Rev. Wright Preaching in the Public Pulpit

Iceberg Slim · Last edited by Iceberg Slim on Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

Rev. Jeremiah Wright has spoken again. And this time, silence from pundits may be the sound of the day from his efforts. Before the national press club which aired on CNN early this morning he spoke of his mentality and his truths, his reason for worship, and his purpose of words. This is only an except.

Following this excerpt, I will post the questions he was posed which would make the coolest of customers swell with anxiety. Instead, the man flourished with reason, intellect, and yes, with the swagger and ego of the heavyweight champion of the world. Personally, this may be the most powerful display of American politics, its history, religion, spirituality, and race relations I have seen in quite some time. My words of my own ego driven grandeur cannot reflect the clarity of his message.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BWWx4Q1VFg - I would suggest listening to this from the 3:00 mark

Questions Posed:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kcdUgRSftOc

I put this here because, of course, of the maturity of the room. I also opened this in the Open Court. Your thoughts?
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TIME · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 1546

Sorry, Slim, but I'll have to disagree with you again. I saw this today and was struck by the man's arrogance, serious lack of wisdom, and appalling misaprehension of the Bible (for a pastor of 40 years).

His claim that the criticisms of him and his comments are not attacks on him but on the "Black Church" is a cheap use of the race card to deflect all personal accountability from himself.

His identification of followers of Islam as the "other sheep" to which Jesus refered in the Gospel of John is simply ignorant or worse.

The smug and arrogant attitude throughout his speech did not reflect well on his character.
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Iceberg Slim · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject:

strikemode14 · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:21 pm Post subject:

I have not gotten through all of it yet but Rev Wright is a very articulate man. I will granted he is flashy and kind of arrogant but, to be honest he had the right to be as he was answering some tough questions like if he was being asked what is his name.

I will comment more when I get through watching the rest of the press conference.
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puffyusaf#2 · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 4982 Location: Temecula

I'm going to follow this thread closely because unlike in Open Court I think the RR members can have this type of discussions.

A thought:

Wouldn't the reverend being "arrogant" be against the teachings of the Bible in itself?
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Iceberg Slim · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:07 am Post subject:

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I suppose I just did not see the humility in Wright's speech that you saw.

I also don't see how it was an attack on the black church at all. I have not seen a single article denouncing the black church. I have not seen a single TV commentator denouncing the black church. Holding the man accountable for his outrageous public comments does not equal racism.

Slim, what does the slave owner's Christianity vs. the slave's Christianity have to do with today? This is probably the crux of the issue. Wright is reacting in bitter anger to things he has never personally suffered from in generations gone. This was my whole reason for mentioning my own background in another thread. I'm American Indian in descent, but I am not on a bitter crusade based upon how I have suffered for things done to my great great great grandfathers.

Slim, you say that "they" are "trying to undermine his message, his Faith..." Again, I have read or seen NOT ONE person attempting to undermine Wright's faith in Christ. His message has been challenged, but not the message of the Gospel, only the message of hatred, reverse racism, and outlandish accusations toward the USA.

I agree with you, that we are viewing this entire episode through different lenses. You see a modern day hero of the black cause. I see a man claiming to represent Christ who is bringing shame on that holy name by his foolish pronouncements.
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If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

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TIME · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 1546

Obama's comments a few minutes ago regarding Jeremiah Wright's appearance at the National Press Club.

"I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday," Obama told reporters at a news conference.
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If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD)

sirronstuff · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject:

Iceberg Slim · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject:

Time, I'ma get to you in a few hours my man. I'm on the run.

Sirronstuff, you can call him a pubho if you want. That's cool. You are entitled to that opinion any day of the week. My question is, why is it a matter of concern on how he responds to criticism and being taken completely out of context (which the media thrives on) but no one seems to attack the people who started it all in the first place? Were they careful with words? Were they humble in their approach? Were they trying to understand the man and his beliefs or did they act out of uncertainty, anger, and fear?

It seems to me that the person who reacts unfavorably to the public is the one who gets villified most. Why is that? Is it simply understood that the media is this way and to accept it? Or are we holding him to a higher standard because he's a pastor who simply tells it like he sees it?

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Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another. ~Napoleon Hill

Satan · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:06 pm Post subject:

I like Wright more and more every time I hear him speak. If other black preachers have similar messages going out to their congregations on Sundays, I feel a little better about the future of this nation. At least someone is telling the people the truth.

I don't care about the jesus, god or bible crap but his messages about this world and this life are great.

He's pushing for unity. He speaks out against American imperialism. He tells the truth about politicians.

If there were more preachers like this, I might go to church.
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Satan · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject:

Iceberg Slim · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:25 pm Post subject:

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Appreciate you taking the time to write a thoughtful response Slim.

I am familiar with Black Liberation Theology. I do not think Rev. Wright is a good face for the movement. Your acknowledgements of his over-developed ego is a big reason why, but also his borderline lunatic fringe declarations don't help at all (US of KKKA, USA used Aids as a weapon against blacks, etc.).

I actually agree with some of the core concepts of the Black Liberation Theology movement. Full equality based in a common creator, and equal status as redeemed in Christ are core values I hold. The responsibility of all human governments to practice justice as God defines it rather than how culture prefers it, is critical to my world view.

However, many of the proponents of Liberation Theology (and there are other versions of this than the Black version) have taken these concepts beyond the teachings of Scripture. It can become a justification for a kind of reverse racism, which I hear in the tone and substance of Wright's words.

I would love for you to read the book I linked in the post above and get your impressions of it. I'd even send you a copy if you wanted to read it.
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If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD)

Iceberg Slim · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject:

TIME · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 1546

I'm familiar with the story you linked. It was an evil act by wicked men. No excuses and no justifications. It is similar to how some tribes of American Indians were given blankets infected with smallpox, and others were starved to death, not to mention others who were simply slaughtered.

The difference between me and Rev. Wright is that I am not stoking the fires of personal anger about those atrocities inflicted on my forefathers.

The other critical difference is that there is indisputable evidence regarding events like Tuskegee and Wounded Knee. There is no reputable evidence that the US government used the HIV virus as a weapon against the Black community. Certainly Barack Obama does not agree with that assessment.

The US government's actions in the Tuskegee study does not mean that the government is still inflicting black men with syphilis today. Native Americans are not still being slaughtered. Times, circumstances, perspectives and standards have changed.

Also, please understand that I did not call Rev. Wright a lunatic, and I do not believe he is. I refered to his more outrageous declarations as belonging to the lunatic fringe. This is just a way of saying that those statements are usually associated with the lunatic fringe of our society. I actually think that he is very intelligent, and that his strongest statements are calculated and strategic. I believe he knows which hot buttons to push in his target audience and does so intentionally. I really see it more as a manipulation of his audience than I do an evidence that he is crazy.

By the way, apparently Rev. Wright was raised in a comfortable middle class family and neighborhood in Philly. He attended the same very nice private school that Bill Cosby attended. Not exactly a backgorund of having to endure great personal suffering like Michael Moore implied.
_________________
If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD)

Iceberg Slim · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 4:57 am Post subject:

TIME · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 1546

Slim, I don't trust the USA government. I don't trust any human government because they are run by fallible, weak, self-centered, agenda driven. and in some cases just purely evil human beings. The only government I trust is the Kingdom of God.

I also am not denying the reality of racial injustice and racism. As long as there are sinful human beings on the earth there will be issues with racism.

Regarding the USA government causing AIDS, the issue on the table is not whether the government in its worst moments is capable of such evil, but whether it actually did such a thing with AIDS and the black community. Wright claimed it as a fact. It's not. He got challenged, then he twisted his own words and protested that the government was capable of doing it. It's like accusing someone of murder in court, then when the evidence shows it did not happen, protesting that they were capable of doing it. That is a false accusation my friend. Listen, the government has enough trouble with taking the blame it deserves, let's not invent stories to make things worse than they actually are.

I think you and I are discussing different issues actually. I'm talking about Rev. Wright and his obvious ego driven manipulations using the hottest button of racism to carve out a continuing place in the limelight for himself. You counseled me to open my eyes. I would urge you to do the same toward Rev. Wright. Several prominent Black church leaders have come out since his performance at the National Press Club (and it was a performance) and have rightly identified it as shameful. I would encourage you to search out their evaluations and listen.
_________________
If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

Augustine (354 AD - 430 AD)

sirronstuff · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:22 am Post subject:

wow, hadn't checked this in awhile. Slim, if the Rev is wanting to be heard, the way he is going about it is all wrong in my opinion. A very unqualified one by the way.

He comes across as more interested in the pesonal attention than any particular "cause." Even a staunch supporter of his is doing his best to distance himself and to disassociate himself with the man.

so while I can understand your passion for the topic, I too will have to respectfully disagree. I have already turned a deaf ear to the man, so if he was trying to reach folks, he is better at burning bridges than building them.

Assuming of course, that he ever wanted me to hear the message in the first place.....