Here's the latest sermon direct from the Trinity United Church (The one Obama hasn't distanced himself from)...


Of course the textbook apology...

Obama "deeply disappointed" in Father Michael Pfleger

Let's take a trip on the time machine!...(sound of mystical "time machine" music)...

Obama: I have a deep faith

It's incredible that this guy spent the last two decades listening to "religious leaders" dividing this country and then tries to come across as the man whose mission is to unify...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

And this is why I am not solidly in Obama's camp.Some may have the ability to brush this stuff off but I remain "concerned".We've been through all this before on the Rev Wright's thread.I voiced the same concern at that time.No,my vote will not be entirely based on Obama's membership in that church.I believe Obama may well be a Christian but I also believe he used that church for social networking.This is a common practice,I can't answer for Obama but if I heard that kind of "garbage" I would not even wait till the service was over,I would be outta there in a hurry!

One key aspect (that I've mentioned on this forum previously) is the CROWD'S REACTION...

I'm sorry, but I simply don't believe that Obama sat and listened to stuff like this "fuming in his seat" while 99.9% of the congregation was cheering and whooping it up...

If he TRULY had a problem with the "controversial rhetoric" his pastors have said while he (admittedly) was sitting in the pew...Then I have a question no one in the media ever seems to ask...

ME, as a reporter to Senator Obama - "If you were disgusted by the statements made by your spiritual mentors and you condemn them so, how do you feel about the 8,000+ surrounding you in that church applauding and agreeing with those statements?"

__________________
"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

I actually find this stuff to be pretty funny. Obama is so obviously shallow and completely inexperienced it's almost painful, until you realize he's a politician ...

OMG! OMG! This is too much. This is a priest. This guy is a problem for the Catholic church. Not Obama. Did you read this?

After hearing about Pfleger's remarks, Obama said he was "deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric". Pfleger later apologized in a statement released by Saint Sabina: "I regret the words I chose Sunday. These words are inconsistent with Sen. Obama's life and message, and I am deeply sorry if they offended Sen. Clinton or anyone else who saw them.

Now it looks to me like he feels his remarks are not remarks Obama would share.

And again this is guilt by association. Sounds like he lives in a district with crazy preachers. But I don't see how any of the comments that this priest made would be comments that Obama would make or approve of. This priest is one of these white folks with a guilt trip over slavery. Thats what I think about Pfleger. This guy probably loves Obama and Hillary pisses him off. Thats the case with many of the Obama supporters. And visa versa I'm sure. But its like asking the Beatles to make the girls stop screaming at their shows. You can't control wacky fans. And you shouldn't be pegged with their fanaticism and inappropriate behavior. .

This trend is getting ridiculously obvious.
What Pfleger said was over the line, but why are we crucifying Obama over it?

Pfleger is Catholic. Shouldn't we crucify the Catholic congregation over this as well, if we're going to crucify Obama over it?
How about the Catholic priests supervising Pfleger? Shouldn't we rake them over the coals as well?
Maybe people should demand to know how they could employ such a racist, and why all he's getting is an involuntary leave.
The Associated Press: Priest who mocked Clinton told to take a leave

Rev Wright had a demonstration of over-the-top zealotry.
In ONE TEN SECOND SOUND BITE before the "Obama presidential candidate" situation came up.

And now, with Pfleger, this is CURRENT, right?
I mean, HOW was Obama to have known that Pfleger would turn into such a dick over this???

And I admit that Pfleger made a comment.
But is it a comment worthy of calling out the militia to exorcise Pfleger?
Or is it more accurate that Obama's response is actually reflective of the "degree" of the offense that Pfleger made?

Would you people have been satisfied if Obama's immediate response was "F### you Pfleger!" ???
Somehow, even then I think some people wouldn't be satisfied.

Personally, I think Obama has some recognition that the bigger stink and larger response he makes to Pfleger, the more he is going to empower people to give Pfleger a response spot-light to respond.

McClellan served his post for a few years, and after coming out with his book the right seems satisfied with "What happened to Scotty" comments.
But if it were an even-handed analysis, we should be crucifying the Bush administration and questioning how they could have allowed such a person to serve in their ranks...
The pundit spin, changing depending on who is in the spotlight, is crazy!

My personal response?
Obama did the right thing in not blowing this out of proportion. A proportionate response and he moves on.
The Catholic church did the right thing in its response as well. The man made a mistake, and they are showing compassion on giving the man time to "reflect on his recent statements". Ex-communication, or cutting all ties, is not necessary. It would seem hardly “Christian” to show that level of non-forgiveness and cut off chances for redemption.

It really wouldn't surprise me if this was the "worst" thing he has said, and I wonder if anybody can dig up another "10 second sound bite" from Pfleger to show any actual trend which should have alerted the Catholic church (excuse me, we're supposed to be fixating on Obama, right?) as to what type of person they were employing...

If I wasn't clear in my above response, hopefully I can be so now.

I am not trying to bash Catholics.
I think they made the right choice, and I don't hold them accountable for Pfleger's slip.
It appears to be an isolated slip (although I can't review the video to be sure).

What I am saying is that those people who use this to attack Obama for his association...
... that same approach (to be even-handed) should be made for others in this situation as well.

My reasoning holds that BOTH Obama AND those in the Catholic church have done the right thing in response.
But for those who criticize Obama over this, HOW can you just make it about Obama and not mention the other players?
(The point in this being the perceived inconsistency...)

Because Obama has still not explained why he has a realtionship AT ALL with these racist bigots, why he supported these teachings and preachings for over twenty years, why he lets his children witness and be brought up in such a hateful group. Why he is leaving the church so the church can continue on with this hateful manner instead of staying to LEAD them to a higher ground. He claims to be the great leader, the one to bring us all together, well how about starting in the church he has attended for over twenty years.

Then he can try and start to explain is relationship and support of Ayers. How on earth could we possible elect a man to be president who has a "friendly relationship" with an unrepentant terrorist who wishes his bombs and caused MORE damage to our capitol and killed more of our citizens? A man whose first request for political support was to this terrorist.

When is he going to explain that one?

I've posted pretty much the same thing concerning the Hagee/McCain "connection". There's a lesson to be learned here,affiliations with a controversial pastor remain fair game. This is especially true when the candidate "sought" the endorsement! Even Obama stated that his affiliation with his church is a valid issue. One's religious affiliation can help or hurt a candidate.Obama tried to distance himself from Wright before the story broke by disinviting him from some of his planned appearances.

But THIS looks to me that he does share in the rhetoric...

The Company Senator Obama Keeps

Now if 2 of his 3 spiritual mentors are caught publicly denouncing the country, attacking politicians because of their race, and spreading bigoted hate speech...and he still hung around them the whole time, then if it's not agreement, then it's AT LEAST complicit silence...

__________________
"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd