Why not? I’m not trying to bind the judgments of the Almighty, but, like a justice participating in oral arguments, He has given out indications of how he is likely to rule, and most experts in divinity think He’ll decide in favor of the poor. We’re in good company to think so. Long before Rev. Wrong and class warfare, a pioneer in modern law enforcement, Henry Fielding, said the poor not only were the better models of the cardinal virtues, but of common decency (propriety) as well. He considered it to be a an irony that, while occupying nearly all the space in jail, the poor did the greatest service to justice.

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If you believe God gives out “brownie points” — and I have got to ask for the biblical citation that backs that up! — you and I are reading different books. I don’t think God says “you’re poor; your excused” “you’re rich, you’re not.”

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1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

No Scroop – I think the Rev. Wright is a racist by the definitions I found on Dictionary.com

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RE: racism: In order to be a speeder, you need a fast car and lots of gas. A lead foot isn’t enough. In order to be a racist, you need an oppressive social structure and the power to use it. A malicious mind isn’t enough. I don’t think Rev. Wrong is a racist. He doesn’t have his hands on the controls of oppression nor does he have the mind to believe that Whites are born to be inferior. The man has racial animosity out the wazoo, but that ain’t racism. He thinks Whites are culpable and incorrigible — not biologically defective.

While you’re correct that humbleness and humility are to some extent independent variables, the Bible does make the humble the beneficiaries of affirmative action when it comes to admission to heaven. The reason the rich have a harder time getting in isn’t due to bad behavior, but to stricter standards. Sure, a rich man never walked out of Safeway with a package of steaks under his coat, but he never made groceries for the poor, either.

The poor can be arrogant, stubborn, grandiose, arbitrary, judgmental and so on — perhaps even more so than the rich, whose behavior is almost always distinguished by one kind of excellence or another. Yet, their place on earth is humble and meek, and God gives them brownie points for it and people like Obama brownie points for hanging with them.

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ah but I have a very high respect for Americans.

I also have a very helathy respect for negative campaigners.

So I will make a prediction:

1) the conservative Christian right is going to make hay of the Rev. Wright issue

2) this will snowball against religious interference in politics in general

3) Obama’s supporters really don’t care, and Obama wins

Of course insread of point 3 we have the other option: Clinton wins.

Either way religious interference in politics will be done in by the religious right loosing the dogs of war, and these same dogs of war will wound McCain whose supporter do care about such things.

This sounds very optimisitic to me.

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Have you since then studied the Masons and realized your pastor was right? Their actual theology is much like Mormonism, and indeed no pastor can lend credence to them in such a way, though it can take courage to say no–and probably is hard to say no to a young member of one’s church! It had to have been doubly hard for him to see you leave the church over it, but his choice was right. I am glad that they were there for you when they needed you, though, and sorry your church was not! Indeed, many false religions put Christians to shame sometimes.

Hey, I’m curious–did you take Llama up on his offer (from Friday’s Whirled Views, I think) and call him? I wondered several times this weekend, and hoped you were able to work things out.

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