The full story behind Wright’s 'God Damn America' sermon

I just finished listening to the nearly 40-minute sermon Rev. Jeremiah Wright gave on April 13, 2003, titled, “Confusing God and Government.”

For those of us watching and listening to the media in the last week, it is better known as the “God Damn America” sermon.

Wright’s scriptural focus was Luke 19:37-44 (reading from the New Revised Standard Version).

In this sermon, Wright spoke about the military rule during biblical days, led by Pontius Pilate. It was clear, through his language, such as “occupying military brigade” that he was making an analogy to the war in Iraq.

“War does not make for peace,” he said. “Fighting for peace is like raping for virginity.

“War does not make for peace. War only makes for escalating violence and a mindset to pay the enemy back by any means necessary,” he said.

He then gets to the thesis of his sermon, saying, “y’all looking to the government for only what God can give. A lot of people confuse God with their government.”

Wright criticizes the Bush administration and it supporters for using Godly language to justify the war in Iraq. He equates using God in America as condoning the war in Iraq to the same perspective of Islamic fundamentalists.

“We can see clearly the confusion in the mind of a few Muslims, and please notice I did not say all Muslims, I said a few Muslims, who see Allah as condoning killing and killing any and all who don’t believe what they don’t believe. They call it jihad. We can see clearly the confusion in their minds, but we cannot see clearly what it is that we do. We call it crusade when we turn right around and say that our God condones the killing of innocent civilians as a necessary means to an end. WE say that God understand collateral damage. We say that God knows how to forgive friendly fire.

“We say that God will bless the shock and awe as we take over unilaterally another country, calling it a coalition because we’ve got three guys from Australia, going against the United Nations, going against the majority of Christians, Muslims and Jews throughout the world, making a pre-emptive strike in the name of God. We cannot see how what we are doing is the same thing is the same thing that Al-Qaeda is doing under a different color flag – calling on the name of a different God to sanction and approve our murder and our mayhem.”

He continues on his thesis of equating government with our God, saying that God sent the early settlers to America to take the country from Native Americans; ordained slavery; and that “we believe that God approves of 6 percent of the people on the face of this earth controlling all of the wealth on the face of this earth while the other 94 percent live in poverty and squalor while we give millions of tax breaks to the white rich.”

He also criticizes the “lily white” G-7 nations for controlling the world’s capital.

Then Wright speaks to:

1. Governments lie. “This government lied about their belief that all men were created equal. The truth is they believed that all white men were created equal. The truth is they did not even believe that white women were created equal, in creation nor civilization. The government had to pass an amendment to the Constitution to get white women the vote. Then the government had to pass an equal rights amendment to get equal protection under the law for women. The government still thinks a woman has no rights over her own body, and between Uncle Clarence (Thomas), who sexually harassed Anita Hill, and a closeted Klan court, that is a throwback to the 19th century, handpicked by Daddy Bush, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, between Clarence and that stacked court, they are about to un-do Roe vs. Wade, just like they are about to un-do affirmative action. The government lied in its founding documents and the government is still lying today. Governments lie.”

“The government lied about Pearl Harbor. They knew the Japanese were going to attack. Governments lie. The government lied about the Gulf of Tonkin. They wanted that resolution to get us in the Vietnam War. Governments lie. The government lied about Nelson Mandela and our CIA helped put him in prison and keep him there for 27 years. The South African government lied on Nelson Mandela. Governments lie.

“The government lied about the Tuskegee experiment. They purposely infected African American men with syphilis. Governments lie. The government lied about bombing Cambodia and Richard Nixon stood in front of the camera, ‘Let me make myself perfectly clear…” Governments lie. The government lied about the drugs for arms Contra scheme orchestrated by Oliver North, and then the government pardoned all the perpetrators so they could get better jobs in the government. Governments lie.

“The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of people of color. Governments lie. The government lied about a connection between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein and a connection between 9.11.01 and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Governments lie.

“The government lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being a threat to the United States peace. And guess what else? If they don’t find them some weapons of mass destruction, they gonna do just like the LAPD, and plant the some weapons of mass destruction. Governments lie.

2. Governments change. He said long before the United States colonized the world, so did Egypt.

“All colonizers are not white. Turn to your neighbors and say that oppressors come in all colors.”

He then went back to the Bible and spoke about the changing of kings in Babylonia.

“Prior to Abraham Lincoln, the government in this country said it was legal to hold African in slavery in perpetuity...when Lincoln got in office, the government changed. Prior to the passing of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, government defined African as slaves, as property. Property, people with no rights to be respected by any whites anywhere. The Supreme Court of the government, same court, granddaddy of the court that stole the 2000 election. Supreme court said in it’s Dred Scott decision in the 1850s, no African anywhere in this country has any rights that any white person has to respect at any place, any time. That was the government’s official position backed up by the Supreme Court – that’s the judiciary; backed up by the executive branch – that’s the president; backed up by the legislative branch and enforced by the military of the government. But I stop by to tell you tonight that government’s change.

“Prior to Harry Truman’s government, the military was segregated. But governments change.

“Prior to the Civil Rights and equal accommodation laws of the government in this country, there was backed segregation by the country, legal discrimination by the government, prohibited blacks from voting by the government, you had to eat and sit in separate places by the government, you had sit in different places from white folks because the government said so, and you had to buried in a separate cemetery. It was apartheid, American style, from the cradle to the grave, all because the government backed it up.

“But guess what? Governments change. Under Bill Clinton, we got a messed up welfare to work bill, but under Clinton blacks had an intelligent friend in the Oval Office. Oh, but governments change.

“The election was stolen. We went from an intelligent friend to a dumb Dixiecrat. A rich Republican who has never held a job in his life; is against affirmative action (and) against education – I guess he is; against healthcare, against benefits for his own military, and gives tax breaks to the wealthiest contributors to his campaign. Governments change. Sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad.”

“Where governments change, God does not change. God is the same yesterday, today and forever more. That’s what his name I Am means. He does not change.

God was against slavery on yesterday, and God, who does not change, is still against slavery today. God was a God of love yesterday, and God who does not change, is still a God of love today. God was a God of justice on yesterday, and God who does not change, is still a God of justice today.

“God does not change.”

3. He then speaks of the government in his Bible text and said the Romans failed. Then he said the British government failed even after it colonized the world. He said the Russian government failed. The Japanese government failed. The German government failed.

“And the United States of America government, when it came to treating her citizens of Indian descent, she failed. She put them on reservations.

“When it came to putting her citizens of Japanese descent fairly, she failed. She put them in interment prison camps.

“When it came to putting the citizens of African descent fairly, America failed. She put them in chains. The government put them on slave quarters. Put them on auction blocks. Put them in cotton fields. Put them in inferior schools. Put them in substandard housing. Put them scientific experiments. Put them in the lower paying jobs. Put them outside the equal protection of the law. Kept them out of their racist bastions of higher education, and locked them into positions of hopelessness and helplessness.

“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three strike law and then wants us to sing God Bless America. Naw, naw, naw. Not God Bless America. God Damn America! That’s in the Bible. For killing innocent people. God Damn America for treating us citizens as less than human. God Damn America as long as she tries to act like she is God and she is Supreme.

“The United States government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African descent. Think about this. Think about this. For every one Oprah, a billionaire, you’ve got 5 million blacks that are out of work. For every one Colin Powell, a millionaire, you’ve got 10 million blacks who cannot read. For every one Condi-Skeezer Rice, you’ve got 1 million in prison. For every one Tiger Woods, who needs to get beat at the Masters, with his Cablanasian hips, playing on a course that discriminates against women, God has this way of brining you up short when you get to big for your Cablanasian britches. For every one Tiger Woods, we’ve got 10,000 black kids who will never see a golf course. The United States government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African descent.”

“Tell your neighbor he’s (going to) help us one last time. Turn back and say forgive him for the God Damn, that’s in the Bible though. Blessings and curses is in the Bible. It’s in the Bible.”

Where government fail, God never fails. When God says it, it’s done. God never fails. When God wills it, you better get out the way, ‘cause God never fails. When God fixes it, oh believe me it’s fixed. God never fails. Somebody right now, you think you can’t make it, but I want you to know that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.”

He then went on to talk about the salvation of Christians through the death of Jesus Christ. The sermon ended with a song proclaiming, “God never fails.”

Comments

[Brian Maxwell]

Thank you Roland for taking the time to dissect these sermons. I for one have been to more than one church Since September 11th and have heard sermons along these same lines.

I for one feel that someone had to dig this up on Senator Obama, only because they couldn't find anything else negative about the man. But I am a firm believer that "all things work together for the GOOD of those that love the Lord, and are the called according to his purpose."

If it is God's will, for Senator Obama to be the next President of the United States, then (I know I'm getting ready to anger somebody) In the words of Rev Jeremiah Wright, "If God Wills it, then you'd better get out of the way"

By the way Roland, can you post this sermon to your blog as well?

[Mario Garrett]

The problem is that some people don't want to hear anything out of the box. Before it was let out the box, for a long time people were deamed as un-american if they opposed the Iraq (Invasion) war. And this was repeated by President Bush almost in an attempt (that worked) to intimidate free thinking individuals that refused to be told that sh*t doesn't stink. When people are educated, they are mentally able to be rational thinkers on a consistent basis. Our school system has slowly been dumbed down to help control our opinions through mainstream media outlets. This allows for sound bites to be viewed as credible by a large group because over the years they have been trained to think and respond this way. The few of us who are intelligent enough to say "wait a minute" how do so many anchors/news reporters draw the same conclusion from portions of sermons? When it is obviously impossible to judge a statement, let alone a sermon, by a few words in it and be consistently correct or credible.

[Jody Gaddy]

The Clintons are liars. Any Black person who stands with them and believes them is our traitor. The media is continuing to refuse to repeatedly air the blatant lies of Hillary the way they repeat the words of the preacher. The preacher spoke words; he did no outsource our jobs. The Clintons outsourced our jobs and lied about this in Ohio. There are many more lies that can be proven to be treasonous. Read the entire memo:

=================================================
Obama Camp Memo on Clinton “Misleading” Voters

TO: Interested Parties
FR: Obama Campaign
RE: A history of misleading voters
DA: March 20, 2008

A history of misleading voters
Senator Clinton’s newly released White House schedules—showing a lack of candor on her NAFTA Record, her role in passing FMLA, and her role in key foreign policy decisions—are just the latest in what has become a legacy of misleading voters. On issue after issue, Clinton says one thing while her record says another.

Her Iraq vote. Clinton says she voted for diplomacy, while on the Senate floor at the time she said she was casting a “vote that might lead to war” and doing it “with conviction.”

Foreign Policy Experience. Clinton claims that she’s been “tested” on foreign policy and that she’s experienced in handling foreign crises. But her White House records show that she was consistently absent when critical decisions were being made, and that her trips abroad were largely ceremonial.

The Michigan and Florida primaries. Back when it suited her political purposes she said the Michigan primary “didn’t count for anything” and that she wasn’t leaving her name on the ballot to try to legitimize the results. But now that she desperately needs more votes, she’s doing just that. And despite her pledge not campaign in either state, she held two campaign events in Florida.
=============================
You must read it all:

Source:
http://thepage.time.com/obama-camp-memo-on-clinton-misleading-voters/

[Kristen Ruiz]

Thank you so much for posting this on your website. I searched all day for a transcript of these 2 sermons and so far you are the only one who has been decent enough to look at the entire context instead of the 30 second clips. In fact, after reading these transcripts, I plan on seeing if I can find the speeches on video because to me, they speak truth and justice and I would love to see him actually speak the words that have such a strong ring of truth to them. It is sad that we live in a world where being considered "unpatriotic" is a bigger sin that being a gay basher or a murderer. I think that if people really understood the history of America they would see that those men considered unpatriotic by the British government are the ones that founded are country. The women who were considered unpatriotic because they dared to question the government are the same ones who fought and received the right to vote. The black and white men who stood beside Dr. King and were called traitors and unpatriotic because they dare fight for equal rights for blacks were instrumental in furthering the civil rights movement. All these so called "unpatriotic" acts actually strengthened our country and made us the so called leader of the free world. Call me unpatriotic any day if that is what it takes to make America better, to bring home our troops, to fight for peace.

[New Yorker]

One American is being UNFAIRLY made to carry the entire cross of America's centuries of racism, WHICH IS NOT OF HIS MAKING!

We also think that many many white men have ran for the Presidency of the US.
AND NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER BEEN ASKED TO BEAR THE ENTIRE BURDEN OF AMERICA'S CENTURIES OF RACISM OR EVEN A WEE BIT OF IT!

And guess who created racism in America?
Be honest now!
I'm not holding my breath for the correct answer. lol

So, for hundreds of years Black American have been made to carry America's burdens.
And what do they get in return? A freaking kick in the teeth.

President Barack Obama is doing MORE THAN his share to help heal America towards a more perfect union.
And a lot of lazy Americans, instead of pitching in, they waste time with divisiveness and the criticize a good, principled and decent human being!

[Jody Gaddy]

This is mcCain's preacher. Listen to his hateful, incendiary, and fear-mongering remarks

Text Sample:
"If I were call for the sterilization or the elimination of an entire segment of society, I'd be labeled a racists or a murderer, or at very best a Nazi," says Parsley. "That every single year, millions of our tax dollars are funding a national organization built upon that very goal -- their target: African Americans. That's right, the death toll: nearly fifteen hundred African Americans a day. The shocking truth of black genocide."

"Right now our own government is allowing organizations like Planned Parenthood to legally take the innocent lives of precious baby girls and baby boys and even footing the bill for it all with our tax dollars, turning every single one of us into accessories to murder," he says. "You know who their biggest fans must be, that must be the Klu Klux Klan, because the woman who founded this organization detested black people.... African Americans were number one on Margaret Sanger's list. So this 'Lady MacDeath,' as I like to call her, studied the works of Englishman Thomas Robert Malthus, and embraced his plan of eugenics."

The entire Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw8-9AGGsQw

[New Yorker]

Jody Gaddy | March 21, 2008 at 06:25 PM

Are you serious about "hateful, incendiary, and fear-mongering remarks"? lol

[Yvonn C.]

How long will we continue to hide from the truth of this country? We’re here and we aren’t leaving anytime soon unless we want to leave or we die. It’s time to stand in the memories of our ancestors, we owe them our best. If the media wants to actually find out how Rev. Wright feels, then they should ask him and not these so called experts such as Larry Elder and others. Because no one can speak for an individual, but the actual individual themselves. We all know what this country does and is capable of doing, there’s no excuse in denying that it’s not happening. God has a way of revealing the truth to the world. Hurricane Katrina was a prime example in revealing America’s truth for all to see and yet many ignored that revelation. We have lived in this country so long that what ever happens to us, we have become immune to it and expect it. Many have expected this as our way of life, we deserve much better. Remember, during the Jena 6 march, many Americans were very angry that we had the audacity to march, when they feel that laws have been changed to benefit us. This belief comes from our wonderful politicians who pit us all against each other. A unified nation can accomplish plenty when we stand together in peace and not in condemnation of each other. I do know when this country attempts to do what they feel is best for American interest, they come up with whatever justification they can to get the public to go along with it. Have any of you questioned why Africa is not apart of the G7 ? I have for years, sure it’s suppose to be composed of the wealthiest nations and Africa is wealthy in terms of raw minerals and land mass, but we all know who owns it. Have you ever asked yourself why are Africa’s people the only ones in this world to be allowed to suffer until they die off? Why are the people of the African Diaspora the only ones in the world living in abject poverty? Honestly, for most it’s not a choice. White Americans do not like to be reminded of slavery because they feel that they had nothing to do with it since it happened so long ago. And yet they continue to benefit and profit from the past and live the life of entitlement. We didn’t live in that era also, but no matter where we are in our lives, we still suffer the consequences of enslavement. America is too proud to disinherit itself from slavery and continue on her long legacy of disingenuous dialogue. It’s time that we honor and acknowledge the truth and only then can we have the life that GOD has intended for us to live, for now we are not living, we are just barely existing…

[Michelle]

Acropolis Review, Charles Murray and Drew Westen summarize some of the important points:

http://acropolisreview.com/2008/03/video-barack-obamas-philadelphian-unity.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-westen/the-meanings-of-obamas-s_b_92381.html

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjI3MWMyOGFkNmQ2MGFjNzRhYzYwMGVhZWJhMjcyOGM=

[Michelle]

Acropolis Review, Charles Murray and Drew Westen summarize some of the important points:

http://acropolisreview.com/2008/03/video-barack-obamas-philadelphian-unity.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-westen/the-meanings-of-obamas-s_b_92381.html

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjI3MWMyOGFkNmQ2MGFjNzRhYzYwMGVhZWJhMjcyOGM=

[PSmalls]

I Love It!! I loved the sermon and I love every bit of what is now taking place. The truth is many preachers are afraid to tell the truth when it deals with government and politics. Many people do not believe such topics should be discussed across the pulpit. I for one love every bit of it and I am grateful to Dr. Wright and the other preachers who are not afraid to tell the truth. The biggest thing I I really wanted to ask the government was Did he lie in anything that he said? Dr. Wright is EXTREMELY knowledgeable and it is time for more people to wake up and not just go along to get along.

[Judy B]

I have also been looking for the complete text of these sermons. The internet and the media does a disservice in putting out just a couple of paragraphs out of context. I hope you will make an effort to get the whole story out to everyone.

[Hali]

Thank you so much for posting this. I wish I had heard it last Sunday, or even two weeks ago when we had the Lazarus story as our scripture reading. Of course some of the stuff is not factually accurate (and Dr. Wright gives the US government a free pass because we have yet to pass an Equal Rights Amendment). But a few minutes out of an intense 40 minute sermon does not change the whole message. I understand now, too, why he used such negative language right before the conclusion, because it DOES mirror the rage and despair and feelings of hopelessness that culminate in Good Friday; his conclusion is an Easter of God's steadfastness. I think he realized he went over the top (turn to your neighbor and say "forgive him"), but if you don't take chances, you're not living up to your full potential.

Blessings and prayers to all of you as we await the joy of Easter, blessings to America, blessings to all God's creation.

[Katrina]

Thank you Roland for sharing this with all of us. I had a feeling that this was what Rev Wright was sharing. During the time around 9/11 I attended a church with a white pastor and a mostly white congregation. The sermons were also very strong-but my pastor was a coward. He blamed gays for the attack. I respect Rev Wright and I am grateful for honesty.

[Net]

I listened to the both sermons tonight and I found them both to be educational and factual. Those ignorant fools who are exclaiming racism just refuse to perform a self examination as Rev. Wright suggested. America provoked the violence on itself simply by the way this nation constantly disrespected others. It is sad, but true, that most people will give the entire soul for money and power. Obviously, those fools who want to inflict wounds on Obama realize you cannot stop of the God's will. If it is God will, then they better move over as Rev. Wright stated because they will not stop him. They should listen to the sermons which will teach them that God does not like ugly. And, what they are trying to do to Obama may hurt them in the end. What goes around comes around and many people cannot take what they give to others like America.

[Nanaqu2]

Thanks to Pastor Wright, Obama chance of getting to the White House is over. I hope Pastor Wright, changes his tone of sermon and changes the way he preaches his sermon.

[Nanaqu2]

We should pray to God so that he allows the media's negative views about Mr. Obama to appear as nothing but foolishness to the viewing public, because they (some people in the media) hate to know the truth. Pray that God gives Mr. Obama insight, strength, tactfulness and courage in this very trying time for him.

Long live the Senator from Illinois.

[lennybruce]

I just listened to both the 9-11 sermon and this one to judge for myself. Excellent summation of the God damn America sermon. Although many people may find his oratory style uncomfortable, to those I would say try and listen to his words and you will find it is very hard not to agree with much if not most of what he says in his message. Even if you take strong exception to some of the details he uses to frame his message, it is hard to deny the value of the positive and on-target spiritual message he is teaching. I found both sermons to be very engaging, challenging, often spiritually inspiring, in the best tradition of social Christianity (which has a long and laudatory history). It is so sad that these truths about the man, his sermons and these distorted sound bites will not penetrate to the broad public. Very few people will invest the 20 - 60 minutes time needed to listen to these sermons in context. The impression being purposely created does a great injustice to Rev Wright and his church. It is very unfairly damaging and detracting from the candidacy of a potential President. Most of all, it is robbing the public from something positive and turning it into something perceived to be evil. Shame. Shame. Shame.

[D.L.M.]

Roland you are right again, the television media in its zeal to denounce Senator Obama have misrepresented Rev. Wright. The Statement "God Damn America" was totally taken out of context. I am not surprised that the television stations would, could and does such things, what surprises me is the denouncement of God and his ability to transend language and speak to a people through Rev. Wright. To totally deny the fact that Rev. Wright was preaching a sermon is incomprehensible to me, are they heathens? Do the American people have to remind them (T.V. reporters) of our constitutional rights of free speech. How can they link a sermon of Senator Obamas" pastor as a ability or inability to lead this country down the right path. Lets see, what is expected of Senator Obama and other American citizens " Excuse us pastor may we have a copy of your sermon you see one day we might run for president or visit another country and I want to make sure you don't say anything that would hurt my future chances of running for president or traveling abroad" How ridiculous is that! I understand we need to have the right man (or woman) in the white house and to be scruitinized is part of the process, lying should not be tolerated. I am glad that I listen to WVON and your show. You guys keep me on the path of honesty and truth in reporting facts of this topic and many other topics. I would like to thank you and add, Senator Obama still has my vote.

[Celucien Joseph]

I thought I would post here my answers to Thabiti Anyabwile’s various questions regarding Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s controversial sermon, “Confusing God and Government.”

1.What passage of Scripture is the preacher considering?

Luke 19:37-44 ( Thesis: y’all looking to the government for only what God can give. A lot of people confuse God with their government.”)

2. What are the major points of the sermon?

A)Governments lie.
B)Governments change
C)Governments fail

3. Do the major points/content of the sermon grow out of the text itself? Are the preacher’s points the same points made by the text?

•Well the major points of the sermon did not directly derive from the Lukan passage. Nonetheless, the major points of the sermon are consistent only to what the preacher wanted to communicate with the tex, but not in accordance with the message that Luke endeavored to communicate to th early christians ( his audience). Luke’s ultimate goal in this passage was to certify Jesus’ messianic status (v. 38; “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!) , his royal personage ( He is the Son of David, He is King), and his messianic role as the Coming one predicted by OT prophets . Luke also developed the nature of Jesus’s kingship ( i.e. they set Jesus on the colt; he rode along…) . He also told us about Jesus’ sentiment about the people, the society, and the religious system— Jesus wept over the moral decadence of the society and religious system of his time.

•Talking about Rev. Wright’s major points: we might suggest that perhaps this particular text ( Luke 19: 37-44) bears some imperial overtones. In this regard, Rev. Wright’s points on the nature of Goverments in generally are consistent with what we know about the Roman imperial system . For example, in verse 43 Jesus predicted that, “For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you.” Christian Church historans informed us about a host of christian martyrs in the hand of Roman Goverment. We also know about Nero’s persecution against Christians, those who professed the Lordship of Christ. We also know that the Roman emprie promised peace to his people. That Rome and its citizens were the natural home of freedom and liberty. “They had established a democracy, the pretense of which was kept up throughout the early imperial period” ( N.T. Wright, Paul in Fresh Perspective, 63)
. So Freedom, justice, peace and salvation were the predominant themes of the Roman imperalism (ibid). So Rev. Wright might have a case here but not according to Luke’s salvific message, it is rather based on the implications of the social and political structures (ramifications?) of the text.

4. Does the preacher adequately situate the text and the sermon in the context of the chapter, book, and Bible?

This is not clear in the sermon.

5. How does the preacher illustrate his points? Are the illustrations helpful?

When one studies this sermon carefully it becomes clear that the illustrations substantiate relatively all the major points of the sermon. They are as follows:

•Government lie (Point 1)
A) Then he gives a number of examples: (1)“This government lied about their belief that all men were created equal.. The truth is they believed that all white men were created equal. The truth is they did not even believe that white women were created equal, in creation nor civilization. (2) “The government lied about Pearl Harbor. They knew the Japanese were going to attack. (3) “The government lied about the Tuskegee experiment. They purposely infected African American men with syphilis. (4) The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of colo. (5) The government lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being a threat to the United States peace.”

He follows a coherent pattern in points 2 and 3.
•Government change ( Point 2)
Examples ,(1) “ Prior to Abraham Lincoln, the government in this country said it was legal to hold African in slavery in perpetuity…when Lincoln got in office, the government changed. (2) Prior to the Civil Rights and equal accommodation laws of the government in this country, there was backed segregation by the country, legal discrimination by the government, prohibited blacks from voting by the government, you had to eat and sit in separate places by the government, you had sit in different places from white folks because the government said so, and you had to buried in a separate cemetery . (3) “Where governments change, God does not change. God is the same yesterday, today and forever more. That’s what his name I Am means. He does not change.”

•Government Fail ( Point 3; so the Roman Governement failed)
Illustrations, (1) And the United States of America government, when it came to treating her citizens of Indian descent, she failed. She put them on reservations. (2) When it came to putting the citizens of African descent fairly, America failed. She put them in chains. The government put them on slave quarters. Put them on auction blocks. Put them in cotton fields. Put them in inferior schools. Put them in substandard housing. Put them scientific experiments. (3) Tell your neighbor he’s (going to) help us one last time. Turn back and say forgive him for the God Damn, that’s in the Bible though. Blessings and curses is in the Bible. It’s in the Bible.Where government fail, God never fails. When God says it, it’s done. God never fails. When God wills it, you better get out the way, cause God never fails. When God fixes it, oh believe me it’s fixed. God never fails. Somebody right now, you think you can’t make it, but I want you to know that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

6. What are the preacher’s main applications? Are the applications clearly related to the main point of the passage? How would you evaluate the usefulness of the applications?

My suggestion is that Rev. Wright wanted his audience to know that although the Government (might lie) has lied to us, (might fail) failed us and (might change) has changed or is subject to change ; God does not lie. God does not change, and God does not fail. It is also evident that the applications verify his major points. GOD NEVER FAILS is the main idea of the sermon. Rev. Contextually, Rev. Wright upholds the consistency of God in his dealings with mankind , in the midst of a changing world or government.

7. Does the preacher make the gospel clear and urge his hearers to respond to the gospel?

According to Roland Martin’s observation, “He (Rev. Wright) then went on to talk about the salvation of Christians through the death of Jesus Christ. The sermon ended with a song proclaiming, ‘God never fails’ “

8. What improvements might you recommend?

Follow the message of the TEXT! In this particular case ( Luke 19:37-44), let the message of the text consume you: your heart, your soul, your mind with the message of the cross, then you can communicate this same message to the people of God.

I also want to add that the media has failed to read Rev. Wright in context.In the same way, Rev. Wright’s sermon has failed the message of the cross, which , Luke communicated in the relevant passage.

[Celucien Joseph]

I thought I would post here my answers to Thabiti Anyabwile’s various questions regarding Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s controversial sermon, “Confusing God and Government.”

1.What passage of Scripture is the preacher considering?

Luke 19:37-44 ( Thesis: y’all looking to the government for only what God can give. A lot of people confuse God with their government.”)

2. What are the major points of the sermon?

A)Governments lie.
B)Governments change
C)Governments fail

3. Do the major points/content of the sermon grow out of the text itself? Are the preacher’s points the same points made by the text?

•Well the major points of the sermon did not directly derive from the Lukan passage. Nonetheless, the major points of the sermon are consistent only to what the preacher wanted to communicate with the tex, but not in accordance with the message that Luke endeavored to communicate to th early christians ( his audience). Luke’s ultimate goal in this passage was to certify Jesus’ messianic status (v. 38; “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!) , his royal personage ( He is the Son of David, He is King), and his messianic role as the Coming one predicted by OT prophets . Luke also developed the nature of Jesus’s kingship ( i.e. they set Jesus on the colt; he rode along…) . He also told us about Jesus’ sentiment about the people, the society, and the religious system— Jesus wept over the moral decadence of the society and religious system of his time.

•Talking about Rev. Wright’s major points: we might suggest that perhaps this particular text ( Luke 19: 37-44) bears some imperial overtones. In this regard, Rev. Wright’s points on the nature of Goverments in generally are consistent with what we know about the Roman imperial system . For example, in verse 43 Jesus predicted that, “For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you.” Christian Church historans informed us about a host of christian martyrs in the hand of Roman Goverment. We also know about Nero’s persecution against Christians, those who professed the Lordship of Christ. We also know that the Roman emprie promised peace to his people. That Rome and its citizens were the natural home of freedom and liberty. “They had established a democracy, the pretense of which was kept up throughout the early imperial period” ( N.T. Wright, Paul in Fresh Perspective, 63)
. So Freedom, justice, peace and salvation were the predominant themes of the Roman imperalism (ibid). So Rev. Wright might have a case here but not according to Luke’s salvific message, it is rather based on the implications of the social and political structures (ramifications?) of the text.

4. Does the preacher adequately situate the text and the sermon in the context of the chapter, book, and Bible?

This is not clear in the sermon.

5. How does the preacher illustrate his points? Are the illustrations helpful?

When one studies this sermon carefully it becomes clear that the illustrations substantiate relatively all the major points of the sermon. They are as follows:

•Government lie (Point 1)
A) Then he gives a number of examples: (1)“This government lied about their belief that all men were created equal.. The truth is they believed that all white men were created equal. The truth is they did not even believe that white women were created equal, in creation nor civilization. (2) “The government lied about Pearl Harbor. They knew the Japanese were going to attack. (3) “The government lied about the Tuskegee experiment. They purposely infected African American men with syphilis. (4) The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of colo. (5) The government lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq being a threat to the United States peace.”

He follows a coherent pattern in points 2 and 3.
•Government change ( Point 2)
Examples ,(1) “ Prior to Abraham Lincoln, the government in this country said it was legal to hold African in slavery in perpetuity…when Lincoln got in office, the government changed. (2) Prior to the Civil Rights and equal accommodation laws of the government in this country, there was backed segregation by the country, legal discrimination by the government, prohibited blacks from voting by the government, you had to eat and sit in separate places by the government, you had sit in different places from white folks because the government said so, and you had to buried in a separate cemetery . (3) “Where governments change, God does not change. God is the same yesterday, today and forever more. That’s what his name I Am means. He does not change.”

•Government Fail ( Point 3; so the Roman Governement failed)
Illustrations, (1) And the United States of America government, when it came to treating her citizens of Indian descent, she failed. She put them on reservations. (2) When it came to putting the citizens of African descent fairly, America failed. She put them in chains. The government put them on slave quarters. Put them on auction blocks. Put them in cotton fields. Put them in inferior schools. Put them in substandard housing. Put them scientific experiments. (3) Tell your neighbor he’s (going to) help us one last time. Turn back and say forgive him for the God Damn, that’s in the Bible though. Blessings and curses is in the Bible. It’s in the Bible.Where government fail, God never fails. When God says it, it’s done. God never fails. When God wills it, you better get out the way, cause God never fails. When God fixes it, oh believe me it’s fixed. God never fails. Somebody right now, you think you can’t make it, but I want you to know that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

6. What are the preacher’s main applications? Are the applications clearly related to the main point of the passage? How would you evaluate the usefulness of the applications?

My suggestion is that Rev. Wright wanted his audience to know that although the Government (might lie) has lied to us, (might fail) failed us and (might change) has changed or is subject to change ; God does not lie. God does not change, and God does not fail. It is also evident that the applications verify his major points. GOD NEVER FAILS is the main idea of the sermon. Rev. Contextually, Rev. Wright upholds the consistency of God in his dealings with mankind , in the midst of a changing world or government.

7. Does the preacher make the gospel clear and urge his hearers to respond to the gospel?

According to Roland Martin’s observation, “He (Rev. Wright) then went on to talk about the salvation of Christians through the death of Jesus Christ. The sermon ended with a song proclaiming, ‘God never fails’ “

8. What improvements might you recommend?

Follow the message of the TEXT! In this particular case ( Luke 19:37-44), let the message of the text consume you: your heart, your soul, your mind with the message of the cross, then you can communicate this same message to the people of God.

I also want to add that the media has failed to read Rev. Wright in context.In the same way, Rev. Wright’s sermon has failed the message of the cross, which , Luke communicated in the relevant passage.

[Bakum]

Personally, reading the text of his sermons, I find Rev Wright to be a seriously inspirational man. I think his message is something that we could all stand to listen to and listen to more of. And I'm an atheist, mind you, but that doesn't mean I don't know what's good.

Happy are they who bash your children's heads against the rocks. Violence begets violence. Does it get more wise than that? I don't think so.

[Rev. Anne Campbell]

I am a white preacher in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)and am so glad to see a forum where Rev. Dr. Wright's words are being looked at in a fair light. I attended Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS) in Rochester, NY. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attended Crozer when it was in Pennsylvania, and the seminary has a long history of honoring and equipping the Black Church. My life was changed significantly while there. I've been very upset by the attacks on Wright, and by connection, Obama, but didn't really know how to explain to other folks that they didn't understand the Black Church well enough to criticize one of its foremost prophets. CRCDS has helped to give me the words in this statement and responses from professors and great preachers associated with the school. May God give me the courage to preach justice the way that these pre-eminent scholars and preachers have done. Below is the statement from CRCDS with the links to the articles mentioned.

"Dear CRCDS Alumni/ae:

Over the past few weeks, the United States presidential nomination process has brought the name of the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., pastor for 36 years of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, to the forefront of national attention. Sound bites from Dr. Wright’s sermon continue to be aired by the media, sound bites that misinform and misrepresent the ministry, faith commitment, and prophetic preaching of Dr. Wright and the work of the congregation he has served. As Dr. Gay Byron, member of the CRCDS faculty, stated in a recent article in the Democrat and Chronicle, “Unfortunately, the media have not entered the doors of Trinity [United Church of Christ] for the purpose of salvation, hope, social uplift, or a prophetic word from the Lord, but rather through the doors of cryptic sound bites that depict [Dr.]) Wright’s sermons as “hate speech,” “divisive,” “incendiary,” ‘inflammatory.”

In her article, Dr. Byron goes on to write, “There is no way to understand [Dr.] Wright’s comments through casual readings of Google searches, through listening to YouTube clips, or through the many radio and TV pundits who have caricatured his remarks. One must deal with the entire message of his sermon in light of the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.” Proclaiming a gospel that liberates, pursuing a ministry that promotes justice and instilling the courage to speak prophetically is the legacy of Colgate Rochester Crozer.

It is imperative that CRCDS join its voice with those who decry the misuse and abuse of Rev. Wright’s preaching, ministry and fidelity to the Lord’s call to preach the gospel both in season and out. The Office of Alumni/ae and Church Relations has compiled three articles which I believe speak directly to the issue. In sharing these articles (please click on the name to read the article in its entirety) of Dr. Gay Byron http://www.crcds.edu/content/images/Prof%20Byron%20on%20Rev%20Wright%203-27-08.pdf, Rev. John Thomas http://www.crcds.edu/content/images/Wright_THOMAS.pdf, and Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney http://www.crcds.edu/content/images/Wright_MCKINNEY.pdf, I want to acknowledge and thank the Rev. Dr. Aidsand Wright-Riggins, III, Executive Director of National Ministries, ABC-USA for his leadership in addressing this issue and for making the articles of Rev. Thomas and Dr. McKinney available. I likewise thank the Rev. Dr. Gay Byron for the leadership she has evinced in her article and for allowing us to share it with you. I am sure these articles will compliment material that you have already begun to study so that these mis-characterizations can be addressed. The vilification of Dr. Wright and Trinity UCC is an injustice on which CRCDS cannot remain silent.

Faithfully yours,

Patrick A. Hanley
Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Ashley Smith
Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations"

God bless you!

[J. Wyatt]

Roland,

Thank-you for your article and posting the entire sermon with the "god damn america" excerpt. You are helping to provide perspective and context for Pastor Wright's comments.

I do not agree with everything in the sermon, nevertheless I agree with the general message against confusing God and Government. The sermon is refreshingly honest. Pastor Wright is being mischaracterized and smeared by the media.

[Greg L.]

Media commentators (*white* commentators, essentially) have made Rev. Wright an island unto himself, cast him clear away from all tradition, from our national history, away from world history, away from the heart of Biblical prose (which, as Rev. Wright says with perfect truth, contains both curses and praise, all the rhetorical strains of human expression) and from the heart of American theological prose. In the pundits' interest of roasting Sen. Obama (because their interest in Rev. Wright and his church is only inadvertent) they've looked at Wright with wide virginal eyes, like Scarlett hearing Rhett shoot her that "damn"; and here in the 21st century they're acting as if e.g. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) never lived and called down damnation from the pulpit. We've got centuries of fire-and-brimstone rhetoric behind us, it is part of the history and no truly literate American can honestly pretend not to know of it.

There's also the perennial offense of having a black man say not with a smile or song or dance but grimly: " I'm not happy, and won't share your manufactured happiness forged with the blood not only of my people but of all the people you've subjugated around the world. Damn you for being dirty, and yet insisting that you're cleaner and more invested with moral purpose than every poor person you've stepped on for a profit." Black rage is an especially galling offense to both the proud and to the stealthy better-educated un-self-aware type of racist: look at Pat Buchanan's recent resurrection of the old Klansman's trope that African-Americans have been much more fortunate than Africans, by virtue of having been kidnapped, raped, worked to the bone, Jim-Crow'ed, etc. This pseudo-controversy over Rev. Wright has made it clear to us, as if we needed any reminding, that we are all called upon by the society at large to be as amnesiac as Condi, and to smile to the Boss and to be content to buy shoes while our people are dying in NO for lack or water and medicine. (If white pundits have had the *least* problem ever with either good ole' Condi, or with stalwart Colin Powell, I've never seen/heard it. What a surprise.)

Over and apart from the substance of this single sermon by Rev. Wright, he was preternaturally offensive to "the mainstream" in the way that both Dr. King and Malcolm X were offensive to the same sort of barbarian mouthbreathing racists: He spoke in strong, evocative, and direct terms of many things which must not be evoked with regard to present-day politics. Media pundits have been attempting a unilateral and proxy attack on Barack Obama for a "crime" not unlike Dr. King's of mixing very strong hortatory means with practical, progressive political action. And I'm glad that Wright should mention the WWII internment of Japanese-Americans, because the way he's been pilloried and demonized has shown us, again, how we ourselves are seen as a fifth column, when we speak up too loudly, and when we're so impertinent as to connect the past with this present.