Fucker Carlson on Obama's church: Hard to call that Christianity .

[edbermac]

During the "Obameter" segment on the February 7 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, host Tucker Carlson criticized Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), a presumptive candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, for being a member of a church that Carlson claimed "sounds separatist to me" and "contradicts the basic tenets of Christianity," a subject Carlson said he was "actually qualified to discuss." Carlson was referring to the "Black Value System" advocated by the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, of which Obama is a member. A February 6 Chicago Tribune article reported that "conservative critics have seized on Trinity's 12-point Black Value System, especially the portion relating to 'middleclassness,' as evidence that Obama is a divisive candidate who rejects mainstream American values and is primarily focused on the black community." Carlson pointed to the "disavowal of the pursuit of 'middleclassness' " in the church's tenets, calling the church's mission a "racially exclusive theology" and "a theology that ministers to one group of people, based on race." Carlson claimed that Trinity's theology is "racially exclusive" and "wrong," adding that "it's hard to call that Christianity."

Carlson also stated that Trinity's "Black Value System" "calls for congregants to be 'soldiers for black freedom.' " In fact, Trinity encourages parishioners to be "soldiers for Black freedom and the dignity of all humankind ." The Tribune said that the church's "value system" was adopted in 1981 to hold "black Christians accountable for taking care of their own and for continuing to fight oppression." Further, the Tribune reported that according to Melissa Harris-Lacewell, a professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton University, "the 'disavowal of the pursuit of middleclassness' is simply an argument against materialism and the pursuit of the American standard of wealth. Many white Christian churches also preach against materialism."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200702090009

I guess he's not a real Christian like the Falwells and Robertsons of the world.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Wow, I didn't know you had to be a Christian to run for president

Surely that's in the part of Leviticus I missed. And just when are tucker and his fellow christians going to start stoning to death those who work on Sunday.

Yes give us that old time dobson and haggard christianity where hate and hypocrisy reign supreme.

[Debi]

10. Not just a Christian, but the RIGHT KIND of Christian

Wasn't it just a week or so ago that MSM was reporting that Obama wasn't a Christian? :crazy: My head is spinning.

[lazyriver]

2. The RW media is more scared of Obama than they are of

the Clintons. They must really think he can win if they are gunning this hard at him this early.

[Quixote1818]

5. I agree. And Dick Morris is promoting Hillary to win because he wants

to sell a crap load of his stupid book which attacks Hillary.

[rodeodance]

8. He is the low life of Opportunists!

[Quixote1818]

14. Absolutely! He wants the person he despises to win

just so he can sell books and make money. What a major league ass hole!

[Prophet 451]

3. Nothing new there

The hyper-conservative fundementalists have always claimed that they are the only TRUE CHRISTIANS (tm).

[AndyA]

4. Fucker is such a hypocrit.

I wonder what he calls his religion? You aren't supposed to lie, judge others, or any of the things he does every day.

Fucker is a fine one to talk, he's as guilty as anyone.

[Critters2]

6. I'm the same denomination as Obama, Trinity is our largest congregation

and far from being separatist, it is a black congregation in a majority white denomination.
I've served on Conference committees with pastors and laypeople from Trinity, and never felt anything but Christian fellowship.

[Bridget Burke]

7. Well, we can add Theology to the list of things that Carlson doesn't "get"....

Wikipedia lists the 2 pastors of Trinity United Church of Christ in its entry on The United Church of Christ. Obama's church is definitely affiliated with a recognized denomination.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ

[hfojvt]

9. that's what I thought

UCC is descended from the church of the Puritans.

[tblue]

11. Pardon my French, but what an a-hole. I'm sorry but Bow-tie Boy knows squat about black people and

the Christian church. He's about as 'qualified' to discuss that as I am to be Grand Kleagle of the KKK.

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. Obama is not a Christian.

Ok, he's a Christian, but he's not a GOOD Christian.

Ok, he's a good Christian, but he's the the RIGHT KIND of good Christian.

He's not Jesus.

[lyonn]

13. The truth is America has tried secretly to disavow the black

community. Well, that's a bit strong, it appears more like they are tossed aside as an issue. Our inner city school systems are or should be considered a disgrace. The minorities of this country have been used as a football, back and forth about their rights, etc. It is so disturbing to me that the "right" think the minorities and in particular the black community should be able to improve their situation by themselves. All other aspects of American life get all kinds of help through tax breaks, favoritism, etc. yet the black community get no Real help. The schools have in the inner cities, (I am no authority on this at all, it's just how it looks to me from a distance!) are not interesting in improving the conditions for their students. They have these huge schools where gangs are running rampant and others seem to be in fear of their own life, it is a social situation. Just like in any high school. But, why not build smaller schools that only take in a small areas where the social ladder is more like a rural school. Gangs are not as prevalent in rural schools as in large one. Small schools would allow pride in the area and accomplishments for these kids that don't have the opportunity the higher tax schools have.

In other words, the inner city schools should be small where everyone knows each other, provide good teachers, pay them more if necessary, to help these kids realize their real value not what society has told them who they are. You can't tell me that blacks are less capable of accomplishing what the orientals do when they immigrate here. BS. There is and has always been a astigmatism against the black population in this country. No, I'm not black. Maybe I am way off base but something is really wrong with what is happening to our black population. In the 1970's it looked like things would improve and then it appears to have gone grossly downhill! Why?

So, "The Black Value System" comment makes sense. The church seems to be trying to improve the psychi (sp?) of the community.

[baldguy]

15. Hard to call the Dominionists in the White House "Christian"

Gandhi was more of a Christian.

[eShirl]

16. because Christ exhorted his disciples to aspire to the middle class

and aquire worldly goods.
Right?

[HuffleClaw]

17. Obameter ????!!! WTF ?

holy meep.

and this guy is allowed on tv?

[TankLV]

18. How come they don't EVER do an "expose" on all those countless right wing fundy churches?

You know, lynchberg Virginia and the other one that opposes marriage between races that the repukes routinely appear before for their blessing...

[Initech]

19. Hard to call anyone who buys into the RW doctrine Christian