Sunday, June 08, 2008

Senator Obama and ACORN....

"A racially integrated community is a chronological term timed from the entrance of the first black family to the exit of the last white family."

- Saul Alinsky

For more background on radical Saul Alinsky, read the Wanderer article which I posted here.

Fr. Michael Pfleger, now well-known for his pro-Obama political rant during a "homily," has been described by one journalist as an "attention-seeking narcissist." Fr. Pfleger has been associated with Reverend Jeremiah Wright's Black Liberation Theology (see here). Why is this troubling? Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Black Liberation Theology:

Black theology refers to a variety of Christian theologies held among people of black African descent (African Americans).

BLACK THEOLOGY — This is a form of liberation theology* that has its center in the theme of oppression of blacks by whites. It came out of the "need for black people to define the scope and meaning of black existence in a white society" (Cone). It emerged in the last two decades in the wave of liberation movements as an expression of black consciousness and seems to speak the the issues that blacks must contend with on a daily basis.

God — Intricate and largely philosophical views of God are largely ignored in preference for the concerns of the oppressed. White Christian concepts taught to the black man thus are to be disregarded or ignored. God's person, the Trinity, his supreme power and authority as well as "subtle indications of God's white maleness" are said not to relate to (and in some cases antagonistic to) the black experience. The dominant perspective on God is God in action, delivering the oppressed because of his righteousness. His immanence is stressed over His transcendence, and as a result He is seen to be in flux or always changing.

Trinity — The Trinity is not stressed. However, Jesus is God, but in the sense of God's visible expression of concern and salvation.

Christ — He is One who delivers, almost exclusively, in social ways. He is a liberator, or "Black Messiah" whose work of emancipation for the poor and rejected of society is the parallel to the blacks' quest for liberation. Christ's message is "black power" (Henry). His intrinsic nature and spiritual activity receive little or no attention. Some even deny his role as the atoning sacrifice for the world's sins and provider of eternal life (Shrine).

Revelation — Black theology is not bound to biblical liberalism, but is of a more pragmatic nature. Only the experience of black oppression is the authoritative standard.

Salvation — Salvation is freedom from the oppression and pertains to blacks in this life. Proponents of black theology are concerned specifically with the political and theological aspects of salvation more than the spiritual. In other words, salvation is physically liberation from white oppression rather than freedom from the sinful nature and acts of each individual person. Presenting heaven as a reward for following Christ is seen as an attempt to dissuade blacks from the goal of real liberation of their whole persons.

Church — The church is the focus of social expression in the black community where the blacks can express freedom and equality (Cone). Thus the church and politics have formed a cohesion where the theological expression of the desire for social freedom is carried out. All above came from [1] H. Wayne House (Th.D.,J.D.) is distinguished professor of biblical studies and theological studies at Faith Seminary, Tacoma Washington, and a professor of law at Trinity International University. Black theology refers to a variety of Christian theologies held among people of black African descent (African Americans).
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_theology).

* For more on Liberation Theology and why it is problematic, read here.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:43 AM

    When it was revealed in the mainstream media that Senator Obama's pastor for more than twenty years had said, "blacks should not sing 'God Bless America" but "God damn America,'" the Senator and his aides denounced the angry rhetoric. But do we really believe that Reverend Wright never used similiar rhetoric during the previous twenty years? Of course not, Senator Obama denounced the hateful comments because he had to.

    The quote you provided from Saul Alinsky is most interesting since Senator Obama led an organization which was Alinskyite.

    Very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous7:55 AM

    Both Wright and Pfleger proved to be an embarassment to the Obama campaign. But his ties with radicals runs much deeper. Is this a man we can trust as our president? The evidence suggests that we cannot. Especially if we are sincere and orthodox Christians. Senator Obama's views (such as his desire to use his office to promote same-sex "marriage") are not consistent with those of serious Catholics, Protstants, Jews and Muslims.

    I'll be voting for McCain. If only because I don't want to see this dangerous radical achieve the highest office in this land.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8:15 AM

    The more I learn of Senator Obama's background, the more unsettled I become. Some of his past comments and associations are simply alarming.

    ReplyDelete