Dyson and Obama

Michael Eric Dyson comments on the Obama Presidency

Is Dyson on point here?

Is is way off?

What points does he have?

What do we glean from this commentary?

Thoughts?

Should we expect something more/different of Obama?

Another Side

With all of this commentary happening about Rick Warren and Obama, I think it is interesting that there is little fuss about Obama’s choice to pray the benediction, Reverend Joseph Lowery. The Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights at Clark Atlanta University focuses mostly on issues of social justice and human rights defines itself as such:

The Joseph E. Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights at Clark Atlanta University provides a forum for dialogue and a laboratory for research and analysis of issues related to human rights, workers’ rights, election reform, voting rights, anti-poverty measures, economic justice, racism, and sexism.

Rev. Lowery was challenged by many conservatives and republicans because of his critic of the Iraq War at Coretta Scott King’s funeral. I don’t know a great deal about Reverend Joseph Lowery’s, beliefs on gay-marriage and abortion – which are the issues surrounding the disapproval of Warren -, but I am willing to assume that they are more similar to Warren’s than Obama’s.

Why is there so little clamor over this choice? Is it because Lowery is less known – outside the Black community? Are his views actually more in line with Obamas? Is this partially a race issue? Is this because Lowery is already seen as liberal because of his views on social justice? Does a white Christians elicit a different response than a Black Christian? What is going on here?

UNITED States of America

There has been a lot of fallout from Barack Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to pray at his inauguration. A plethora of blogs are commenting, both negatively and positively, about this (just search for blogs about Rick Warren). I first learned through my friend Holly’s blog and then did some thinking and investigating myself.

Politically, I think it is a great choice. Obama has relationships with plenty of ministry leaders – from the Christian Right, Center and Left. Choosing someone that many would consider on the right – mainly because of his pro-life stance – lends itself to promoting unity. This is the crux of Obama’s presidency. Is this political? If you consider promoting unity political, then yes. However, if you believe that unity is important in any organization – including a nation, then no. Promoting unity is an essential element of any leader; especially a President.

Additionally, although it has been referred to as a bi-partisan move, I think that characterization is a little off, if anything it is bi-ideological, which transcends the notion of party. This choice is one in which I see as Obama being true to himself and his campaign promises.

Spiritually, I see this as being true to what we, as Christians, are called to do in scripture. Pray for those in authority (note: the subsequent passage was written when the government was more corrupt than ours and the writer, Paul was in prison).

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

I know that the current situation is particularly complicated, Warren is praying publicly. However, I think that a public has some considerable and positive weight. People know Warren’s opposition to some of Obama’s beliefs. They know that Warren and Obama come from different Christian traditions. Conservatives (both politically and Biblically) should not think that Warren is changing his views and Liberals should not think that Obama is changing his views.

Here are Warren’s views on the invitation

“I commend President-elect Obama for his courage to willingly take enormous heat from his base by inviting someone like me, with whom he doesn’t agree on every issue, to offer the Invocation at his historic Inaugural ceremony.

Hopefully individuals passionately expressing opinions from the left and the right will recognize that both of us have shown a commitment to model civility in America.

The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders. I am honored by this opportunity to pray God’s blessing on the office of the President and its current and future inhabitant, asking the Lord to provide wisdom to America’s leaders during this critical time in our nation’s history.”

The point for Christians is to openly and earnestly pray for our leaders – even when we disagree with them.

Socially, it is obvious, especially by many negative responses to this, that the nation does not and is not dealing with political and ideological differences with civility. Comments on the web have condemned Obama and Warren, and correspondingly conservatives and liberals, because of this choice. Obama and Warren don’t have to agree, that isn’t the point. The point for the nation is to exemplify unity.

Hypothetical question:

If a conservative Jew who was pro-life and was not pro-gay marriage was president-elect and Rick Warren was asked to pray for his or her inauguration would there be an issue?

Neither Christ Nor Antichrist

A couple of weeks ago,Urban Faith posted an article by Edward J. Blum that keeps us all in perspective as embrace the election of  a new President.

After the election was called for Senator Obama (thank goodness it didn’t go into the next day or weeks), it felt like the biblical “day of Jubilee” was upon us. Pro-Obama crowds were euphoric as the revolution was seemingly televised. There was dancing and singing. Tears flowed. Everyone commented on the “historic” moment. Senator John McCain sought to wash the historic story as one for African Americans, but he was only partly right. The entire campaign–for both Democrats and Republicans–was an historic event. It was an emblem of how far the United States has changed, and we should all be proud of that.

Let’s ignore for a moment that the Emancipation Proclamation freed very few slaves. Let’s ignore Harry Stout’s argument in Upon the Altar of the Nation that the proclamation provided a moral rationale for immoral total war. Let’s look forward 35 years from 1865 and be struck with a sobering thought. Within one generation, hope had turned to despair. Since the 1950s, African American scholars have referred to the 1890s and early twentieth century as “the nadir.” Thirty-five years after the day of Jubilee, women and men of color now experienced a low point defined by segregation, lynching, and fear.

I believe that considering Blum’s words is of the utmost importance. I am joyous about Obama’s election and I greatly anticipate Obama’s inauguration and corresponding address. However, I mustn’t, in my excitement, view Obama in a utopic manner – which I believe is a great temptation.  Although Obama may be a great man (the fruits of a great President are still to be shown), we must maintain the realization that he is only a man.

As Christians, our faith and hope must constantly remain rooted in Christ. He is the only one that will never fail us.

Is Gay the New Black?

In response to the simultaneous election of a socially liberal President and the passage of Proposition 8, which was supported by more than 70% of the African-American community (most likely many that voted for Obama) the question has been raised about the similarities between Gay Rights and Black Rights. Here are  five quick reasons why I say no:

 

1. There is not a consensus if homosexual attraction is nature or nurture (most likely it is a mix)
2. The history of American homosexual persecution (which is tragic) does not have near the same depth as the enslavement and persecution of blacks
3. Blacks in America were seeking legitimacy has human beings not the right to marry one another
4. No black person could somehow hide there blackness (except a few of those who were 1/16 black, but even they were often considered black)
5. No individuals thought blackness was a sin (they thought it may be a curse and that blacks were subordinate)