African-American Christians waver over vote

[shnozzola]

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. That's a worrisome message for the nation's first African-American president, who can't afford to lose any voters from his base in a tight race.

http://philly.xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20120916/US.Black.Pastors.Vote/

[Nick]

I find it odd that a lot of black churches have such a problem with gay marriage.  They went thru the same kind of thing with slavery, interracial marriage, and they seem to still be in separate churches.  And on top of all that they believe in a religion that was pressed upon them by whites.

Now they have a man in the White House who is trying to do everything in his power to make life better for all of us.  Do they think a President Romney will be concerned with them at all?  It has not been to many years back where his church would not even let them into the priesthood.  They still think they are black because of some mess up between brothers...Jesus and Satan.

[Timo]

I think that this is a bullshit issue.  In my conversations with people, the voter suppression of efforts of the Republicans have infuriated far more people than Obama's stance on marriage equality might have...especially since...let's be real, most people observing believed he was being cagey when he claimed to be "evolving" on the issue.  I'm not aware of anyone that seriously believed that Obama was against marriage equality as a personal matter before he came out and said he was for it.

Here's what's going to happen.  96 percent of black voters will vote for him in November.  How much of the black electorate turns out is anyone's guess.  We had ourselves a moment in '08 that's not quite the same this time around.  And I think it's still an open question how many people will be denied their vote behind these new laws.  But the notion that Obama doesn't have the support of blacks or of his base more broadly, is a bullshit narrative.

[jaimehlers]

No church official has any business telling religious believers how to vote, or to "stay home".  If they want to get involved in politics, they can start paying taxes.

[stuffin]

I think that this is a bullshit issue.  In my conversations with people, the voter suppression of efforts of the Republicans have infuriated far more people than Obama's stance on marriage equality might have...especially since...let's be real, most people observing believed he was being cagey when he claimed to be "evolving" on the issue.  I'm not aware of anyone that seriously believed that Obama was against marriage equality as a personal matter before he came out and said he was for it.

Here's what's going to happen.  96 percent of black voters will vote for him in November.  How much of the black electorate turns out is anyone's guess.  We had ourselves a moment in '08 that's not quite the same this time around.  And I think it's still an open question how many people will be denied their vote behind these new laws.  But the notion that Obama doesn't have the support of blacks or of his base more broadly, is a bullshit narrative.

Agree, no way black people won't vote for a black president based on a pastor's recommendation.  I work with many black people (military) and they are so proud they have a black president. Slam dunk, just a matter of how many blacks turn out to vote.

[12 Monkeys]

 Why my African-American cousins and even my Aboriginal cousins buy into this Christian shit is beyond me. After how we have been treated up until basically 1970 by the Christian "base". Second class or even worse "heathens"....they buy it for a REWARD..... I don't buy it

[jtk73]

No church official has any business telling religious believers how to vote, or to "stay home".  If they want to get involved in politics, they can start paying taxes.

I agree 100% but its very unlikely. I recently found out that many churches hold a Pulpit Freedom Sunday before the election and talk all they want about candidates and political leanings - some actually record the sermon, burn it onto DVD and mail it to the IRS. I heard about this in a 'Reasonable Doubts' podcast - Excellent podcast by the way.

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/06/pulpit-freedom-sunday-october-7-will-irs-respond-this-year/

[jsmacks]

I think there are way more African American Christians who are left leaning than right leaning. I'll bet there are also some black churches telling members to support Obama.

You do have your occasional black Christian Right winger (as well as Black libertarian style conservative) but I don't think that is a huge  or considerable percentage.

I am Black and most Blacks who identify themselves as Christians are huge Obama supporters.

[Nam]

It's all "white" hype.



-Nam

[Bereft_of_Faith]

I worry about this, and about a great many things regarding politics.

The main danger (if this assertion is correct) is a lower african-american turnout.  That would be something between 'a shame' to a 'disaster'.  If a preacher can cool a congregant enough so they are conflicted, they might choose to just sit it out. I hope they don't.

The idea that blacks are to any degree, homophobic, if true, is a problem, but it's not one we (those who support the president and hope for equality for gays) can immediately do anything about.  I'm sure most people who are for 'traditional values' are the product of their generation and those which preceded it.  It will take time for minds to change.  In the meantime, we need to do everything we can to nudge society in the direction of progress.  The president has done a good job.  We do it here, and I hope, carry that on to the people in our private lives.