Racism Cannot Be Allowed to Control Us

One of the things alive and well in America is racism. We saw that recently in the case of the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman trial (July 2013). And, interestingly, one can see racism differently looking at the same case.

How so?

Many protestors came out to supposedly give support for Martin and to his family, because they felt they were disrespected by the “not guilty” verdict granted Zimmerman and that Zimmerman profiled Martin – because of race rather than Martin’s actions and apparel, which Zimmerman claims to have associated with gangs of previous crimes in the area – with the intent to do him harm.

In the article here, it is claimed by Imani Henry, “We want to show love and respect to them,” but look at what some of these supporters and protestors did:

•  threw rocks at police
•  acted with disorderly conduct
• said “the whole system is racist”
• vandalized numerous buildings and cars
• set random fires

I understand being upset and wanting to voice it, but I don't understand how these things show love and respect. How is the whole system racist? Can we honestly believe that the judge, jury, and defense are all racist? Hardly.

If we go back to the call Trayvon Martin had with Rachel Jeantel at the time if the incident, it has apparently been recorded that Trayvon Martin called George Zimmerman a “creepy a– cracka.” Is that racist? It seems that ““cracka” is a common term used to describe whites.” Could it be that when Martin noticed Zimmerman he became racist against Zimmerman, and thus wanted to do him harm? I am not suggesting he did or didn’t, but merely showing that “possible signs” of racism can be concluded from anyone on either side of the issue.

Kevin A. Thompson’s article “What if Trayvon Martin was My Son?” shows how we can easily see things short-sighted, one-sided, our-sided. He makes a great observation:

“It’s a funny thing about truth: we are so biased by our experiences it is nearly impossible for us to know the whole truth. Yet we are unaware of these biases so we are deceived into thinking we know it all. So when someone disagrees with us we claim they are either ignorant or evil. But often they are neither. Often when people disagree with us, they simply see a different part of the story which we don’t fully see.”

Jesse Lee Peterson’s article “Black Racism Killed Trayvon” shows racism is not contained to one race, but rather every ethnic group battles the inward churning of racism. Also, that there are those who live and are empowered merely because they keep racism alive and well for their gain. He makes the valid point:

“If Jackson, Sharpton and the NAACP hadn’t jumped on the Trayvon Martin case and made it into a racial matter, nobody would have heard of it. His death would have gone unnoticed, just like the more than 500 black youths that were murdered in Chicago in black-on-black violence last year. The attention on the Zimmerman trial is not about justice for Trayvon; it’s about intimidation and dividing the American people along race.”

Racism will govern us as long as we allow it to. In the words of Jesse Lee Peterson: “Whites have to overcome the fear of being called “racist.” Blacks have to be on the side of good and stand for what is right, regardless of race.”

A Generation of Immature Young Love

As I sit here and read this article [Underage Dating: The Elephant in the Social Conservative Living-Room], it is clear that it quickly cuts to the core of one of the major arteries of concern in our country today: Relationships. Relationships [especially intimate and sexual] are what are presently governing our current issues of abortion, children out of wedlock, living together versus marriage, and divorce [just to name a few]. This is not just a liberal or left-wing issue, but rather a conservative or right-wing problem as well.

We are teaching our children [even before their teenage years] that they should be considering relationships [more intimate that mere friendships] with the opposite sex. And we are leading them to develop these feelings at a time when most often they are not even mature or responsible enough to even complete their chores, give proper time to study, maintain respect for adults, and have a healthy relationship with their own family and friends. How can we expect them to adjust properly to a couple relationship, while denying [or refusing to acknowledge] that it will most often be merely sexual in nature?

By encouraging our children into relationships – especially at a time when we should be preparing them mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for adult life – we are rather [whether knowingly or ignorantly] pushing them to embrace their hormonal urges [not yet even fully developed or understood] to the opposite sex. When children cannot even understand [or consider] all the [future] consequences possible from a momentary lapse in judgment [which is still developing; for even we adults seem often to have a problem realizing this] and are seldom able to control their desires [even to such things as food, sweets, games, fashion, alcohol, pornography, etc.], how can we expect them to abstain from what their flesh, the world, and the devil so want to press them to do?

It all begins with a relationship which is based on fleshly desire, whether because of physical attraction, out of necessity [because everyone else is doing it], or parental push [trying to relive out their life through their children]. Because they are most often unable to discern what a relationship should be [because they are immature, and they aren't learning anything moral from society], it is usually based on a selfish motive of “what makes me feel good”. Such is why they jump from relationship to relationship, and some end up pregnant.

We aren't teaching our children commitment – neither to God nor relationships – and we wonder why our nation is falling apart. Why are we pushing our children to “young love” when there is so much more they need to learn and are lacking at such a time in their lives?

God help us!

We Cannot Deny the Bible to Accept Homosexuality

As I sit here and read the article [North Carolina church vows to stop marriages until same-sex couples can wed], it sadly gives me serious understanding as to why America has fallen so far into sin.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” But God’s people (those who profess God and Jesus Christ as their Saviour) are not humbling ourselves, nor turning from our wicked ways. We are in fact embracing the wicked ways of the world, and demanding other Christians around us to do the same.

The Bible is clear, without any reasonable doubt, in declaring the act of homosexuality sin; “for sin is the transgression of the law.” [1 John 3:4] Rewriting the Scriptures (such as the attempt with the Queen James Bible) may ease the conscience of some, but it will not (and cannot) make even one innocent of the judgment of God upon their transgression of His law(s).

I have no doubt that the persons of Green Street United Methodist Church want to be inclusive of all persons, but that desire of inclusiveness cannot surpass the Word of God and His instruction. We are not to hate homosexuals, mistreat them, or hinder them from receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ, but we cannot water down or twist the message whereby the sinner is no longer called upon to repent; for God has “commandeth all men every where to repent.” [Acts 17:30]

By stating “we claim the committed same-sex relationships as no less sacred in their ministry to us and the community”, the persons of Green Street United Methodist Church deny Scripture; for it is written “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” [Isaiah 5:20]

By stating they “will stop performing marriages until United Methodist pastors are allowed to officiate weddings for same-sex couples in the Tar Heel state”, they are declaring war on the spiritual well-being of the Church – the Body of Christ (that is both the United Methodist Church, and Christians everywhere) by demanding we all embrace a non-biblical view of marriage and Scripture. 

In this they sin and call unto others to do so likewise.

We must repent America! And it must begin at the House of God!

School Can't Stomach Bible

Today I read an article entitled: Teacher Fired for Giving Student Bible.

Here’s an excerpt:

Tutka’s trouble started in October when he was standing by a door waiting on middle school students to enter the building. One student trailed behind the rest.

“Just remember, son,” Tutka told the tardy student, “The first shall be last but the last shall be first.”

A few days later the student asked about the origins of the quote. Tutka told him it was in the Bible.

“Over the next few weeks, the young student asked about a half dozen times where the quote was from in the Bible,” Imhof told Fox News. “Walt kept forgetting to look it up.”

On Oct. 12th, Tutka was eating lunch in the cafeteria when the student approached and brought up the Bible verse. So Tutka took out his Bible and showed the student the verse.

At some point the student mentioned that he did not have a Bible.

“Walt basically said, ‘would you like mine?” Imhof said. “The student said yes and so Walt gave him his personal New Testament.”

This gives us a testimony of a couple of truths about America:

1. We have children who know little or nothing about God and the Bible.
2. We have adults who do not want those children to know about God and the Bible.
3. We have adults who will try to silence those who want children to know about God and the Bible.

How can we, who live in America, really claim to be a Christian nation or desire God’s blessings, when so many deny His Word and punish people for sharing it? Our schools of full of violence and absent of God. We have a serious problem. Wake Up America! We are headed down the wrong path!