ba1025

How come they kept getting invitations to the White House after this exchange?

Gun Grape

Because idiots listen to them. And vote the way they say.

dalem

So it's bad for two religious guys to bemoan the hounding of religion out of the public sphere? That's somehow the equivalent of Rev. Wright's anti-American rants?

-dale

gunnut

Because they are not racists nor anti-American.

Oh wait...they're white. They must be racists.

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Army5339

I think saying that America deserves what Godly punishment is coming to it, in the form of terrorism, because of the gays, lesbians, abortionists, and non-Christians is decidedly anti-American.

It is only slightly less insulting that the Westboro Baptist Church, who are some of the most anti-American people on the face of the planet and feel that US soldiers who die deserve it because of America's failed spiritual morality.

That Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell used a bit more tact doesn't impress me.

dalem

Thing is, those weren't the remarks ba quoted, and the other thing is, they retracted those remarks when challenged, as you have challenged.

-dale

Army5339

Thing is they did say them.

If it was phrased another way, it could easily read, "America probably deserves terrorism, because God is angry at our lack of morality regarding homosexuals, feminism, and pagans." Which sounds extraordinarily similar to Wright's diatribe following 9/11.

Of course they retracted them, they stood to lose millions in funding, and by connection, salary. Retraction doesn't equal a change in belief.

They honestly believe those things, and in a period of PR disaster, admitted as such. You can not "take back" certain things, especially something like Americans deserved to be the recipient of a terrorist attack.

Gun Grape

Robertson didn't give much of an apology. He also used the "The critics have taken the words out of context.

Falwell did apologize for the remarks however.

Robertson pretty much says offending things about anyone, group or religion (including other christians) that don't believe his message.

ofelas

All three sure have something in common - men of the cloth flapping their lips about politics & terrorism due to their flock taking their word as gospel.

Just like non elected Hollywood folks doing the same due to their box office fan following. They should either run for election or quit running their mouth.

I don't give a hoot what Rev. Wright thinks. I greatly dislike the fact that a potential Presidential candidate seems to silently agree with his unpatriotic trash talking.

FOG3

Your reaching. If you refer back to the way people have historically speculated about such things you'd realize you're basically just projecting what you want to see. You have less then nothing to back up your ultra-spin version.

Obama's pastors claiming the US Government purposefully developed HIV to keep the Colored people down is not even remotely as benign as the above. Nevermind moral equivalence logic is the proxy of snakes in the grass. Didn't your mother ever tell you two wrongs don't make a right?

dalem

Thing is, Obama has said over and over that he and Wright are close, that he is his mentor, his inspiration.

And Wright's apparently a venomous shitebag.

Me, I'm a big fan of measuring people by the company they keep, and Wright's pretty nasty company. Of course, I've never gotten this whole Obama thing anyway, never saw any of the charm, charisma, or political acumen that I was told he brought to the table.

-dale

Army5339

I think Wright's message is just as vile, and more disturbing, because AFAIK, no president or presidential candidate attended the church of either Falwell or Robertson for 20+ years.

Plenty of churches, most in fact, don't spew such garbage. It isn't surprising that the ones that are run like corporations on the basis of making profit are led by such people, who believe such things. If a minister needs a PR firm representing them, something is fundamentally wrong with their message or the delivery of it.

dalem

To be fair though, Falwell (I don't know about Robertson) had been embraced by leading Republicans, including some (all?) Republican Presidents as spiritual leaders of the party and conservative movement for decades. Doesn't change what Wright says, or what Falwell didn't say, of course, but it is a fact.

-dale

ba1025

Thanks for proving my point
All three men said vile anti American things. Falwell and Robertson said some vile things about HIV in the 80s and every Republican nominee still sought them out
Those who lean right excuse what Robertson and Falwell said. That's called hypocrisy. It's the same for anyone that leans left and damns Robertson and Falwell for their 20 years of hate speech and excuses Wright because of "liberation' theology. All three men hold vile views and have said hateful things from the pulpit. How many democrats sought Wright's endorsement? How many Republicans sought Robertsons? hypocrisy is ugly.

I no believe that Obama holds Wrights's views than I do McCain holds Hagee's or Guliani held Robertsons. The only difference here is Obama is to the left of center and Wright is black. This is just American politics at it's worst. It's not a real issue it's a vacuous non issue only meant to make people afraid and think a US Senator

Stan187

I think they are all of the same lot. Anyone that says America had 9/11 coming deserves to have their face stuffed under a Porta-Potty for a few days, be it because we deserved damnation for allowing lesbians to frolick or because our tax dollars were used to give black people AIDS to keep them down. Shoot, if they're going to be idiots, I'd at least prefer they be consistent and stand by what they said. If they take it back, then they are idiots without a spine, living too comfortable off of the money of others to stand by their true opinions. I really wish people would not listen to these characters, but freedom of choice is a double-edged sword.

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