Barack Obama's former pastor is blaming the media for using his words to undermine Obama's campaign.  Rev. Jeremiah Wright told a forum on race and religion that he was used as a "weapon of mass destruction."

At the forum, Wright accused the media of airing videos that took his sermons out of context.

The videos showed Wright making anti-American comments from the pulpit of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. A clip from one of his sermons in which he condemned America played for weeks on cable news channels.

The television clips also showed Obama's pastor cursing the U.S. government for conspiring against blacks. The same clips found their way into millions of e-mails sent around the world.

Obama Flip-Flops on Pastor Support

Obama at first supported Wright by saying, "I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother."

However, public backlash forced the Illinois senator to sever ties with Wright, who had been his spiritual leader for 20 years.

Wright told an assembled group at the forum that he was simply trying to convey the anger and desire for vengeance that people felt after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He said the media failed to mention that he was a proud Christian who was raised in a Christian home.

"Their intention was to use me as a weapon of mass destruction, to tear down that man's integrity," Wright said.

In a question-and-answer session with the audience, Wright said he didn't believe Obama shared his opinions publicized on the videos.

"Do you agree with everything your pastor says?" he asked. "Ninety percent of the people sitting in church don't agree with everything their pastor says."

Source: The Associated Press