Amidst all the raging controversy, a few brave voices have come forward to defend Pastor Jeremiah Wright. They deserve more attention than they’ve received because they illustrate the pompous fatuity so typical of the religious left. 

For instance, within his own denomination, the Rantin’ Rev most certainly enjoys his supporters. Reverend Richard Wagner of Union Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, says the Pyrotechnic Pastor displays Biblical stature, and speaks “with the same passion and hyperbole as the Hebrew prophets.” The New York Times adds that “clergy members have cited Amos, who cursed all the nations, saving his harshest words for his own.” 

There are no end of ridiculous elements to this comparison, but we might as well start with the fact that Jeremiah Wright doesn’t see the U.S. as “his own” nation; he considers himself a loyal son of the African Motherland, and speaks no harsh words about the continent that produced his ancestors. 

Moreover, the Hebrew prophets lived ascetically and humbly (remember Elijah being fed by ravens in a cave?) and it’s hard to imagine them relishing a multi-million dollar home built with congregational funds, or gleefully commanding the spotlight on PBS or the National Press Club. 

Finally, the prophets were profoundly serious people, virtually possessed by the voice of God, willing to disregard their personal welfare to convey a message.  

Despite the carefully cultivated image as a dashiki-wearing rebel, Jeremiah Wright is a self-serving careerist, a media-mad showoff who will even say things he knows to be untrue (lying about the nature of the Tuskegee Experiment to make people believe the government created AIDS) in order to advance his own standing and interests.  

His egotistical behavior in putting his own standing and publicity ahead of the fate of his supposed friend, Barack Obama, simply provides the latest indication that this unbridled showman is more about profit than he is about prophet.