Obama Quits Controversial Chicago Church

As most of yesterday's political news attention was on the fate of Florida's and Michigan's delegates, presidential hopeful Barack Obama announced his family "withdrew their membership at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ."

The church, which he has described as where he found his spirituality, had become a favorite target of opponents, after it was reported his former pastor and mentor Jeremiah Wright made remarks implying America got what it deserved on September 11 and the recent remarks from another pastor, Michael Phleger, which mocked Hillary Clinton, "I’m Bill’s wife, I’m white and this is mine" (video). Obama ultimately cut ties with Wright and strongly criticized Phleger's words as being "divisive, backward-looking rhetoric."

Obama, who did not denounce the church, said yesterday, "I make this decision with sadness. This is where I found Jesus Christ, where we were married, where our children were baptized. We are proud of the extraordinary works of that church.” He added that his family will be looking for a new church.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on June 1, 2008 10:51 AM

Comments [rss]

kane

[14] I don't believe one should sit around forever on a crisis, but to allude to JFK, who took his time with the Cuban missile crisis while his entire Cabinet said bomb and invade, is not the same thing as leaving a church which is not a "crisis" in any sense of the word.

All I was saying is that Obama's decision to leave this church after 20 years is no light decision (nor one that needed to be made immediately) and to say that he would falter in a crisis because of the way that he made a personal decision that really does not affect you or me is a little unfair. Very rarely do you find someone who goes to church who agrees with every single thing said, and I doubt that Obama was one of those people.

Spirit of 76

Not in the least, but try telling that to the people who think that God exists beyond a shadow of a doubt and is the most important thing in their lives. They'd say this can't be a nation under God with an agnostic in charge nor can an agnostic be sworn in on a bible he doesn't believe in (which is also why we're very unlikely to see a Jewish president).

Dude69

Is it so bad for America to elect an Atheist as a President?? Ok, maybe an Agnostic first??

Spirit of 76

Wait, you mean thinking things through and looking at all possibilities? Because 8 years of reactionary and pre-emptive policies have not exactly improved the lot of this nation...

Oh, come on. You can't be that naive. There are quick decisions and then there are just wrong ones. Bush and his cronies didn't make quick decisions. They made their decisions long before the Iraq war. Even before 9/11, Bush knew he wanted to go into Iraq to avenge the family honor that dear, old dad tarnished. Do you want to keep thinking things through on Rwanda? On global warming? Do you have any idea what a "crisis" is? It's usually not something that affords the luxury of time. What would have happened if JFK had taken a year to figure out what to do about the missiles in Cuba?

berniegoetz

The "black community" will be most displeased.

ANGRYGOD11

Welcome to America.

If you're an agnostic or atheist, you can't get elected anywhere.

If you have any religious beliefs, they will be examined to the smallest detail like DNA in an major murder case.

If you change your beliefs as an adult, you are the lowest kind of flip-flopper.

You can't win. We all lose.

ANGRYGOD11

Jimmy Carter left his church a few years ago because he couldn't support their ideas anymore. He's old, not running for any office and can do whatever he wants to. Yet, it took him a long time to break with the Southern Baptists and he even taught Sunday school for years (maybe decades?).

Lilitu

It took my mother 45 years to quit her church, even though she found the sermons offensive, the politics divisive, and the attitudes towards women despicable. Sometimes a church isn't just about how much you agree with your pastor.

blablanyc

What does this have to do with NYC?

kane

Wait, you mean thinking things through and looking at all possibilities? Because 8 years of reactionary and pre-emptive policies have not exactly improved the lot of this nation...

matty

omg he did post it verbatim on other blogs! Crat3 is a robot!

http://www.topix.com/forum/us/TC56I5ATSIRU63PUT

Spirit of 76

That Obama was and is not willing to take quick, decisive action on this worries me. What's going to happen at the first big crisis of his term if he wins? Is he going to spend weeks and months wringing his hands and not making a decision?

VanessaNYC

I thought crat3's post was facetious, for our amusement. He/She is not being serious, right?

"Obviously, Sen. Clinton is the presidential candidate to make real progress in leading America into the future in a new direction with forward-looking solutions and progressive change for all Americans to believe in."

That's a good one!

matty

I think Crat3 (cool name duuuuude!) copied his post from the Hillary Clinton superfan site. I've seen it on over 5 different blogs.

sonyactivision

So he just sat there, nodding off into Michele's shoulder, for twenty years. This guy goes on and on about "Change". He couldn't even change his congregation.

crat3

Obama's resignation is 20 years late and just political expediency. He will do anything and say anything in his ruthless quest to swipe the nomination.

Obama's nomination portends a setback of racial tension and racial turmoil.

Obviously, Sen. Clinton is the presidential candidate to make real progress in leading America into the future in a new direction with forward-looking solutions and progressive change for all Americans to believe in.

Dave Hogarty

I am waiting to see the headlines "BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA QUITS CHURCH! Denounces Christianity as 'Backward' and 'Divisive.' Now-Godless Heathen Wishes to Rule U.S."