Video: Community organizers pray to their new deity, or something; Update: Or do they? Update: Poll added
posted at 10:55 am on September 29, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
I’m tempted to make fun of this, but the First Mate was absolutely aghast at the idol-worship connotations of this video. The Gamaliel Foundation is a community-organizing group that acts as the ground troops for Barack Obama’s domestic policies, especially health-care reform. Anyone who has spent any time in church will recognize the worship cadence of this clip, which puts Obama in the place of the Lord in prayer:
A couple of points: This video came from last December, not recently, which means that the lunacy preceded the current debate over ObamaCare. This was at the tail end of the Democrats’ campaign attempt to cast their agenda in religious terms of social justice, although they have certainly picked up that effort again over the summer. If anything, it reminds people of just how bad Democrats and left-wing groups are at this kind of campaign. No one there seems to realize how shocking and sacreligious this will sound to actual churchgoers, who will rightly recoil at the worship of Obama as an idol in place of the actual Deity.
Update: I wonder what all of those on the Left who made fun of the Christian kids in Jesus Camp have to say about this. I’m guessing that we’re going to hear the sound of one hand clapping.
Update II: Or do they? After a couple of repetitions, I’m not sure if they’re saying “Obama” or “Oh God”. Sounds like “Obama”, and my wife — who is blind and couldn’t read the captions — immediately heard “Obama” when I played it for her. I’m not sure which it is, but it could be “Oh God” with poor acoustics.
Update III: The Jesus Camp question pertains either way, though.
Update IV: It does sound more like “Obama” in the “Deliver us” part. I’m really not sure.
Update V: Let’s add a poll and see what everyone thinks:
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »
Yeah, I hear “Oh God,” with some folks a little out of synch making “God” carry over a bit.
This is standard liturgical fare in many churches, “Hear our prayer, oh God.”
Pilgrimsarbour on September 29, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Are you &%#$!*& kidding me? This could be a SNL skit, But it’s not funny, it’s scary as $#!+. I honestly don’t think it is legal for me to say what I think we should do with these zombies. There are obviously a lot of dangerously blind people in this country… Stay the Hell away from me.
ronnyraygun on September 29, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Puhleeze.
There is absolutely no doubt of what they are saying.
Don’t give them the benefit of what they don’t deserve.
corona on September 29, 2009 at 1:15 PM
They don’t care about the actual story of Jeremiah… they just want the health care quote. It is NOT Jeremiah Wright.
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 1:15 PM
the fact that they are saying God instead of Obama doesn’t make this any less creepy
thebrokenrattle on September 29, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Still garbled. Its definitely “Oh God” on the last one, and uncertain before that.
Count to 10 on September 29, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Sounded like Obama at first, it was clearly “Oh God” on the last one.
ihasurnominashun on September 29, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Yes, that should be the takeaway from this.
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Agreed.
It only makes it slightly less ridiculous.
Count to 10 on September 29, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Hello? The Pastor cited the “Prophet” Martin Luther King Jr.! They most certainly are worshiping Obama.
“Oh God” two syllables.
“O-ba-ma” Three syllables.
OxyCon on September 29, 2009 at 1:19 PM
It sounds like “Oh God.” The acoustics are bad and not everyone says it in unison. The second to the last time sounds like “Obama,” but I don’t think they’re saying that. Perhaps a few people were saying that (???), but the majority were saying “Oh God.”
Regardless, getting God’s co-signature and using religion like this to strong arm people into agreement with one’s political position is disgusting.
conservative pilgrim on September 29, 2009 at 1:21 PM
These idiots are under the influence of Kool Aid!
BigMike252 on September 29, 2009 at 1:29 PM
For a carton of cigarettes these people would sell out momma!
christene on September 29, 2009 at 1:31 PM
God, Obama, Jesus… big diff.
Tzetzes on September 29, 2009 at 1:31 PM
I thought he was a bullfrog. (But who knows? I never understood a single word he said…)
Tzetzes on September 29, 2009 at 1:33 PM
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1794569,teen-mob-killed-charges-092809.article
Mmm, mmmm, mmm.
LtE126 on September 29, 2009 at 1:35 PM
The Prophet Jeremiah….Wright….
Has it really come to this? (strokes AR-15)
pseudonominus on September 29, 2009 at 1:43 PM
If that was in a church during an actual church service, it would be against their tax exempt status to be taking a political postion.
mwdiver on September 29, 2009 at 1:45 PM
So little by little, through blogs, and articles, and videos, and books etc. the picture of just how all of Obama’s non profits rigged, and stole through fraud, identity theft, and intimidation the democratic nomination for him, and then the presidency.
No wonder he had to rip us off for all of those billions to pay them back!
patriotparty1 on September 29, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Sounds clearly like there is a “b” in there.
I’m going with “Obama” over “Oh, Lord” based on that.
RedNewEnglander on September 29, 2009 at 2:12 PM
I hear “Oh God.”
But this is still disturbing – is it a parody of the Catholic Mass? There are vested men who might be priests but this has a cultish atmosphere that has more to do with indoctrination and control than with anything else. There is a pervasive belief that poverty can only be addressed by taking from the rich, that the poor have no responsibility to work to improve themselves and their lives.
I have also been disturbed by the name of the organization, Gamaliel Foundation, since I first encountered it. Gamaliel was the Pharisee who taught Paul and, according to tradition, became Christian and is held to be a saint, even though he is no longer included in the Roman Martyrology. “Saul Alinsky made all of his organizers read the letters of Paul because he regarded his namesake to be one of the greatest organizers of all time.” The members of the foundation “work in the hope and the confidence that this work is of God.” They must have read the perverted and abridged version of Paul’s epistles and certainly skipped over “2 Thessalonians 3: 10-12.”
They require our prayers and, need I say it, must be brought down. The Gamaliel Foundation must soon be like the toppling ACORN (assuming someone can gather evidence of criminal activity).
Drusilla on September 29, 2009 at 2:15 PM
PDF from the Gamaliel Foundation.
Quoted there: MLK, the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah (in fact, 8:22, like we’ve said).
However, that’s not to say that there are absolutely no connections between Gamaliel and Rev. Wright. Those fingerprints are all over the website.
I wonder if Discover The Networks has anything on this…
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Why has a bunch of left-wingers taken Warren G. Harding’s middle name as the name of its group?
rivlax on September 29, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Fingerprints (PDF).
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Oooooh, so the Gamaliel Foundation thinks that Rev. Wright didn’t go far enough in his God-Damn America/Roosting Chickens speeches.
Good to know.
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 2:28 PM
In church we would use “Hosanna“. It is another possibility. It is too hard to tell from the audio, though.
Patriot Vet on September 29, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Rev. Wright, community organizing, SEIU. It’s an incestuous bunch, that much is obvious.
hoosiermama on September 29, 2009 at 2:43 PM
Maureen Dowd clearly heard, “Hear our cry, Boy.”
Matticus Finch on September 29, 2009 at 2:46 PM
I heard “Obama” clearly a few times, but I think others could be saying “Oh God” mingled in there. The wording of the ‘prayer’ is equally creepily cultish, though.
And the reference to ‘The Prophet Jeremiah’ — do they mean the one God sent out to punish followers of false idols, or do they mean Jeremiah Wright?
starboardhelm on September 29, 2009 at 2:51 PM
“Would”? You’re too kind.
BobMbx on September 29, 2009 at 2:52 PM
America = Government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Obama = Worship of Obama, by the slaves and for the ignorant.
If the poor have a right to the property of the rich, don’t the rich also have a right to the property of the poor?
The Rock on September 29, 2009 at 2:55 PM
There are 3 syllabals in what they are saying. “O-ba-ma.” It can be clearly heard.
alteredbeat on September 29, 2009 at 2:59 PM
ROFLOLOL !
+1000000000
pambi on September 29, 2009 at 3:01 PM
What you hear depends on which part of the clip you listen to:
The first one at 0:45 is clearly and in unison “Hear our cry, Oh-bama.”
Again at the 1:00 mark I hear clearly “Hear our cry Oh-bama”
At 1:10, I hear “Deliver us Oh-bama ” But the chant becomes slightly garbled precisely following the O syllabyl
At 1:20, I hear the crowd chant “Deliver us Oh-???” again, with a loud female voice near the camera chanting “Deliver us Oh God” very insistently.
At 1:30, it sounds like an equal mix of Obama and Oh God. “Deliver us Oh-???”
By 1:45, it is now clearly, “Deliver us Oh God.”
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Clearly “Hear our cry Obama”, with eventually some people saying “Oh God”.
modifiedcontent on September 29, 2009 at 3:11 PM
I’m throwing in my two cents that I only hear Oh God.
Enoxo on September 29, 2009 at 3:17 PM
They pulled the video from YouTube.
Hening on September 29, 2009 at 3:18 PM
winner winner, chicken dinner
Lisa on September 29, 2009 at 3:21 PM
I can’t call it. Either way it looks like Night of the Living Dead to me.
Gang-of-One on September 29, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Orange Caps and t-shirts,Acorn Thugs!!
The Alter of Liberalism echoes itself!
canopfor on September 29, 2009 at 3:25 PM
I generally concur…I think it started out with most saying Obama, then some that are not sheep, started emphazing God, but you can still here a little cadence deterioration.
Normally in church you start off with some “off beat” and then you get the “beat” of the day and you stay in unison…in this case they were all over, pointing to some saying “God” and other saying “Obama”.
right2bright on September 29, 2009 at 3:29 PM
They’re pulling vids right and left these days. Last week I watched a vid of a get-together in Columbia, MD, called Sing-out for Change. They were singing (hold onto your lugnuts) “Baaaaarack Obama, I’m gonna let it shine!” I can’t find it anywhere, and the user who had uploaded it had it removed for some sort of violation. Dumb me, didn’t save it when I watched it.
hoosiermama on September 29, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Funny as hell!
Gang-of-One on September 29, 2009 at 3:30 PM
At 0:40 – 0:50 it is clearly “Hear my cry Obama”, everyone is in unison.
The middle chants are garbled and out of sync to varying degrees.
The final chant at 1:40 – 1:50 is clearly “Deliver us Oh God.”
Try listening to the clip from 1:40-1:50, then rewinding it and listening to 0:40-0:50. You can clearly hear the difference.
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 3:31 PM
That’s what got me, then I realized they were saying MLK, and the prophet in the bible has nothing to do with what they are saying, he was an apocalyptic prophet, not one of hope. With the follow up of Martin Luther King, and Obama, I have to assume they are talking of modern living prophets. Jeremiah Wright, Martin Luther King, and Obama…
Creepy…
right2bright on September 29, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Although I do agree with you that “O God” is more clear as the vid progresses, I doubt they segued from one to the other. I really don’t think it’s “Obama” being chanted.
They’re just not in as much unison. The audio in that clip should be enhanced by someone I’m sure…and we’ll see.
With words on the screen like that, we can hear what those words tell us to hear.
JetBoy on September 29, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Geez, Matticus, anyone that’s not a Kool-aid drinker should have figured out long ago what we’re dealing with.
Gang-of-One on September 29, 2009 at 3:37 PM
It sounds to me like they started out with “Obama” and morphed to “God” by the end.
I usually listen to music on my computer so I initially listened with noise cancelling head phones, and the transition jumped out at me — especially the high pitched female voice shouting “Oh God” while much of the rest of the crowd shouts “Obama”.
Just to make sure I switched to speakers. The transition is harder to hear on speaker, but the difference between the first and last chant is still pretty clear.
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 3:40 PM
I’m Catholic, and Jesus Camp freaked me out. Never got that whole “speaking in tongues” thing. Gives me the willies.
JetBoy on September 29, 2009 at 3:40 PM
This isn’t so strange. People have been praying to Satan (Obama) forever.
Jeff from WI on September 29, 2009 at 3:43 PM
FYI, in “Jesus Camp” they were praying FOR Bush, not TO Bush.
DethMetalCookieMonst on September 29, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Clearly, it’s, “God”.
No, wait. Clearly, it’s “Obama”
No, wait. Clearly, it’s “Oh” something.
Clearly I’m not sure. But it’s clear that we should have a poll so that people can clearly tell us what the clearly couldn’t hear clearly.
Rod on September 29, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Stanley Kurtz did an article in National Review about Obama’s connections to Gamaliel before the election last year.
Here’s the link:
Quite an eyeopener!
Greyledge Gal on September 29, 2009 at 3:46 PM
I downloaded it, cleaned it up and played it backwards with horrifying results:
These people worship a dog!
Rod on September 29, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Hey, leave the First Lady out of it.
Jeff from WI on September 29, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Why are so many on the Left eager to toss their freedoms away to become the servant of the State, ruled by a Father figure?? Do they not understand the consequences of their actions, that they running headlong towards slavery??
EasyEight on September 29, 2009 at 3:54 PM
When I look at the poster in the video it says, “Faith and Democracy”. Faith in what? Faith in ……… obviously, Obama. Intercession in the name of God, bad. Intercession in the name of Obama, good. Messed up.
pjean on September 29, 2009 at 3:55 PM
No, no, no! This time there’s no smoking video. The crowd is saying, “Hear us, O God” but they’re not all speaking at the same time. (Of course, what god is being invoked is another matter.)
I was actually hoping for the other, but Christmas can’t come every day, now can it?
Veritas on September 29, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Other than she directly quotes Jeremiah 8:22. But sure, other than that, aaaaabsolutely nothing to do with what they’re saying.
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Well, whatever you hear the crowd saying, the combination of Christianity and Marxism is pretty creepy.
“Hear our cry Obama”
“With the prophet, Martin Luther King Jr., we cry out, of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.”
“Hear our Cry Obama”
“From healthcare systems and industries, that place profit over people”
“Deliver us Obama/Oh God”
And smite the evil redneck bourgouise (sp?) who cling to their guns and Cadillac health insurance plans…
Okay, I made the last part up.
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Tread lightly, Jeff. Very lightly…
Abby Adams on September 29, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Absolutely correct, and a good quote for them to choose.
The peoples spiritual sickness was very deep…it could be healed, but the people refused the medicine. God could heal their self inflicted wounds, but (here is the caveat) would not force his healing on them.
I wonder if the “minister” really knew what she was quoting…or whether the words looked good, and she didn’t dig deeper.
Thanks, it not only make is clearer, it makes it messier for them.
right2bright on September 29, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Clearly started calling out to OBAMA, but equally clearly, some of the more pious folk got freaked out by their own blasphemy and switched outcrying to “GOD” at the end.
Mojamaiko on September 29, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Sounds as if the first and last have quite a few “Gods”. Perhaps the minions had not gotten – the word – about Obama on the first. It definitely sounds like “Obama” in the middle phrases.
Yikes.
maninthemiddle on September 29, 2009 at 4:22 PM
It helps if you spent time in black call and response services.
exception on September 29, 2009 at 4:34 PM
It’s “Oh God”.
I can see where one might hear it “Obama” … especially because of the cadence.
It wouldn’t shock me if a few were saying “Obama”, but there’s really no way to tell, and I generally doubt it.
Let us not discredit ourselves by latching on to things like this which are questionable at best. What’s actually going on and provable is enough.
philmon on September 29, 2009 at 4:34 PM
youtube video
jhffmn on September 29, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I agree that the words set you up to be biased. The video would actually be more convincing if they weren’t there. That is why I listened to it several times without looking at the words before my first post.
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Ahhh, ummm, errr, maybe the government cheese that the honest hard working freedom loving people are paying for? Just guessin’
Gang-of-One on September 29, 2009 at 4:46 PM
I respectfully disagree. Me and my lying ears clearly hear “Obama” in the begining chants, and I think that it is important that we be critical of the cult like personality worship that is going on in our country.
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 4:50 PM
God or Obama…I thought they were one and the same.
SD on September 29, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Speaking of cult of personality, I dare you to do a google image search of “obama tattoos”
Exit question, is that a man or a woman?
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 4:54 PM
I don’t think that there is even a question… they are clearly saying “Oh God”. Without the captions nobody here would have even thought that they were saying “Obama”.
DaveS on September 29, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Oops… sorry… I thought that link would just lead to an image. I am NOT plugging that blog.
bitsy on September 29, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Nah.
It’s “Oh G_D.”
They’re not saying Obama.
And I’m a conservative, Christian type who thinks your President is going to be Jimmah Mk.II but with far more serious consequences.
Sorry folks. Poor acoustics is all you have with this vid.
sincerely,
MT
Mistahtibbs on September 29, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Yeah, it’s ‘O God’ for at least the majority. The furthest that I can go in this conspiracy is that some in the audience perhaps haven’t been to church for a long while and might have assumed that, of course, we’re lauding the One who will lower the sea levels.
scoromastel on September 29, 2009 at 5:06 PM
“Deliver us O God” and “Hear our prayers O God” and any similar combination are pretty standard liturgical refrains. This is a non-story.
roger wilco on September 29, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Meh. Sounds like Oh God to me.
But I didn’t know that Martin Luther King Jr. was a Prophet.
LegendHasIt on September 29, 2009 at 5:09 PM
There’s a mix of the two. Someone close to the microphone/camera is definitely saying Oh God, but there are also people saying Obama.
Y-not on September 29, 2009 at 5:11 PM
You can distinctly hear the “a” in Obam-a at the end. They are saying Obama.
darwin on September 29, 2009 at 5:13 PM
I wonder how many germs were passed at that gathering of idiots.
Metro on September 29, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Which is why Ed brought up his seeing impaired wife’s reaction…she couldn’t see the words, and immediately heard “Obama”…
The reverse of seeing the words and you not wanting to be influenced could make you hear “God”….run it through Audacity, and you can hear it much more plain…bitsy got it right, some are saying one, some the other…but they mainly start off with Obama, then it gets diluted.
It throws the cadence off because God and Obama, one vs. three syllables, so it gets muddles. Toward the end they are saying “God”, primarily.
right2bright on September 29, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Sure. Why don’t you post the results of your exploration. I’m certain you’re not going to find much to back you up–especially in California. Then again you could prove me wrong. Why don’t you?
Gang-of-One on September 29, 2009 at 5:30 PM
I have never been to a church that said, or anyone has said “Deliver us Obama” and “Hear our prayers Obama”, and I would venture neither have you.
right2bright on September 29, 2009 at 5:30 PM
I think the terms “god” and Obama” are interchangeable for the crowd shown in the video…so the poll is moot.
Only have to go back to Conyers’ wife chairing the Detroit City Council and SCREECHING at a white person who DARED to say Obama’s name:
“Don’t you DARE say his sacred name!”
Jim Jones was simply ahead of his time.
Justrand on September 29, 2009 at 5:43 PM
The next stage in the evolution of this particular “non-story” is when it’s used by the left (oh, about this time tomorrow if not already) to provide evidence of how the right is crazy and hates Obama so much that they’re now putting words into entire congregation’s mouths and hysterically carrying on about “Obama Worship”.
Rod on September 29, 2009 at 5:53 PM
I’d second that. Lovecraft may have been seeing the future.
TwilightStruggler on September 29, 2009 at 5:53 PM
I agree. It is a chant reminiscent, if not exactly outright mimicking, prayer. To Obama. The degree to which people have bought in to the concept of Obama as a savior is mind boggling.
It is my sincere hope that the further we move down the road, the further these kinds of things we see. I just wonder when the mainstream media will pull their collective heads out of their … clouds … to actually start holding the president accountable for the never-ending amateur hour that is today’s White House.
MightyConservative on September 29, 2009 at 5:54 PM
In the name of the Leftist and the Commie and the Hopey Spirit. Amen
*makes the sign of the O”
Can I get my kool-aid communion now?
Laura in Maryland on September 29, 2009 at 6:00 PM
AnninCA,
Don’t worry, be happy. If the day ever comes (and I doubt it will) when Polanski is sentenced for the crimes he plead guilty to, he will be sentenced according to the Penal Code sentencing guidelines in effect back in the good ol’ days, when he committed his crimes.
Gang-of-One on September 29, 2009 at 6:16 PM
First four are “Obama” (even if the first part is garbles the final “ah” is clear. The penultimate sounds like a lot of stumble (mix) but “God” is clearly dominant. Last is clearly “God”.
lsheldon on September 29, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Since I can’t tell, I won’t make a big deal of this. That’s a serious accusation.
latinchic on September 29, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »