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Heart and Soul: Black Churches And Obama

Barack Obama praying

27/10/2012 GMT

Black Churches And Obama

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Black Churches And Obama

Will black Christians desert President Obama after he supported same sex marriage?

Matt Wells reports from Ohio on whether black Christians will desert President Obama after he supported same sex marriage

For millions of Black Christians in the United States, the decision about who to vote for in the forthcoming Presidential elections is far from simple. In May this year President Obama angered many Christians by supporting same sex marriage, leading many African-Americans to state they could not vote for him. 

Matt Wells has been to the vital swing state of Ohio to hear from church goers about how they are wrestling with their Christian conscience in the last days of the tightest election race in years. 94% of African Americans voted for Obama last time, but amongst the church goers he meets as they go to worship, are those who feel that homosexuality is a sin and therefore they cannot support Obama. 

But the alternative also presents a theological problem, Mormonism has historically excluded black people and to vote for Mitt Romney would go against their faith as well, Matt hears how some pastors have instructed their congregations not to vote at all, but for many African Americans whose forefathers fought for civil rights, that is just not an option.

Matt hears how the church goers of Youngstown are dealing with this dilemma of faith, race and politics with days left until they cast their vote.

(Image: Barack Obama praying during a services at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Credit: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

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