so, i came across this doing research for an essay on progressive Christian denominations, and i have to say that it’s a little disappointing to find Sally Kern sympathizers alive and well.

i love the Bible quoters. Right. so, i bet all of you who know it so well (and whose churches abide by all of the laws) cover your heads when you pray. well, i should specify. the women should be doing that. now, now, now. not so fast, fundamentalists. i know what you’re going to say “we don’t follow all that old testament stuff; Jesus said we don’t have to anymore.”

well, sorry your conservative pastors never pointed this one out to you, but that’s from 1 Timothy (New Testament. your bad).

i’m sure you’ll just explain that one away because it’s not convenient for your cause. but, consider this just for a second. instead of trying to win for your side, actually think about how much of scripture you yourself have read. then think about this one simple flaw i have pointed out in your upstanding, word of God practicing church ideals, then think of historical inaccuracies, the fact that Jesus is four completely different people in the four gospels, that much of New Testament quotations from the Jewish Bible are taken out of context to suit the authors needs…and then pray about it. because, i’m not here to tell you that God isn’t real or even that Jesus wasn’t Him. but, people who supposedly worship Him need to quit idolizing that written-by-the-hand-of-man book. the people who penned the Bible were doing the best they could with what they had. they loved God, they believed in Jesus the Christ, his death and resurrection (New Testament specific), but they didn’t have it all figured out. one only needs to point to simple errors in the ‘facts’ to see that the Bible is not the inerrant word of God.

God wouldn’t have Jesus born in two different years, would he?

why be more interested in being right than loving God’s people? and, while we’re on it, don’t say a word about Pastor Wright’s supposed ‘outrageous’ comments unless you have listened to each and every sermon those quotations were lifted from (for political propaganda, i might add) and understand the context. then you can come to whatever *educated* conclusion you like. but forming ideas from 24 news station feeds is never the best idea.

John, I commend your effort to bring people up to speed on this. I stand by my previous comment, that it's interesting how many people have declared themselves experts on Jeremiah Wright from the little clips they've seen from his sermons.

Ingrid, I'm with you on everything but the Peeps. I just don't think I can back you on liking the Peeps … but I digress.

You're right. No one thinks that Chinatown is an display of Chinese bigotry. To a major extent, we white folk can say the same thing without having to use the same words. For example, I live in New Hampshire. If I'm supporting local businesses, I'm pretty much supporting white-owned businesses, because I think that there are only seven African-Americans in the whole state. Having said that … my church focuses its missions in certain areas. We have a huge commitment to Uganda. It's not that we have a problem with, say, Armenia. It's just not where we're sending missionaries.

It certainly doesn't bother me if Trinity UCC chooses to identify itself with Africa, any more than it bothers me that my church chooses to make connections with the University of NH in our same town.

I know this is a little off subject, but if it were not for Oboma going to that hate filled church, this discussion would not be.

He said, "We all have heard our pastor say things that we strongly disagree with".

No! If my paster said something I "strongly disagree with", he would not be my pastor. No one was keeping him there. The only reason a person would not say something against wrong preaching is because he is to week to stand up for what is right, or he agrees with it. Either way, that is not a good leader for all people.

What about agreement with God and his word. My church is not perfect. I will admit that. But as soon as a church is more interested in including all ideas, and not focusing on God's ideas, they are serving themselves and not God.

Jesus aid 'I and the Father are one' John 10-30. Logically you can't have 'allegiance to Jesus Christ' and not to all of God's word.

God's word is still valid. Jesus stated this:

Mat 5:17

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Mat 5:18

"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Mat 5:19

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Allowing a church to do what ever the people want and not what God wants through his word, is a church based on people, not God.

Just because you put up a church, does not mean you are doing good. It is a building until people have true fellowship with God. It is what is preached inside that church that God will judge you on. There are many people in this world that put up a very fancy building and say it is for god. Then they speak hate and murder in the building. The hate spoken by Jeremiah Wright in that building is not far from the hate spoken in most mosques. Maybe that is why Barack Obama felt at home in that church.

1 Corinthians 16-14 Do everything in love.

I Pray for the people that are being led astray.

"We were the first mainline church to ordain an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972)."

When two out of three "acomplishments" of a denomination are clearly anti-biblical, one should quickly begin looking for a genuine, Bible-following Christian church rather than brag about its errors.