When Senator Obama's preacher thundered about racism and injustice Obama suffered smear-by-association. But when my late father -- Religious Right leader Francis Schaeffer -- denounced America and even called for the violent overthrow of the US government, he was invited to lunch with presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush, Sr.
Every Sunday thousands of right wing white preachers (following in my father's footsteps) rail against America's sins from tens of thousands of pulpits. They tell us that America is complicit in the "murder of the unborn," has become "Sodom" by coddling gays, and that our public schools are sinful places full of evolutionists and sex educators hell-bent on corrupting children. They say, as my dad often did, that we are, "under the judgment of God." They call America evil and warn of immanent destruction. By comparison Obama's minister's shouted "controversial" comments were mild. All he said was that God should damn America for our racism and violence and that no one had ever used the N-word about Hillary Clinton.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Frank Schaeffer Likens Jeremiah Wright to His Dad
Frank Schaeffer, son of the late Francis Schaeffer, has posted an essay on the Huffington Post that likens Jeremiah Wright's statements denouncing America to statements that his dad once made. Reaction to the elder Schaeffer's statements was considerably different. Here's a quote:
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Frank Schaeffer is correct that Rev. Wright's prophetic preaching is not so unusual.
But, the difference between him and Francis Schaeffer is not that Wright is milder; it is that he is more truthful.
Wright doesn't suffer from the gross misrepresentation of the example of Sodom as having to do with same-gender sexual activity. He realizes that our government is complicit in a wide variety of killings of humans other than abortion. He is not off base on evolution and sex education as are the followers of Francis Schaeffer.
To use the term that the ancient prophet Jeremiah used, Francis Schaeffer was a "false prophet."
And he was very influencial as were those of Jeremiah's day.
6 months have passed since the big brouhaha over Obama's pastor, Jeremiah Wright. And now we are 3 weeks from the November elections and the brouhaha threatens to make a reappearance thanks to John McCain and Sarah Palin. Maybe no one cares anymore. But I am still fearful that the GOP will succeed in planting doubt once again in the minds of average Americans who will point to this association of Obama and vote for McCain as the less risky choice.
I am a black woman of Caribbean descent who was raised Roman Catholic. I went to Catholic schools and predominantly white universities for my undergraduate and graduate education. And yet, when I heard the excerpts of Jeremiah Wright's sermons -- the controversial ones, I understood exactly what he meant, even if I didn't agree with the appropriateness of his handling the subject the way he did. As a black person living in the U.S., my successes notwithstanding, there's no way I could not be familiar with the tone and tenor of Rev. Wright's "rants." And no, I don't think he's crazy.
I am glad that you could offer a similar experience from the white commnuity. I honestly didn't know about the dynamic that you described. Of course, it doesn't completely let Rev. Wright of the hook, because he ranted about the conspiracy against the black community as well. Again, the Tucker Carlson's of the world dismissed Rev. Wright as crazy. He's not. He's strident. Old school, a bit of a loose cannon, but crazy he is not.
Again, you cannot be black in this country and know the history of racism, slavery, reenforcement of racial inequities through government social policies, and not know some of Rev. Wright's rants ring true.
Again, I welcome your personal testimony as a token of self-reflection. All of us have Rev. Wrights in our lives. And you don't necessarily take on their prejudices just because you are related to them or associate with them. And everyone once in while there is some truth -- even in your dad's sermons.
Thank you.
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