GainesvilleMoms.com

I must say that this election has been very interesting to me. For one you can have a black man or a women move into the oval office or you can have the norm. I just think that it is a great day when you can say that a black man or a women can be president and it not be a joke for some stand up comic. Although I do think that all of them have their good and bad qualities, this shows me that change has arrived to some degree. I am not pushing democrats or republicans I am just wondering if other people are as engaged as I am and who do you think will win and why?

I am definitely engaged because this is such a different race. I am not going to vote based on sex or color. I am going to vote based on my convictions and based on the character of the person running. I can say, though, that I like that my children are seeing a diverse group of people running the race - black and white; male and female.

We can really say that anyone can grow up and become anything they want to be in this country!

I can say that I am really disturbed by the "minister" of Obama's church. Regardless of his connection to the candidate, I am shocked at the words that comes out of his mouth. The most shocking was when he said plainly that the US Govt created HIV to erradicate people of color.

Do people really believe what he is saying? Do people really believe that as a country we "deserved" what happened on 911?

I believe we live in the greatest country on earth, end of story.

THIS is who I'm voting for. The guy on the right - he has wanted to be president since we went through the President Ford funeral and burial here in Grand Rapids!!!! He was so excited because he dressed up for church and said "This is how I'm going to dress when I campaign for being president!" He's in 4th grade...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Suzy Richardson,

What the pastor said was crazy but I do think that some people who lived in a time where these things did not seem possible do think like that. I do not think that Obama thinks that way despite their relationship.

if obama does not believe what his own pastor is preaching, why has he been such a supporter of the church. it is not like this preacher has just started expressing his ideas. he preached the sunday after 9/11 saying we deserved the attack.

i have left a church when i found out i did not agree with the leadership. it was a difficult decision but i did not want my children to sit under that type of preaching anymore.

i personally do not believe we know enough about obama. i believe we have only scratched the surface. he is full of hope and inspiration but no real substance.

Noelle, I'm with you. Hahahaha. But, on a more serious note, it really disturbed me to hear the hatred being spewed from this "pastor's" mouth. I, too, have left a church because of things being taught that I did not agree with. Not only do we manage to screw up politics in America, we do a great job screwing up religion and making it about the wrong things. It really bothers me that a pastor would preach such hatred, and it also bothers me that Obama is connected to this man. I know he says he does not agree with any of it, but how can you stay connected to an organization and a man with such dangerous views? Does Obama still attend this church?

Here is the church's rebuttal to the media's "attack" on them.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/03/obamas-church-b.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Suzy Richardson,

yes he is still a member of this church. he has attended since the pastor's post 9/11 sermon. he was told of the pastor's outrageous statments before he announced his running for president. that is why the pastor was not present for the announcement. Obama knew this would become an issue and he chose not to denounce his ideas until they became such a media issue.

i also heard this morning on the radio that Oprah used to attend this church until she had enough of the hatred and racist ideas. she has since left the church.

i believe obama holds many of these ideas as truth himself, it is just not policitcally correct for him to admit them. my opinion...

Softballmom brings up a whole nother topic for me...

I love Oprah. I think she does more good than anyone else when it comes to sharing her money and helping people. I have always liked her show becuase she's always positive with it. There are no Jerry Springer episodes or DNA tests to see "who da baby daddy is" like on Maury. BUT - she claims to be a believer in Jesus Christ - do Steadman and her live together???? If she does (and I believe they do but I could be totally off base) - her words and actions don't seem to match to me and wondering if there are other thigns we might need to be looking at with her...

Obama is in a very difficult situation because people truly dislike his pastor. However; I do think that this is what he is talking about people being able to disagree but still be friends. I know that Obama's pastor seems a little nuts but he still lives in the past and he has a lot of hate because of that. He of all people should forgive because of his position but people in leadership have flaws. Therefore; I think that it would be unfair to say that Obama has the same views despite the longevity of there relationship because I'm sure the majority of us have different views than our parents whom we still have relationships with to some degree. I can understand how Obama can have a relationship with this guy and have him as a pastor who married him and baptized his children. Obama grew up without his father and I am sure that he sees this guy as some type of father figure, so for him not to associate with him at all is not going to happen.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hubby life,

I agree with you on some points. But, as I recall, he called him his spiritual advisor. Am I correct? And for me, that is different than simply maintaining a friendly relationship with someone.

Being a spiritual advisor doesn't mean you have to have control of the way someone thinks. Read the bible and see if what you are being told is in line with it.

I'm sorry, call my cynical if you want, but you can't tell me that Obama has sat under this man's preaching for 20+ years and did not know that he held these anti-american views. and if he knew that his pastor felt this way, how did he remain a member of his church?

i understand this is a very large church and most of the members do not know the pastor on a personal level, but Obama has stated himself that they were close. he credits him for guidance during while he was writing his book.

Maybe it's because we really do not know that much about Obama, he is realitively new to the political scene and in some ways that is a good thing, but there are just too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable handing him the keys to the whitehouse.

His Anti-American views come from the 60's when many black people had similar views. America has come a long way and he is still stuck in the 60's. I am sure that he has influenced Obama in many ways but not in a way that causes him to hate people on that level.

What do we really know about any of the politicians wanting to become Mr.President? The only thing we know is what the media tells us about these guys and from what I can see they all have been guilty by association. Obama is just the flavor of the week.

Obama= one of his campaign leaders called Hillary a monster. His pastor is a quack and hates America.

Hillary= Her husband called Obama Jesse Jackson. Her campaign advisor said that the only reason Obama was in the position he is in is because he is lucky to be black.

Mccain= John Hagge and Rod Parsley, his spiritual advisor, saying that America is doomed because of gays and lesbians.

I am sure that list goes on and on for all of them.

But I could never allow someone to have a position as adviser in my life if they held these kind of beliefs. Honestly, this really bothers me.