I have this theory about religion: It's always easier to come to it, than to grow up with it. Having the dogmas from a particular religion passed down to you by your parents is not cool, and it more often or not leads to a sort of acceptance of religion as nothing more than some sort of ritualistic tradition. It's why us PK's (preacher's kids) tend to be the most spiritually bankrupt at times. And it's why we often struggle with the concept of faith and spirituality.
Which leads me to the "O" man (what am I going to do when you are gone?). The most recent Newsweek Magazine on the news stands, has an entire feature on the "O" man's faith and his religion. The article starts off by talking about the fact that at 20 years old, the "O" man was searching for the meaning of life. Now that should have told folks right then and there that the guy was destined for greatness. (Hell at 20 years old most of us were chasing the opposite sex (or the same sex if you are so inclined and just trying to have a good time.) According to the article, the "O" man was reading folks like Nietzche, Graham Greene, and Saint Augustine, to try and find the meaning of life. Wow!
The "O" man, as a youngster, was confused about religion, and who could blame him. Unlike most Christians who grew up in "traditional" environments when it comes to religion, the "O" man was born of a Christian mother who became secular, and a Muslim father who became an atheist. To me, this made his search for religions enlightenment all that more intriguing.
It's why this whole Trinity Baptist thing looks so suspect to so many people sometimes. Did the "O" man join Trinity only for political reasons and to make the right political connections? Or did he really have a spiritual conversion and felt moved to become a member of that church after some serious soul searching? And If he could take back Rev. Wright baptizing him, would he? (Okay I just threw that question in there)
In the Newsweek interview the "O" man opened up about what he believes about g.. [God], prayer, and about the connection between salvation and personal responsibility. Now I would never question a man's faith, or lack thereof, but these days faith and love of g.. [God] seems to be a central theme in the "O" man's campaign. We can only hope that his faith will lead us in the right direction if he is elected President. And the way the country is going, if he does become POTUS, he is going to need plenty of it, faith.
The "O" man told Newsweek that "he prays everyday in his personal life" and that he prays for forgiveness for all of his "flaws". Now that I like. A man who prays to try and help himself and not for selfish reasons. He said he prayed after he met his wife, and when he decided to run for President of these divided states. Those were both probably the biggest decisions of his life, so if you believe him, you have got to believe that prayer is high on his list of priorities. He said he "travels with his bible" , and he reads it during the evenings. He also said in the interview that it takes him out of the "immediacy" of his day and gives him time to reflect.....Okay, cool with me, as long as he doesn't "reflect" too long. He has a country to run, the "immediacy" is pretty damn important when so much is on the table. That was the frat boy's problem; taking too much damn time to reflect, (Every time I saw the son of a bitch he was either in church or on vacation on that ranch of his) and you see where that got us. I guess g..[God] doesn't like him too much. Maybe it has something to do with all those dead Iraqi children.
Speaking of children; the "O" man says he doesn't impose his faith on his children, and that he tried to let faith tap into what's already there. He, in essence, said that he wants his children to come to religion through their own intellectual curiosity. I suppose kind of like he did. And that's a good thing.
Just think if all the preachers out there had approached parenting on religion like the "O" man. I know one thing, if they did, we wouldn't have all these messed up PK's running around out here. :)
47 comments:
"He wants his children to come to religion through their own intellectual curiosity."
Sounds like he and Oprah are attending the same New Age Church.
You know what Dusty Springfield was singing about that "Son of a Preacherman."
At 20, I thought chasing after girls was the meaning of life. It was then, I suppose. I was raised a mild form of Methodism, so I didn't have much to rebel against. On the other hand, I always believed that religion had to touch both the heart & the intellect, & strict dogmatic religion that had an answer for everything & every situation was not to be trusted much less embraced. & now we know what happens when that kind of religion has too much power in government.
OH well, so he believes in magic. I guess it's hard to get elected president if you said, "I don't believe in mythology, fairy tales, voodoo or other religious dogma."
Ya can't go wrong with hocus pocus in Amurkkka. In fact, it's a prequisite.
I think it's excellent that he wants his children to approach faith out of their own intellectual curiosity. I truly don't think it should be any other way.
I've been upset with Obama lately, but would be entirely downtrodden if McCain won. So I'm just saying that if all the religious talk brings him Bush's evangelical vote, great. And in much of this talk I think he's sincere.
It's interesting to me how those without present fathers tend to question religion (though I know that many others do, as well), and I wonder if that's because of the acceptance of patriarchy involved in adhering to a religion. Just an off-topic thought. Thanks for the post, Field.
Hey there Field Negro!
I could say a lot about this...but I will say just a little! (smile)
The reason why some PKs leave Christianity is because they have NEVER KNOWN Christianity to begin with... you see... there are people in the church who actually believe that WHATEVER someone says is Christianity is actually true.
Plenty of people create entire platforms and then tack on the "Christianity" label to whatever it is they are attempting to espouse. Just because someone TELLS you that their views are part of Christianity does not mean it is....the two largest cults in the world state they are are Christian organizations on their websites!
Field, I have mentioned to you before that most of the people I encounter in church who CLAIM to have been Christians since childhood have never read the entire Bible... and if...IF they ever have...they haven't done so recently.
Anyone who was taught that Christianity was a RELIGION has been mistaught...
If anyone who reads this wants to know why....start digging into what constitutes a RELIGION.
For those who are still unconvinced because your priest, pastor or Bishop told you Christianity WAS a religion...I ask you to start researching what you are being taught.
Read this 33-page booklet, "Religion or Christ: What's The Difference".
Link:
www.rbc.org/uploadedfiles/Bible_Study/Discovery_Series/PDF/Religion_Or_Christ.pdf
For those who have said they LEFT Christianity because of the behavior of pastors or ministers or church people...I say to you...that is BOGUS...
If you chose Christianity to embrace allegiance to Christ, then you would STILL BE Christian.
If you chose Christianity because mom and dad were Christian, then ask yourself if you EVER received Christ as Lord or if you simply accepted church membership and church affiliation.
Many people sitting in churches are there for the affiliation...many don't have an authentic relationship with Christ...they only have membership in an organization.
If your allegiance was actually to Christ, then the actions of others would NOT have compelled you to break your allegiance to Christ...
If serving Christ was important to you then you would serve Christ REGARDLESS of the choices others are making in their own lives...
Do you decide to divorce your wife because a guy you really admired divorced his?
I hear this justification from many who claim they are ex-Christian...they saw that someone they deeply admired did not have an authentic relationship with God...so they decided..."well since THAT person doesn't have an authentic relationship with God, I'll just break MY OWN relationship with God too!"
Does that make sense to anyone?
It doesn't to me...
Now.... this brings me to Obama... he should allow his children to decide on their own faith walk... NO ONE should tell their children what they HAVE TO believe...they can share with them what they believe and why they believe but they should also allow their children to make a decision from their own hearts when they reach an age when they can make the decision.
Many children walk down the aisle every Sunday saying they WANT JESUS but many children have a deep desire to please Mom and Dad and to do things that will have the approval of Mom and Dad. That's normal for children to desire.
You mentioned Obama's baptism... the water baptism does not MAKE ANYONE a Christian.
If any person out there reads this and feels that their parents are the reason they are not Christian...I would encourage you to just tell the truth to yourself...
If you never read the Bible for yourself then say so...if you accepted whatever OTHER PEOPLE told you that Christianity was about and never bothered to research and study on your own then say so...
But just please...please...don't tell yourself the lie that it's your parents fault that you remained confused...we are ALL responsible for the ignorance we choose... or the knowledge we acquire.
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
"Which leads me to the "O" man (what am I going to do when you are gone?)".
Where's he going, TFN? Are you psychic? Do you know something no one else does? That is a very curious/troubling statement. Or are you merely being provocative?
Seems to me that McMumbles and Shrub, by confiscating Obama's Foreign Policy Plans re Afghanistan and now Iran, are admitting that things are looking shaky for their home team. As the guy over at TVT said, people would have to be nuts to vote for another republican term, and I think the repugs are coming to understand that.
Also, it doesn't seem that you're that good with prognostications re Obama's chances in major elections, given that your constant predictions that he wouldn't win the primary proved erroneous.
As for the other, people use religion for a lot of things, and Newsweek isn't the first major publication to question Obama's Christian faith. In Ryan Lizza's New Yorker piece, he reported:
"Although many of Obama’s recent supporters have been surprised by signs of political opportunism, Preckwinkle wasn’t. “I think he was very strategic in his choice of friends and mentors,” she told me. “I spent ten years of my adult life working to be alderman. I finally got elected. This is a job I love. And I’m perfectly happy with it. I’m not sure that’s the way that he approached his public life—that he was going to try for a job and stay there for one period of time. In retrospect, I think he saw the positions he held as stepping stones to other things and therefore approached his public life differently than other people might have.”
On issue after issue, Preckwinkle presented Obama as someone who thrived in the world of Chicago politics. She suggested that Obama joined Jeremiah Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ for political reasons. “It’s a church that would provide you with lots of social connections and prominent parishioners,” she said. “It’s a good place for a politician to be a member.”"
In fact, the two major East and West coast newspapers have also reported this.
Look, Obama is the frontrunning candidate who is running as the underdog, particularly when you objectively compare his corporate media coverage with that of his opponent's. The sooner people understand this, the sooner they'll start to comprehend why he's winning despite the odds - and the people - against him.
He's also a cutthroat (yet only within the rules of law) consummate politician, with 'politician' being the operative word.
"Obama seems to have been meticulous about constructing a political identity for himself. He visited churches on the South Side, considered the politics and reputations of each one, and received advice from older pastors. Before deciding on Trinity United Church of Christ, he asked the Reverend Wright about critics who complained that the church was too “upwardly mobile,” a place for buppies. Though he admired Judson Miner, he was similarly cautious about joining his law firm. Miner once told me that it took “a series of lunches” and hours of discussion before Obama made his decision. At the time, Obama was working on “Dreams from My Father.”
Many have said that part of the appeal of “Dreams” is its honesty, pointing out that it was written at a time when Obama had no idea that he would run for office. In fact, Obama had been talking about a political career for years, musing about becoming mayor or governor. According to a recent biography of Obama by the Chicago Tribune reporter David Mendell, he even told his future brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, that he might run for President one day. (Robinson teased him, saying, “Yeah, yeah, okay, come over and meet my Aunt Gracie—and don’t tell anybody that!”).
Obama also became more of a strategist, someone increasingly comfortable discussing the finer points of polls, message, and fund-raising. According to his friends, Obama does not delegate campaign planning.
Part of Obama’s political success is that he has been able to exploit relationships with important yet ethically dubious figures in Illinois while still maintaining his independence. "
~
What kind of juxtaposition is this?
The elite effete snobs who read The New Yorker, and people of their ilk, automatically understood that the recent, The New Yorker, magazine cover featuring Barack and Michelle Obama t'was satire.
The lower stratum people who read Newsweek Magazine will automatically understand what? That Obama really lubs him some Jesus? Or, that Obama is still pandering him some Jesus?
What up next? Obama on the cover of Field and Stream? Obama on the cover of Nascar Illustrated? Michelle Obama, on the cover of Good Hospital Keeping Magazine?
I knew Bush wasn't shyt, when he said that Jesus is his favorite philosopher. Yah boi here, is starting to fit into that same category.
Hey field, what is the elite, effete, snob, Negroe periodical? Jet Magazine? Baby Mama Today Magazine?
`
PIW pointed out exactly what I was going to. I think his move to Trinity was primarily political, and maybe mixed in with some curiosity and maybe a little bit (or a lot) of Michelle.
I tend to agree with you generally statement, though, that people who grow up in "faith" leave it as soon as they can. Sure happened to me!
LOL @ sagacious hillbilly:
"Ya can't go wrong with hocus pocus in Amurkkka. In fact, it's a prequisite."
I agree with sagacioushillbilly's sentiments. It's hilarious that someone as smart as Obama has to play this idiotic game of touting the preferred superstition of the dumbass A-merry-can electorate.
What's even funnier is all the bullshit he talks about this country being so great and inclusive after it forced him to disown his own preacher, and disown the religion of his own father.
Speaking of children; the "O" man says he doesn't impose his faith on his children, and that he tried to let faith tap into what's already there. He, in essence, said that he wants his children to come to religion through their own intellectual curiosity.
I knew a kid in high school, his parents were strict Southern Baptists and tried to force their beliefs down his throat.
It caused a rift between the kid and his parents that never really healed and they remain estranged.
Obama sounds wise. He's a good parent.
Blackwomenblowthetrumpet,please pray for me.I will take all the help I can get:)
BTW,I have read the bible (quite a few times) and I still don't see what all the fuss is about.But that's just me.
PIW,don't be so cryptic.l simply
meant th
at by losing in November the "O" man will no longer be on the national stage. I was wrong about the primary,but I am pretty sure I have this one right.
Just remember,I will be here for you
I really like that picture of the Obama family.
I don't care what someone believes or doesn't believe as long as they keep it separate from policy. That is where Shrub messed up big time.
PKs get a front-row seat to the less pleasant aspects of 'Merican religion. The scams, the adultery, the kowtowing to power, the abuse of position, the tax dodges, the whines of adults, the perversion of priests, the neverending supplicants, the truly ignorant.....I could go on for some time.
Mold
Field,
Religion has very little to do with a connection to God IMHO.
Also, I don't think Obama is going to loose in November.
Peace, Naj in VA.
Field, you are wrong here: "Okay, cool with me, as long as he doesn't "reflect" too long. He has a country to run, the "immediacy" is pretty damn important when so much is on the table. That was the frat boy's problem; taking too much damn time to reflect."
It's one thing to have knowledge, it's another to have wisdom. Wisdom comes from quiet reflection, taking the time to look at what you've done, where youa re and where you're going. And listing to that still, small voice within you that is God talking. I'd love a leader who takes the time to be still and know Who God is.
Bush's whole presidency was about immediacy: "Let's invade Iraq! I've been itching to do that! I'll think of a reson when we get there! Heck, we'll be greeted as liberators! What's a Shia, anyway!"
It's that kind of rash, impetuous behavior that got this country in the mess it's in. From rounding up half the goat herders in the Middle East and throwing them into Guantanamo, to greedy banks throwing money at unqualified borrowers, to invading Iraq, no one took the time to examine the consequences of their actions.
Sitting still at the end of the day with the wisdom of God, whether it be the Bible, the Torah, or the Qur'an is a good thing. It allows you to gain the knowledge you need to be able to act when those immediate situations arise. Think about it--you didn't just walk into a court room and become a lawyer; you spent three long years immersed in the wisdom of the laws of this land so that you can participate in administering justice. I believe it's the same thing with Barack and his faith
My grandmother had some interesting quotes throughout her life. I considered my grandmother to be a religious person, but she was not really brim and firestone type. I attended church in what some people would considered refined, the Newark Mayor Gibson's a mother attended to the church. Yes members of the church were attorneys, doctors, politicians, etc, and along with your mixture of working class folk. However, my grandmother use to say that you are saved by what you believe. I had no idea what that meant at the time, but it seemed to me that a person who to find his or her. Religion for me means to find one's purpose and meaning, and it can be philosophy that turned into dogma.
I actually studying theology because it does not include as Field says the ritual. Movies like Star Wars and The Matrix fascinate because they are modern myths. Religions are full of myths and it does not mean because story isn't true does not mean it a very important truth to tell you. If one were to read all of the creation myths, you would see a common thread woven throughout them. I have more of an intellectual curiosity about religion. One of my favorite books on religion is "Why Christianity Must Die or Change" written by John Shelby Spong, an episcopal bishop who ran the diocese of Newark. Who better can present such an argument than clergy person.
I think Obama began attending Trinity Church for community and political reasons, but it does not necessary mean he was necessarily insincere about being a practicing Christian. People have different motives for doing what they do. Giving the politics of Chicago, you just come into the political arena there without forming relationships and knowing anyone. It is about networking and that comes with a lot of careers. I have an appreciating for adroit individuals and Obama is one those people. There is nothing wrong with being calculating and deliberate to accomplish a goal. As long as you destroy someone else to do it.
Nsangoma, I happen read the New Yorker and Newsweek, but I also read the Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, the Nation, etc. Actually, I read a lot of magazine articles. I still miss Emerge Magazine. I do not consider myself snob, but if being a snob means being informative than I am guilty. I am an information snob, and have an interest in learning something new since I am going to be living in world for a little while.
Field, I have the Bible, Quran, and Torah. I am still looking for a good translation Hindi books. I think you might have different perspective if you look at them with a literary eye and you can compare them to Egyptian and Greek Mythology. The philosophical comparison between Budha and Jesus. Both men are having journey to discover themselves.
I don't give a shit whether Barack or McCain pray to Dog or God, I want someone who bases their decisions on common sense. Separation of religion and state is key in a country with so many different religious beliefs. Religion has caused more war, suffering and persecution than any other thing in history.
I want POTUS to make decisions based on his experiance not on what he thinks God wants or what Jesus said 2000 years ago.
~
http://sendables.jibjab.com/
http://sendables.jibjab.com/
`
David said:
"Religion has caused more war, suffering and persecution than any other thing in history."
Or perhaps widespread xenophobia wrapped in a religious excuse.
Field, I want to thank you for predicting a loss for Obama in November. Since you were wrong about the primaries, that gives me hope for Obama as POTUS. LOL
I agree that Obama shows great character as a man (searching for meaning as early as age 20) and as a father (living a life of faith but not beating his children over the head until they run screaming into the night).
Field Negro,
I also think that Obama's stance on his children's religion is great. I wish more parents were open to this ideology of allowing their children to discover their own viewpoints. This would be helpful in not only religious matters but political matters as well. I know too many young people that claim a religion (or political party) simply and only because mom and dad told them it was right.
I think that discovering your own connection with God is something that is special and potentially life altering. I have my own personal issues with religious organizations (including but not limited to most churches) but I believe that I am a Christian. I wish more children were given the opportunity to think independently about religion. I think the result would be more young people with faith, as opposed to large number of young I know that are apathetic to religion. Many of them had religion forced upon them.
I think it is the responsibility of parents to expose their children to faith but not impose it on them and I think Obama has it right in this regard.
-Dre
Crap I think my comment got deleted.
Thanks field for a great post.
I think it's important to think about how we come into our belief systems...we have to sort through our socialization, our parents and other early influences, etc...
Like anything else it's important to have space to come into one's own beliefs. Christopher mentioned a case of familial estrangement because parents forced religion on their kid. Funny thing is the same thing can happen with non-religious households...a kind of secular fundamentalism...it's all whether or not the beliefs/values are imposed versus simply expressed as particular to an individual.
I wanted to shout out Kellybelle's comment - I'm in agreement - it's so easy to slide into either extreme side - either wallowing in reflection or jumping hastily to action. Too often necessary reflection is mistaken with wallowing...Here's a great article on that dialectic of action and reflection I found a few years ago:
http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Action.html
Also...on the whole religion/faith/spirituality thing - I think sometimes we jump at the language people use. For a long time I so rigidly associated god with some delusion people had of some all ruling person in the sky but god can be someone's way of referring to a higher self, to the ineffable, to the mystery and grandeur parts of life we can't pin down in logic and words via our human expression....David Sullivan said something about wanting a POTUS not to make decisions based on some idea of what jesus said a million years ago but what if the "god" someone is referring to is that higher truth, that gut feeling you have before clouded by judgments or resentments or inflated ego...I can get down with someone praying for guidance in the sense that they want to continue to practice clearing their plate to make the best decisions and choices in life for themselves and others...
if someone associates all this with the label "god" fine by me.
-Elizabeth
Oh PS -
to yesterday's post - there's a great package on the first segment of the daily show about the cartoon and about all the fake news media who slander obama all the time - watch it free here:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/26724/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-tue-jul-15-2008
-Elizabeth
I think it is a great thing to believe that there is something larger than yourself in this world.
Religion is not about a connection with God but faith is....
I was raised in the church, secretary of the sunday school, mary in the play all of that but when I decided to become serious about religion as a young adult I did a cursory study of all major religions and determined that the God in my heart looked most like the Christian God and then I researched the denominations to try to find the most true option. I never really found that but I ended up going to the same Baptist denomination in which I was raised.
All that to say being raised in a particular religion is not detrimental IMO. Further, it is a natural progression of faith to have a falling away period before you cling to your chosen method of worship.
I'm happy that Obama can bolster himself with spiritual strength, and for the moment, I'll take him at his word. But I must admit that for a brief moment in time, I had thought Dubya in his early days as president might be OK...despite my reservations...because he was putting forth an image of someone who was tempering his decisions with prayer.
Instead, we got someone who acts rashly and then acts like God moved him in that direction. No reflection; just using God as an excuse. Which, as others have pointed out, is the real problem with every problem "religion" has caused...it is rarely religion, but the evil of people with religion twisted and warped and wrapped around it.
I have good general feelings about Obama but I also have reservations about him and a healthy dose of cynisicm about all politicians...and my opinion of his spiritual side will likewise be full of reservations until I see him walk the walk.
I think there's a good chance he's in a good space, but it's so easy to fall off the path when you're in the position someone like Obama is.
BTW, Field, my wife is a PK too, but her dad became a preacher late in life, so it's interesting the effects this has had on her spiritual walk...she was always an inquisitive sort (and still is) about other faiths, even though she's firmly grounded in Christ for the past 15 years probably.
In addition to blackwomenblowthetrumpet probably being happy to keep you in her prayers, I got you in mine, too, Field. I know the shit doesn't resonate with you now, but I hope it clicks one day. Peace!
Religious conviction sure as hell doesn't spell out compassion and competence in the oval office. Let's hope Obama walks the walk because the track record of religious politicians is a very poor one.
Let's not forget that Barack was a lost kid not knowing where he fit into the world. So wondering about religion is natural for someone without a home.
I think he joined Trinity for political reasons but soon found out although he had a funny name Black people were alright with him. They were alright with his mixed parents, his name, and the fact that he weights a buck 25.
I think anyone who really wants to search for God will find God. I agree with you on the religion being a tradition thing. I don't think most people have a clue on why they just go because it's Sunday.
i think that does say something unique about barack obama - his search for the meaning of life @ such an early age. well, it says more about him than it does about me.
put it that way.
I think its great to know he prays and reflects. Pray works no matter what religion you are. As long as you know you can come to God with a humble spirit he will hear you.
On other hand I do find it interesting that he is not imposing or teaching his children his faith. I think he can teach them about God and the power of pray,but religion that is something different.
New to your blog but I love it!
WHEN DO YOU SLEEP???????????
It's why this whole Trinity Baptist thing looks so suspect to so many people sometimes. Did the "O" man join Trinity only for political reasons and to make the right political connections? Or did he really have a spiritual conversion and felt moved to become a member of that church after some serious soul searching? And If he could take back Rev. Wright baptizing him, would he? (Okay I just threw that question in there)
1. It's Trinity United Church of Christ.
2. When Obama joined Trinity, it was not, I REPEAT, NOT the place to go if you wanted to be 'Politically Connected'.
3. IFFF Obama wanted the ' Political Hookup', there were plenty of other churches that he could of joined.
4. Rev. Wright was never on the inside track at the Fifth Floor (Mayor's Office). They 'respected' him, but though he might have the Mayor's telephone number, he wasn't apt to use it - know what I mean?
I really really want to dispel this MYTH that Obama went to Trinity because it was for the Political ' Hookup. '
He went because Rev. Wright was doing really good things for the community; because Rev. Wright was a teacher of the' social gospel' brand of religion; because he and Michelle could be in fellowship with a growing congregation of fellow ' Strivers'.
But, if he wanted a political ' hookup', Trinity wasn't the place to be back when Barack Joined.
And, if it has become such a place, it's not because of Wright and Moss, it's because of the kind of affluent Strivers that Wright has attracted in the congregation - something that didn't exist when Obama first joined.
Hey Field Negro!
I will be happy to keep you in my prayers!
For the most part, the organized groups of people who are sitting in these buildings now are NOT representative of the actual church that Jesus Christ intended so if you are feeling that there is a bunch of bogus mess going on in those places...yes, let me tell you that THERE IS!
I would encourage you to read the Bible without taking an intellectual posture towards God's word because it will limit your understanding if you are only interrogating the scripture with your mental faculties.
I would also encourage you to examine HOW you were taught to interpret the word of God.... so many PKs learned one way to interpret God's word and that was from their parents...who were interpreting incorrectly... and if THAT interpretation is all that you know then you can read the Bible from cover to cover over and over and still be embracing erroneous interpretation methods.
I invite you to ask all of the difficult questions with God... many churches do NOT encourage questioning any teachings at all adn those are the churches who are hiding something sinister.
Jesus Christ allowed questions!
There are VERY, very few organized assemblies (can't call them ALL churches, ya know! *wink*) who are following the Lord.... so if you are waiting to stumble upon ONE place where EVERYONE is sincere in their walk with God and EVERYONE is obeying God in all aspects of their lives in order for you to begin to seek God then you will waste many years.
You do not need to be inside a church to encounter God. God will meet you right where you are.
And just for the record (SMILE)...I am not a PK and I did not grow up in what is known as "the black church" and I was the ONLY Christian in my family...and still am the only Christian in my family...and I have been Christian since I was about Obama's oldest daughter's age and made the decision on my own. I also went to church BY MYSELF as a child since no one in the houshold was Christian except for me.
Children CAN make the decision about their faith walk and can pursue that if they are permitted to.
I will warn you that those who claim that any faith walk you choose will lead to the same place is lying.
You are in my prayers.
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
I have to said being part of a church that is politically does not necessarily mean that the pastor is connected, but people in the congregation are. I attended a church in Newark that I can honestly said saw more of the politicians on Sunday than any other time of the week. Remember church has a community connection as well if you stay around and happened to strike up a conversation with person sitting next to you if not a politician may work in his or her office. The church as can be a social network, and there isn't anything particularly wrong with it. I do not think anyone who wrote a comment today has a different reason why he or she attends church from Field's parents making him go to have connection with the people in the community, it's not always altruistic but it can be in the end. I tend to over analyze trip within the journey and pay least attention about the end and how it make us better. Expect to trip and hit some bumps along the way. I say the end result of Obama's journey he became a skilled and smart politician.
The black church and politics co-mingle and has a complex history. Some white people do not understand it, but there is a long history of the civil rights movement since the late 1880s, and even some pastors were writers and editors, and owned weekly papers discussing equal rights and maltreatment of Afro Americans at the time. However, I see it from an historical perspective, of course the connection between the black church and politics is not as prevalent today, but it still exists. It's changing as people are less incline to attend church, but blacks still attend church services more than their white counterpart.
I think people should know that Obama was agnostic prior to attending, and now is a believer. However, people cannot have it both ways by saying he is muslim, but throwing Rev. Wright in his face either. Obama could had have both political and spiritual motivation for becoming a member of Trinity Church. He killed two birds with one stone, and I do not have a problem with. I certainly am not going to fog him for it as either way he went to the church searching for purpose and meaning. I say he found it if you look at from that perspective. The fact of the matter is the only person who has the answer to that question is Obama, and all we are doing is opining and guessing.
"WHEN DO YOU SLEEP???????????"
Never! I will have plenty of time to sleep when I am dead:)
honey devereaux, glad you could make it to the fields. Always feel free to check in.
rikyrah, thanks for the clarification on the "O" man's former church. I read that New Yorker article and they certainly stuck with that that theory that he joined for the political hook up. You might want to check it out. Still, I will take your word for it over theirs.
"The black church and politics co-mingle and has a complex history. Some white people do not understand it, but there is a long history of the civil rights movement since the late 1880s, and even some pastors were writers and editors, and owned weekly papers discussing equal rights and maltreatment of Afro Americans at the time"
hennasplace, I will co-sign with you on that one.
Field,
A guy stops by a church and they wont let him in. So he walks down the street and sees Jesus setting on a park bench. So the stranger tells Jesus that the folks in the church wouldn't let him in. And Jesus says thats okay, they wouldn't let me in either.
Gotta be kidding---this is just another Newsweek puff piece about the O man...as far to the left as Fake News is to the right.
Searching for the meaning of life at twenty---I call B-S...where did the cocaine use come into play during his quest? Give me a break. Anyone from Chicago knows that the O man is a politician first and second and all of his moves have been made with an eye to Washington...he is a tool of the Chicago Dem machine, and thanks to Jack Ryan's S&M club disclosure during the actress Jeri Ryan divorce the O man got the Senate seat. the rest--with the help of Rezko and the Chicago machine--is history. This dude is not your savior---he is a politician.
"This dude is not your savior---he is a politician."
Well....he could be. If you actually see him walk on water will you believe? Tell you what; he is expecting over 80,000 people at that stadium in Denver. If he feeds all of them with just a happy meal, will you believe then?
Ha Ha...tighter race than it should be---the O man has moved as quickly to the middle as a [insert here]
bad move on his part with the Rock Star stadium thing---will people hold their lighters up? He better hope it does not rain LOL...I am jaded Field as i have seen Chicago pols such as Barack Rezko Blago Gianolious (sic) and all of the connected Chicago Dem machine come and go...
~
Unlike Obama, McCain held a Q&A after his speech, which caused a visible stir in the room.
"You could hear the room go, what?! He's actually going to open this up?!" Steele later said. "And I was asking folks, 'Did Barack do that?' And they were, like, 'No.' So, I think it speaks to the style. It speaks to the substance of the man in terms of how he wants to engage the black community, and I appreciate him doing it.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/
archive/2008/07/16/1202649.aspx
http://www.politickermd.com/
editormd/2888/steele-mccain-
and-black-vote-youve-got-
live-real
http://www.freestatepolitics.us/
showDiary.do?diaryId=1511
Hmmm, talking to you, with you; not down to you??
`
Field-Negro:
Take this particular article about "faith" and then mix it with the other article about the senseless killing and then do as the brother from the St Louis newspaper suggested:
[quote]
Education and self-reliance changed my life. A concerted, black-led movement can change others raised in negative environments. [/quote]
But one question. Though Obama is Black......can his role in the AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM qualify as a "Black LEAD Movement"? Or must that start WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
You see Field-Negro my frequent statement is "You are winning while you are losing". You are WINNING in the American political space regarding your ideological fortification within our community. You are LOSING because many of the things most dear to our people - education, safe streets, quality employment are languishing DESPITE this growth in control by the forces that you most agree with.
At what point at which you have run your course that you realize that the course has not provided you with what your original purpose had sought out?
Most people would call this a state of being "sold out" for something that turned out to NOT deliver upon your best interests. Thus you must ask yourself - what are you ultimately working for then?
Whether it's through religion, yoga, or meditation, I just care that policymakers are ethically balanced.
So the absence of "religion" equals 'spiritual bankruptcy'? (Dang, ya lost me in the first paragraph.)
Imagine this... If we were talking about teaching his children how to fly a plane instead of about what Christianity is all about, what would this look like?
Here is a man who, through study on his own, came to figure out all he needed to know to fly his plane. He knows also that his children are trying to figure it out for themselves too. How much must he love them to just let them do it on their own too. No help from dad because they can crash or not for all he cares. If they can't figure it out on their own the way he did. Oh well, it's all for the best.
I'm not saying this is really the way he is or that he's evil or uncaring. It's just a metaphor. I'm saying that I'm not buying the argument. It's only like force feeding when your parents aren't patient and you don't respect them enough to listen. Even so, in the end, most of us PK's say, "Thank you for being so hard on me". Because we learn that some things are worth standing up for even if you get painted as the bad guy for them for a little while. Now that I'm a dad, I get it.
The person posting this page is more filled with HATE than the people he/she is accusing of being hate filled. Just more left wing hated. If your "man" Obama is such a field negro why is he stopping vouchers for field negros in DC in support of the mostly White Teachers Union?
Please Pray For Street Bullies & Schools. In The Name Of Jesus Christ. Please Pray for People that been attack by Witch Craft In The name of Jesus Christ. Pray for Enemies... Please Pray for Anger Young teens, Young Adults, & Teen Anger, & Please Pray for Anger People In The name Of Jesus Christ, Pray For teens who are going have a baby Pray For The unsaved Ones, In Jesus Christ Name If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing psalms. (James 5:13) Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out inwardly we are renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16) "Dear Lord we ask you to cover us with your protection against all harm and evil and to bind every spirit that may come against us. Into Your hands Dear Lord I commend my body, mind, soul and spirit. Jesus Christ Please Pray For Us. In The Name Of Jesus Christ I Pray. Amen
God Bless USA & Jews. Blessing & Peace…
Jesus help me" is a cry from your heart. You come to Jesus because He is the only one who can help you. "Jesus help me. My life is difficult."
Do you have family, job or money worries? Have people hurt you? Do you suffer from health problems? Is there an emptiness in your life from the loss of a loved one?
Answer: Take all your problems to Jesus. Trust Him to help you. And Jesus who loves you so much will be there for you. In God we trust… ((Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.))
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