If Wright was not Obama's "Spiritual mentor"...Please name one?

The Russert and Obama "lets get you Elected to the Oval Office" Project on Meet the Press was eye opening in what Obama left out.  I am struck by the lengths Obama goes to indicate that Wright was only his Pastor and he joined the Church because of his commitment to Christ and that Wright had little if anything to do with his Faith Journey.  Well, the fact is that Obama did not and probably could not mention any other Pastors or leaders of the Trinity Church of Christ or the Denomination of the United Church of Christ who have impacted his faith, his life and his beliefs.  He can not mention even one by name!    It is obvious that Reverend Jeremiah Wright is the reason Obama joined the church.  Wright even stated he was Obama's Spiritual advisor and what a horrible back stabbing one he turned out to be.  The the reason Obama stuttered, Stammered and "you know-ed" his way haltingly in his speech repudiating him the other day was because Wright was his Spiritual Mentor, in effect the Pope of his religious life for over 20 years and last week he had to sever his relationship with him.  Even Oprah Winfrey left this church which is steeped in Black Liberation Theology and Anti-American Rhetoric.   Obama's professed commitment to the Church argument is not very convincing no matter how much he repeats this line.   In spite of the problems with the Pedophile Scandal in my Church I can name scores of Priests, Bishops, Lay People and Popes who have impacted my faith but Obama can't.  I find this fact very curious.  Obama words on Meet the Press with Russert But, you know, I think that the American people understand that when I joined Trinity United Church of Christ, I was committing not to Pastor Wright, I was committing to a church and I was committing to Christ. And it is a wonderful church.  It's a member of the United Church of Christ, a denomination that dates back to the battles around abolition.   Well, my commitment, as I said, Tim, is to the church, not to a pastor.  And I think that's shared by millions of people who are going to church this morning.  You, you join a church community, and Reverend Wright helped build a wonderful church community, one that has been a pillar of good works in Chicago, and, you know, I feel a great loyalty to that church.  Reverend Wright was going to be retiring in a year, and I thought it was important for me to maintain my commitment to that church.   And I--you know, some, some of the reporting that implies that somehow he's my spiritual advisor or mentor, as he himself said, overstated things.  He was my pastor, and he built a terrific church.  I'm proud of that church.  We've got a wonderful young pastor who's there who's doing--continuing the terrific work that the church does.  And that's my commitment.  My commitments are to the values of that church, my commitment is to Christ; it's not to Reverend Wright.   Rebuttal to Obama's rationalization are his very own words about Reverend Wright in Philadelphia in March. SEN. OBAMA:  As imperfect as he may be( Jeremiah Wright), he has been like family to me.  He strengthens my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.  I can no more disown him than I can disown my white grandmother. I rest my Case! Cheers

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