We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community.
The Pastor as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:
A congregation committed to ADORATION.
A congregation preaching SALVATION.
A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.
A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.
Click here to read about Dr. Wright’s talking points for Trinity United Church of Christ its Web site and the Black Value System.
I think it's interesting to note how racial (or is it racist?) they are. Note that everything is about race:
"Black religious experience"
"We are an African people, and remain 'true to our native land,'"
"non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA"
"Black worship service"
"ministries which address the Black Community"
"Black Value System"
Can you imagine the societal reaction if a church used phrases like, "White worship experience"? Or said, "We are a white people"? Or claimed to only have "ministries which address the WHITE community"? Or a "white value system"? And what's more, would the media not spend every waking hour attacking a person running for President who was a member of such a racially exlusive church?
I think it is the height of racism and narrowness that they be this way. Isn't segregation over in America? Or at least, aren't we supposed to oppose it? Do you think Martin Luther King, Jr. would be happy with such a blatant display of racial exclusionism?
And since Barack is a member of that church, does he share that "non-negotiable commitment to Africa" or to the United States of America? And does he care about anyone else but the "black community?" I think that these are things Americans with different skin colors should know about a man running for President. Don't you?
UPDATE: It looks like I beat Ronald Kessler to this story. But congrats to him for being in second with this article on Barack Obama's Racist Church.
25 comments:
YOU ROCK!! I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU 100% I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE ONLY LETTING BLACKS INTO A CHURCH THEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE BEING LEFT OUT AND THAT IS NOT GOD'S HEART AT ALL. HE IS ALL ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE AND WHERE WOULD THAT LEAVE THE REST OF US. ALSO OPRAH NEEDS TO BUTT OUT AND MIND HER OWN DAMN BUSINESS. HE COULD BE A DEVOUT ATHIEST AND OPRAH WOULD STILL CAMPAIGN FOR HIM BECAUSE HE IS BLACK!
I totally disagree with you on this one. The Jews have a Jewish worship service unique onto them, as do the Buddist, Muslim, etc. Why is this problematic that an "African" American congregation have a worship service that is unique for their experience. We each have cultural and racial experiences that are unique for our people, and clearly "Africans" born in these Americas are no different. There is absolutely nothing in the statements on Trinity's website that would indicate that they do not welcome other ethinicities or people of other faiths into their sanctuary. In fact, I made a visit to same, and found them to be extremely warm and inviting. At any given worship time you will find sprinkle throughout their congregation a variety of ethnicities and faith traditions. This is every Sunday. When you go into a Jewish synagogue or a Mosque you will find predominantly only those who believe as they believe in attendance. If you go to a Buddist Temple - you will find the same thing. Being "pro" your people, your race, your ethnicity, your heritage, your history and the like, DOES NOT IN ANY WAY MEAN YOU ARE "anti" someone else. That is not to say that we do not have people with those attitudes as the history of WHITE SUPREMACY in the U.S. has clearly shown that such attitudes exist. When we speak of people being left out, the history of our country (the U.S.) has and continues to leave out a great many people of various ethnicities. When we speak of God's Heart, we must always remember the Slave Holder in these United States labeled Africans 3/5 humans while going to church and worshipping their God. Was it God's Heart to have Africans that God created held in chattel slavery? If I am to agree with what you state in this blog, then we are saying none of us has even the right to be for our own home and people, because we are not exhibiting God's Heart. The Bible says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory." With that being said, NONE of us truly exhibit or even know God's Heart. Being different does not make one deficient. Maybe before all of us pass judgment on Trinity or Barack Obama we should pay a visit to his church to see and experience for ourselves what is really going on. Maybe we will learn something that will make us a bit richer in spirit vs. being woefully judgmental without the benefit of the facts. Remember Matthew 7:1 as we move and have our being in Christ.
If you have a close presonal relationship with God then you do know his heart. If your church has a 'sprinkling" of "other color" then there is a reason, it is because "others" do not feel welcome and it is because their true heart is felt when you are in their midst. Religion is for one kind or another, christianity is for all, God's heart is not one color or religion it is for all and he says that we are all equal and so to have a church that says otherwise is not what God wants for us.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (New International Version)
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
It is not possible for the CREATED to fully know or understand the CREATOR. Biblically speaking, the verses listed above make that clear. What we as believers strive for is to know God as we are fully known by God. However, that fully knowing God, God's Heart and the like will not come until we meet God face to face. The 10 or 11 o'clock hours across the U.S. on Sunday mornings has always been and continues to be the most segregated hour church wise.
Since none of us truly walk without sin, we are all prone to getting this thing wrong and falter in our understanding. Thus, the Proverbs passage stating "lean not to our own understanding." That said, there are a few churchs that have a good mix of races, ethnicities and cultures -- the majority do not. In a perfect world, we will have the image that is shown in Revelation 7:9-10. Unfortunately, we currently live in a "fallen" world and are yet waiting for the fulfillment of the Revelation passage.
Just because a church has a "sprinkling" of various ethnicities does not mean they are devoid of the spirit of God. Just like our individual homes are do not compose a cornicopia of ethnicities does not mean our homes are devoid of the spirit of God. Our challenge as a people of God is to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, as it is God's will that facilitates that process. (See Philippians 2:11-13)
Until you have personally experienced the people of Trinity United Church of Christ, their style of worship, etc. You are in no position to judge. Even Jesus' ministry was found hard for some to take with 72 disciples walking away from the ministry. Heaven is not composed of denominations, religious zealots or the like. According to scripture those God is a spirit and those who worship God must do so in spirit and in truth (even when that truth is hard to reconcile) (See: John 4:24)
Since we all have sinned and continue to sin, we are all (myself included) flawed in our understanding of God's heart, God's ways and God's spirit. But Glory to God the story doesn't end there - we are ever walking this journey sinning less than we did when we started. Peace to you!
Ang,
I think it's interesting that you confuse races and relgion. Jewish worship is specific to a relgion as is Buddism and Islam. My point was that Barack Obama's church is exclusive to black people AND if a bunch of white people said those things about their church, the media would freak out.
I also thinks it's hypocritical that you started talking about history has had some white people who were racist and racially exclusive. Flip that to black people and you've got Obama's racially exclusive church--from their own words. They're racists. I know it's not politically correct to point out racism in anyone BUT white people, but facts are facts.
You continue to amaze me Lee, you said what I was having a hard time exspressing! I so agree!
If this man wants to go to a church that only accepts blacks then fine, but I don't want him running our country with that mentality!
I will attempt this one more time and then I will be finished with this. I have experienced racism first hand. Racism is when because of the color of my skin I am NOT accepted. You don't know me, you don't try to know me, you live your life in your exclusive PRIVILEGE and you find nothing wrong with it nor do you have compassion as to how you live and behave may impact others. Religion is often-times mixed into the racist attitudes (thus my mention of the Racism of the Slave holders and their not having any religious convictions for their behavior, even though they continued to espouse their religious beliefs. The church that Barack is a member of state on their website that they are teaching their predominantly "African" American congregation their history, they are teaching them the value of who and WHOSE they are and that they lift them up as a people. AGAIN, they DO NOT say others of any nationality are not welcome. In fact, I found out from a very reliable source within the church that they do in fact have other ethnicities that are a part of their church. They DO NOT UNWELCOME anyone! Yes, racism comes in ALL colors. AGAIN, I say, until you have gone into the church of Trinity United Church of Christ (which by the way is the largest church in a WHITE denomination), experience their worship service and see and hear for yourself, you are not able to make a judgment call. As Jewish worship is "specific" to a religion, please understand that "African" worship is ALSO specific to a religion. African Americans DID NOT start their journey or just show up on the scene here in these Americas in chattel slavery. The Africans had religion and worshipped God LONG before the slave traders showed up. There are no big "I's" or little "u's" at the foot of the cross. Trinity teaches that. One of Trinity United Church of Christ's biggest partners in ministry is a Catholic Priest by the name of Father Micheal Pflager of St. Sabina in Chicago. I think maybe the problem is that you do not know or maybe do not believe that Africans have a religion or religious practice that as Jewish people have and Budist have, so do Africans. Again, I ask, why is it okay for all of us in these Americas to learn European History in our schools, practice religion in the manner that is exceptable to the majority (Europeans), but when a congregation decides that they wish to tap into the practices and beliefs of their own African history and religions that this becomes a problem. When attending Trinity, I have heard nothing that goes against the Biblical teachings of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Being "pro" your own ethnicity and ethnic religious practices and uplifting before your people your unique beliefs, DOES NOT MAKE YOU RACIST, nor does it mean you are against OTHERS NOT OF YOUR ETHNICITY AND/OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. It is not my desire to debate this with you two until Jesus comes back, and I am willing to be agreeably disagreeable with you, HOWEVER, I believe that in your reading of the Trinity website you are not fully understanding, and maybe are not even open to look through another lense to see what is really going on and being said. I do not know where in the country the two of you are located, but if you are not able to physically come to a worship service at Trinity, maybe you can tune on on their live webcast on Sundays via their website and see the worship service that way and HEAR what this church has to say on a Sunday morning and see if you are still distressed and/or offended by their message. I've been there, I find nothing offensive, all are welcome, and all do come and they come every single Sunday from all over the world. I understand that Trinity's choir ministers annually in Sweden and Germany, which would explain why they consistently welcome international guests in their midst. I pray this clears some things up for the two of you, and we will ALL understand even this better by and by. Peace to you both.
I was also wondering about the church our current President belongs too. Are their any "Africans" or African American members in his EXCLUSIVELY WHITE EVANGELICAL CHURCH? Maybe I have been MIS-informed. Also, what about the other Presidents we have had? I do not remember it EVER being a problem that they attended a church that had an exclusively WHITE membership (with an occasional "sprinkling" of another ethnicity). I am not saying that their churches did not or do not welcome Africans and African Americans because I do not know that to be true. However, I do know it to be true that Trinity welcomes ALL people know matter their color, ethnic background or orientation, because the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, and that includes all people. They hold 62 bible classes annually and they teach Jesus. They have a membership that consists of a people that has been disenfranchised for over 400 years in these yet to be United States of America, and they are attempting to uplift that group of people in their branch of Zion, the same as every church in the Country is attempting to uplift and teach the group of people in their area that they minister too. Peace 2 U.
At the very least, this seems to violate the spirit of Galatians 3:28.
I certainly don't think Martin Luther King or Jesus would affirm this "statement of faith."
I also wonder if they line up with the UCC teaching that homosexuality is not a sin and that Jesus is not the only way to God.
Because I wanted to be an informed voter when voting in this presidential election, I took the time to find out and to fully understand where Barack Obama comes from and his faith tradition. What you read on Trinity United Church of Christ website IS NOT THEIR STATEMENT OF FAITH, BUT THE 10 Point Vision Statement of the local church body. Within the UCC, each church is autonomous, and therefore each church does not have to be on board with the greater donominational beliefs in totality. FYI - the STATEMENT OF FAITH of Trinity United Church of Christ states as follows:
"We believe in you, O God, Eternal Spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ, and Our God, and to your deeds we testify; You call the worlds into being; creat persons in your own image, and set before each one the ways of life and death. You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin. You judge people and nations by your righteous will declared through Prophets and apostles. In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior, you have come to us and share our common lot, conquering sin and death, and reconciling the world to yourself. You bestow upon us your Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and Races. You call us into your church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be your servants in the service of others, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ's baptism and eat at his table, to join Him in His passion and victory. You promise to all who trust you forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, your presence in trial, and rejoicing, and eternal life in your realm which has no end. Blessings and Honor, Glory and Power be unto You. Amen."
As for homosexuality being a sin - my understanding within the UCC denominationally is that they are not preaching for or against, but are simply saying all are welcome at the table in the spirit of Matthew 22:1-14. Seeing as no church, congregation or denomination get this Christian thing totally right as all of us have fallen and continue to fall short of the glory of God, I would suppose that being as God's ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:-9) we will all be surprised at who truly gets in and is accepted into the Kingdom.
As for what Martin King and Jesus would or would not approve of - I can't speak for Martin King, but the word of God says, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that WHOSOEVER believes in HIM shall not perish...indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to CONDEMN the world, but in order that the WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH HIM. Those who believe in Him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are demned already, because they have not believed in the NAME of the only Son of God..." John 3:16-18 I would suppose that the "WHOSOEVER" part of this scripture would include even those we, in our self-righteous judgment deem unworthy, which goes back to the Galatians passage you quoted, because that would only apply to those WHOSOEVERS that connected with the John 3:16-18 passage. With that being said, we get a clear take on what Jesus has to say about the situation, as the John passage quoted are the words Jesus, himself spoke to Nicodemus.
The Apostle Paul has been misunderstood along with the best, thus why it is important to hold any of the Pauline Epistles up along side the Gospels for a more efficacious understanding of same.
I will leave the judging of sin up to God and continue to work our my own salvation.
The reason for my engaging the members of this blog have been solely for the purposes of bringing information. Information that I took the time to investigate for myself and not rely on the spin masters of the news media. And now, in the spirit of Titus 3:9 I will remove myself. Peace 2 you all!
Oh, my white brothers and sisters...how we sin against others by being so reluctant to walk a mile in their shoes before passing judgment.
When you are the majority in this country in terms of your power, your color, your culture--and that's you and I, those of us descended from non-Jewish Europeans--it's hard to realize that history looks much differently when it was YOUR ancestors shipped over from the Old Country as cargo in ships. Or it was YOUR brothers, fathers, grandfathers, etc., who were hung from lampposts and trees for whistling at white women.
And if all of these things were true for you and you saw your community battered by drug abuse, lack of achievement in education, gang violence, etc., wouldn't it be understandable if you circled the wagons and held on to each other for support?
If every white church were held up to such scrutiny...my god, how long ago was it that folks in WHITE churches were being taught that black people were descended from Ham, the lad who uncovered his father's nakedness?
And what would a white-attended church be doing worrying about concentrating on white solidarity, anyway? I would hate to think that you might be concerned about the potential that ONE in 44 US presidents is not completely European in heritage.
Sign me "Had it up to here with white folks who can't see their own white privelege."
Sheesh.
And let the CHURCH say, AMEN!
You can defend it until you are blue in the face, by their own words, they are racially exclusive. If it's wrong for white people to do it, then it's wrong for black people to do it also--no excuses.
If a white man went to a church that admitted to being only concerned about white people, you wouldn't want him to be elected either.
What I said in the blog stands. Bye, bye.
And by the way....if you think that Obama doesn't live a wealthy and "priviledged" life you have truely been duped. There is nothing wrong with wealth, so don't try to create class jealousy.
Amen to that and he does live a privelaged life. Him and his wife together make 1 million dollars a year!! so I just dont feel sorry for him!
I would not want ANY person elected president that was only concerned for his own color!
You're analysis is only going to one level: this idea that if you substituted "white" for "black" in this church's statement of values many people would be angry and disturbed.
But are those words the only difference? No, there is a history and a present-day political reality (the situation of wealth and power in America) which is part of the connotation of each word and which is vastly different for each.
If I were a minister of a congregation (it would probably be a Unitarian Universalist congregation or Buddhist sangha, though), I would have no trouble asking my European-American parishoners to examine their own racial attitudes and to show ways in which they value people of other ethnic groups and class backgrounds.
I really think it makes sense to work from the concept that those who are racist can only be those who have the power to give out rewards and punishments based on race.
THIS DEFINITELY WARRANTS LOOKING INTO. THIS COUNTRY WAS
FOUNDED, 'ONE NATION UNDER GOD'. ALMIGHTY GOD, NOT THE GOD OF THE
KORAN.
Checked this out on 'snopes.com'. It is factual. Check
for yourself..
Who is Barack Obama?
Probable U. S. Presidential candidate, Barack Hussein
Obama was born in Honolulu , Hawaii , to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a
black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel , Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white
ATHEIST from Wichita , Kansas ..
Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii . When
Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to
Kenya . His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from
Indonesia .
When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to
Indonesia . Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta . He also spent two
years in a Catholic school.
Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a
Muslim. He is quick to point out that, 'He was once a Muslim, but that
he also attended Catholic school.' He does not say the Pledge
of Allegiance, sing the National Anthem, nor put his hand over his
heart when others pledge or sing .
Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it
appear that Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and
that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior
Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had
any direct influence over his son's education.
Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann
Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a
Wahabi school in Jakarta
Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the
Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western
world. Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when
seeking major public office in the United States , Barack Hussein
Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay
his Muslim background ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn
into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran (Their
equivalency to our Bible, but very different beliefs)
Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected
presidential candidacy.
The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the U.S.
From the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level
- through the President of the United States , one of their own!!!!
If it comes down to being between him or Hillary .. Then
we REALLY are between a rock and a hard place.
If anyone cares to understand any other perspectives on this issue, I would recommend reading the following:
UCC Head Denounces Political "Attacks" on Obama's Church
Race is sensitive subtext in campaign: South Side church's tenets spark criticism of Obama by some conservatives (registration required)
Africentric church: A visit to Chicago's Trinity UCC
and discussions in the comments of this blog post: link
Thanks for the additional information. It's curious how people like Chris Matthews and other commentators don't think to ask a knowledgeable source, say a pastor in the denomination, about theological points. I guess we're all equally qualified to demonstrate ignorance.
Amen!
FYI - Back off Barack Obama's Church - Appeared in a Newspaper in Chicago Today. Hopefully, you will be able to use the link I've attached, if not, you can cut and paste into your address and pull it up that way.
To read the full story, click here:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/douglas/746933,CST-EDT-douglas18.article
Peace
Reading that waste of ink was intertaining at best. Obviously written by a black democrat with a one-sided agenda ie blacks and democrats. That church and it's beliefs are being "bashed" for a reason, actually several solid reasons. Point is no matter what church he attends he is who he is. A black for black muslim who's parents where muslim and atheist. No thank you!!
Have you checked out the church's bulletin? You might it interesting in terms of the debate on this blog around these issues:
http://tucc.org/bulletin.cfm
I do not want to get into a great debate, but I find it disturbing that there was such an issue made concerning the fact that presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, is a Mormon. Why should Barack Obama's church affiliation not be held to the same scrutiny? I feel if this was the case, it would turn into a very controvercial racial issue. I, for one, am very tired of the politically correct mentality and the injustices it generates. One of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans is religious freedom. We can worship or not worship and not be persecuted for our beliefs or lack there of. However, I find it troubling that the possible leader of our country has loyalties to only one group of people and would not respect or represent ALL Americans. I believe that if Barack Obama were white and belonged to an all white church that only supported the promotion and needs of whites, would be called a racist and we would be hearing about it extensively through the media. Perhaps Barack Obama and the congregation of his church, should revisit Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech and the message it conveyed. MLK was a wonderful man that promoted love, acceptance, and unity for ALL people. As a white Christian, I am concerned about the future of our country if we end up with a president that only cares about one group's promotion and needs. Whose loyalty is to African issues when his loyalty should be to our beloved United Staes of American. We have such diversity in our people, it is ludicrous for any presidential candidate to have loyalty to ANY one group of our citizens. Think about this scenario...what if we had a presidential candidate that was white and belonged to an all white church whose mission statement, in part, only promoted issues that would benefit only whites? Would not that presidential candidate be labelled a racist and be harshly admonished for those beliefs? Would we also not hear endless speeches and outcries of injustice from Jessie Jackson and the other usual African American leaders calling for his political demise? All of you know what I am suggesting is true. We have seen it happen many times over in the media because everyone is so worried about being politically correct. I think it is time for being politically carrect be replaced with truth, honesty, and justice for ALL instead of differnt rules for different people. God bless America!
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