The Friend

Is the Gospel Preeminent in Your life or Your Political Affiliations? If we are so committed to single party participation that we are willing to sweep any form of injustice against humanity under the rug to be in favor of a little more money back on our tax returns, I would say we have missed the heart of God. If we are willing to make continual excuses for our leaders who offend, degrade and dehumanize any person or ethnic group, I would say we have missed the heart of God. If our commitment to man-made loyalties supersedes our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, I would say we have missed the heart of God. If our racial, social or economic biases prevent us from empathizing with hurting and maligned human beings, I would say we have missed the heart of God. If we care more about being right (from where we are standing) than building bridges between ourselves and our enemies, I would say we have missed the heart of God. If we are more inclined to support s...

# StephonClark “Fearing for their safety” Another young innocent black man has been murdered by police officers.  “Fearing for their safety”  They allowed learned racial stereotypes to lead them to protect themselves by any means necessary rather than ensure that this man was treated as a human being.  “Fearing for their safety”. These officers executed a young black man for being black in the wrong place at the wrong time.  “Fearing for their safety” Too many police officers have been licensed to discharge their cowardice and racist behavior that leads to the accumulation of more dead black bodies.  “Fearing for their safety” Another grandmother is forced to identify her dead grandson’s black body because white fear of black skin is given the green light to shoot first and ask questions later.  “Fearing for their safety”  Stephon, who probably enjoyed watching  # BlackPanther  like the rest of us have, was murdered ...

To the American Church, Enough is enough. I’ve had enough. Many God-fearing hard working people have had enough. Many people of all ethnicities have had enough. We have all had enough of the deceptive, divisive, disrupting, inhuman and inhumane rhetoric that is being echoed through the once most prestigious elected position in the world: The office of the President of the United States of America. Time and time again I have sat back a refused to address him personally because I realize that President Donald J. Trump is not the real issue. The ideology and factions that built, promote and encourage his linguistic ferocity are the real issue. Those who voted for him yet refuse to hold him and his accomplices accountable for his rhetoric and actions are the real issue. Those who sit in the corner in complicit silence while refusing to acknowledge the pain most black and brown people feel as we are constantly degraded and attacked are the real issue. There is a sickness in America tha...

The events in Charlottesville, Virginia were tragic as a domestic terrorist group sought to incite violence and instill fear into the hearts of all non-whites on August 12th, 2017. If 2017 has taught us anything, it is that many members of the white majority have displayed a learning deficiency in regards to the actual black experience, the actual historical degradation and the actual suppressive ideology of white supremacy (beyond the factions of 'white supremacists' who appear on our television screens). The reason I have labeled white ignorance as a 'learning deficiency' is because I have found that many whites are simply unable to empathize with the black experience and much of this is ignorance is because their realm of existence is so distinctively different than that of black Americans. When someone is diagnosed as having a learning deficiency it is sometimes due the inability of the brain to receive or process information. Many blacks have found that when exp...

In other news, we have an issue.  Shaun King says, "More than 660 people have been killed by American police so far in 2017. This year is on pace to be the deadliest on record for people killed by American police since national databases began keeping track in 2013. No other developed nation in the world has 10% of that number." In a country that is continually set against itself we see another example of heinous police brutality.  Justine Damond, was shot and killed by those sworn to protect and serve after alerting the Minnesota Police Department of a possible disturbance behind her home.  I grieve for her, her fiancé, her family and the community of people who knew her.  I am sorry for the loss of of this woman who deserves to have the opportunity to decide what she wanted to do with her day today. I am grieved to know that there are those in her native country of Australia who are, perhaps for the first time, experiencing firsthand America's violent histori...

Lifetime Likelihood of Imprisonment: White Men 1 in 17 (5.8% of all White Men) There are a total of 197,870,516 (as of 2014) million non-Hispanic White people in America.  This is roughly 63% of the total U.S. Population. Lifetime Likelihood of Imprisonment: Black Men 1 in 3 (33% of all Black Men) There are a total of 42,020,743 (as of 2014) million Black people in America.  This is roughly 13% of the total U.S. population. There are more than 2,400,000 people incarcerated in the United States. 40% of the U.S. Prison population are Black Americans (2,306 per 100,000 people). 39% of the U.S. Prison population are White Americans (450 per 100,000). "Black cities have similar crime statistics for blacks as do cities where majority of population is white." Bureau of Justice Report What is interesting about these numbers is that there is a clear lack of delineation when we hear people talk about the fairness of our justice system is giving fair and equal treatment ...

Please encourage. Plead to those in our seminary to speak on our behalf. On my behalf. Read the words that I have wirrten if need be. Silence is the same as opposition. The white moderates have always been the ones who have caused the most frustration in our plight. Always. Dr. King framed parts of the letter from the Birmingham jail based upon the response he had received from moderate white Christians.. You have to speak. If you choose not to it only further proves that our plight in inconsequential to whites and white clergy members. How can someone be my brother but not stand for me? Let me not be insincere and be brash with you because it will cost you. Standing with me with cost you frienships. It will cost you security. Yet that is the gospel. Here in America blacks are like the Israelites in the land of the babylonians and assyrians. Yet in the academy our professors can teach about the 1st century church but not show adequate care and compassion for the people that are under t...