A different perspective on the Wright situation

[Chovexani]

I posted this in GD: P(ooflinging) but wanted to cross post here because I'm sure the Koolaid kids are going to jump all over it and call me a racist and Uncle Tom.
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There isn't really a schism between white evangelical churches and black evangelical churches--the evangelical church, particularly the megachurch, is far more racially diverse than mainline congregations tend to be. It's their only good point.

The problem that is not being reported on (because, as was witnessed during the McClurkin fiasco, if you're not in the community you have NFI about the in-fighting that goes on in it) is the growing schism between old style black churches and the evangelical ones. I hate the fact that Wright's church is being propped up by both Obama defenders and detractors as somehow representative of the Black Church. It's not.

I repeat, this time with Caps Lock of Frustration: THE BLACK CHURCH IS NOT A MONOLITHIC ENTITY, ANY MORE SO THAN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. There are divisions in many places--open and affirming churches like Riverside in NYC vs. Religious Reich-style megachurches, AME vs. your old time Southern black churches, etc. There are many black Christians who take serious issue with Wright's separatist theology and his comments, and who think the "Gov't cooked up AIDS to kill black folks" nonsense is batshit insane. The vast majority of these folks are not right wing Bushies who run behind 700 Club shit, they are progressive, good liberal people who lived through the Jim Crow era and are too busy fighting actual institutional racism to be chasing shadows. They are folks who stand solidly behind the CBC and other organizations. I say "they" but these folks are in my family, I had a long talk with my mom (also a Clinton supporter) about this over the weekend. This is a black woman in her 60s who is a veteran, and a retired federal employee. She has seen more racism--blatant, subtle, institutional, you name it--for longer than some of y'all have been alive (self included). She is the first one to distrust the government, and believes in LIHOP (being a nurse, she worked in the shelter at 14th street after 9/11). I say this not to brag about how bad ass my mom is (and she is), but to establish her cred on this stuff. She is appalled by Wright's comments and said he was ignorant. She puts him in the same category with Black Israelites. But then again, my mom is a black Evangelical and her Pastor, egomaniacal asshole that he is, spends most of his time teaching his congregation how to improve their lives by using the Bible instead of spewing batshit against The Man. That's something I can respect even if I think basing your life on a several thousand year old anthology written by desert nomads is kind of dumb.

What Wright said may be news to most white people, but this is a conversation that's been happening for a long time in the black community and there is NOT a consensus. There are many who feel the way my mom does. This shit is way more complicated than either side is portraying it, and it's kind of maddening, largely because I grew up in the black church. It's a dangerous game that's being played, and I believe there are black Obama supporters who are playing this BS to the hilt to get money and votes and to bully black Clinton supporters into switching sides. "Unity" my ass.

[libbygurl]

1. Thank you for your inside perspective on this.

I do believe that many open-minded people do NOT think that ALL black churches are the same, that they're as rabid and hateful as Rev. Wright's with his incendiary, vulgar rhetoric. And I do applaud your mother for her wise choice of candidate (go Hill!) and her sensible (to me) attitude to Wright's speeches.

It is just very disturbing for those not too familiar with what is really going on in the black churches to hear someone preaching hate for people of a different skin colour. Now, I'm not one to buy into BO's excuse that he was 'shocked' to learn about these speeches now from his 'advisor', 'mentor' and 'close friend of 20 years'. It does raise questions about where BO really stands in all this. He retained his ties to the UCC and Wright because some say (credibly) that he needed the black votes the church could get him in one form or another, and even said that there was 'nothing particularly controversial' about his church - which could mean he was comfortable with the ideas preached in it. Yet now he disowns Wright's words when politically expedient. I don't believe for one second that overall Wright's speeches did not carry this undertone of anger and hatred.

Well, now, I'm really confused about BO's own cognizance of his racial/ethnic identity - and I wonder if he is, too.

[Chovexani]

2. I completely understand.

It's weird because I kind of have my foot in both worlds--I grew up in the church but am now longer in it (I'm Pagan), so I often find myself "translating" for people who aren't as familiar with it.

I honestly think Obama is playing the same game with Wright as he did with McClurkin. He's trying to have it both ways and pit one side against the other for votes. He needed black church votes and he saw that there was some serious concern among some in the black community over whether or not he was "black enough", due to the fact that he spent most of his formative years outside the US and did not grow up in the black church environment. So he played up his UCC ties and his connection with Wright in a "hey you guys, I really am one of you" kind of way. He also threw his mom in the closet and threw away the key. To an extent, it worked--he's all but snatched most of the black vote away from Hillary (some of us are not fooled by him though, heh).

The problem is he bet on the wrong pony this time and went too far. He'll either have to backpedal furiously from Wright and alienate the Separatist contingent, or risk the wrath of Reagan Democrats, white swing voters and Republicans he's so aggressively courted.

It's not an enviable place to be in, and I gleefully admit to a certain amount of schadenfreude. His Machiavellian racial tactics are starting to backfire on him and I for one couldn't be happier.

[Der Blaue Engel]

3. Thanks for putting this out there

I know what you mean about having your foot in both worlds. I grew up in a (mostly) white evangelical church and am now pagan myself. It's a very strange thing to understand it from an insider's perspective and to try to communicate that. Most of the things I relate about my experiences in the church just blow people's minds.

At any rate, I really appreciate getting your take on this situation, and may I add that it is always a pleasure reading your posts. It's funny, but even though we don't really know each other, whenever I see you posting with some of the same thoughts I'm thinking, I feel somehow comforted knowing you're out there. :hug:

[Chovexani]

4. Aww, thanks.

We actually have a lot in common. I came to Paganism from evangelical Christianity too (I was even--gasp--born again :o).

It's weird too, cause just about all the Pagans I know are recovering Catholics. We need a support group, hehe.

[Der Blaue Engel]

6. Yep, I was born again, too

Even spoke in tongues. :scared:

[NastyRiffraff]

5. Thanks for posting this

I had thought that people were treating this controversy as if Blacks, even black evangelicals, didn't speak with one voice, because no racial or religious group does. I don't have the creds to say so, though, especially on GDP. I'm glad you did...I'll go to your post there and see what I can do to support you in what's probably even now a flamefest.