The other day I was reading an article that was investigating the often ignored fact of free blacks owning slaves as far back as the mid-1600s. The piece highlighted many of the comfortable "excuses" that may have gave way to this practice; such as a free husband purchasing his slave-eligible wife or children to prevent them from being sold elsewhere....hence, preserving the family. But it also looked at the more darker, sinister side that's usually associated with the white Southern slave owner. That side indicates that many free blacks were heavily concerned with product production, growing revenues, and even human control at a position that rivaled their white contemporaries. The article even brought attention to a couple hundred free blacks in Louisiana who took up the Confederate cause during the Civil War....proudly protecting legal slavery. You have to know that those free blacks the atrocities of slavery; and of course they considered the possibility that a distant family members could be enslaved. But the bottom line was just that. And at the end of the day, they made a decision to obey what they believed was right, and determine what really was right wasn't right for them.
Over time, while my walk with Jesus Christ has developed in a unique way, I've still be able to recognize that modern Christianity, much like it's 11th century predecessors, is largely built on the deliberate manipulation of the under-educated, the financially unstable, the emotionally broken, and the unacceptable sinner. This all came to a head after interviewing a pastor who is gay and is president of an organization that supports gay marriage. During that talk, he made a statement suggesting that Paul was "a little off" when he wrote that homosexuals wouldn't see the Kingdom of Heaven in 1 Corinthians 6:9. But when I asked him was Paul equally as off when he wrote that the same fate applied to spouses who are faithful, he sternly replied "no" saying that the union of a relationship must be respected. Realizing that he made somewhat of a contradiction, he explained his answer with a startling truth..."we all make choices on what we will believe, and we've been doing that since the beginning of time."
So while we almost come to blows trying to convince gays that they're hell bound because of their unnatural relations, we allow the approved natural relations of multiple sex partners to not be addressed with the same passion...even though the highest rates of AIDS are in heterosexual black women. We don't even have to go that graphic; from Virginia slave owners to Texas mega-church pastors, just like the evil homosexual, we believe and act on what we want to...and we use the Bible to align with our beliefs with convenience. We are the Black Confederate. I mean, I hear all the time about things that aren't necessary for us today because they were written in the Old Testament; but oddly, tithing never seems to make that list. This just isn't limited to Old Testament teachings either. Look at the first churches highlighted in the book of Acts; everyone gave and everyone freely received. Well, try walking out a church without paying $5 for a CD of the pastors' sermon to see if that principle still applies. In my opinion, this blatant hypocritical posture is the main reason Generation Y-ers aren't affiliating themselves with any religion in increasing numbers....because it's hard to fool a product of the Information Age, and the church has been one big mockery for many, many years....on purpose.
Honestly, we can be very rebellious, poor leaders and even worse followers....and...we're little homophoic. It's probably time we just come to grips with ourselves and acknowledge we're all straddling the fence. Most of us don't even know the Law of Moses with any significance and are vaguely familiar with Jesus' teachings. Even worse, there are some who are well versed regarding biblical knowledge and will hold back for many reasons. Most of us struggle with being accepted by our circles and don't want to seem aloof. And a few love power and don't perceive that full Bible coverage is a recipe for a corporate Christianity. And then there are others that when it comes to acting those teachings out....well...you already know. Either way, we're all in. Maybe this is why Paul said most of us shouldn't even try to be teachers in James 3:1 (just this week I've met two people who've been called to preach), because in all those cases it boils down to people making choices; and we actually choose our level of faith. I suppose what would be best is most of us do more self-examination that criticism, and show more love than contempt....and just be plain ol' humble. Another person being lost in no way means you are aware of your own surroundings. And running around casting out demons while neglecting the demon in you could make you...
Peace
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