Organizing for America | dave conroy's Blog: I have a question and concern about Barack Obama's gospel concerts

I have a question and concern about Barack Obama's gospel concerts

By Dave from Wilson, NC - Oct 21st, 2007 at 3:17 pm EDT

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Let me open with a short statement as to why I am here. I was invited, not specificly but invited, in this thread on Democratic underground.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3629705

I am gay, and one of the headliners, Donnie McClurkin, is apparently an ex gay who believes that gays can and should, change their orientation. I find this patently offensive. I have been desperate enough to seek out the charlatans and snake oil salesmen who offer these 'cures' of the 'homosexual curse' (yes Mr. McClurkin uses those very words). These people prey upon us when we are made desperate by the shame, guilt, and abuse we have heaped upon us by an often times cruel, straight world. In a very real sense, Matthew Shepard is the ulitimate ex-gay. A person who was the victim of the ultimate end product of this hatred.

My simple question is this, what is going to be done about this bigot headlining a concert that Obama is hosting.

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By Carrington Ward Oct 22nd 2007 at 4:08 pm EDT

Hmmf. I was sad to hear as this McClurkin thing brewed up. I know a number of people involved in the campaign who feel deeply conflicted about the issue -- to say the least.

I'm not sure what the thinking was, though clearly it shows the dangers of 'faith outreach.' Politically, it was clearly a mistake.

On the other hand, there's a wide range of people whose experience of sex and sexuality has left a wound to their psyche -- McClurkin himself amongst them. I don't know how these wounds can be healed. I agree that McClurkin adds to the problem. But I'm not sure that healing is achieved by dividing the world into the "cruel" and "straight" and its opposite.

I wonder, perhaps, if the best tack might be to ask McClurkin why, given his preaching, he finds Obama's views on tolerance -- vis. his response to the question about sex ed for his own children -- acceptable.

Obama has not changed his stand | Report to Admin

By Sherry - WA State Delegate Oct 22nd 2007 at 6:49 pm EDT

Obama has clearly stated his support of the LGBT community. Perhaps this person is not as anti-gay as he is being portrayed or has changed his mind given he supports Obama. Obama has that affect... ;-)

I guess we're all bigots | Report to Admin

By Diamond -- IrishAmericansForObama Oct 22nd 2007 at 8:22 pm EDT

This is another example of how the media gets its power from our reliance on it, because of our ignorance and our laziness to seek the truth for ourselves. Does anyone know a story that floated on the Internet for years, about how Oprah walked Tommy Hilfiger out of her show for making racist remarks? It turned out, (1) Tommy never made those remarks and (2) He had never even been to Oprah show before, talk less of being walked out. His business was hurt and his daughter was scorned at school. Innocent man! The first time he was on Oprah was when she invited him over to talk about the false rumor, which she (Oprah) called a Big Fat Lie! This is a similar case.

Donnie McClurkin IS NOT A BIGOT. If he is, so am I and so are majority of Christians worldwide.
His view of homosexuality is not revolutionary. It is the same view ascribed to by majority of Christians worldwide. But the Bible also says it is sinful to judge anyone because no man is better than the other.

In addition to his CHRISTIAN view of homosexuality, he has also spoken of his PERSONAL struggle with his sexuality while in the church for 25 years. Every gay person's story will not be the same, and Donnie's story is his personal story.

In fact, Donnie McClurkin said on TBN that if Jesus Christ were physically alive today, he would still be loving homosexuals and heterosexuals and treating them equally. That literally changed me. So to suggest that this man who helped change my view of homosexuals is a bigot, anti-gay, homophobe, is a Big Fat Lie that I refuse to swallow.

Re: I guess we're all bigots | Report to Admin

By Dave from Wilson, NC Oct 23rd 2007 at 7:41 pm EDT

Yeah, you are.

I went to my church on Sunday and guess what. They don't think I am a sinner. They don't think I should change. They didn't all but call for the attack of a gay high school in New York.

gospel show | Report to Admin

By markie Oct 22nd 2007 at 9:17 pm EDT

can't sit on the fence bud. donnie is a no go or i want my money and support back.

Re: gospel show | Report to Admin

By Sherry - WA State Delegate Oct 23rd 2007 at 12:35 pm EDT

How's Obama a fence sitter? This is the same stand he's had on the issue from the get go and he will not change it to accomodate one religious group's beliefs. This is exactly why separation of church and state is not only important but mandatory...

Link

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By markie Oct 23rd 2007 at 7:32 pm EDT

"And so I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin’s views" so "he" states but will use mcclurkin to what end??

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By Sherry - WA State Delegate Oct 27th 2007 at 1:41 am EDT

Again, it's a matter of separation of Church and State. McClurkin chose to support Obama, despite his religious beliefs.

Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay | Report to Admin

By Danielle Clarke USA Vietnam Vet Oct 24th 2007 at 3:45 pm EDT

Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay
By Kelley L. Carter | Tribune staff reporter
6:09 AM CDT, October 24, 2007

Link

Gospel music superstar Donnie McClurkin says he was surprised to wake up Tuesday morning to a media firestorm.

The 47-year-old Grammy Award-winning musician is scheduled to perform this weekend at Sen. Barack Obama's three-day concert series in South Carolina. But in the wake of accusations by a gay-rights group that McClurkin falsely asserts that homosexuality is a choice, bloggers are calling for the Democratic presidential candidate to cancel the singer's Sunday night appearance, saying McClurkin's views are anti-gay and incite hate.

McClurkin told The Associated Press on Monday that "sexuality, everything is a matter of choice." But on Tuesday he told the Tribune that his ideals, and most importantly his ministry, were severely misconstrued.
etc
etc
etc

"There's never been a statement made by me about curing homosexuality. People are using that in order to incite anger and to twist my whole platform on it. There's no crusade for curing it or to convert everyone. This is just for those who come to me and ask for change."

.............................. ....
I believe him and think all of this is being pushed by clinton supporters.
Danielle Clarke a transsexual transbian

PS: Remember Barack invited a transgender girl to
dinner a few months ago on his web site.

Link

REMEMBER THE LOG DEBATES:

LOGO GAY DEBATES Who got your vote? Any surprises?
Link

WHO’S YOUR CANDIDATE?
Barack Obama 45%
Dennis Kucinich 25%
Hillary Clinton 14%
Mike Gravel 8%
John Edwards 5%
Bill Richardson 3%

Please know that Donnie McClurkin has also performed
for the Clintons as well…and Oprah…and so many more
people who are not anti-gay. =

Link

Re: Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay | Report to Admin

By Danielle Clarke USA Vietnam Vet Oct 24th 2007 at 3:47 pm EDT

REPOSTED for those seeking the FACTS!

DeeAnna Roberts wrote:
May I interject something here please ? After all,

I AM THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN YOU ALL KEEP FIGHTING
ABOUT !

I mean, I am sitting here reading all these
arguments and fights and I
have been trying to tell those of you who keep
saying this is going to
"ruin Barack Obama with African Americans" that
this is not as big a
deal as you are making it.

I am the daughter of a late hard core Pentecostal
Preacher from the
Church of God in Christ (COGIC) denomination. This
denomination is
very strict. Far more so than the Southern Baptist
are. I was raised
in the Church and I can tell you that the
denomination, overall, is no
longer as hostile as it used to be. I can speak
for all COGICs because
our denomination is unique in that all of our
pastors , nationwide,
preach the same message every Sunday. I mean,
there's literally, a
book of sermons. We all use the same Sunday School
lessons from
Children's Church to Adult Sunday School. Our
Youth Programs are also
the same. Everything is the same. From South
Carolina to New York,
it's the same. No matter where you are , you can
walk into a COGIC
building and get the same friggen message.

I'm trying to tell you, that the Black Church is
not as hostile to the
Homosexual Community as it used to be. There's a
reason why we are
mostly Democrats and no, it's not just because of
Civil Rights for
Blacks either. I'm asking you all to please calm
the heck down with
this. It's not that big of an issue. Barack Obama
has addressed this
the same way in front of many Black American
Churches of other
Denominations in the past and is well received by
them. Please ,
relax. This is not going to destroy Obama with the
Black Community. I
know who McClurkin is and I love some of his
songs. Have you listened
to STAND ? It's really good. But, does that mean
I'm now Anti-Gay? No.

Re: Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay | Report to Admin

By Danielle Clarke USA Vietnam Vet Oct 24th 2007 at 3:48 pm EDT

Some of you are acting like the Black Community is
so stupid and short
tempered that we don't know how to think and
discern anything. We're
not that stupid or narrow-minded. We understand
that, now, Rev.
McClurkin is a great Gospel singer and he can get
the Church on fire
with his songs. We also understand that, Barack
Obama is a charismatic
politician running for PRESIDENT, not REVEREND.We
understand that
McClurkin was raped as a young boy by an older
male member of his own
family and has struggled to make sense of that. He
has made comments
about Homosexuality that some in the Church
understands. He has also
retracted many of those statements because he was
convicted in his
spirit about it.We also understand that.

We also fully understand Barack Obamas position on
Gay Rights and many
of us agree with him. McClurkin singing at a fund
raising Gospel
Concert has absolutely no effect whatsoever to the
majority of us at
all. This is not as big an issue as many are
making it. Supporters of
rival campaigns are playing around with both
Blacks and the Gay
Community trying to create MESS. That's who's
fueling this. Not the
Gay Community. Not the Black Community. I am
seeing Diaries and
comments on Daily Kos right now from , Bi-Sexuals,
Blacks and
Homosexuals who are saying this is not an issue.
But everyone else
wants to sit up here and tell us all how we feel.
A game is being
played by the opposition , folks.

Don't play with them.

Re: Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay | Report to Admin

By markie Oct 24th 2007 at 4:21 pm EDT

mcclurkin is a bigot. plain and simple. apparently, obama isn't as principled as advertized.

Re: Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay | Report to Admin

By markie Oct 25th 2007 at 7:57 pm EDT

omg, lol. sidden?? where is your sense?????

Re: Gospel singer says he is not anti-gay | Report to Admin

By Dave from Wilson, NC Oct 27th 2007 at 12:10 pm EDT

I have been told all the time growing up that I needed to change myself to be worthy of God. This is a big deal to me and many other gays who grew up hearing this crap.

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