Church is a uniquely personal environment, it is one place that I go, that what is spoken as teaching and instruction, is the most important reason for attending. School would be another place where words that are spoken as instruction are of the highest importance. This is a very important point in my opinion. I choose to go to a church that delivers a message from the pulpit that fits with my concept of faith. I would not choose “Black (or white) Liberation Theology” as the sound track for my spiritual life, not for 20 weeks, 20 months and certainly not for 20 years, but I would defend Mr. Obama’s right to do as he chooses. But once he chooses, he must stand behind that choice and defend it.
Thankfully, we (including Mr. and Mrs. Obama) have free will when it comes to choosing our place of spiritual and social instruction. I listen very intently to what my pastor is saying each and every time I attend. My pastor is my friend and after 16 years in my church I know who he is and what he believes. I fellowship with those who attend my church, both at church and away from church, and we continually discuss the fundamentals of our shared belief. With this in mind, I can only draw one conclusion when Mr. Obama says, after 20 years, he has no knowledge of his pastor’s fundamental belief (or speeches for sale on his church’s web site) on the doctrine of “Black Liberation Theology,” Mr. Obama is not being honest. This is profoundly different than John McCain being endorsed by Mr. Hagee or Mr. Parsley or George Bush speaking at Bob Jones University although each of these needed to be and were addressed.
I would prefer that Mr. Obama defend his pastor (and mentor) and the entire “Black Liberation Theology” that he preaches instead of pretending to be shocked by these sermons and condemning them when pressed, just to save his political life. I could then disagree with him, but at least Mr. Obama would show continuity of thought and behavior which is a trademark of intellectual honesty. I wonder how Mr. Obama’s fellow church goers, that were shouting out in agreement at Mr. Wright’s hate filled sermons, feel about one of their own suddenly condemning their beloved pastor and the fundamental belief of their church. I would think they see him as being “two faced” and dishonest too. This wouldn’t be such a big deal in most cases, but Mr. Obama is asking us to make him President of the United States. I’m going to have to tell him, respectfully, NO!
