Absolutely religion becomes an issue, only when certain religions force themselves on politics, and reveal themselves as very exclusionary. Indeed very “un-Christian in tone.”

And yes, the difference is how much Obama (vs Palin, for example) live out the more-controversial teachings of their respective churches, and how much they do or do not let it influence their politics.

Being a traffic reporter on a bunch of African-American-oriented radio stations over the years certainly doesn’t qualify me to speak for the community, but it has certainly helped me to better understand its viewpoint — So am I the only goofball middle-class white boy who was not shocked by Rev. Wright’s “God Damn America”? Not that I agreed with it, but I certainly appreciated the emotion and history from whence it came.

Luckily, my personal religion reassures me that my own abstract-concept God is far too busy being a force for goodness and all to have time to damn or exclude anyone! Hmm, maybe that’s why I’m not a member of an organized church.

“Awww, they weren’t getting it like crazy horny kids, they were sharing god’s love!” ;)

I better stop before I get tasteless on Spencer’s page.

Add the obvious irony that so much of the Republican campaign has been “unchristian” in tone. Mocking and misleading. Not that that’s unusual for politics…but I don’t believe that sort of behavior is in the What Would Jesus Do handbook.

As far as Wright…I think that’s a non-issue. Spencer said it all better than I could.

You know what? I’m afraid for Obama’s safety too. Because phrases like “palling around with terrorists” can incite crazy people to do crazy things.

If this Wright/Ayers stuff is the worst thing they can dig up (and you know they have been digging furiously) well…that’s what makes me even more sure of my support of Obama.

In addition to the GOP a lot of Clinton supporters at the time were thinking the same thing.

A lot of people have held Bill Clinton up as one of the best campaigners in the modern era of politics; but he has nothing on Obama.

I think I was just pointing out that religion does matter, to an extent. It matters because it was being misused by one side to slander the other.

The Republicans use religion where it suits them.

In this case, they couldn’t actually attack Obama as a black man. So, they attempted to assassinate his character by using his religious affiliations.

The fact that none of it worked speaks volumes about how disgusted with the GOP most people are. It also speaks volumes about how well Obama represented himself in the face of a “scandal” that would have brought down most political candidates.

We can all agree that the GOP was slobbering all over their lobster-bibs when the saw that tape of Reverend Wright going crazy at his pulpit.

They really thought that was going to be the end of Obama’s candidacy.

I do not mean to attack anyone; and unlike a lot of people I will even say some of the things Wright says makes sense, is fair and is understandable. I certainly do not think of Wright as evil; just a bit extreme. Is this level of extreme needed in some areas of our country and in some cases may do more good than harm, absolutely.

I am also not defending Palin’s religious fervor as mainstream either. Lets be real clear about that. However I also do not believe that McCain has ever appointed Hagey to his campaign as an advisor, or on a panel. I could be wrong here, but I have not seen it.

That said, I support the right of both candidates (and all Americans) to worship their god(s) in their way(s). Religion is an important right for many Americans.

Obama’s voice has been a voice of positive change; and its a voice and a call to action I hear. However Wright is NOT always a voice for positive change; and Wright is most certainly in the DNA of Obama. Is Obama able to channel the positive things he learned under nearly 20 years of ministry of Wright; I am sure he can. He is is after all his own person.

However, Wright aligns himself openly with other religious leaders who and whom have said some amazingly inappropriate and misguided things about Jews and Isreal, over the years. Wright himself has, at least, skirted the line himself personally on this matter. While I recognize that many in this country seem to be changing or rephrasing their views on Israel (e.g. Carter). I have concerns that Obama can be at ease in this particular environment for so long.

I don’t really care if Obama is deeply religious; it matters to me that another leader in this country in this case Wright, whom Obama has self identified to be important in his life; is so far from center. I will take the time to point out that Obama has never seen Ayers as a leader; and Obama has never on his own sought his council on anything. So don’t anyone think I am painting with this brush.

I do not turn away from the embarrassing histories of our country (from 300 years ago or last year). And as a man whom worked and taught in a inner city Muslim community; while I still may not be able to understand the full of the difficulties of black people in this country; I can certainly appreciate them more than some of my race and gender. I may not know all the reasons black Americans turn to Islam but I know a lot of them. I also heard nothing in my time with them that even approaches many of the things I have heard from Wright. I will also point out that I am now unable to purchase many of his previous sermons from Trinty’s website, which I have wanted to do since this news broke in Feb, and this is at best suspect.

However

Does Wright = Evil NO!

However I DO NOT believe Wright’s views fit the framework of the views of a Moderate Political Leader in this Country.

That said I do not think Obama or Palin are moderates.

That I think (hope) is something we can agree with.

After that, I never attended mass again. That scenario played itself out across the country. Religion has been used, by the right, as a weapon. They have used it to keep all their religious-minded supporters “in line” and voting for Republicans for the last eight years.

Spencer is right. I teach in a school where the majority of students are African-American. Many of them have expressed to me that they fear Barack Obama will be assassinated if he is elected president.

Now, that might be hysteria/paranoia.

Call it what you will.
But, the fact that so many young children believe that means that many of their parents believe it.

What you have here is a community that stands for a microcosm of society. We need to ask ourselves why so many African-Americans believe that if Obama gets elected as the nation’s first African-American president he will be killed for his trouble.

To me, that is disturbing. Children should not live their lives believing that a system is rigged against them. How does that offer them hope?

I have heard just as many white people express the same concern for Obama’s safety. My sister has a neighbor in the Secret Service. He spends a few weeks of every month with each presidential candidate. He has said that worries when he is with Obama. He worries about Obama’s safety and his own.

I am personally tired of religion being made an issue in these campaigns. I am also just as tired of hearing about Vietnam where these things are concerned. Hopefully, an Obama presidency will slam the door shut on the “Vietnam issue” in every election that follows this one.

Palin gets to be Eva Braun because she is married to a crazy person who belongs to a group that expresses outright hatred for the continental United States. She also does it while smiling and standing in front of a flag.

Oh, that’s right….it’s our flag, isn’t it?
She blames all the countries ills on “the coasts” and their “liberal media” – while setting herself up as a “Washington outsider”.

Listen, Mrs. Palin…you would be VP of ALL THE STATES.
Not just the ones in the middle of the country, dummy.

Jeremiah Wright might be nuts, but no one is nominating him to run for president. And, at least Obama had the good sense to denounce him. It doesn’t matter when he did it.

On the other hand, Palin spoke to the AIP as early as last year and said she embraced their views.

The Alaskan Independence Party has stated that they want to secede from the US. The believe they should be their own country. They also believe that Alaska will be a refuge for good Christians when the end of the world comes.

Really?

Well, if Obama is elected president – his first order of business should be to cut all the federal funding that goes to Alaska. They get more per resident than any other state in the county, by the way. He should announce to the world that Alaska is there for the taking. Anyone who wants it, can come and get it.

Let’s see how well “President Of Alaska Palin” does when Russia or Canada comes calling with their plastic forks. Because, let’s face it – that’s all it would take to successfully invade Alaska.

In fact, I could take the residents of the neighborhood where I teach and we could take over Alaska by noon.

Religion has been made an issue by the Republicans. You know and I know it. I am just sick of it because the Republicans are, by far, the biggest hypocrites where this issue is concerned.

Spencer is right on the money. This country needs to examine the reason why so many people in the African-American community feel so disenfranchised/embattled by their government/country.

For many of the young men I teach, Islam is a clarion call to rise against a system that has kept them in schools that are falling down, without enough text-books or desks – while the Bush administration spends billions on a mismanaged war and bails out greedy businessmen on Wall Street.

How did the GOP do it?

They convinced the religious fanatics in this country that they were “God’s chosen”. Bush said he had better morals than the other guy. Palin is trying to do it, too. McCain can’t grab his ass with both hands. So, he just looks bad trying to do it.

Religion….religion…..religion.
It has proven to be opiate of the masses and it’s all bullshit.

On my band’s website, a young girl wrote, “If I liked sharing my wealth, communism and terrorist ties I would vote for Obama. GO MCAIN…or go back to communist Russia.”

Wow.

I thought you had to be at least 50 before you started hating your life.

I don’t find Obama to be particularly religious. I believe him to be as religious as the next man; part of his life, but not the center of it. With Palin I believe it defines her, and guides her every decision. It’s a slight distinction.

Religion in the inner city serves a different purpose. For many churches, they serve as a inspiration for social change. In the way that Martin Luther King and others of his generation, this inspired a generation of clergy. You will not find an black American that doesn’t know someone that sees things the way Wright does. When you have a country that has systematically maintained a system that has kept blacks down – disproportionately part of the lower class and the prison system. Dying younger than whites – this after being enslaved by white America for 200 years in this country. You have to understand then why so many black Americans have turned away from this country.

It really bothers me that you assign Obama far from the center for his affiliation as opposed to what he says. Obama hasn’t said a war is “God’s will” for instance. It also bothers me that you don’t bring up the fact that every Republican curries the favor of Rev. Hagey. Why doesn’t this association get brought up when discussing McCain?

It annoys me to no end that people get their collective panties in a bunch about what Wright says, but those same people don’t seem to worry about the issues that affect the congregation that Wright faces.

Ask yourself why his church is filled? Ask yourself why so many black Americans turn towards Islam?

Anyway – you sent me off on a rant.

Thus, I am not sure if referring to Palin as the wife of Hitler is the most accurate thing you could say looking at some of Wright’s views, speeches and award winners in his name (e.g. Farrakhan).

Certainly Palin (a VP candidate) religious views and ties are out of place for many Americans…however the same can easily be said about Obama (a Pres. candidate).

As a moderate I find both Palin and Obama rather far from the center in regards to religious affiliations; and frequently find myself not as ease with the people they feel/felt are/were their spiritual leaders/guides.