Trouble at work? Boss got you down? Visit "Working In These Times," our new workers' rights blog, for news and commentary.
Help this website survive! Donate to In These Times now!

Keeping the Faith

By Emily Udell

Even after a two-day snowstorm pummeled Chicago in late January, the parking lot of the Trinity United Church of Christ (TUCC) was full. Congregants of the African American church on the city’s South Side braved the icy weather to hear a fiery Sunday morning sermon delivered by the church’s senior pastor, Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright. Since 1972, the 63-year-old Wright has… return to article

  • subscribe to print magazine

  • Zoom OutZoom In Reader Comments (5)

    Page 1 of 1 pages

    Thank you for your article on Barak Obama’s Spiritual Advisor, about Reverand Wright. It was inspiring,and I really needed it after reading the preceeding article on prisons- that those previously working for reform have now joined in the awful binge of making profits on prisons.

    Unfortunately, I read that article just after reading “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”, about our corporations literal plundering of the developing countries in the world under the guise of economic development and globalization. The greed in this country is poisoing every aspect of American life, to say nothing of the destruction it is causing in the world. It is horribly depressing to me to just know about it…how can these people live with themselves, and how can we live with our own country?  Enough is enough!

    Gail Breakey

    United States Posted by Gail Breakey on Feb 8, 2005 at 11:56 PM

    Even though my own church-going days are finished, I can still appreciate a person who tries to put into action the ideas of assertive compassion and identification with those who need help, which are maybe the best things to come out of historical Christianity. I often get angry at the contrast between the examples of Jesus and the mean behavior of many so-called “Christians”, but here’s a story that gives a welcome offset. Let’s hope Sen. Obama lives up to the shine he appears to be acquiring, when the tough decisions of a Senator are called for; it will not be easy. And as for the leftish flavor of Wright’s messages, God knows the rightish ministers feel free to preach about social and political issues, so I suppose turnabout is fair play. I just hope Wright isn’t on TV; ministry so often seems to get polluted when TV cameras are around.

    Philippines Posted by Kuya on Feb 9, 2005 at 2:20 AM

    Kuya on February 8, 2005 at 8:20 PM

    “And as for the leftish flavor of Wright’s messages, God knows the rightish ministers feel free to preach about social and political issues, so I suppose turnabout is fair play. I just hope Wright isn’t on TV; ministry so often seems to get polluted when TV cameras are around.”

    This brings to mind the admonishment by the Pope of the priests and nuns in Central America for conduction what he called, “liberation theology.”  Those priests and nuns could no longer just look on at the inhuman atrocities only with prayer. 

    As it stands nowadays, in the US, the neocons are beating the churches at worshipping God; they not only invoke God as their guide, they go into action also by lording it over the people.  At that rate, if the people are to be satisfied only with prayer, the necons have a forceful advantage over them. 

    As I recall, Martin Luther King prayed but the Civil Rights, its success was helped by organizing with force.  Not physical violence, but rather economic force such as shutting down the bus system and boycotting stores.  That put the icing on the cake of prayer. 

    Another ingredient in peoples’ struggles is insistence on the truth and allow all aspirants of the struggle proclaim “truth.”

    Here is a slice of truth proclaimed by Real Union Of Social Science.  The point is not whether anyone claims to offer the truth, it is to allow all views openly in the political arena:

    http://socialismmarxdeleonforarealunion.org/Socialism_Is_American_James_Madis son_And_Karl_Marx_A_Contrast_And_A_Similarity.html

    http://socialismmarxdeleonforarealunion.org/The_Americansim_of_Socialism.html l

    http://socialismmarxdeleonforarealunion.org/Socialism_Is_American_Constitutio on_of_the_United_States_Founding_of_the_Bourgeois_Republic.html

    Thank you.

    Donald J. Donaker
    Coordinator
    Real Union Of Social Science

    United States Posted by Donald J. Donaker on Feb 10, 2005 at 5:14 PM

    “And as for the leftish flavor of Wright’s messages, God knows the rightish ministers feel free to preach about social and political issues, so I suppose turnabout is fair play. I just hope Wright isn’t on TV; ministry so often seems to get polluted when TV cameras are around.”————

    The truth is Jesus was a lefty and his ministry was an extension of a long established tradition.
    Faith has been high jacked by the right wing and our emerging theocracy seems woefully negligent in its study of the prerequisite material:

      “When you reap the harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not return to fetch it; it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the works of your hands.
      When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again;  it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and the widow.
      And you shall remember that you were bondsman in Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.”
                                                                              Deuteronomy 24:19-22

      “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to the very corners, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
      And you shall not glean your vineyards, neither gather from your olive trees, but you shall leave them for the poor and the proselytes; for I am the Lord your God.

      You shall not steal,; you shall not deal falsely; neither shall you lie to one another.

      You shall not swear by my name falsely and so profane the name of your God; I am the Lord.

      You shall not oppress your neighbor, neither carry him away by force; the wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until the morning.”
                                                                              Leviticus 19:9-13  

    “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and like the other; or he will honor the one and despise the other. 
    You can not serve God and mammon (wealth).                                         
                                                                    The sermon on the mount—-Matthew 6:24

    J Hoover Bushwah

    United States Posted by J Hoover Bushwah on Feb 12, 2005 at 7:52 AM

    Another force independent of religion is the evolution of society and along with that is evolution of religion. 

    Today we have capitalism, a social system that would not tolerate such things as burning Bruno at the stake for his scientific claim.  After all capitalism depends on unrestricted scientific development in the making of profit.  In the inception of American capitalism a certain church had over 100 religious holidays steeped in old European agriculture.  Well now, with the development of industry, the capitalist class would have not of that interference of putting people to work 12 to 16 hours a day 6 days a week.  And did not many churches ascribe to chattel slavery until it became obsolete as a profitable means of production.

    After 300 years of misery suffered by the slaves, the churches wouldn’t dare to excuse chattel slavery today.  But it does condone wage slavery, another scourge upon working people.

    Will that be the final scourge upon working people?

    Don

    United States Posted by Donald J. Donaker on Feb 12, 2005 at 9:28 AM
    Page 1 of 1 pages

  • register a new account »Posting Security

    To participate in our forums, please register for a free account.
     

    Retreive lost password »

Article Appeared in this Issue

Full contents
Past issues

Also by Emily Udell
Popular Discussions