Great post. I needed something like this to get my spirits up again after all the negativity of the past couple days.

This is great. On a side note, I belong to the UCC in Seattle (albeit not a predominantly African-American parish). I've never belonged to a less dogmatic, more inclusive, more philosophically enlightened church. And this is part of their national mission, not just a local one.

For everyone who thinks there's something wrong with Obama's church I would ask them to attend it. To look at their web site. To subscribe to their newsletter. I promise, even if you're not a person of faith, it is thought provoking and enlightening. Two things not commonly associated with churches.

Hi Fremont

if you read "Dreams from My Father" he explains why the church became so important to him:

"And in that single note - hope! - I heard something else; at the foot of that cross, inside the thousands of churches across the city, I imagined the stories of the ordinary black people merging with the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the lion's den, Ezekiel's field of dry bones. Those stories - of survival, and freedom, and hope - became our story, my story; the blood that had been spilled was our blood, the tears our tears; until the black church, on this bright day, seemed once more a vessel carrying the story of a people into future generations and into a larger world.
Our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black; in chronicling our journey, the stories and songs gave us a means to reclaim memories that we didn't need to feel shamed about, memories more accessible than those of ancient Egypt, memories that all people might study and cherish - and with which we could start to rebuild. And if part of me continued to feel that this Sunday communion sometimes simplified our condition, that it could sometimes disguise or suppress the very real conflicts among us and would fulfill its promise only through action, I also felt for the first time how that spirit carried within it, nascent, incomplete, the possibility of moving beyond our narrow dreams."
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and further David Kuo on Belief.net talks admiringly of someone standing by their church as a sprititual center - it isn't about the pastor - its about the spirituality - the sense of belonging

"One of the biggest problems in modern American Christianity is the "church-hopping" phenomenon. People stay in churches for a certain period of time, get bored, find someplace new and repeat.

I am a perfect example of this problem. I've been part of a wonderful church for the past five years. But due to babies and health and inertia and occasional frustration with the church, Kim and I have been there rarely. We've both talked about the things that annoy us - we wish for more of this and more of that and so on and so forth.

We've had this discussion with two of our dear friends who are also part of the church. They understand the issues but they have taken a different approach. They have jumped into the middle of the church. This church, they've said, is their home. And the Bible, they say, calls them to be vibrant, vital parts of their church home, not people hovering on the outside.

They are right. Our church isn't perfect. No church is. But it is our spiritual home and we are blessed by it and we understand our job isn't to take and take and take from it but to give and give and give.

Barack Obama understands this approach. That is why he didn't just rip the church wily nilly. Lots of American Christians should use his faithfulness to his church as an example in their own lives.

He didn't forego his spiritual home for political convenience. Whether or not that is good politics is yet to be seen. That is is good spiritually should be applauded."

He is a man of principal
This may hurt him politically
But he is something different

It struck me immediately that your first few paragraphs sound just like a preacher telling his flock not to lose faith in Jesus when times are bad.

Do you realize the religious language you are using? "Devoted" supporters? "Beloved" Barack?

Same day, same site, another poster, Obama suspiciously sounding like Jesus....

Of course you're fully entitled to voicing your opinions this way, just don't be insulted when others claim Obama supporters show "cult of personality" behavior.

As a former Edwards supporter who only recently joined Obama's cause, I can say that Obama is now our country's greatest hope, and more and more I'm persuaded of the depth of his character. The more I hear him, the more I like him. In fact, I prefer him to Edwards now. He needs his supporters to come forward - it's a crucial time in the campaign. If this is a cultist's view, then I plead guilty.

Here's another good diary on this weekend:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/15/203514/051/358/477634

Our objective is to have a Democratic President, and a President Obama or President Clinton is less important. This country is in a recession created by the economic policies of the Bush Administration. Clearly, McCain is an economic Neaderthal and does not possess the understanding of economics that can equip him for the Presidency. A President Clinton or President Obama can do better for us. This is an imperative.

Now if McCain picks Romney as VP what does that do for the likelihood of a Clinton Obama or Obama Clinton ticket? Or if Dems pick such a ticket what does that do to make McCain pick Romney.

McCain is already campaigning. We dont need our two candidates to hack each other apart. We need to have a candidate on the verge of campaigning creating a foreign policy confrence and economic policy confrence. Dems need to show they have a plan which can bring America out of recession.

Great post!

Alison

I really enjoyed reading your message. It was very uplifting and timely. I especially liked how you re-focused us on our goal. It it so easy when working for something to get lost and feel despair as we encounter the obstacles and challenges along the way.

Your post rejuvenated and reaffirmed what we are working for and gave us the hope to keep moving forward and not forget what it is we believe in.

Great Post.

But I want to say. He is just human with all the faults that come with being human. He will make mistakes and I do not believe he should be put up on a pedestal.

What I like about him is that he is smart, he is passionate about not being divided. He has a vision that it will take ALL of us to move forward.

Can anyone doubt that this country is floundering? And separate we will not be able to do anything. Our strength is all of us. We'll have to work together from bottom to top to change direction so that our children can have a better world. I don't believe that Senator Obama will fix everything, but I believe he can put us on the road there.

I just hope that we, the people, are up to the challenge.

Peace

The daily tracking polls suggest that Obama handled the Wright thing decently by Friday. He blipped down, but his lead over Hillary, which had been fairly decisive (6-8%), stabilized at 2-3% in Gallup and Rasmussen. He is trending a little behind McCain (see Gallup), but I ascribe that more to the Clinton campaign's successful mobilization of fake Democrats behind Gerry Ferraro's hate speech.

Wright's remarks will be used in the fall by 527s and conservative hate radio to hold down Obama's crossovers. Unfortunately, we have some Dems who basically won't vote for a black man (he leaks more of the base than Hillary), so we need the crossovers. Fortunately from a tactical standpoint, McCain has sought and received the embrace of a man who has vilified Catholicism, which will be brought up in response if Wright's remarks get heavy play.

Obama finally dealt well with Rezko this week, which is great, as the Chicago media was the only group doing much with it. It's good to get the Wright thing out this week, long before PA. The timing could be good for us in the long term, since it was going to happen.

I hope the Democratic blogosphere gets that we really need Republicans and independents this fall. We need to be talking positively in our lives and online to these folks. (They'll decide the election, not the tiny wedge of pissy folks who desert Obama and the party because they didn't get their way in the primaries, and get all amped up for Gerry Ferraro.)

So when it comes to Wright, like any other issue that gets raised, I suggest to the group that we all please keep that in mind.

Whatever else Obama is, or is not, he is the candidate with the real baggage now. He is the candidate that is most controversial and divisive. Hillary can't compete with him on that score. He may be too polarizing to win the general election, and I hope the voters in the remaining primaries recognize this reality. I am sure some of the super-delegates already have. At this moment in time, things look quite good for McCain. The last polls I've seen show another disturbing reality. The Clinton supporters are much LESS likely to move behind Obama than the Obama supporters are to get behind Hillary. The difference was six or seven percent. Many of these conservative and moderate Democrats have indicated they will move over to McCain. Too many Obama supporters are fixated on delegates and getting the nomination, almost as if THAT were the real election. This short-sightedness may cost us. This whole process has been about getting a Democrat in the White House, nothing else. When you break it down, looking at all the elements from purple state support to Clinton backers vs. Obama backers, Hillary appears to be the more solid horse in the
race. The important race, to reach the White House.