Editor’s Opinion by: Gilbert Purtee

Barack Obama’s letter of resignation (if that’s what you want to call it) from being a member of The Trinity United Church of Christ was leaked to the press (CNN) and thus, Obama felt compelled to hold a press conference during a campaign stop in South Dakota today.

The reason for his resignation, Obama says, is because the church and the people who have spoken there, have caused riffs in the continuity and purpose of his campaign.  Further more, his campaign has caused undue pain and heartache to other members of the Trinity Church Family. 

Barack Obama also stated that he did not understand why his church and Jeremiah Write, his long time friend and Pastor had fallen under such scrutiny by the media and the public.  He said he was prepared for many things to be brought out about his past, his friends and such but the onslaught of the media towards him and his church affiliation had caught him by surprise.  He admitted that he would not “denounce” The Trinity United Church of Christ because the church was not in need of being denounced.

Oh, contraire, Mr. Obama.  Your church needs to be denounced. 

Church’s preach and teach about God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit.

Statements from the pulpit should be what the Bible teaches, what God teaches and/or what Jesus taught.  These things maybe open to interpretation, but are rarely considered controversial.

So why is his church and Obama’s Pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright considered so controversial and should be denounced?  The pulpit of any church should never be used for political speech.  It should never be used to teach hate, used to mock others (even if it was directed at Hillary) or degrade people who do not believe as you do.  It maters not if the congregation is white or black, Jew or gentile, man or woman, young or old;  hate toward others has no place in a worship service and when there is, it draws attention.  When these hateful views are taught over and over again, there is a great danger of losing the original charter of the church, that of which is to preach the Gospel and win souls to Christ.

A church without Christ is nothing more than a club.

A church that preaches hate is nothing more than a gang.

A church that believes blacks should not sing “God Bless America” but “God Damn America” is nothing more than a clique.

A church that teaches conspiracy, treachery and collusion is nothing more than a league of hatred.

This, Mr. Obama, is why your Pastor Write and his Trinity Church of God are suspect and why your record as a member of such an organization for more than 20 years raises the question, “Do you feel like singing, ‘God Damn America’?”

For those who came to the Trinity Church to hear God’s Word, just sat there and listened to the hate, cheered at the mocking and the damning of others and still did nothing, they too should be denounced. 

If you, Mr. Obama, sat there and listened to it and did nothing, you should be denounced as well.