Obama's church denomination calls for nationwide race discussion

CHICAGO-The United Church of Christ, the parent denomination of Barack Obama's church,announced Thursday that it will begin a conversation on racial issues beginning next month in response to sermons by Obama's pastor that were critical of the U.S.Leaders of Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ, meanwhile, asked reporters for respect, saying threats and a media onslaught are disrupting worship at the South Side church. The church has increased security in response to threatening telephone calls,letters and e-mails,they said.At a news conference, the United Church of Christ's national leadership said the furor over comments by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright demonstrated the complexity of racial issues in the country and the need for churches nationwide to talk about them."The members of Trinity United Church of Christ are going through a very difficult time right now. The intersection of politics, religion and race has heightened our awareness of how easy it is for conversations about race to be anything but sacred," said the Rev. John Thomas, the denomination's president.The Rev. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, echoed the call for a national discussion, beginning May 18. Kinnamon said he objects to seeing Trinity portrayed as an extremist sect, saying it and the UCC "are part of the wider Christian community."With more than 8,000 members, Trinity is the largest United Church of Christ congregation in the country.Wright, whose comments sparked the discussion, did not attend Thursday's news conference. He has remained out of public view since snippets of his sermons began appearing on cable news and the Internet, creating a political problem for Democratic presidential candidate Obama. The clips show Wright saying God should damn the United States and calling the country the "U.S. of KKK-A," among other things.In response, Obama gave a speech about race in which he denounced Wright's comments but didn't turn his back on his longtime pastor.The Rev. Otis Moss III, who is replacing Wright when he retires June 1, defended Wright's comments."One of the roles of the prophets: Sometimes you offend. You afflict the comfortable but comfort the afflicted," Moss said.Moss wouldn't provide details about threats to Trinity, but church officials offered one example-a call saying Wright would meet Jesus sooner than he thinks.The church has stepped up its security. Chicago police are monitoring the situation but have no reason to believe the congregation or the neighborhood are in danger, spokeswoman Monique Bond said.
Moss also complained that some reporters have annoyed Trinity congregants and disrupted worship. They have called sick members at home and bothered others during services, he said, asking that reporters treat the church's "sacred space" with more respect.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_el_pr/obama_s_church_ucc
PS:It's very interesting that this so called"church"is calling to a talk about racial issues....when it is their own pastor that is spewing hatred from the pulpit.
The UCC denomination is known for accepting a whole bunch of "beliefs" that are contrary to the word of God and under their umbrella they have many controversial congregations.I wouldnt dare to say that even their pastors and ministers are saved....but you know nowadays the standard for salvation and a godly life is being lowered to whatever level of "comfort" people consider appropiate....
That's how we have the presidential hopeful Obama saying that he wouldnt like his daughters to be "punished with a baby if they make a mistake"....that's pretty dandy for a president wanna be....in other words a guy that has no problem with the murder of his potential grandchild,well....that's a fine christian...isnt it...?
Well after all he comes from a church where his actual pastor asks the media for "more respect of his church as a sacred space"but he has no problem with his pastor Mr Wright defiling the pulpit using vulgar language and spewing hatred and comments tinted with bitterness that honestly are so far severed from the words of the Bible as far as they can be...
No wonder a lot of people want nothing to do with christians.....it's because there is so much DECEPTION INSIDE the church that when people go to a service expecting to hear a message that will help their souls,and all they get is pastors like Wright that lower the preeminence of the pulpit to political comments and hatred....they leave the church confused and hurt.....
Wherever the Nacional Council of Churches shows up you know that is not good....
The UCC doesnt need a talk about racial issues....they need to come straight with God,truly repent and let HIM change their hearts for one of flesh and truly live a Christian life,with a christ like identity....Then and only then is when the rhetoric will change and the hate speech and all that black liberation theology is gonna be replaced by the love and forgiveness that is possible thru Jesuschrist....cause they are gonna start to feel and see like Jesus does....till then...they are gonna remain entangled in all these things that profit for nothing and push people further and further from God...
As in the days of Noah....