Obama, Black Liberation Theology, and Karl Marx

Kayle-Ann,

I'm not sure that the logical progression you're eloquently presenting is, in fact, logical.

Tying Obama to Wright, Wright to Cone, Cone to Marx, and Marx to Hitler requires leaps of logic that would essentially validate the sermon that the Reverend John Hagee gave saying the Holocaust was ordained by God as part and parcel of prophecy.

I think a more even-handed approach to this would be to allow Senator Obama to present what his Christian beliefs entail, rather than making a complex argument that he is a Marxist, which is what I think your article presents.

Obama is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is at heart a Marxist that if elected will change the U.S. as much as Hitler did Germany.

Regarding the Pope and Hitler: just a month ago, the Pope had warned against all politicians who claim to have all the answers. As a youngster, he lived in a country governed by such a regime.

Yet too many people of all age groups continue to be infatuated with Obama, who is a cult figure. They STILL believe that 'Yes, we can! The Federal Government can solve ALL of our problems! Our families, our clergy, our local authorities and our state governments have no roles to play!'

Duh.

Obama is lying to the gullible. His claim that the US Federal Government is omnipotent is a lie because since its foundation, the USA has been a Union, the members of which all have played some roles. Each American, as well as his/her own family, clergy, local government and state government has a role to play, as does the Fed Government. The Fed Govt. is not a silver bullet, contrary to Obama's claim. It does not have 'all the answers', and neither does any other INDIVIDUAL component of the American society.

What Pope Benedict XVI wants is a very decentralised Union, whereas what Obama wants is a savior Fed Govt. But no Fed Govt. can be a savior - only Jesus can be.

Marx was a over rated windbag and those who see him as the messiah are losers plain and simple. In fact, socialism strives for a world without risk for the masses and empowers the flawed who are somehow endowed with a vision for all humanity that never actually transpires. What a boring world they envision. Ever seen or read about the Soviet Union? China during Mao? Cuba today? All for what? Some imaginary utopia where no risk, no failure, no challenges exist? How many generations must these idiots persist if "only the right people are in charge"? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the outcome to be different. Socialist are a prime example of insanity. Personally I think Marx was like most liberals today. A bitter unhappy person who was guilty of the Seven Deadly Sins;

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

Could this not describe liberals more perfectly?

The first major accomplishment of John Paul II was to go to Medelin and inform the worldly jesuits who swapped rosaries for rifles -that it was over.(liberation theology)

This will be short and for many leftists not so sweet. It will be unequivocal. There are no Phd's, no laymen, no person on this Earth who understand Karl Marx's Marxism. Marx himself said he was not a Marxist...how messed up is that?
Oh yes, one can easily use all of the definitional phrases and buzzwords, and at one time or another every socialist group does so, but other than to sound intellectual, Marxism to them is a sciolism. It is too all who study it. Why?

Karl Marx failed to establish anything close to a coherent philosophy. To one scholar it means one thing, to another something entirely different. It is the noir Gumby of the political philosophies.
One of the most noted Marxist scholars Thomas Sowell stated; "Marx at different times believes different things, he changes his mind, he will contradict himself."
A recognition that Marx's work consists largely of works of criticism and diatribes against his enemies. Thomas Sowell rightly points out that "because many of these doctrines have disappeared...later interpreters... have not fully understood the real thrusts and limits of [his] words."

One thing is for sure. When you get a noir a la carte, anti capitalists, limned philosophy it is made use of by every socially misfit faction with a grievance against mankind's freedom. Say like the Democratic Party.

Great article. Never have I seen it more eloquently stated that the four big "Axis of Evil" philosophies of the last century - Marxism, Nazi-style fascism, Black Power militancy, and Islam - are intimitately intertwined, and collectively must be stamped out in order for the American way of life to survive.

What a remarkable insight Kyle Ann Shiver has,we are all blessed to have her ,making the complex simple.Her article caused me to look up John 14: 6" I am the way the truth and the life".

You are right on the mark as
usual. It also appears that
professional liberals are following your every word by
the obfucating by Dan.

Thank you Kelly for putting in the time and research. Easy to summarize - Beware of false prophets. Hopefully enough old school, blue collar dems & independent's, connect the dots. Time for true to the religion, Judeo-Christian clergy, confront this blasphemy before it's too late

I am responding to Dan Luther's post. Basically, he is clueless on how Marx, Hitler and liberation theology are all interconnected. Thus I recommend that he read "Liberal Fascism" by Jonah Goldberg to gain some insight.

With regards to Obama being a Marxist - if the shoe fits... By embracing liberation theology and other socialist tenants -- I am sorry, the guy is a socialist. This does not make him a bad person but perhaps not one that will have the country's best interests at heart. What makes America great (amongst many things) is the liberty it affords the individual as opposed to the collective espoused by the Left. Individual liberty enables one to live up to one's potential -- while in the collective we all suffer together. Cheers.

Dan, one it would be more even handed to allow Obama to answer these questions but he will not, just like he avoids any tough questions. In addition, when were liberals ever even handed? Obama will obfuscate any questions about his past, ideology, etc. However, I listen to his words and I see a socialist. I look at his buddies and I see a radical leftist. I see a bill in the Senate he sponsored transferring US wealth to the tune of 0.7% of GDP under UN control and I see a socialist. His associates are openly Marxist or worse, a rabid seething racist like Wright. You can spare me the excuse making. If it walks, talks and squaks like a duck I assume it is a duck.

Addendum: In a private email, Kyle-Anne has said she liked what I wrote, so I'll add the following:

Obama should read not only John 14:6, but also another fragment of the Bible - the one which quoted Jesus as saying 'Give what is Divine to God, and what is imperial to the emperor' (note that I spell God's name with a capital letter, but not the title 'emperor').

Analogy: the US Federal Government should give its citizens a hammer, several wooden boards, and a dozen nails, but it should not build any desks for them. That's not the role of the Federal Government, and I should add that the Fed Government is a poor carpenter.

And regarding totalitarian regimes, yes, the Nazi regime was a disaster, and so was the Soviet Commie regime, which the Pope also condemned. The Communists declared that there was no God (all Soviet dictators except Gorbachev were atheists), and that only they - Marxists - can save humanity. They went on to try to build a socialist 'paradise'. But they've failed, and God has punished them by dissolving the USSR and the global communist empire. Today, Russia is one of the dominant players on the global stage, but its empire is much smaller than the Soviet empire.

Jesus, contrary to the claim of Obama's pal Hugo Chavez, was NOT a socialist. Jesus said that those who deliberately don't work shouldn't eat foodstuffs (because, according to Jesus, they don't deserve foodstuffs).

The US Fed Govt. should limit itself to the following: 1) maintaining a military 2) administering justice 3) hunting criminals 4) handling immigrants 5) securing fuels for the future 6) building a 21-st century infrastructure (which is defense-related) 7) maintaining foreign relations and 8) maintaining a conservative SCOTUS (to ensure that the Constitution is NEVER changed). Everything else, from the environment to families to other issues should be handled by the lower levels of the society, from state governments all the way to families.

I love all the - "Judge Obama by what he says, not those around him" - talk. At what point do his voluntary, long-standing, adult choices actually cast a reflection on him? The guy goes to a radical, marxist-oriented, anti-American church. He goes there for 20 years. He give money. He publically states that the wing-nut pastor is his mentor and names his book after his sermon.

Is this guy accountable for anything? Is there not some point at which these things say something about his radical worldview and/or extremely poor judgement?

I love all the - "Judge Obama by what he says, not those around him" - talk. At what point do his voluntary, long-standing, adult choices actually cast a reflection on him? The guy goes to a radical, marxist-oriented, anti-American church. He goes there for 20 years. He give money. He publically states that the wing-nut pastor is his mentor and names his book after his sermon.

Is this guy accountable for anything? Is there not some point at which these things say something about his radical worldview and/or extremely poor judgement?

Without resort to Commie/Nazi baiting (not that this is wrong, just perhaps too inflammatory) we may see the conflict between Left and Right as that between Chaos and Order, respectively. Does that seem inverted? What the Left are perpetually engaged in is, frankly and oddly, reaction. As Grover Cleveland put it so well, the propositions in our Constitution are final propositions. If you claim all men are equal and then that some are more equal, this is not progress but mere reaction. Those who claim to bring us the freedom from want, fear, danger etc always say we must give up freedom of, for freedom from, and they have just the Wise Man to say what is what. It is a return to the tyranny that is man's natural state that these Obamoids promise, and we need ascribe no great evil to Barry to rationally fear this. He is obviously in over his head even in the primary. Who will gain his ear? How will he make momentous decisions? He is not even an empty suit but an empty garment bag; transparent, fluidic and only marginally more substantial than smoke. This is the true threat from these anti-American extremists. They would replace our Constitutional form with political Calvinball with themselves, of course, as Calvin.

To Dan: If you don't want to tie Obama to his pastor, Cone, and Marx, then what's with Ayres, and his college proffesors mentioned in his book that also is a admitted commie. He has no friends further to the right than Castro or Che. This is why he sees no problem with "talking" to Hugo Chavez. IMHO, there will be more come out about the laptop siezed in Columbia with Obama contacting Farc.
This guy is about revolution, pure and simple.
I looked up Cone after he was mentioned on Hanity and Colmes, and it was an eye opener. To elect this man president without knowing what "change" he advocates is suicide.
As far as Hagee saying the Holocaust was ordained by God, when has God had a plan "B" that was not under His direct control? We may never know His reasons for what He allows to happen, but we can be assured, it wasn't a surprise to Him. All through the Old Testament, God causes, allows, or whatever terminoligy you choose, many callamities in the lives of the Jews. We can deduce good king=good times, bad king= bad times. As far as the Holocaust, the Jews had to get their own homeland and take back Jerusalem for the coundown mentioned in Daniel of the 49 weeks of weeks to the Second coming of Christ. Jesus will appear on that day and whatever means God needed to get to that point will happen. Before WWII, could anybody figure how the Jews would get their own homeland and take Jerusalem back? If you look at the numbers of dead in Revelation, then a few million Jews sacrificed is a small number compared to the billions that will die when Jesus returns. Our lives here are but a puff of smoke in the eternal plan of God.

Dear Mrs. Shiver

After World War II, Stalinist propaganda managed to successfully spread two lies:

1) That fascism and nazism were the highest and last stage of capitalism and were completely antithetical to socialism and communism;

2) That Hitler's anti-semitism was a reaction against the prominent role that Jews played in the socialist and communist movements in Germany and in the Russian revolution.

The truth is that Mussolini and Hitler were both national socialists who wanted to build up "socialism in one land," just like Stalin, since they both realized that the world revolution according to Marx was an illusionary dream. Their main enemies were thus the capitalists, or as Hitler called them, the plutocrats and their form of government, liberal democracy, and only secondarily the internationalist socialists which, anyway, very soon after World War I, became the tools of the Russian national socialism, a.k.a. the "Communist International," an impediment to the realization of a pure Italian or German national socialism. Hitler did not attack the Soviet Union because of its national socialism or communism, but because he wanted Lebensraum (living space) for German farmers in order to establish his variety of German agrarian socialism, an aim he clearly stated in "Mein Kampf."

The further truth is that Hitler's anti-semitism was from the beginning anti-capitalism. The Jew was the incarnation of capitalism and - as for Marx - huckstering and capitalist greed. However, while for Marx the characteristics of the Jew were a consequence of the economic circumstances in which he lived, for Hitler they were founded in the biological nature of the Jewish race. Therefore, they would not disappear with the introduction of socialism but could only be exterminated by exterminating the Jewish race itself. However, the Jew was not only the incarnation of capitalism but also of internationalism since he had no country with which he could identify himself. Thus, the Jew became the antithesis of national socialism in two respects, firstly as capitalist and secondly as internationalist.

The anti-semitism and anti-zionism of today's socialists and leftists has thus a long history, from Marx's "self-loathing" as you correctly point out to Hitler's virulent racism.
It is high time to correct these two propaganda lies of Stalin and the modern left.

Thank you for pointing out the "anti-semitism" of Karl Marx and your excellent article.

Ch. Schauwecker, Zurich, Switzerland

An interesting and thought provoking essay, tying together the preachifying of Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, James Cone, Jeremiah Wright...and the holier than thou Barack Obama.

But the theologies of liberation...go on to a disastrous confusion between the poor of the Scripture and the proletariat of Marx.

from megapotamus;

"not even an empty suit but an empty garment bag"

"only marginally more substantial than smoke"

I have noticed fewer instances from the AT editorial staff referring to Obama as; "intelligent", "gifted", and "a good orator". Perhaps the staff has recognized their readers are ready for this change. Progress!

I wonder what truth remains buried that will take this still further.

Kyle-Anne, Thank you putting to print many of the thoughts my wife and I have been thinking about Mr. Obama. Our biggest unanswered question about Obama is-- Who is behind this Guy?? How did this little known backbencher get to this position of being the Democrat Liberal Marxist Party's Presidential nominee. As was said above you are known by the company you keep. But who is behind OBAMA??
John Griffin

Kyle-Anne, Thank you putting to print many of the thoughts my wife and I have been thinking about Mr. Obama. Our biggest unanswered question about Obama is-- Who is behind this Guy?? How did this little known backbencher get to this position of being the Democrat Liberal Marxist Party's Presidential nominee. As was said above you are known by the company you keep. But who is behind OBAMA??
John Griffin

Re: James post..I too waonder who is behind the empty suit known as Obama? Somebody/something big had to back him early and often..who is it?

Another intellectually dishonest article by Kyle-Ann; no surprises here. Reason and intellectual honesty are not valuable commodities here. Is freedom a marxist idea? Is equal opportunity and equal justice before the law marxist tenets? Is the desire for each person to be treated like a human being driven by marxist motivations? This is ridulous. I suppose blacks should have just accepted their status as second-class citizens, forget about the right to vote, forget about claiming their rights as citizens of the United States, accept lynchings and injustice. I'm sure it won't take much of a stretch for you to also depict Martin Luther King as a Marxist, as Hoover did.

This is the fearmongering that has always be used to delegitimize progessive individuals. And what better way to do it than to brand them 'Marxist/Socialist/Communist'. In apartheid South Africa, all the racist government needed to do to gain American and British support was to paint the ANC as communists, and therefore justify their brutality and racism. Likewise, in Haiti, the Duvaliers had the support of American, including, ironically, Jesse Helmes, in carrying out his attrocities and barbarities against his own people. All he needed to do was call his political opponents communists supported by Castro. I'm not surprised that the author doesn't even seem to understand "liberation theology." I read the article expecting to find a proper analysis of the philosophy but it was woefully lacking. You should at least know what you're talking about before you begin to offer a critique of it.

BTW, it's understandable why the catholic church is so much opposed to liberation theology in Latin America - home to the largest catholic population in the world. The Jesuits, once known as the "Pope's men" had sided with radicals in Latin America, sometimes violently (and that's always wrong). The establishment church in latin America was also a part of the oppression and injustice of those societies. Catholicism was, and still is, loosing millions of its members every year.

Responding to Nuke99

A simple explanation is usually the right one. You are on target here.

A person is known by the company he keeps.

Here's a question: How do you think the majority of the media and political elites would react if Mr. Obama's friend Wm. Ayers were firebombing black churches in the 1960's?

It's all about class. Breaking people into groups, which always, everywhere, leads to big problems. Someone always gets the fuzzy end of the lollipop.

Treat people as individuals-always. But discriminate-strongly- on ideas.

Socialists have the cart before the horse.

Shiver's analysis is spot on.
Is is worrisome when a fraud like Obama is treated like some sort of 21st century messiah. I hereby nominate B. Hussien Obama as Young Up-and-Coming Tyrant of 2008.
May he ooze back into obscurity he so richly deserves.

'Catholicism was, and still is, loosing millions of its members every year.'

Wrong. Catholicism has long been the world's dominant religion, and it wasn't surpassed by Islam until last year. If all Christians are counted as preachers of the same religion, then Christianity is the world's dominant faith.

Kyle-Anne (a native of the same city as MLK - Atlanta) is not a racist, and she did actually commemorate MLK. She's criticising Obama because 'progressive' policies have caused the US to suffer the crisis it is suffering now. 'Progressivism' is a recipe for failure. And she believes that, as Ronald Reagan said, that the government is not the solution to this problem, but rather the government itself is the problem. So she criticises every etatist politician and is constantly calling for a limited government.

Lloyd, Lloyd, Lloyd...so hopelessly naive. Here's your fearmongering: "Anthropogenic Global Warming", "Bush is Hitler", "Bush is creating more terrorists", "Conservatives are racist, bigot, homophobes", "Republicans want to destroy your Social Security benefits" and on and on and on...fearmongering is what drive the democRat party's agenda. If you want to talk about intellectual honesty, look at the mainstream media. In the tank for democRats for the past 45 years and counting. Clueless as to the real mainstream. The People.

Awesome. I was really struck by the extent to which Marxism is playing a role in our nation's affairs. Intuitively one has to realize this but the "raw data" is still startling.

The existance of a strong marxist movement is clearly embodied in the 70 year marxist campaign to seperate us into as many small "classes" as possible. The theological underpinnings as practised by Cone and company are clear manifestations of this movement as is the Welfare State.

This also tends to explain the truly deep antipathy between our Liberals and Conservatives. The level of vitriol is as high as I have ever seen or heard it.

Looking at this as a struggle for control by the Liberal-Marxist/Socialist vs the Establishment-Facist/Socialist may in its own way be enlighting.

As you pointed out so well,
Marxism is known as the Socialism of Class Struggle and the Oppressor and Oppressed while (my terms) Facism can be characterized as the Socialism of the Corporate State/Police State.
These two branches of socialist thought have been at war since the writings of Mussolini and Hitler and the implementation of the Nazi form of Facism by Hitler. Add the slaughter of any communists found within Nazi territories before and during WWII and you set a tone that can be heard today.

Republican vs Democrat is simply not what it is all about anymore.

PC will be the end of us all
LEE

We won the cold war, the ideological battle with Marxism, and toppled the Soviet Union. Why would we surrender now by voting in a Marxist for president?

It truly amazes me that so many people are buying Obama's rhetoric. He is a socialist plain and simple!

Catholic liberation theology is steeped in Marxism and so it is in no conflict with black liberation theology on that score. John Paul II, with his history of life under Communism, did indeed come out against parts of liberation theology but not all of it. He cherry-picked the pieces that fit his agenda. He criticized radical liberation theology, saying, "this conception of Christ as a political figure, a revolutionary, as the subversive of Nazareth, does not tally with the Church's catechisms." However, he also expressed concern over "the ever increasing wealth of the rich at the expense of the ever increasing poverty of the poor". He also affirmed that the principle of private property "must lead to a more just and equitable distribution of goods ... and if the common good demands it, there is no need to hesitate at expropriation itself, done in the right way." On balance, he offered neither unqualified praise nor universal condemnation.
The principle of "a preferential option for the poor" was articulated by the Catholic Bishops of Latin America as well as by several popes, particularly Pope John Paul II.
In February 2003, the U.S. and Mexican bishops released "Strangers No Longer: Together on a Journey of Hope," an historic pastoral statement on the need for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform. "Strangers No Longer" teaches that persons have the right not to have to migrate; that is, they should be able to lead fully human lives in their countries of birth. However, when this is impossible - whether due to extreme poverty or persecution - they have a right to migrate, and nations have a duty to receive them. Two fundamental strands of the church's mission - protecting the dignity of all and gathering into one God's scattered children - come together in its ministry to migrants and newcomers.
The Catholic Church has inserted itself into politics, calling on its priests and faithful to ignore US immigration law and to do all they can to prevent the laws from being enforced. So much for "rendering unto Caesar".
Liberation theology, Catholic as well as black, is alive and well. It is by no means in the dustbin of history.

The correct title for this work is "On 'The Jewish Question'." It is a critique of Bruno Bauer's "The Jewish Question."

David Horowitz mentions "On the Jewish Question" in his autobiography, "Radical Son."

Religiously, Karl Marx was a Christian. His father was a Jew who had converted to Christianity.

I see no problem with attaching Senator Obama to the revolutionaries of Chicago's counterculture and Marxist black movement due to the ever present fact that he has not sought to severely distance himself from them. He has made no strong outward sign that he does not endorse the activities and views of the Marxist groups which have flocked to his platform. Sorry, but the Senator will have to be declared guilty due to his associations by this reader.

I am not sure if Rev. Wright preaches from the Holy Bible during his oratories but it would seem that Obama was finally baptized after his pastor revealed to him that faith and the DNC can coexist. Correct me if I am wrong but does Obama say he was finally baptized because his pastor revealed to him that he can be a Democrat and a Christian simultaneously? It is amusing that, prior to this revelation, Senator Obama was under the impression you couldn't be both; I wonder why. Anyway, perhaps it would behoove Rev. Wright to consult what the Bible says about "change" and social uprising before he gives his own opinion from the pulpit. A pastor who spends more time expounding on political views than preaching the Bible is in the wrong line of work (and he is bastardizing his pastoral authority). I personally go to Church to be fed spiritually on Sunday and I read the National Review to get political opinion on Monday. It would do Senator Obama some good if he started to do the same.

Don't we just hate it when the religious hierachy insert themselves into secular politics, especially when it comes to our borders.
And don't we just love bashing the secularists with our religious beliefs, when it comes time for us to tell people how to think.

Obama backers? Start with Soros, check out a few Black Arabs, Obama is after all 40plus% Arab, not africa/american. Better stop while I still have my head.

An excellent article, which reflects my own concerns about liberation theology and Marxism, which I have written about on my own blog. My concerns now extend to Obama's ideology, given Jeremiah Wright's influence.

Kyle-Anne,

World history is filled with 'rote-opportunists' that prey on populations they look down upon. Perhaps it's the 'pathetic' label that harms them the most and thus they ultimately hide by covering themselves with a self-centered style for the good of all; it is about their SURVIVAL not their sacrifice. Put simply a man or a woman's 'words' do not accurately account for their actions nor will they account for who they really are. In this type of realm there is no clear divide between religion (faith) and politics, it is I fear the most sinister path of greed and self-righteousness a human can follow.

"...while hoodwinking the German people into electing him Chancellor."

Hitler was not elected Chancellor, he was appointed by Hindenburg.

Proof that the class struggle is the most important element of civilization resides not in Marx's logic but in the policies of George W. Bush and all who support him: class warfare. Are you better off now then you were in 2000?

Proof that the class struggle is the most important element of civilization resides not in Marx's logic but in the policies of George W. Bush and all who support him: class warfare. Are you better off now then you were in 2000?

Kyle-Ann,

Wonderful analysis. Thank you, my gut has been screaming at me ever since my first Rev Wright rant, Michelle Obama's wierd remarks about our mean country and the Ayers Dorne connection. It drove me to read Michelle's writings and Obama's fathers marxist socialist papers....Now I am no less concerned but at least now it has a name. Marxist/Social Revolution and its no exaggeration of a frenzied fearful wing nut me! Its upsetting to hear all this and more confirmed but at least its been defined and these words need to work their way into the MSM. I think most Americans are distrusting of Obama and the Rebulicans will surely peal back the facade, but would it not be nicer if it happens quicker and Hillary gets the nomination?

Karl Marx was not a Jew. His father had converted to the Prussian state religion before young Karl was born, and had made a career in the service of Prussia in a place (Catholic Trier) where Prussians were very much an alien minority. Karl was baptized in the Prussian state church (which mingled Lutheran and Calvinist features) and married another Prussian Lutheran. He was a Prussian through and through, beginning with his ideological roots in the Prussian state philosophy of Hegel. To insist that he was a Jew is to accept the Nazi notion that Hebraism is a taint in the blood, carried even by those who have never been near a synagogue in their lives.

Actually, Karl Marx was born to a Jewish family.

'Karl Heinrich Marx was born the third of seven children of a Jewish family in Trier, in the Kingdom of Prussia's Province of the Lower Rhine. His father, Heinrich (1777-1838), who had descended from a long line of rabbis, converted to Christianity, despite his many deistic tendencies and his admiration of such Enlightenment figures as Voltaire and Rousseau. Marx's father was actually born Herschel Mordechai, but when the Prussian authorities would not allow him to continue practicing law as a Jew, he joined the official denomination of the Prussian state.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx

We read a lot about liberation theology in the article and the following comments. There is only one true liberator and He is Jesus Christ. His sacrifice on the cross freed us all from our slavery to sin. All we have to do is accept that. What Obama, Wright, et el harp about is real slavery.

Obama is who he is. The sad thing is we have so few true leaders willing to call him the Marxist, anti-Americanist that he so clearly is.

For those interested in further comparisons, take a look at "The Crisis of German Ideology" -you will see an obvious conmparison to the Volks movement and Global Warming and all the other garbage that has been piling up lately.

Oxymoron: Liberation Theology.

The only thing theological about it is that they remove "Theos" from theology, replacing God with themselves.

How typical, and how ancient an excuse to do what you want.

Also, the Church referred to as "the poor" -that was the name of that Church. So the scripture that is saying, "..remember the poor.." -I want to say that was James, is talking about his own Church. Not about poor people generically... which it has come to mean as a followon to the remarks of Jesus about poor people.

Of course, most can't fathom the remark, "The poor you always have with you.." -leading one to understand that contextually, sometimes, there are more important things that taking care of the poor.

Your article is bang on. Now go read "The Black Book of Communism" -and if you don't want to read the whole thing -just read the preface.

I'm not a reader of yours. The article is fascinating...Marx, Hitler, Cone, Wright...Obama, all wrapped up in just a few months of research and a few taps on the key board, guilt by association, an utterly un-American idea embraced by those who claim to love what America stands for because it helps them feel vindicated in a conclusion they're predisposed to embrace.

The evidence you use to pin Obama as a Marxist is as intellectually insipid as 9-11 conspiracy theories espoused by the left-wing nuts you position yourself against.

The radical left and the radical right suffer from the same intellectual errors, I'm learning after reading the post follow-ups to your article. I've been frustrated by these left-wing psychos for years because they self-righteously claim that the world can be encapsulated in their simplistic embrace of complex (and often bone-headed) theories. I've appreciated the fact that most conservatives have a more clear sense of the values they stand for. But not so in this article the lemmings that are commenting on your post.

If you read Obama's words or speeches, follow is legislative and political life or learn his life history (or his fathers for that matter) he is not even close to a Marxist....But contriving a theory to pin him as one certainly wins over your herd, just as the same approach against the opposite candidates does on the left.

What I like about Obama is that he has the capacity to avoid the very errors that your article makes when faced with difficult questions. He does not view things from one side. I saw this on his speech about race, where he demonstrated the mark of honest thinking and bold leadership. I also like the fact that his leadership, aside from those susceptible to conspiracy theories and hyperbole, can attract people who disagree. I have colleges at work - democrats, republicans and independents - who can all sit together at lunch and debate his positions and his leadership qualities. None of us agree on everything, but we all come together around the fundamental thing that Obama is calling for - a more unified country...we are all motivated by his movement to buckle down for the hard work ahead of reclaiming the American Dream, which is about as far from a socialist dream as one could imagine.

Your article is dead-set on continuing to divide the country by trying to mastermind conspiracies that violate some of the very basic rights we cherish as Americans - we are not guilty by association...You dress yourself up as an honest thinker and then make dishonest jabs, such your suggestion that Obama is a friend of Chavez because he wants to meet with him, as though Reagan were a friend of Gorbechauf.

The majority of Americans, unlike the readers of this article (and unlike your mirror images on the left) do not want such fear-mongering mucking up our political life. Have the real debates. Talk about the real issues.

If you go fishing for monsters in the sea of historical development, snatching whatever looks weird and pasting it together, you will find the monster. But that is not honest thinking. It is not patriotic. It does a disservice to this country I imagine you claim to love. Someone who does love this country and is voting for Barack Obama unless McCain convinces me that the war and tax-cuts he supports will somehow be good for this country. Such notions, however, have not gotten us far these past 6 years.

Norway, Sweden, France, most of Europe is socialist and they all come here on their much longer vacations, because our dollar is so weak in comparison to the euro. Conservatives got some "splainin" to do.

Kyle-Anne, you tie together some themes that resonate strongly in what we are slowly coming to learn about Barack Obama's character.

His nurturing under Rev. Wright in Black Liberation Theology (Cone based) sounds the bass note of concern for me. My understanding of this theology is that it is very much concerned with class struggle, influenced strongly by Marxist thought.

Let me add to this the deep grounding Barack Obama brings in Communtity Organizing. He was trained by the Gamaliel Foundation in organizing, which holds as a key principle "aggitation" as a means of engaging the energies (sometimes based on guilt) of individuals to work together in groups, seeking power, so that desired change can be brought about.

The Gamaliel Foundation's methodology is based on the work of Saul Alinsky who developed a method of organizing people for social change, particularly change of the class struggle nature. Alinsky makes no attempt to hide his debt to Karl Marx.

Barack Obama has woven together his talent for and belief in community organization with the Black Liberation Theology of Trinity UCC and taken it to a new, personally satisfying level (for him), of political power seeking as a much faster method for instigating change even than organizing.

My great concern is that the idealism of political power working for class struggle objectives will tear at the American soul without bringing true change. Yes, we will be aggitated, and yes, we may follow for a while, but at what cost.

I'm anticipating your next article.

Call it what you want: Zionism,Socialism, Communism, Nazism, Black Power, the Illuminati, etc., the fact is that they all may be one and the same or they may be working together to bring about the absolute slavery of the human race and the destruction of Christianity under the umbrella of the One World Government.

Kyle-Anne Shiver,

You've woven an interesting theological mesh to tie Obama, his church, and Marx together. A secular explanation might be preferable.

Obama was raised white, first by a liberal mother then a grandmother, apparently without the balance and stability a male influence would have provided. When he came of age, and a liberal arts graduate, he sought the advantages the Affirmative Action would give to him as a Black. His credentials, written on his face, were more than sufficient. So he undertook a conversion, and chose for instruction the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and for his scripture, as you have found, the writings of James H. Cone.

This curriculum imbued him with Black Liberation, also known as Black Separatism or Black Nationalism. This is not a Marxist movement, but a movement to maximize its take from a liberal government that divides the electorate into privileged groups. To be effective, it needs a liberal government, which it must promote.

The part of Marxism that survives in this country is its core concept, and the bedrock of the collectivism of the Democratic party. Divide the people into classes, interpose an oppressive class, and convince the groups that whatever grievance they might perceive is an unbearable result of oppression. This offers a most efficient way to campaign for power, especially at the national level where the people are afforded neither an initiative nor a referendum. The difficulties this program faces in the US are its economic class mobility, its economic prowess, the rewards that accrue to individualism, federalism, and reason. As an established Democrat/Marxist, trained as a lawyer, and moreover at Harvard, the color of Black Nationalism was perfect for a Democratic candidate.

Obama made his Black Nationalist views obvious in his race speech of 3/18/08 in Philadelphia. Blacks still claim compensation for slavery, segregation, and economic oppression. The Civil War was not adequate, he says. He completely ignores the justice and benefits of the various Civil Rights Act (e.g., 1866, 1964, and 1965), and the costs and benefits of Affirmative Action. The debt will never be paid so long as the groups resonate to the sermon of oppression, and as long as Obama holds office.

Regarding Comment No. 1:
"I think a more even-handed approach to this would be to allow Senator Obama to present what his Christian beliefs entail, rather than making a complex argument that he is a Marxist, which is what I think your article presents."
I eagerly wait for Obama to inspire us regarding how he will separate salvation by governance from individual moral responsibility.

That Orbis and the Maryknoll congregation published Cone should be no surprise. Miguel d'Escoto, a priest and a member of the Marxist-Leninist Sadinista movement in Nicaragua helped found Orbis. (check it out on wikipedia) Like Wright and the rest of these radicals he loathes the US, so it should also be no surprise that he has been elected President of the General Assembly of the UN!

To Tom Trollhammer:

I find your post refreshing in it's attempt at balance and a willingness not to be pulled in by alarmism about Obama, but I don't share your optimism about Obama's potential and promise. The mountains of evidence about who he has primarily associated with during his formative period up until the last few weeks (literally) is not at all reassuring. Cone, Wright, Farrakan (who may have had a hand in murdering the "revered" Malcolm X), Pflegle, Ayers, Dohrn, and his own wife, Michelle do paint a bleakly uber-lefty picture of Sen. Obama.

Does Obama really mean to transcend what are apparently his actual beliefs so as to become a "unifier" to help more people achieve the American Dream? Maybe. Such things have happened before. But why take the huge gamble of electing him to find out? What we know of his associations tell me that he has to reinvent himself one more time to be that kind of President. Again, the risk of electing him is just not worth it.

And, by the way, where does this irritating silliness about us Americans needing to be "unified" come from? NOT from our founders nor the true American spirit. When the founders spoke of "A more perfect Union," they didn't mean for us to be in lockstep, but rather, they understood that there would be many divisions and differing views on priorities, lifestyles, and governance. The purpose of American government is for us to go as much on our own way as individuals and group subsets (including States, regions and private associations) while still having a viable, solid government. The only time we have "unified" is in time of Nation-threatening crises, and even then only for relatively brief periods. The crises we face now do not threaten to rend the Nation asunder, not even the very real problem of terrorism. We don't have an economic crisis like the Great Depression, just an economic slowdown (not even a recession). The notion of a "unifier" in today's context comes from the conceit that the government must solve most of our problems, so we all have to be on the same ideological page to make that happen. That's crap, and not in the American spirit.

I started out many months ago now trying to figure out who and what Obama was.
I still struggle to put together in my mind how it all fits.
The many tenacles of various philosophies and politics had/have me very confused.
Christian, Muslim, Marxist, Racist, Communist, socialist, Black Nationalist, or Combinations...

After months of putting thoughts and notes together I gradually have formed an opinion that Obama is a reflection of ALL his past mentors. From his beloved Marxist professors to his 'invented' Racist theology, from his Communist family on both sides of the pond, to radical American hating associates and friends, Obama should be believed when he stated -"I can no more disown-..." "These people are a part of me."
When reviewing Obama's record of trying to fit in as a black man (sounds like Michell's Thesis)from childhood to adulthood there is a theme that stands out. Marxism may be a vehicle as it pertains to 'class' and 'oppression' but in the final analysis, and all Obama work segments reviewed, the one absolute pattern from the Alinsky organizing, to Boards, of his legislature, to his church, all involve Black centric themes and goals.
Obama has read, studied, and practiced all of the above for one common achievment in his 12 step Pledge of Allegience to the Cone enthralled black community.
The 'bambozzeling' is for 'black power' empowerment through whatever vehicle works.
Black Theology is not Christian...though, ironicaly, it certainly is a form of slavery.
Obama, revealed, has set our country back 40 years.
I shudder to think what this 'idenity seeking' chamelion will do to this country as a president with the dems in control of the House and Senate, and a checkbook.

Guess that explains the picture of Michelle Obama posing with Mrs. Louis Farrakan.
http://minx.cc/?post=265769

I just discovered American Thinker yesterday and am absolutely blown away by the eloquence of the two authors I've read so far: Ms. Shapiro and Ms. Shiver. What rich writing. A veritable feast for this refugee from the liberal mainstream media. As for Barack Obama he is the ultimate stealth candidate. Will John McCain unmask him? One can only hope. Someone please send him Kyle-Anne Shiver's articles!

-The truth is Obama is a far left liberal with Marxist leanings.
Wall Street Journal: "The Obama We Don't Know" June 4, 2008
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "The Obama Triangle" Posted Friday, February 15, 2008

-Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was a left-wing radical.
Chicago Tribune: "Obama's mom: Not just a girl from Kansas" published March 27, 2007
Seattle Times: "Obama's mother known here as 'uncommon'" April 8, 2008

-Obama's "cousin", is the Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, head of the same Luo tribe to which Obama's late Muslim father belonged, is a Marxist who has made deals with Islamic Extremists.
-Obama's brother, Abongo "Roy" Obama is a Luo activist and a militant Muslim.
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "Obama's Church" posted January 15, 2008

-Obama attended a church for 20 years which is based on the teachings of Dr. James Cohen and Black Liberation Theology which mixes black Christianity with Marxism.
-Reverend Jeremiah Wright was the minister of this church and claims Dr. James Cohen as his mentor.
AMERICAN THINKER:"Obama's Mentor's Mentor" February 22, 2008
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "Not So Fast, Barack" Posted Tuesday, June 03, 2008
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "Obama: Stealth Socialist?" Posted Friday, May 16, 2008

-Reverend Wright made the false statement that there are "more black men in prison than in college", which Obama has parroted in numerous speeches until he was told it was not true.
Rev. Jeremiah Wright Sermon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfNEfEBYIZs
Most Revealing Fibs: Barack Obama: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2007/12/most_revealing_fibs_barack_oba.html

-Obama was trained to be a community organizer by an organization which stems from Saul Alinsky.
-Saul Alinsky started "community organizing" which is otherwise known as agitating for revolution.
-Saul Alinsky "motivated" the "poor" to rise up by getting them to believe they were victims of government and society.
-Saul Alinsky wrote a book called "Rules for Radicals", which discusses the need for "change".
-Obama has connections to William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, former members of the Weathermen, a radical left organization.
-Bernadine Dohrn also became a Saul Alinsky "Community Organizer".
FrontPageMagazine.com: "Democrats' Platform for Revolution" 5/5/2008
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "Obamastan" Posted Wednesday, May 14, 2008
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "Obama's Marxist Axis Of Friends" Posted Monday, May 05, 2008
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY: "Obama's Academia Nuts" Posted Friday, April 25, 2008
AMERICAN THINKER: "Barack Obama and Israel" January 16, 2008

It seems there is confusion among some of the people who commented here about how the Marxist leanings surrounding Obama are connected to his chant for change. What changes could someone with this type of world view enact? What I believe is missing in the puzzle is a belief that a war between good and evil is currently being fought, with the gravest possible consequences to our liberties. Marx's philosophy was based upon "organized collectivism" and it is the same New Age collectivism that is being chanted through the convocations of LucisTrust.org for a new world order of things that will come to pass when the new Messiah comes to power. A chilling glimpse at how all of this would fit together can be found at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/3qw35f

Marx was a New Ager- just like occultists Helena Blavatsky and Alice Bailey, who founded Lucis Trust and influenced Hitler, and understanding this connection is critical to understanding the danger of electing this man for President.

Most referencing Obama's Marxist leanings are citing the liberation theology and the redistributionist agenda of taxation. All left leaning love the second half of Marx's "to each according to his need" while conveniently short shrifting the first half "from each according his ability". If everyone was held accountable for contributing to society to his full potential, uncompromised by addictions, academic underachievement, financial/social/personal irresponsibility then the burden of the second half would be miniscule.

i dont know who sent me to this site of anti-progress. People would say or do anything so a black man wont be elected president.if it was a whiteman, all what we hear about obama wont be heard.! way to go obama 08!

it is clear to me ....obama is a communist...wake up people...before it is to late..

Black Liberation Theology is based on Marxism--if Obama is opposed why not just reject this theology? Point: you do not put an amateur's finger on the Nuke trigger and Obama is a non producer in life. Clever talker but worthless in achievement.

Kylie-Anne,

Superb! Spot on!

The comments from folks trying to drill down to Obama's real self, through, supposedly, his background, pop out at me, not doubt because I have been on the same quest.

At this point, I think his formative years in Asia and Hawaii, which is culturally very close to Asia, are decisive. And backed up by "world revolution" specifics from liberation theology, which, as you point out, is communist.

So I am going with ChiCom as the current and decisive operator of this operator.

David

One of the early comments here asked that we should just ask Obama what his "Christian beliefs" are. That question assumes that his beliefs are, in fact, Christian.

Being a member of an organization that calls itself a church, doesn't make one a Christian.

Due to a lax Church, the emergence of feel-good "evangelists", and an educational establishment dominated by the Left, the mainstream media, and sadly, an increasing number of church attenders who consider themselves Christians, are theologically ignorant and have not a clue about what is and is not orthodox Christianity. They allow anyone to define Christianity as whatever they want it to be.

Straight Talk:
Barack Obama is NOT an orthodox Christian.

The only reason that he (small h) and the media pretend otherwise, is to sucker weak-minded Christians inot voting for him (small h).