Barack Obama's Church

In this morning's Chicago Sun Times there is a ridiculous article from Sun Times Editorial Board member Deborah Douglas that takes to task those who dare question the church attended by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and his family, the Trinity United Church of Christ. Ms. Douglas wrote, "(s)o when people stoop so low as to criticize and deconstruct Trinity United Church of Christ, Obama's South Side church, all that's left in their tired analysis on the cultural relevance and style of worship is a bunch of nothing." That strikes me as strange because the only criticism that I have noticed has taken the church and it's pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright to task using the words and actions of the church itself and the words of Rev. Wright himself. Thus rather than "deconstructing" anything the detractors who I have noticed have simply brought words to daylight.

The press around these parts have been in the bag for Obama since before the Chicago Tribune sued to obtain the sealed divorce records of his Republican opponent during the 2004 Senate race. So that type of poor commentary is to be expected but Ms. Douglas inadvertently points out the failings of local journalists, they told us that Barack Obama attended a "mainstream Christian church". They told us that the pastor who Barack Obama described as being "inspirational" was just another "mainstream Christian" pastor. I witnessed an interview with Rev. Wright on the Hannity and Colmes Show last winter and was shocked at the man, he struck me as a religious bully. Rev. Wright also stated that his and his church's religious practices were based on "Liberation Theology", he also said that his theology has been inspired by the Sandinista group from Nicaragua. Liberation Theology is a strange mixture of Christianity and Socialism, that is not what would be considered "mainstream Christian", at least not here in Chicago. Many blogs have also noted that just last year Obama's church magazine gave it's annual award to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The blogs that I read noted that Sen. Obama had nothing to do with selecting the award recipient but it does call the Senator's judgement into question. His pastor has been a strong influence on Senator Obama, it is only fair that the American public get an unvarnished look at what that strong influence is.