|
Note: This is a Text only archive. Go directly to the real forum.
Why Oprah Winfrey left Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church.
- Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
banner
| Why Oprah Winfrey left Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church.
- Click HERE to go to the original thread with graphics
|
| zimmie |
CAMPAIGN 2008
Something Wasn’t Wright
Why Oprah Winfrey left Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church.
By Allison Samuels | NEWSWEEK
May 12, 2008 Issue
For any spiritually minded, up-wardly mobile African-American living in Chicago in the mid-1980s, the Trinity United Church of Christ was—and still is—the place to be. That's what drew Oprah Winfrey, a recent Chicago transplant, to the church in 1984. She was eager to bond with the movers and shakers in her new hometown's black community. But she also admired Trinity United's ambitious outreach work with the poor, and she took pride in upholding her Southern grandmother's legacy of involvement with traditional African-American houses of worship.
Winfrey was a member of Trinity United from 1984 to 1986, and she continued to attend off and on into the early to the mid-1990s. But then she stopped. A major reason—but by no means the only reason—was the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
According to two sources, Winfrey was never comfortable with the tone of Wright's more incendiary sermons, which she knew had the power to damage her standing as America's favorite daytime talk-show host. "Oprah is a businesswoman, first and foremost," said one longtime friend, who requested anonymity when discussing Winfrey's personal sentiments. "She's always been aware that her audience is very mainstream, and doing anything to offend them just wouldn't be smart. She's been around black churches all her life, so Reverend Wright's anger-filled message didn't surprise her. But it just wasn't what she was looking for in a church." Oprah's decision to distance herself came as a surprise to Wright, who told Christianity Today in 2002 that when he would "run into her socially … she would say, 'Here's my pastor!' " (Winfrey declined to comment. A Harpo Productions spokesperson would not confirm her reasons for leaving the church.)
But Winfrey also had spiritual reasons for the parting. In conversations at the time with a former business associate, who also asked for anonymity, Winfrey cited her fatigue with organized religion and a desire to be involved with a more inclusive ministry. In time, she found one: her own. "There is the Church of Oprah now," said her longtime friend, with a laugh. "She has her own following."
Friends of Sen. Barack Obama, whose relationship with Wright has rocked his bid for the White House, insist that it would be unfair to compare Winfrey's decision to leave Trinity United with his own decision to stay. "[His] reasons for attending Trinity were totally different,'' said one campaign adviser, who declined to be named discussing the Illinois senator's sentiments. "Early on, he was in search of his identity as an African-American and, more importantly, as an African-American man. Reverend Wright and other male members of the church were instrumental in helping him understand the black experience in America. Winfrey wasn't going for that. She's secure in her blackness, so that didn't have a hold on her.'' And while Winfrey, who has endorsed Obama and campaigned on his behalf, had long understood the perils of a close association with Wright, friends say she was blindsided by the pastor's personal assault on Obama. "She felt that Wright would never do anything to hurt a man who looked up to him as a father figure ," said her close friend. "She also never thought he'd intentionally hurt someone trying to make history and change the lives of so many people.''
http://www.newsweek.com/id/135392 |
|
|
| Reverend Tyler |
What religion is John McCain?
I guess it depends on who he is talking to |
|
|
| VacateTheWord |
Quote: Originally posted by Reverend Tyler
What religion is John McCain?
I guess it depends on who he is talking to |
Nice deflection.
It's good to hear that Oprah Winfrey has some common sense. |
|
|
| danrich03 |
| Vacate is drawn to the words "Jeremiah Wright" like flies to shit. |
|
|
| jigzaw |
| Obama figured staying in the church would be better for his political career than leaving it. Oprah already had her show and wasn't running for office, so she could act on her conscience. |
|
|
| danrich03 |
Quote: Originally posted by jigzaw
Obama figured staying in the church would be better for his political career than leaving it. Oprah already had her show and wasn't running for office, so she could act on her conscience. |
That's a laugh.
A Clinton supporter deriding someone for making choices based on their political career. |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by jigzaw
Obama figured staying in the church would be better for his political career than leaving it. Oprah already had her show and wasn't running for office, so she could act on her conscience. |
Pretty much the truth. Joining a congregation is almost essential for political office.
Believing that Wright has not shaped Obama's oratory style is stupid, nor would an intelligent human being ever think that Wright has shaped Obama's world view or perception of reality. |
|
|
| jigzaw |
Quote: Originally posted by danrich03
That's a laugh.
A Clinton supporter deriding someone for making choices based on their political career. |
That's my point. I think they are both equally corrupt and power-hungry politicians. I have to decide which of these two sleazy people would do a better job in office, and I think it's her. |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by jigzaw
That's my point. I think they are both equally corrupt and power-hungry politicians. I have to decide which of these two sleazy people would do a better job in office, and I think it's her. |
I'm so tired of hearing this... why don't you run for office or work on getting more public awareness of a third party? The amount of posters in P&N and people I've met in real life that are dissatisfied with their choice and (usually) are not voting because they don't like the candidates.
Its old, it accomplishes nothing, they do nothing. |
|
|
| danrich03 |
Quote: Originally posted by jigzaw
That's my point. I think they are both equally corrupt and power-hungry politicians. I have to decide which of these two sleazy people would do a better job in office, and I think it's her. |
Oh come on.
Have you been PAYING ATTENTION since 1992 when the Clintons hit the scene? My God. It's asinine to argue that any politician has even a fraction of their scandal & sleaze.
Everything about them is contrived and planned with the purpose of gaining power. They've sold pardons. Taken unknown quantities of cash from God-knows-who for the Clinton Library.
She's been caught in blatant lies on the campaign trail. Bosnia. NAFTA. Northern Ireland. Magnequench plant.
I can understand someone supporting McCain. I can understand someone not liking Obama. But if you support Clinton, you've got a screw loose. |
|
|
| VacateTheWord |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
Pretty much the truth. Joining a congregation is almost essential for political office.
Believing that Wright has not shaped Obama's oratory style is stupid, nor would an intelligent human being ever think that Wright has shaped Obama's world view or perception of reality. |
I agree that for a politician to establish himself in a community that joining a church is almost a requirement.
That aside, why is it such a stretch to think that Wright helped shape Obama's worldview? In The Audacity Of Hope, Obama writes about "white man's greed running a world in need" without taking exception to the assertion that the world's needs are either created by or exacerbated by "white man."
No, I don't think that Obama believes every word that comes out of Wright's mouth, but his staying for 20 years and listening to Wright's racist, Marxist, anti-American rhetoric doesn't make sense. He could have left when he was elected to the state Senate. Oprah had the common sense to get the hell out of there. Obama is running for the highest office in the land - what he believes is fair game. If John McCain went to a church for 20 years and heard sermon after sermon about "white supremacy" or that America is no different from Al Qaeda then I'd want to know. |
|
|
| danrich03 |
Quote: Originally posted by VacateTheWord
I agree that for a politician to establish himself in a community that joining a church is almost a requirement.
That aside, why is it such a stretch to think that Wright helped shape Obama's worldview? In The Audacity Of Hope, Obama writes about "white man's greed running a world in need" without taking exception to the assertion that the world's needs are either created by or exacerbated by "white man."
No, I don't think that Obama believes every word that comes out of Wright's mouth, but his staying for 20 years and listening to Wright's racist, Marxist, anti-American rhetoric doesn't make sense. He could have left when he was elected to the state Senate. Oprah had the common sense to get the hell out of there. Obama is running for the highest office in the land - what he believes is fair game. If John McCain went to a church for 20 years and heard sermon after sermon about "white supremacy" or that America is no different from Al Qaeda then I'd want to know. |
Is this worse than selling pardons for campaign cash so you can re-gain the White House in 8 years? |
|
|
| jigzaw |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
I'm so tired of hearing this... why don't you run for office or work on getting more public awareness of a third party? The amount of posters in P&N and people I've met in real life that are dissatisfied with their choice and (usually) are not voting because they don't like the candidates.
Its old, it accomplishes nothing, they do nothing. |
What are you talking about? I vote in every election. |
|
|
| rogergrape |
I await the day when we have the option of electing someone to the white house that does not belong to any cult
That day may never come |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by rogergrape
I await the day when we have the option of electing someone to the white house that does not belong to any cult
That day may never come |
If religion continues to get a free pass and receive little to no criticism we will never get there. Why does every major politician need to talk about how they found Jesus?
Obama was never a member of a cult. |
|
|
| VacateTheWord |
Quote: Originally posted by danrich03
Is this worse than selling pardons for campaign cash so you can re-gain the White House in 8 years? |
Yes, it is.
I'd take a person who is willing to pass out a few pardons for political gain over a person who chalks up the world's ills to "white man's greed" anyday. In case Obama hasn't noticed, the demographics of America have changed a lot in the past 100 years. |
|
|
| rogergrape |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
Obama was never a member of a cult. |
he is currently a member of a cult
or he claims to be a member |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by VacateTheWord
Yes, it is.
I'd take a person who is willing to pass out a few pardons for political gain over a person who chalks up the world's ills to "white man's greed" anyday. In case Obama hasn't noticed, the demographics of America have changed a lot in the past 100 years. |
This post is the logic of a man that is clearly not mentally well. 
I'm envious. |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by rogergrape
he is currently a member of a cult
or he claims to be a member |
What cult? |
|
|
| rogergrape |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
What cult? |
christianity |
|
|
| tourette_ticker |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
What cult? |
your kidding, right? |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by rogergrape
christianity |
As Dawkins' said the other day, "Obama's far to smart to believe in mythical creatures." :D |
|
|
| rogergrape |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
As Dawkins' said the other day, "Obama's far to smart to believe in mythical creatures." :D |
he may not, I don't know
yet he may have to claim belief in these things to get elected, which is exactly my point
I wish atheists could run for office without having to lie |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by rogergrape
he may not, I don't know
yet he may have to claim belief in these things to get elected, which is exactly my point
I wish atheists could run for office without having to lie |
Why is it Obama's responsibility? You don't think he has enough on the table?
Its religious moderates going to church once a year, eating matza and throwing lavish bar mitzvahs and believing that the Koran espouses a religion of peace that are responsible. |
|
|
| rogergrape |
Quote: Originally posted by Gary_Busey
Why is it Obama's responsibility? You don't think he has enough on the table?
Its religious moderates going to church once a year, eating matza and throwing lavish bar mitzvahs and believing that the Koran espouses a religion of peace that are responsible. |
I never said it was his responsibility, you brought it up
your second statement is way off too. Why would you attack religious moderates as more of a problem than religious zealots? |
|
|
| chicagoirishtim |
I think one thing that has been left out of this is the location of the church. It's on the notorious south side of Chicago, in the notorious Stoney Island area, on 95th right by the notorious "Wild 100's". Shit is bad, real real fuckin bad and you aren't gonna get the God Bless America and kill the fags speeches that you'll fid in upscale white America churches. And what kind of churches do you think Hannity and O'Reily attend.
Plus would you want to stay involved with an organization that was behind the largest child molestation cover-up in history. And the guy who oversaw all of that now has the highest honor in the church, the Pope. |
|
|
| jigzaw |
Quote: Originally posted by rogergrape
Why would you attack religious moderates as more of a problem than religious zealots? |
It's religious moderates who have compromised the various religions to make them respectable and mainstream in the modern world. They make it difficult for people to criticize religion as the barbarous authoritarian dogma it is.
Most people reject fundamentalism, but fundamentalists are the real believers. The moderates keep up the charade that religion is a good thing. |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by jigzaw
It's religious moderates who have compromised the various religions to make them respectable and mainstream in the modern world. They make it difficult for people to criticize religion as the barbarous authoritarian dogma it is.
Most people reject fundamentalism, but fundamentalists are the real believers. The moderates keep up the charade that religion is a good thing. |
Much better post than I could have ever come up with. :cool: |
|
|
| VacateTheWord |
Quote: Originally posted by chicagoirishtim
I think one thing that has been left out of this is the location of the church. It's on the notorious south side of Chicago, in the notorious Stoney Island area, on 95th right by the notorious "Wild 100's". Shit is bad, real real fuckin bad and you aren't gonna get the God Bless America and kill the fags speeches that you'll fid in upscale white America churches. And what kind of churches do you think Hannity and O'Reily attend.
Plus would you want to stay involved with an organization that was behind the largest child molestation cover-up in history. And the guy who oversaw all of that now has the highest honor in the church, the Pope. |
1. What does the Roman Catholic church have to do with it? That's a deflection.
2. What does the area the church resides in have to do with anti-Americanism, racism and anti-Semetism?
So because the church is in an economically-depressed area, that's a rationale for the pastor to lend pages of the church bulletin to an op-ed written by a leader of Hamas? |
|
|
| Gary_Busey |
Quote: Originally posted by VacateTheWord
1. What does the Roman Catholic church have to do with it? That's a deflection.
2. What does the area the church resides in have to do with anti-Americanism, racism and anti-Semetism?
So because the church is in an economically-depressed area, that's a rationale for the pastor to lend pages of the church bulletin to an op-ed written by a leader of Hamas? |
Yes, why wouldn't it? Do you have empirical evidence to prove otherwise?
And FYI, Wright spoke out against Hamas on Bill Moyers, but I'm sure Fox didn't report that. :rolleyes:
No doubt Wright's HUBRIS will destroy him in the end, he's more than happy to try to derail Obama's campaign, appealing to the idiocracy that is America. Continue to feign some sort of discomfort with the tangible Racism that has pervaded our society by focusing on the few half truths Wright has ex·tolled. And round it goes :rolleyes:
 |
|
|
|
|
|
