:30pm I think I'll do it now. I'll try to be brief - just ten short paragraphs!

First, putting aside Wright's more outrageous comments and his visit to Libya, well, and his theology generally, it is NOT the job of a Christian pastor to be "patriotic," whatever that means. It is the pastor/preacher's job to preach and teach what is true, and for the Christian pastor this generally means the truth of the Scriptures, and whether that sits well with the political status quo or any sort of civil religion or nationalism is irrelevant. Jesus talked about the destruction of his people's most cherished national shrine, their temple, which made him about as low on the patriot scale as one could get. Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, Jeremiah, and Micah (some of Israel's great prophets) certainly would not have been considered patriots. This is an important matter for me personally, speaking to the core of religious liberty and the separation of church and state.

Second, as to God damning America I am reminded of Jesus' words. He was asked about the people who had been killed by Pilate. Were they worse sinners than others? He was asked about the 18 who died when the tower of Siloam fell upon them. Were they worse offenders than others? Jesus answer in both cases was the same - "unless you repent you will likewise perish." In other words, worry about yourself and don't speculate about those others and "why" they died. Jesus certainly did not say "yes" to the disciples' assumption that those people died specifically as judgment for their sins. Jeremiah Wright does not know that 9/11 was a matter of "what goes around comes around." He simply does not know that. Whether one is a right wing conservative or a left wing liberal, assuming one knows why things happen vis a vis God's judgment is risky business. I posted Thursday about an Evangelical Christian who was invoking God's judgment on America because of her inattention to global warming. He knows that how?

Third, Jeremiah Wright has been a long time advocate of what is called "Liberation Theology." Google the phrase and read the Wikipedia article. It's pretty accurate. Liberation Theology was really big back in the last two decades of the cold war, and since it sees social justice (and the achieving of social justice through political and oft times revolutionary means) as the essence of the gospel, many Liberation Theologians have tended towards Socialism of various kinds. Liberation Theologians have been generally anti-capitalistic and thus anti-American, so the marriage of Liberation Theology and Socialism was natural and convenient one. Liberation Theology was very big in Latin America as Socialism made a big move there.

Fourth, it has always been pretty run of the mill for Liberation Theology types to be also anti Israel. They look at the situation in Palestine and see the plight of the Palestinian people under Israeli control, and seem to have blinders about the dangers faced by Israel. I wonder how much Barach Obama absorbed Liberation Theology. I wonder how much it is in his head when he talks about himself as a Christian. I am pretty confident based on my years of reading the Gospels, and trying to understand them in their historical context, that Jesus would have rejected Liberation Theology out of hand (as much as he cared for the sick and poor and demon possessed).

Fifth, Jeremiah Wright's church is a mostly African American church within a very theological liberal mostly white denomination. Generally if a church group has the word "united" in it's name it means that it has decided that one can believe pretty much anything and be a part of it. We have long been in a situation where words that used to have a certain common meaning don't have their meanings anymore, especially religious, and even more especially traditional Christian words. This is certainly the case in "liberal" theology (which should not be confused with "liberal" politics). Liberal theology is, at its essence, anthropology; it is more about what people along the way have thought or said about God and less about what God has said about Himself.

Sixth, I don't buy the networking/climb-the-ladder argument as to Obama's reasons for attending that Jeremiah Wright's church. He just seems too smart and straight up to me for that. He must have actually agreed with many of the basic tenets of Wright's teaching, and since Wright was an advocate of Liberation Theology, I can't help but think Obama was sympathetic to that theology. I wouldn't even care except that people carry their deep convictions with them.

Seventh, without any question the person running for office that I personally like the most and am most drawn to is Barach Obama. But I simply do not know what he really stands for, especially how of much these Liberation Theology ideas he carries with him. It may not be the pastor's job to be a patriot, but a President of the United States has a profound duty to serve and protect the citizens of the United States (and, I hope the other free peoples of the world, such as Israel).

Eighth, it does bother me that Obama did not (not "has not recently" but "did not then") denounce William Ayers' post 9/11 comments. Those comments were not made 40 years ago when Obama was a child, and by Obama's own admission he has known Ayers in Chicago for many years. Ayers' comments post 9/11 should have been denounced by Obama apart from any political pressure to do so. It is an offense to the people who died on that terrible day that he did not.

Ninth, Obama's record is extremely non bipartisan. Has anyone running for President actually achieved bipartisan success other than McCain?

Tenth, and I cannot believe I am saying this, but I have done a big 180 turn. I hope Hillary finds a way to win the nomination, as much as the idea of another Clinton (or Bush) in the White House makes me sick. I am not saying this because I think McCain will win against her more easily. I am not sure that that is true. I am saying that if I had to choose between Obama and Hillary, if those were my two choices, at this point I would choose Hillary.

And seeing her put down those shots was a key moment for me :-)

All, for now.