Where Obama turns for spiritual advice: Rev. Joel Hunter of Longwood

[DemocratSinceBirth]

He doesn't thunder from the pulpit in righteous rage. He'd rather relay stories that make a moral point.

He has no catchphrases, fussy handlers or televised religious talk shows.

What the soft-spoken Rev. Joel Hunter of Longwood does have is an evangelical church of 12,000, a talent for building diverse coalitions and a prominent spiritual advisory role in the administration of President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Not bad for a registered Republican who came to Central Florida in 1985 to take charge of a small flock that grew into one of the region's largest megachurches.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-asecbigpastor12041209apr12,0,3873674.story

I think I will check out his Easter service this evening.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Prez Obama's track record with spiritual advice is pretty dodgy. I hope this is an improvement. nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. I'll Let You Know

I know one of his congregants who voted for Obama. The fact that Joel Hunter is disliked by fundamentalist preachers tells you something.

[MADem]

3. At this stage, he'd be better off just having a regular chat with Sinner Rev. Jesse Jackson!!

:rofl:

Poor Obama...he's screwed no matter what he does in this area.

Hell, maybe his best bet would be to convert to Judaism, and use Michelle's cousin the Rabbi as his spiritual advisor.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/09/michelle-obamas-chicago-r_n_125213.html



That way, he'd be a two-fer--first biracial President (that is "out" anyway), and first Jewish President!

Make some heads explode...why not? No matter what he does, he's going to be criticized.

If I were him, I'd go to the "President's church" and just be done with it. It's dull, boring, non-controversial, and the pastor generally doesn't go out of his way to embarrass the President. Either that, or he could invite a different congregation to the WH every other Sunday or so--that might be an amusing way to handle the issue.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. We're All Sinners

~

[MADem]

5. Yeah, but poor old Jesse is a very PUBLIC "Sorry Mrs. Jackson" sinner....

But hey, he knows his way to the WH, so that's a start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3VTueOW6yQ

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Yes, Most Of Our Infidelities Are Not Public

And the Reverend's infidelity was all too public. But he's forgiven.

[FrenchieCat]

7. I remember him from the Democratic National Convention.....

He gave the benediction at the very end.

I remember him because he looked like Bush to me,
and guessed that was why he had gotten the gig!

He was quite excellent at the Convention that evening!
I still have him on tape.

If he's a Republican, he must have been converted to being an OBama supporter
long ago.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I'll Let You Know About His Sermon

All I know is that the fundamentalist ministers around here don't like him. That's a good thing.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Here's a video and transcript of his closing benediction at the Democratic National Convention

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQyXd33Y1KU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fblog%2Echristianitytoday%2Ecom%2Fctpolitics%2F2008%2F08%2Fjoel%5Fhunters%5Fbe%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

We are all here to devote ourselves to the improvement of this country we love. In one of the best traditions of our country, would those of you who are people of faith join me in asking for God's help?

Almighty God, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a reverence for all life. Give us a compassion for the most vulnerable among us. The babies. The children. The poor. The sick. The enslaved. The persecuted. For all of those who have been left out of the advantaged world.

Give us a zeal to clean the environment we have polluted while we create an economy where everyone who can work can have a job. Help us to honor those who defend our country by working harder and smarter for peace. Help us to counter those that incite fear and hatred by becoming people who are informed and respectful and are known for the principles and projects that aim higher than merely our own group's benefit.

Guide Barack Obama and all of our leaders to be agents of your will and recipients of your wisdom. And grant that all of us citizens will continually do our part to contribute to the common good so that we can truly love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Now I interrupt this prayer for a closing instruction. I want to personalize this. I want this to be a participatory prayer. And so therefore, because we are in a country that is still welcoming all faiths, I would like all of us to close this prayer in the way your faith tradition would close your prayer.

So on the count of three, I want all of you to end this prayer, your prayer, the way you usually end prayer. You ready? One, two, three.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Let's go change the world for good.
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2008/08/joel_hunters_be.html

[dsc]

10. A very mixed bag

Hunter shares his movement's typical pro-life and anti-gay-marriage social commitments. But he became best known to the mainstream press in 2006 when an arrangement for him to take over as head of the Christian Coalition, the political machine founded by Pat Robertson, imploded as it became clear that Hunter intended to steer it into more moderate waters. He has since made a name (and Fundamentalist foes) combating global warming, championing comprehensive immigration reform and extolling a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Less ambiguously than any other leader (including Purpose-Driven Life author Rick Warren, who hedges more bets), Hunter is the avatar of the New Evangelicalism, which is increasingly contesting the priorities of classic religious-right figures like James Dobson. Given all this, it was not surprising that Hunter delivered the closing benediction at the Democratic Convention in August, or that he was asked to join Tuesday's prayer circle.

end of quote

I would certainly prefer a pastor who wasn't horrible on gay rights.

[BlooInBloo]

11. I don't know anything about him, but I'm certain that I should be OUTRAGED!!!!