When I entered divinity school I had every expectation to follow in the humble footsteps of my mentor by becoming a pastor. As time passed, what I thought was a calling changed. No more was I willing to be a typical scripture quoting conduit of God’s word. A traitorous spiritual representation of God’s son. My seminary training changed from one of divine educational deliverance to theological radicalization. The latter definitely fits the blackest boy raised in the overcrowded church on Mary James Avenue. My sensational baptism and pansy soldier support of the Apostle’s Creed solidified my fate: I was a lackadaisical Christian. Consequently, there was something pressing about my fire and brimstone religiosity that yearned at me to challenge the Church’s unbelievable apologues. With this forceful push, I am defiantly unlike what Vacation Bible School fashioned. I am different. Totally opposite from the custom-made suit and cufflink wearing preachers I occasionally listen to as I channel surf e.g. Joel Olsten, Craig Oliver, and the likes.
While channel surfing on the morning of May 16, 2010, I was reminded why people particularly black people are idiotically shackled to Western religion, Christianity. The dreadful reminder reinforces my position: Collectively, black people are handicapped by the religion Jesus, Himself, would NOT support. Not under any circumstances!
“Christianity’s purpose is not to address social issues. While societal problems are critical this is not the purpose. Christianity should not be used to address health and finances. While maintaining good health and healthy finances is important, these are not important in the larger scope. Christianity should not used in politics. Politics help mold society – but we as Christians should not be consumed with Capitol Hill.”
I usually find better ‘things’ to pray about i.e. ‘Lord, please help us to live a life pleasing of our mirror reflection.’ – but I had to pray that this grotesque imitation of a preacher was joking. He was not! He went on to say:
“Ultimately, the value of Christianity is in the crucifixion. This all Christians should be concerned with – Jesus paid the price for you. He died and rose so that you can make it into heaven. Life on earth will pass.”
Calling the number at the bottom of my tube television screen was not an option.
Death is in the minister’s words. He, like countless other leaders of the saints, mentally condemned – and cranium confined ‘God’s children…again. Similar to what a plantation preacher did! This is nothing unfamiliar in the 21st century. Church folk ingest to this type of madness daily. Their holy applause is indication that they believe every word to be true. However, here is the truth:
Christ was a social revolutionary. He may as well been a sociologist. His concern was with the people. He was the personification of the Community Organizer – and we are not to be eradicating fighters of societal ills? Christ spent His days healing sickness. He is known to be a healer which in fact addressed health. Christ’s had an ongoing beef with the Roman powers. Why? Tax collection; which is related to what? You got it: finances. Christ purposefully hop-knobbed with the Roman political structure in an effort to combat oppression, another tactic used to control The People. He was an unrelenting politician who loved people and not narcissistic power.
But yet, Christians are to solely focus on the crucifixion? No wonder Christians are nothing like Christ: Not Up-Right for Righteousness – but off centered, crookedly obsessed with the deserved execution of Christ.
Written by the Preacher you will not hear during America’s most segregated hour, 11:00AM Sunday Morning.
