March 28, 2008

Hillary Clinton's Former Pastor Defends Jeremiah Wright

Hillary Clinton simply couldn't leave well enough alone. She didn't get engaged in the flap over Rev. Jeremiah Wright's controversial sermon snippets for over a week ... until she needed to change the subject from her big lie on her Bosnia sniper experience. "You know, we don't have a choice when it comes to our relatives. We have a choice when it comes to our pastors and the churches we attend," she said.

That was a political mistake. She forever lost respect and future support from a wide range of folks. Field Negro's heart was broken. Keith Boykin, former member of the Clinton White House feels that Hillary owes an apology to Obama.

Perhaps the most compelling repudiation comes from Hillary's former pastor, Dean Snyder. Rev. Snyder chastised Hillary and others for demonizing Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Rev. Snyder shared the following statement on his church website:


The Reverend Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader whom I have heard speak a number of times. He has served for decades as a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society. He has been a vocal critic of the racism, sexism and homophobia which still tarnish the American dream. To evaluate his dynamic ministry on the basis of two or three sound bites does a grave injustice to Dr. Wright, the members of his congregation, and the African American church which has been the spiritual refuge of a people that has suffered from discrimination, disadvantage, and violence. Dr. Wright, a member of an integrated denomination, has been an agent of racial reconciliation while proclaiming perceptions and truths uncomfortable for some white people to hear.
Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize. This is a critical time in America's history as we seek to repent of our racism. No matter which candidates prevail, let us use this time to listen again to one another and not to distort one another's truth.

Dean J. Snyder, Senior Minister
Foundry United Methodist Church
March 19, 2008




I guess we know why Dean Snyder is Hillary's former pastor! Do you agree that Hillary Clinton should concede the nomination now? If not now, when do you think it should happen?

5 comments:

SjP said...

Villager - just wonder how she will deal with the talk about her affiliation with a "church" that has a fascination with Hitler. That will be interesting. I blogged about this last night under the title "what does hillary have in common with nazis?" SjP

Unknown said...

Sojourner - I'll come by to read your blog post. I guess this is the group known as 'The Fellowship' that you're talking about, huh?

SjP said...

Yep...the very same...SjP

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad, so many of his colleagues are standing by him. Maybe Hillary should leave her church since her pastor share some of the same "radical" ideas as pastor Wright.

Unknown said...

Mrs. Grapevine - Yeah, I imagine that many of us are hypocritical when it comes to our relationship with our church and our own spirituality ... however, it is an ugly look when that hypocrisy is on national display in a presidential election...