Religion
Related: About this forumAfrican-American Christians and pastors weigh religious concerns in looming vote for president
By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, September 16, 10:31 AM
Some black clergy see no good presidential choice between a Mormon candidate and one who supports gay marriage, so they are telling their flocks to stay home on Election Day. Thats a worrisome message for the nations first African-American president, who cant afford to lose any voters from his base in a tight race.
The pastors say their congregants are asking how a true Christian could back same-sex marriage, as President Barack Obama did in May. As for Republican Mitt Romney, the first Mormon nominee from a major party, congregants are questioning the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its former ban on men of African descent in the priesthood
In 2008, Obama won 95 percent of black voters and is likely to get an overwhelming majority again. But any loss of votes would sting.
When President Obama made the public statement on gay marriage, I think it put a question in our minds as to what direction hes taking the nation, said the Rev. A.R. Bernard, founder of the predominantly African-American Christian Cultural Center in New York. Bernard, whose endorsement is much sought-after in New York and beyond, voted for Obama in 2008. He said hes unsure how hell vote this year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/african-american-christians-and-pastors-weigh-religious-concerns-in-looming-vote-for-president/2012/09/16/81ed4fda-fff6-11e1-bbf0-e33b4ee2f0e8_story.html
The Rev. A.R. Bernard:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._R._Bernard
yourout
(7,527 posts)exempt status.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)pangaia
(24,324 posts)How could a true Christian NOT back same sex marriage?? JEEESH!! These people better get their priorities straight or we are all going to hell together.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)by right wing, fascist, financier, plutocratic thugs how can this Bernard guy be worried about same sex marriage? I mean, get a grip man.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)rug
(82,333 posts)Still, I don't think this election will be determined by single issue voters.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)OTOH, I am surprised that he was given that position at all. It seems that as head of CoC, he is really out of line in pushing this particular agenda.
rug
(82,333 posts)Here's a good background article on him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/nyregion/24pastor.html?pagewanted=all
Among other things, earlier on he belonged to the Nation of Islam.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)That church is huge.
I guess CoC had their reasons for giving him the Presidency, but he doesn't seem generally representative of that body. His business acumen probably comes in handy.
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 16, 2012, 07:51 PM - Edit history (5)
If your choice is between someone you define as not being an "actual" Christian because he's a Mormon and someone you define as a sinner against "actual" Christianity, and you define yourself as an "actual" Christian leader, then your choice is crystal clear: you tell your followers to choose the Mormon regardless of what color anyone is!
In this country, you are free to consider homosexuality as a sin. You are NOT free to consider it as a civil wrong.
rocktivity