Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Just words...


When you want an answer you go to the source. I’ve been poking around the Internet over the latest controversy comparing words.

This was taken off the Trinity United Church of Christ website. A church Barack Obama has been a member of for over 20 years.

We are a congregation, which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries, which address the Black Community.


Then I went to another website. I must say it felt a little awkward typing in the letters KKK in the google box. But for the sake of research, I punched it in and here’s what I found. This comes from a Klan website.

THIS IS A WHITE CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION, exalting the Caucasian Race and teaching the doctrine of white pride. This does not mean that we are enemies of the colored and mongrel races. But it does mean that we are organized to establish the solidarity and to realize the mission of the White Race. All of Christian Civilization depends upon the preservation and up building of the White Race, and it is the mission of the Ku Klux Klan to proclaim this doctrine until the White Race shall come into its own.

I’m not comparing Trinity United Church of Christ to the Klan, but I am comparing words.

Now this is just me thinking out loud, but when color of your skin is the first thing you stand for, does it really matter what else you say? This is a free country and Obama can belong to any church he wants, but let’s understand a few things.

Some of the most outrages things have been said under the name of Christ.

People say the Trinity United Church of Christ has done wonderful things in the community. And they are right. They have all kinds of programs for kids, poor families, and drug addiction. So in their view, what are a few hate words spoken from the pulpit when they serve the common good of the community.

You know Hitler built roads, had programs for the youth, created jobs, and well uh spoke hate from the pulpit.

Yeah but, Obama was lead to Christ through this church.

So if a Klans member wins souls for Jesus, we ignore the cross burning thing?

I can never speak for another race; I’ve never been down with the struggle. However, when will the race war be over? It seems wacko’s on both sides constantly fuel an effort for separation. When words divide, how can we come together?

The great thing about Americans is we are not all the same color. We have a history of mixed bag pigmentation. That alone should unite us. How do we not know the race we hate, might have played a part on us being born. Our lives are colorful and the journey to skin color stands briefly in us. Our children and grandchildren marry off. They take our genes and mix it with a history of castoffs, dream seekers, and yes, slaves from other lands, just like we did. This never ending melting pot survives under one flag. The flag our relatives spilt blood over.

So go ahead and preach hate, our country fought for you to have that right. But it also gives us the right to question where our Presidential candidates receive spiritual guidance.

Another thought. Is this really about black and white, or perhaps green? If we truly preached peace, forgiveness, and understanding, would the market for hate dry up? And with it the millions of dollars that support it… Just something to think about.

We have to ask the question, has Obama duped us? There’s an old saying, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Why do I have a feeling Obama covers his speeches in honey while getting a vat full of Sunday morning vinegar sitting on the pew.

Barack Obama has said, “Words mean things.”
Well mean words say things and I wonder what Dr. King would think.

To use a phrase from Rev. Wright, “The chickens are coming home to roost.”

That’s the way Ron sees it.

1 comment:

Runrandall said...

I had the plesure of watching " The View" the other morning and this same comparison was brought foward by the conservative white panel member and denounced by the remaining panel members. Hate begets hate, and the groups you affliate with are going to have some measure of influence on your thinking.Good blog.