Hello again,
It's been a long time since I posted to my LiveJournal and its not because of having a lack of things to say; more because I have focused on not always spilling and pouring out my heart and soul so quickly. Mind you it was incredibly helpful in the early days in college to just write out my frustrations and I appreciate this as a clearer platform to speak directly to people than even Facebook or Twitter. It begs the question what brings me back to an old friend? Well, a senseless murder and an unnecessary cover up. The murder of 17-year old Trayvon Martin has rightfully become a national and international new story, although it took nearly a month to do so in this world of Twitter and Facebook.
So, let me do a quick recap of this young man's tragic end: Trayvon was visiting some family in a wealthy suburbanite neighborhood in Florida and left the gated community to go to the convenience store across the street in a basic outfit: Air Force Ones, a pair of pants and oh my God a Hoodie. George Zimmerman, the community watch captain, had been watching him and called the police numerous times because a suspicious young man was walking around his neighborhood. During the last phone call he is instructed by the dispatcher to wait and to not confront him. But, Zimmerman decides to follow Trayvon and confronts him with a loaded gun and the next thing that we know is that Trayvon is dying from a gunshot in his chest from Zimmerman's gun with nothing more on his person but a cellphone, some skittles and a can of iced tea. The police arrive and begin to interview witnesses and begin to shape their understanding of the case but instead of bringing valid charges against Zimmerman they decide to attempt to cover this up.
So I will stop there on the recap, because that is a miscarriage of justice I want to call out the many leaders in the American Church that remain silent on this issue when this is an issue that could bridge the gap between "The Black Church" and "The White Church".
The Trayvon Martin case reminds me that a "post-racial" America is a pipe dream. This pipe dream is perpetually played out in segregated churches all over the country. The deafening silence of predominantly white conservative evangelicals comes in a climate where they yell loudly and protest proudly on the sexy issues that earn them theological brownie points with their constituents (parishioners). The issues that hit a cord like abortion and gay marriage are easy to take the pot shots and make statements because those are "defining" issues of our time.
It feels like the race issue in America gets treated like the hurdle that has been scaled. Selectively forgetting and taking for granted that the "hurdle" is forever in front of us. Race was responded to by legislating inclusiveness by affirming by law rights that were afforded to but stolen from African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, minorities from the start. But, let us not forget the struggle and that many men and women were abused, close to a million African Americans were lynched from the end of the Civil War til 1960's not counting the abuses of slavery. This is the hurdle that has to be overcome and it DOES NOT GO AWAY!!! But, because most of Americans feel that we have already overcome that problem because, personally they have a diverse group of friends (if that's a marker that you take pride in, there might be a problem by the way), race and racial problems are the problem of the minorities.
This is where the silence of many conservative Christian leaders on this issue, but their resounding protest against abortion does not jive. How is that the life of an unborn child matters more to you (seemingly) than the life or fighting for justice for a young man that was murdered and the system has turned a blind eye? Do you all really really really believe what Glenn Beck's, assistant editor of his website The Blaze insinuates that the young man who may have been suspended for ten days, must have done something to deserve to be shot? (HuffPost Story on the article). I get it, it does not affect you directly; but if the tables were turned there would be outrage from the pulpits of America. What frustrates me, is the same thing that frustrated Dr. King while he wrote The Letter from a Birmingham Jail, the apathy of his brothers to abhorrent injustice was and still is the greater crime.
But, stay in your ivory tower, miss every real opportunity to unite the church of God. Pick and choose your issues based on sexiness or connection to your congregations and watch the world laugh at us. But, I choose to get my hands dirty and take the hits that come for the issues that matter. Stand with us for Trayvon Martin...no its not sexy, there is not a cool stylish bracelet like Joseph Kony 2012. Stand with us because this is what God requires (Micah 6:8): "He has shown you, O man, what [is] good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (NKJV)" This injustice threatens all of us and your silence is deafening. Speak up, challenge your congregations and join the fight. Finally, please don't take this as you need to defend yourself, all I am asking is that you take a stand, apathy is consent. The world does not need your defenses, they need you to be willing to live on the edge of sacrifice. If you aren't willing to do that, fine then say nothing about anything. Jesus challenges us that salvation is not just for our personal good but for the good of others. "Saved unto good works (Eph. 2:8-9)":
Mat 25:32-46 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33) And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. (34) Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, (36) I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' (37) Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? (38) And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? (39) And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' (40) And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' (41) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (42) For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, (43) I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' (44) Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' (45) Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' (46) And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
So now brothers and sisters let us go and do likewise...
Much Love...
ErnDawg
It's been a long time since I posted to my LiveJournal and its not because of having a lack of things to say; more because I have focused on not always spilling and pouring out my heart and soul so quickly. Mind you it was incredibly helpful in the early days in college to just write out my frustrations and I appreciate this as a clearer platform to speak directly to people than even Facebook or Twitter. It begs the question what brings me back to an old friend? Well, a senseless murder and an unnecessary cover up. The murder of 17-year old Trayvon Martin has rightfully become a national and international new story, although it took nearly a month to do so in this world of Twitter and Facebook.
So, let me do a quick recap of this young man's tragic end: Trayvon was visiting some family in a wealthy suburbanite neighborhood in Florida and left the gated community to go to the convenience store across the street in a basic outfit: Air Force Ones, a pair of pants and oh my God a Hoodie. George Zimmerman, the community watch captain, had been watching him and called the police numerous times because a suspicious young man was walking around his neighborhood. During the last phone call he is instructed by the dispatcher to wait and to not confront him. But, Zimmerman decides to follow Trayvon and confronts him with a loaded gun and the next thing that we know is that Trayvon is dying from a gunshot in his chest from Zimmerman's gun with nothing more on his person but a cellphone, some skittles and a can of iced tea. The police arrive and begin to interview witnesses and begin to shape their understanding of the case but instead of bringing valid charges against Zimmerman they decide to attempt to cover this up.
So I will stop there on the recap, because that is a miscarriage of justice I want to call out the many leaders in the American Church that remain silent on this issue when this is an issue that could bridge the gap between "The Black Church" and "The White Church".
The Trayvon Martin case reminds me that a "post-racial" America is a pipe dream. This pipe dream is perpetually played out in segregated churches all over the country. The deafening silence of predominantly white conservative evangelicals comes in a climate where they yell loudly and protest proudly on the sexy issues that earn them theological brownie points with their constituents (parishioners). The issues that hit a cord like abortion and gay marriage are easy to take the pot shots and make statements because those are "defining" issues of our time.
It feels like the race issue in America gets treated like the hurdle that has been scaled. Selectively forgetting and taking for granted that the "hurdle" is forever in front of us. Race was responded to by legislating inclusiveness by affirming by law rights that were afforded to but stolen from African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, minorities from the start. But, let us not forget the struggle and that many men and women were abused, close to a million African Americans were lynched from the end of the Civil War til 1960's not counting the abuses of slavery. This is the hurdle that has to be overcome and it DOES NOT GO AWAY!!! But, because most of Americans feel that we have already overcome that problem because, personally they have a diverse group of friends (if that's a marker that you take pride in, there might be a problem by the way), race and racial problems are the problem of the minorities.
This is where the silence of many conservative Christian leaders on this issue, but their resounding protest against abortion does not jive. How is that the life of an unborn child matters more to you (seemingly) than the life or fighting for justice for a young man that was murdered and the system has turned a blind eye? Do you all really really really believe what Glenn Beck's, assistant editor of his website The Blaze insinuates that the young man who may have been suspended for ten days, must have done something to deserve to be shot? (HuffPost Story on the article). I get it, it does not affect you directly; but if the tables were turned there would be outrage from the pulpits of America. What frustrates me, is the same thing that frustrated Dr. King while he wrote The Letter from a Birmingham Jail, the apathy of his brothers to abhorrent injustice was and still is the greater crime.
But, stay in your ivory tower, miss every real opportunity to unite the church of God. Pick and choose your issues based on sexiness or connection to your congregations and watch the world laugh at us. But, I choose to get my hands dirty and take the hits that come for the issues that matter. Stand with us for Trayvon Martin...no its not sexy, there is not a cool stylish bracelet like Joseph Kony 2012. Stand with us because this is what God requires (Micah 6:8): "He has shown you, O man, what [is] good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (NKJV)" This injustice threatens all of us and your silence is deafening. Speak up, challenge your congregations and join the fight. Finally, please don't take this as you need to defend yourself, all I am asking is that you take a stand, apathy is consent. The world does not need your defenses, they need you to be willing to live on the edge of sacrifice. If you aren't willing to do that, fine then say nothing about anything. Jesus challenges us that salvation is not just for our personal good but for the good of others. "Saved unto good works (Eph. 2:8-9)":
Mat 25:32-46 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33) And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. (34) Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, (36) I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' (37) Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? (38) And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? (39) And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' (40) And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' (41) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (42) For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, (43) I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' (44) Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' (45) Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' (46) And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
So now brothers and sisters let us go and do likewise...
Much Love...
ErnDawg
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