Barack Obama delivered a truly brilliant and inspiring speech this week. There were a few things, however, that he did not and could not (and, indeed, should not) say:
He did not say that the mess he is in has as much to do with religion as with racism--and, indeed, religion is the reason why our political discourse in this country is so scandalously stupid. As Christopher Hitchens observed in Slate months ago, one glance at the website of the Trinity United Church of Christ should have convinced anyone that Obama's connection to Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. would be a problem at some point in this campaign. Why couldn't Obama just cut his ties to his church and move on?
Well, among other inexpediencies, this might have put his faith in Jesus in question. After all, Reverend Wright was the man who brought him to the "foot of the cross." Might the Senator from Illinois be unsure whether the Creator of the universe brought forth his only Son from the womb of a Galilean virgin, taught him the carpenter's trade, and then had him crucified for our benefit? Few suspicions could be more damaging in American politics today.
The stultifying effect of religion is everywhere to be seen in the 2008 Presidential campaign. The faith of the candidates has been a constant concern in the Republican contest, of course--where John McCain, lacking the expected aura of born-again bamboozlement, has been struggling to entice some proper religious maniacs to his cause. He now finds himself in the compassionate embrace of Pastor John Hagee, a man who claims to know that a global war will soon precipitate the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (problem solved). Prior to McCain's ascendancy, we saw Governor Mitt Romney driven from the field by a Creationist yokel and his sectarian hordes. And this, despite the fact that the governor had been wearing consecrated Mormon underpants all the while, whose powers of protection are as yet unrecognized by Evangelicals.
Like every candidate, Obama must appeal to millions of voters who believe that without religion, most of us would spend our days raping and killing our neighbors and stealing their pornography. Examples of well-behaved and comparatively atheistic societies like Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark--which surpass us in terrestrial virtues like education, health, public generosity, per capita aid to the developing world, and low rates of violent crime and infant mortality--are of no interest to our electorate whatsoever. It is, of course, good to know that people like Reverend Wright occasionally do help the poor, feed the hungry, and care for the sick. But wouldn't it be better to do these things for reasons that are not manifestly delusional? Can we care for one another without believing that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is now listening to our thoughts?
Yes we can.
Happily, Obama did a fine job of distancing himself from Reverend Wright's divisive views on racism in America, along with his fatuous "chickens come home to roost" assessment of our war against Islamic terrorism. But he did not (and should not) acknowledge that the worst parts of Reverend Wright's sermons, as with most sermons, are his appeals to the empty hopes and baseless fears of his parishioners--people who could surely find better ways of advancing their interests in this world, if only they could banish the fiction of a world to come.
Obama did not say that religion's effect on our society, and on the black community especially, has been destructive--and where it has seemed constructive it has generally taken the place of better things. Religion unites, motivates, and consoles beleaguered people not with knowledge, but with superstition and false promises. Surely there is a better way to bring people together in the 21st century. The truth is, despite the toothsomeness of his campaign slogan, we are not yet the people we have been waiting for. And if we don't start talking sense to our children, they won't be the ones we are waiting for either.
Obama was surely wise not to mention that Christianity was, without question, the great enabler of slavery in this country. The Confederate soldiers who eagerly laid down their lives at three times the rate of Union men, for the pleasure of keeping blacks in bondage and using them as farm equipment, did so with the conscious understanding that they were doing the Lord's work. After Reconstruction, religion united Southern whites in their racist hatred and the black community in its squalor--inuring men and women on both sides to injustice far more efficiently than it inspired them to overcome it.
The problem of religious fatalism, ignorance, and false hope, while plain to see in most religious contexts, is now especially obvious in the black community. The popularity of "prosperity gospel" is perhaps the most galling example: where unctuous crooks like T.D. Jakes and Creflo Dollar persuade undereducated and underprivileged men and women to pray for wealth, while tithing what little wealth they have to their corrupt and swollen ministries. Men like Jakes and Dollar, whatever occasional good they may do, are unconscionable predators and curators of human ignorance. Is it too soon to say this in American politics? Yes it is.
Despite all that he does not and cannot say, Obama's candidacy is genuinely thrilling: his heart is clearly in the right place; he is an order of magnitude more intelligent than the current occupant of the Oval Office; and he still stands a decent chance of becoming the next President of the United States. His election in November really would be a triumph of hope.
But Obama's candidacy is also depressing, for it demonstrates that even a person of the greatest candor and eloquence must still claim to believe the unbelievable in order to have a political career in this country. We may be ready for the audacity of hope. Will we ever be ready for the audacity of reason?
Sam Harris is the author "The End of Faith" and "Letter to a Christian Nation." He can be reached at www.samharris.org
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It would be hard to believe politics has nothing to do with his attendance, but I would suggest that Trinity's approach to helping the poor and practicing love thy neighbor appeals to Obama on a spiritual level. It is Wright's embracing of the down-trodden and underdog that makes his comments acceptable by many blacks who are defending him; and why the rest of us outside the fold seem to naively lack the understanding and the history that is embedded in black experience and culture. Those of us in the "dominant" white culture would do well to seek out and find that understanding.
"Guys are just easy. They say what's on their mind." Rashida Jones
He says he does.
I'd prefer that none of them believe in fairy tales, but I think they do."
John, when it comes to politics, (especially the President) your preference in "none" believing in fairy tales ignores the vast difference between a person like Obama who is religious and a person like, say, Pat Robinson who is religious (and once ran for President.) I think it is fair to say that an Obama type of religious person would have a much different affect on the presidency and policy than someone with fundamental views like Pat Robinson (or even born-again George Bush for that matter. ) We know that Bush had conversations with "God" before going to war in Iraq. We can be rather certain that an Obama type of religious person would not be waiting for God to give him a sign to invade.
While religion has a bevy of fairy tales that dampen the reasoning of even the most intelligent believers, we can rest assure that the Obamas of the world at least have a certain secular brilliance that these other cads lack. And when Sam says "his heart is in the right place.." I take that to mean (among other things) that Obama will not be fooled by fundamentalism.
Lon,
With all due respect, and my exact point. Your statement:
"To suggest that there is one kind of tactic which represents religious people in general is silly." - Lon
Which statement is in *fact* fallacy on its face, born out of ignorance of religion, because of your background.
We all work from our knowledge base, your right, somewhat, from your POV about diversity of religion. EXCEPT for not being aware that the *VAST* majority of religious (the multitudes) throughout the world are *in fact* of the Abrahamic Faiths, which by your own admission you have little knowledge of, it is always best to be guided in a strange land by those that understand well the terrain.
Ya got issues with that? Walk carefully on the thin ice you find yourself with regard to your critical reasoning skills Lon, ya just might get all wet. :)
I understand well that you have an approach which you hold to be a better way forward, on that we will have to agree to disagree. Agape.
Millions,
Touche', I get the point (excuse the pun) I must say your response has tickled me it was quite eloquent sophistry indeed.
Yet, I must give ya credit for the approach, which makes your only redundant point, be nice, be nice, be nice, you'll catch more flies with honey, pretending to be nice.
The attack on me was quite ruthless, especially for one who is promoting compassion as a better way.
But, and a Big BUT!
Your argument fails, with regard to the empirical facts of the matter, words and spin are without tangible weight, with the exception of their emotional value, which are a force to be reckoned with, but will *Never* preclude *Logic* (the science of reason) Man cannot live by the subjective art of word play, or rationalization of such suggestive art forms. As it happens there is a reality to the world about us that has a force of its own, without a proper evolving understand of it, it becomes impossible to manage effectively.
The manor in which you choose to participate is a matter of choice, pick wisely. Agape.
My intention was to applaud Senator Obama for serving as an example of someone who practices religion intelligently; I also expressed a wish for both secular and religious figures to create a more mature, respectful and responsible dialog in the public sphere and there's a certain distinction between that and just being nice. I've been clear that I don't think anyone should be immune from criticism.
And your response? Condescension, in the form of a few wild pronouncements about the limits of my understanding peppered with psychological jargon. When I defend myself you accuse me of a ruthless attack on you, and you throw "sophistry", "eloquence" and "word play" into the mix, as if I used some kind of word-magic to make you appear as though you were confused and pretentious, when in fact you did that all by yourself.
Your "multi-culturalism" remarks are applicable to the Netherlands, France, and Germany, though. Still, the issues are viewed there primarily as being about CULTURE, not religion. America's obsession with religion in politics indeed distinguishes it from Europe, and not in a good way because it adds a whole layer of divisiveness. If religious politics were as self-evidently wholesome as many Americans think it is, there would be Peace on Earth.
While I agree that it's political suicide in this country for a politician to say he's an atheist, I am not willing to go as far as to say that Obama does not believe.
He says he does.
I'd prefer that none of them believe in fairy tales, but I think they do.
Those who, in the name of religion, deny their own children equal dignity before the law have god on their side and take their dictates from the blood soaked book of a Bronze Age nomadic tribe: "Happy shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the stones" (Psalm 137:9.)
Barack Obama, Jeremiah A. Wright, Louis Farrakhan: ‘beautiful men,’ ‘great theologians’ and ‘biblical scholars’ who ‘epitomize greatness.’ All represent and affirm Christopher Hitchens’ now famous line that “religion poisons everything.”
Sam Harris. Break the spell.
Actually, Barack Obama's church supports gay marriage, as does it's parent cungregation, the United Church of Christ.
I think you're confusing Barack's fellow congregants with the other black people that you're making gross generalizations about.
I have often said that it is not enough to be right. Humans are social animals and as such without consensus, without getting people to work together, you will accomplish nothing.
In fact, you can get more accomplished doing things the wrong way with everyone working together than you can doing things the right way with everyone at odds with one another.
My point is that if you do not respect religion in a country with a broad base of religious belief, you won't get very far, and you won't get much done.
The audacity of hope espoused by Obama demands that he must coordinate successfully the triumph of reason over faith; and he must do it among a general populace of Christians who apparently believe in the triumph of faith over reason.
This will necessitate a slight-of-hand on behalf of Obama-- a charisma and smoothness he apparently has developed well-- because to flaunt the triumph of reason over faith, in a populace that clings to the foolishness of faith, is nothing more than political suicide.
Sadly, the Christian public is not ready for the audacity of reason, much less the triumph of reason over faith. But with Obama in the equation, if there is a chance, he is the one who can bring it about.
And for all you cynics out there who will be disgusted by my comment and naivete -- Namaste. May you find the peace that exists in every small step.