So Glad You Were Not Aborted

     There is much discussion today about abortion. Some are crying that women have the right to kill their unborn children while others declare the unborn have every right to live. And, while I stand with the latter mindset I think it important to point out the fact that the unborn child is indeed human. Moreover, God made it clear that He knew His children even before conception. And, while this verse is specific to Jeremiah it lends to the idea of the all-knowing God knowing His children even before the parents know them. Hence, Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

     I have no intention of exegeting this passage in this paper except to point out the absolute value of those God formed in the womb. With that, God formed you in that He created you for such a time as this because you are needed for specific work and purpose. And, I am so glad you were not aborted. God ordained you to pour into me and without you, I would not be. Yes, you are precious and fearfully and wonderfully made. Yes, God knew you would pour into me and many others. So, He created you and I am so glad you were not aborted.

     Let me explain. Many people (I don’t know how many) have poured into me and have caused me to be who I am today. I will start with my parents Robert and Thelma Carter (and there are many more before them) God used them as tools to create me. Without these two I would not be here arguing for life. Both of my parents poured into me and the residue of them remains in me and cannot be removed. Yes, I am grateful they were not aborted. Then, I cannot overlook my grandparents, all of them. One of them, in particular, is my maternal grandfather, the late Rev. William James Smith. Yes, I was named after this pastour. Who knew that I would, too, be a pastour. God did.

     I cannot possibly enumerate all that have poured into me. I am just so glad that none of you were aborted. This includes my siblings. I have four from my mother and others from my father, well; fathered. Suffice it to say we still “fight” each other. It is what we do. We love each other and I am grateful they were not aborted. No, they were not and each of them has poured into me in ways I cannot expound upon here. Nonetheless, I am so glad they were not aborted. Yet, family and friends are not the only ones for which I am so glad were not aborted. There are many others. Consider the doctors and nurses at the time of my birth. How about the many professionals I have encountered since. Teachers – there were many teachers.

    Miss Kidd was my first-grade teacher about fifty-five years ago. Yes, she poured into me and gave me the love of reading. Mr. Williams (sixth grade) furthered that love. My junior high band teacher and English teacher also poured into me. And then there was high school. So many unaborted people poured into me and I am so very glad none of these precious people were aborted.

     The Marine Corps. There were many in the Corps who poured into me. My drill instructors stand out. I am so glad they were not aborted. And then my instructors in admin school. My goodness; the list is way too long for me to begin to scratch the surface. However, I can’t ignore MGSgt. Thomas James Witt. He went out of his way to pour into me. He is now receiving his reward. I am so glad he was not aborted. I am also grateful for my college professors. I can’t even call all their names so I won’t even start to try. And, if you consider the idea of about fourteen years of college you will begin to understand the magnitude of people who have poured into which includes many who might be considered peripheral. I am so glad none of them were aborted.

     My children. My goodness, my children. They may not realize the impact they have had on my life. Yet, it is absolutely certain each of my four children has and continues to pour into my life. I am so glad they were not aborted. Again, I cannot enumerate the fullness of all this. Still, I would be remiss if I ignored the most significant person in my life; Christ Jesus.

     The fact Jesus, before becoming incarnate, looked down through the annals of time and saw I would be in need of redemption. So, He took off His robe of glory and cloaked himself in the flesh of man. He suffered, died, and rose from the dead just to make sure I have the chance of honouring the Father with my life so that I could have eternal life. I am so glad He was not aborted and am so glad you were not aborted.

Not About Black and White

I have learned that there are times wherein unless things are made personal then true passion becomes elusive. With that said the matter of Black and White has become rather personal to me. Everything has turned to racism even when there is no racism involved. One cannot look at another anymore without there being some sort of racial connotation. Well, I have had enough. I am more than weary of the divide brought about my country by those that seek a divided nation by reason of pitting this group against that group. I must say it, and I must say it aloud – it’s not about Black and White.

Just the other day a police officer in McKinny, Texas responded to a disturbance call at a private pool in an apartment complex. There was fighting and other disturbances taking place involving a number of people in the community. There were Blacks, Whites and who knows what other people groups involved. And when this one officer arguably acted beyond his training all of a sudden the entire matter became one of racism and injustice. All this was determined even before all the facts have come out. This is not to mention the fact that paid agitators and race-baiters have been called to the scene in order to perpetuate the false narrative that police departments are inherently racist.

Baltimore was no different. A young man died while in police custody. The circumstances surrounding his death are still being cloaked behind the investigative umbrella. Even so the ever so eloquent Attorney General of Baltimore, Marilyn Mosby, decided that she would seek justice for the young Blacks of Baltimore as justice for them has been elusive for decades. Well, Mrs. Mosby, if there is no justice and, by the way, no opportunities how is it that you came to be in such a powerful position? How is it you are a Black female mayor who replaced another Black female mayor? Tell, me Mrs. Attorney General, how is it that the largely Black City of Baltimore is racist when it is often Blacks committing crimes in my beloved town? Yes, Whites commit crimes too which only lends to the fact that crime is not about Black and White.

We certainly cannot leave out the incidents that occurred in Ferguson, MO. Here another young Black male met untimely demise. Yes, this young man should be alive and well, however he made decisions which brought about his demise. And, once again, the powers that be employed the false mantra of racism only because the officer involved was White. Even Eric Holder’s justice department sought to find racial issues wherein none could be found. The fact is that it is not about Black and White and I am sick and tired of my country being torn apart by the injection of lies that have no basis.

Well, I have had my fill. Why don’t these haters of people look at communities wherein Blacks kill each other for matters as simple as disrespect? Perhaps these rebel rousers should go and lend healing to the Whites that kill each other over matters with such minutia that the issues would not make the nightly news. Yes, there are injustices and things perceived as injustice. Still, just because there are injustices does not mean that wrong actions (perceived or real) are the means of a racial end. Bad things happen to all people no matter their pigmentation. My heart is saddened because of the perpetuation of falsities that seek to divide the masses.

I am so glad that I am able to deal with people no matter their skin tone. One of my favourite families is a Chinese family in the Baltimore area. I have put my feet under the tables of Blacks and Whites in their homes and some in mine. You see, love does not succumb to negative views of racism. Instead, love could not care less about one’s pigmentation. It sees the heart of the individual and seeks to build upon the strengths of all concerned. This is much like what Jesus taught. He taught to first love God with all our hearts, minds and souls. He went further to advice that one loves his neighbors as he loves himself.

If one loves as prescribed by Jesus then this hate mongering would come to an end.  If there is love there is no time to delve in hate. If there is love then the idea of all things being Black and White would quickly come to an end. So, let us love. Let us love not because of skin colour. Instead, let us love of our fellow man because love will do much to repel the hatred spewed by a few.

A Word to Men

Now, I know this is not an easy subject to discuss. It is even harder to have to endure the examination. Yet this is not a thing that can any longer be ignored nor should it be. Yes, I know that real men do not go to the hospital to see doctors especially when there is no obvious problem. Still I argue that real men take care of themselves in every way. And that taking care of themselves may have the reciprocal effect of benefiting men’s families. Still the most important benefactor is the man himself; after all men are just as important as everyone else.

Let’s get straight to the matter at hand. Last year the Veteran’s Administration Clinic in Fort Worth decided it was time that I had a colonoscopy. This was a matter I knew was coming and should have been addressed a couple years ago. It was something I was not looking forward to. Now, I was not concerned that I was inflicted with cancer; God had been taking excellent care of me. I had never been invaded before and wanted nothing to do with any invasions. Insofar as I am concerned that aperture is for one purpose and one purpose only. Hence my grave concern about the introduction of any object into my being.

To say that I had some apprehensions about this invasion is to put nicely the concern that I had. The class that I was required to attend did little to squash my concerns. The risks involved barely seemed worth me surrendering my “virginity” yet I knew that it was more than prudent for me to take care of this one and only body that I will ever have. God has given certain wisdom to doctors and that wisdom should not be taken lightly. Nonetheless the day soon approaching was not one I was looking forward to. It was a day that I did not want to come yet it was a day that must need come to pass. And so the day came.

It is important to keep in mind that I have never been sedated before. The closest I came was when I cut my hand as a Corrections Officer that that cut required stitches. I was given “laughing gas” and I can say there was nothing funny about it. I was told the effect of the sedation would be very much like that gas. I must also admit that day I went in kicking and screaming. Now, I did not cause a ruckus in the clinic however I did let the nurses and clerks know that this was something I was not looking forward to. This is especially true when I was placed in a room whose walls were thin white curtains with others just a breath away from me and told to remove my clothes; all of them. I was then to put on this mini dress that barely covered my essentials. To say that I was uncomfortable does not begin to tell the tale.

In the clinic there were a number of people fussing over me. Silly jokes were being told to make me at ease. Nurses were doing this and that while a doctor dropped by ensuring that all was well. Then came the time of the event in which I was wheeled a few yards away into a room wherein more care takers would fuss over me. I heard the doctors give instructions as to the type of medication I should be given. Then there was the voice of one care taker saying “You are going to feel something cold” and I did. The next thing I know there was a voice saying “All finished.” I heard the words and I knew what they meant I just did not know that I was finished. Boy, if that is like being high that is a feeling I never want again. And then I heard a voice saying that a polyp was found and being sent to the lab. That did not quite sink in because, frankly, I was still circling the airport.
Look, I am no doctor and have very little knowledge of medical processes. This is why I regularly see my doctor and that is because I love me. While that may sound a bit arrogant it is very necessary for men to love themselves. When a man loves himself he will do all to take good care to protect himself in all possible ways. This is even true for men of faith. It is because of faith that all is well with me. God has seen fit to allow me to have very good health and that is a thing I do not take lightly. Part of the reason I am doing well is because I head the advice of doctors whose responsibility is to help me be well.

Men, stand up and be men. Love yourselves enough to see your doctors regularly. And when the time of the colonoscopy comes let the doctors and other care givers do their jobs. The right crew will have your best interest at heart and will do all to protect you in every way. No, it will not be easy yet it is very necessary. Do it for your wives. Do it for your children. Above all do it for yourselves. You are the most important person in your world and deserve the blessing of good health. With that I can report that the polyp found in me was benign and I am doing well. So, men, remove the robe of hesitancy and go take care of you.

Some of My Story

Here of late there has been much rhetoric against police departments. It has been said in various ways that the police have certain animus against a particular people group and that they seek to find ways to kill those for which they have no love. Often overlooked is the crime in certain areas and that crime is blamed on ideas such as unemployment and lack of education. Well, I dare say that the police are not the enemies of any community and that unemployment and lack of education are not synonymous with crime.

I know; I can already hear some naysayers debunking just the few words that show above. However in order to make my points clear I must discuss some of my story. You see I was born during a time in when Jim Crow was coming to an end. The part of Baltimore wherein I was raised was far from the best place in town and after a short marriage my parents divorced when I was in early elementary school. Yet somehow I did not fall to the pull of crime. I have no children save those from my wife and all of whom were conceived during marital bliss. Still somehow I have not been reduced to the level of a criminal and have never had a negative experience with law enforcement.

The fact of the matter is that if one does not do anything to draw the attention there is a very good chance they will not be stopped by the police. I can say this of a certainty not only personally but also professionally. I can count on one had the number of times I have been stopped by police and, surprisingly, none of those two times was in Baltimore. I was not disrespected and neither did I disrespect the police. After a couple minutes conversation the police learned that I was not a problem child and they went about their way. Moreover I can say that as a police dispatcher in Baltimore and Chesapeake, Virginia that the police are usually so busy handling calls for service that there is simply no time to pick on people merely because of skin colour.

Now, I have not always enjoyed the academic success I have. This lack of college education did not cause me to fall to crime and to raise a voice against law enforcement. Instead when the opportunity arose I found reason to better myself and to work diligently in order to obtain the education needed in order to be a success. Even more I never took a job so that I would not turn to crime nor did I study for years in academia to lift a voice of hate. Instead I worked and continue to work to pull me and mine from what could be dismal failure. This is not to say that I have had an easy life and that I enjoy a life of luxury now. Neither is the case. Yet my background does not lend reason for me to lash out against those who protect not me alone but also all those that have need of protection.

My point is that I am tired of the police bashing that has been going on in this nation. Scripture teaches that we should honour those that deserving of honour. Police officers deserve absolute honour in that they do a job that most do not want to do. They work in the face of sudden danger and death yet they uphold their oaths defending not only the defenseless but also upholding the Constitution. If the powers that be will not call for peace with the police then I will. I will stand with them because they stand for law and order. I will raise the banner of unity because a divided nation will only fall. I will say thank you to those police who work daily to prevent the chaos of an unlawful mob.
It is important to note that I have been on a number of police ride-a-longs. Some were by choice and others job related. I have seen people hurt by the hands of criminals and police work to bring some healing. And while it is true that the police are not social workers and most certainly not members of the clergy they are human beings with a love for fellow man. The era of Jim Crow is over so it is time we came out of the past. The Klu Klux Klan is no longer serving as the enforcement arm of the Democratic Party and if any members are in our police departments they are well hidden. So let us lay down the destructive banner of hate and raise the restorative banner of love in order to bridge a divide created by lies and false narratives.

Love, this is why so many work at an often thankless job in law enforcement. Love is what causes so many to put their lives on the line for the sake of other lives. Love is why Christ became incarnate in order to reconcile broken man with a loving Father. It is this love that can reconcile man with man in order to present a type of the relationship we should enjoy with our Father. With that I urge some to look at some of my story and see that there is truly no reason to bemoan those that work hard to protect us and stand with them that stand daily in harm’s way just to make sure we are not harmed.

This new year let us not allow the broken rhetoric of a few determine the fate of many. Let us bridge the gap and work side-by-side with those that work with us.

Happy New Year!

The Unadulterated Truth

There are some who absolutely declare that all religious roads lead to the same end. For these people the celebration of God comes in many ways and many forms. These conclusions are despite the fact that Christian foundations are quite different than the founding of other organizations and thoughts. However the difference in these sects is more than obvious especially when you consider the way that many of the organizations were started. For instance cultic organizations such as Buddhism and Islam were started by individuals said to have matured to the level of deity while in Christianity its founder is part of the Triune Godhead.

John 3:16 clearly shows that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not parish, but have everlasting life.” Academically and theologically terms such as “hypostatic union” can be used to show the relationship between God and His Son. The idea of “kenosis” can also be employed to show how Christ emptied somewhat of His attributes in order to walk with man. However the point of this essay is to call attention to the clear truth that there are stark differences between the God of love which is the Christian God and the purported god of peace which is the Islamic god. You see the God of love seeks only to reconcile man by way of acts of love such as the love Christ showed as he laid aside some of His attributes in order to live as man lives. Herein begins the juxtaposing of Christianity and Islam.

Love is the founding factor of Christianity. God loved and so He sent His Son. Christ so loved the world that He was in full agreement with the Father (I John 5:7) to the extent that He humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross. This was not out of hatred or disdain for mankind rather love became the hallmark of the ministry of Christ not to condemn the world but rather that the world through Him might be saved. This is not the case with the founder of Islam. Islam (by many accounts) was born out of its founder’s disdain for Christianity. This disdain was a great reason for the Crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries wherein it could be argued that Islam sought to overtake the world by ridding it of Christianity. It is doubtful that the Crusades were born out of love.

The practice of Christianity is to love fellow man. It is not to harm him rather the practice of Christianity is to embrace individuals while hating the sin. With this in mind compassion coupled with love creates for the Christian a life of showing the love of the Father by expressing love even to those that reject Christ. On the other hand millions have had blood spilled because of Islam and those that purport that terrorism is the act of a “religion of peace.” Love did not crash into the World Trade Center more than a decade ago. Love had nothing to do with imprisoning a pastor only because he was a pastor. Love was not shown when three men were beheaded only because they were not Islamic. Additionally acts of love do not seek to force submission rather love allows choices such as Christians choose to serve the One and only God.

The truth of the matter is that many Muslims seek to force their view on “infidels” or they will suffer dire consequences. Christians seek to compel through the Love of Christ. Herein is the difference between Christendom and Islam; the former prefers love while the latter seeks conformity by force and even death. There are no true Christians that seek harm of anyone; not even Muslims. Yet there are some Muslims who cling to the idea that the only good Christian is a dead Christian. In this is the unadulterated truth concerning those that choose Christ and those that prefer Islam; the one works with the idea of love bringing forth reconciliation while the other prefers destruction in the hopes of gaining seventy-two virgins. So, the question must be asked; who will you serve? The One true and living God or the god of this world? I must say as the prophet of old once declared and say that as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

A Father’s Love

     It has been shown time and time again that fathers are most important in children’s lives. The love and strength of a father becomes paramount in teaching, play, discipline and protection of young impressionable lives. Yet this present society has done much to force fathers out of the home with social handouts such as welfare and the like. With the forcing out of men from the lives of youngsters fathers have been marginalized and declared by some to be insignificant in the raising of children.

     Making matters worse some women wrongfully take advantage of certain woman’s organizations which purport to protect women from abusive husbands. While it is true that some men are abusive (as are some women) many of these organizations put forth the false notion that all men have the propensity to abuse whether or not they have committed any atrocities against their wives. As such silly women see men that are the head of the home as being controlling and abusive merely because he makes decisions and presents his point of view. The consequence is that these unlearned women seek relief from the marriage and go on to rid the household of a man truly seeking to be a father to his children.

     But the consequence goes far beyond the removal of a loving father from the home. Quite often young girls needing the love of their fathers turn to other males for the love they have been denied because of silly women. This sometimes results in promiscuous lifestyles and at other times the result is truly abusive relationships. Additionally young boys have need of strong loving fathers and when they don’t leadership is sought elsewhere. Often this need for loving leadership is sought out in gang activity and the like which eventually leads to death or imprisonment. Yet many in society still seek to remove fathers from households under the guise of protecting women and children.

     This societal abnormality is a type of what is going on in the church world. Many seek to serve God by removing Him and His standards from the Church. There are desires to have a form of godliness however the love of the loving Father has been replaced with some sounding off in order to fulfill the lusts of itching ears. It seems that there is an “anything goes” attitude in Houses of Worship” in the place of the high standards set down by the Father of love. And because God has been excused from the Church the consequences are dire. Instead of choosing honorable men as deacons drunks, liars and thieves have taken the realm. Heretical teaching has replaced good sound biblical teaching.

     The results are damaging. The organists, while skilled, have sometimes succumbed to homosexuality. The head of the children’s ministry and youth workers have sometimes turned out to be pedophiles. The ushers are no longer gentle leaders but rather have turned to para-police entities. Men no longer remove their hats in the sanctuary and it has become increasingly difficult to tell the males from the females by reason of dress and hair styles. The consequences are furthered because a double standard has been created in lieu of the Father’s love. The result of this is that the people of God have turned to idolatry, whoredom and backsliding from the love of the Father.

     During this most holy season it becomes important to note the love of the Father. John 3:16 clearly shows that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” Now, that is love! His Son was provided so that man could have eternal life. The Father’s love stretched beyond eternity so that His children would be able to enjoy a relationship with Him. This is the same type of relationship that earthly father’s seek with their children. They desire not only to groom and mold them but also to be able to sit and talk with them. To have an intimate relationship wherein the love of the father is evident in every aspect of the children is the goal of a loving father.

     Such is the goal of the heavenly Father. It is not His desire to keep his children in bondage but rather to present to them liberty which affords them the choice to serve and return the love of the Father. Adam had such a choice and enjoyed a relationship with the Father for an undetermined period of time. Even while sin entered into the heart of man the love of the Father did not wax cold. Instead a plan was put in place to restore the broken relationship. That plan included the death of the Son of God which, by extension, resulted in His resurrection. This resurrection occurred because of the Father’s love and desire for unadulterated relationships with His children.

     During this Resurrection season it would do all well to consider the significance of loving fathers in the lives of their children while work is done to have the resurrected Saviour become paramount to the extent that the love of the Father is most evident in the lives of His children.

Be of Good Courage

     I should say at the forefront that this post forces me into certain transparency that I normally do not present. Yet I find it necessary to encourage many that find themselves fighting discouragement and dismay during this upcoming holiday season and other times throughout the year. There are many heavy hearts out there and many that are not certain if they should stay in the fight. I argue that those who are heavy hearted need not only stay in the fight but also fight a bit harder.

     Sometimes I reflect to November of 1981. I was a young Marine and not long graduated from Admin School. I was assigned to 3rd Recon in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. My plans for Thanksgiving were to go to church but my supervisors thought otherwise. Being of low rank and the newest member of the unit I was assigned the “duty” for the weekend. It was the first time that I was to celebrate with an M16 strapped across my shoulders while I donned my freshly pressed camouflage uniform. It was all I could do to keep back the tears welling up. I had to stand post and nothing was to change that. So, I kept post. It was just me and an occasional Marine passing by. The hurt and pain seemed insurmountable but I was not allowed to give up. I was not allowed to give in. I had a job to do so I remained and did what was required of me.

      The interesting thing is that there came a time when that duty was over. I was no longer to stand that post. Yes, I have had other duties since but never again did I have duty on Thanksgiving Day. The occasion of loneliness also subsided for a time. The sorrow did not last. With this I can say boldly that those of you that may be feeling loneliness and despair that this too will pass. Do not let the occasion of temporary setbacks set the stage for the rest of your life. Jesus has promised that He will be with us that serve Him and that promise has continued from the time He spoke it until now. So, be of good courage! God has not forgotten you and will reward you for your faithfulness.

      Regrettably that was not the last time I would be overtaken with loneliness, hurt and pain.  You see, I married the wife of my youth and had every intention of being married to her until the end of my life. Unfortunately the woman I adored did not feel the same way. Many things transpired that I still do not understand. Even worse my thirteen year marriage was deemed over after a twenty minute hearing by a judge in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The divorce was unwanted and undeserved yet I was caught in the middle of troubles, hurt and pain that I did not seek. In fact I fought with everything I had to dispel the overtures of our enemy. Alas, my fight was not enough. Even so, God has been good to me in that I have grown in ways that I cannot articulate in this missive.

      My point is that I know that many are going through trouble not of their making. Many of you look around your homes and see no one there. The phone does not ring and no one knocks on the door unless you are needed for something. I also know what is like not to watch certain movies because they cause tears to stream down because of the desire to have someone but there is no one. There is no one to talk with and to play with. There is no point in buying a lot of food; it will only go to waste. Going to the movie theatre is just another reminder that you are alone and it is the same reason that restaurants are avoided; it is just too painful to be surrounded by people who are loved by someone and you sit alone.

      Be of good cheer my brother. Be of good cheer my sister. God has not forgotten you and he sees you crying in the midnight hour. He knows that you have need of someone in your life and has someone out there just for you. However that person is still being prepared for you and you are being prepared for that person. Meanwhile, keep doing a good work. Hold on to the faith that has brought you to this point. Trust God with your whole heart and lean not to your own understanding.

      When the fullness of time has come God will bless you in such a way that you will know that it was no one but God. People will call you blessed because you will be blessed. No, don’t you dare bring harm to yourself. Trust God and hold on to His promise to never leave you nor forsake you. You are not forgotten and you are very much loved. Just stay the course and be of good courage.

The Jaundiced Eye of Racism

     It needs to be said even before the heart of this essay is addressed that some will find some of the discussion offensive. However there will be neither vulgar words used nor any profanities. With that said a much used term will be properly employed in this discussion to make the point necessary to not only bring about good discussion but to drive at the heart of what seeks to tear apart this great nation. Political correctness will not be the driver of this message rather the love of God will be employed to draw men from that which seeks to harm us all.

     I count myself to have been very fortunate on the most part. As a young man of eighteen years I became an active duty member of the USMC. While in boot camp I learned to live with all kinds of people. None of us had the liberty of any type of segregation by way of skin colour. In fact there was a certain mantra in the Marine Corps presenting the idea that in the Marine Corps there were only two colours; dark green and light green. In other words racism had no room in the Corps. This was a wonderful thing because as I was eventually stationed in Hawaii where I learned to work with many other people groups.

     In 1984 I was stationed aboard the USS Belleau Wood whereon I visited a number of nations in the Western Pacific. Among those nations were the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Okinawa and Australia. There is one thing that stands out in my mind in respect to the many people I have been blessed to meet and that is that people, no matter where they are, are people are people. Even more those people, despite their physical appearances, were still people. They all eat, breath and bleed. Many were even Christians and had no problems celebrating Christianity in the open with whoever chose to celebrate with them.

     Yet in my beloved country, the United States of America, many have jaundiced eyes and see people through the fallacy of superficial conditions which have no bearing on the status of the heart of the people concerned. For instance Black males are often referred to as “niggers” while White males are referred to as “crackers.” While some Blacks may well be niggers, and some whites as well, no Whites are crackers. Now, I know some explanation is needed so let us understand what a “nigger” is and what a “cracker” is.

     While the term “nigger” has often be attributed to Black people at large it really has nothing, at least historically, to do with the pigmentation of a person. Rather the term, when properly applied, has much to do with the deleterious attitude of ignorance which seeks to demean others that may appear different from themselves. That is to say that a nigger is to be determined by the condition of one’s heart rather than by his physical appearance. On the other hand a “cracker” is not a person at all rather it is flat, crispy piece of bread that is very good with peanut butter and jelly or some cheese.

     The problem is that way too many today have followed the false narrative of the George Zimmerman case following the killing Travon Martin. Much of the news media wanted the killing to be racially motivated so that Mr. Zimmerman was referred to as a “white Hispanic” which was a term never before employed in describing people. Even worse, race hustlers such as Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton further bolstered the false narrative of racism if only to line their own pockets with filthy lucre. This case had nothing to do with racism and to suggest otherwise is purely to stoke the flames of racism that seeks only to cause a greater divide in this nation.

     The jaundiced eye of racism really does not see clearly. It is infected with the disease of hatred and ignorance. This diseased malignancy needs to not only be eradicated but also permanently destroyed so that it can no longer impair this nation. Racism is a danger to the individual racists as well as those around them. It operates on old wives’ tales as well as fables even while it seeks more and more reasons to harm those that appear different to them. So, let’s just set the record straight for once and for all.

     Most Blacks are not niggers, no Whites are crackers, Jews at large are not money grabbers; Asians are not thieves and so on. We are all the children of God which is evident in John 3:16 which shows that God loved the entire world so that He sent His Son into the world so that none would have to parish. Yet the jaundiced eye of racism shows Jesus in whatever ethnicity race hustlers choose to present Him. God created us as human beings thereby welcoming all into His gracious arms.

     The ministry of reconciliation is a ministry for all Christians. Let’s stand strong on the Word of God and stand one with another. The idea of the Black church and the White church are ludicrous to the extent that the Church has been divided by reason of ethnicity. It is ridiculous and uncalled for. Let us reconcile one with another, pray for the healing of those inflicted with the jaundiced eye of racism as we work to restore man to the love that was always intended by God our Father.

The Reason Why

I have been told that I protest too much against homosexuality. The reason is because I am supposed to be tolerant and understanding of those who choose to live a lifestyle other than that I have chosen. After all God loves the homosexual as well as the heterosexual. Making the matter more interesting is that one person proclaiming that I protest too much is counted as Christian. And while it is certain that God does indeed love the homosexual, absolute certainty provides for the fact that God hates sin.

But, as I reflect on things that Christians have been apathetic about, the matters of prayer and Bible reading in school comes to mind. It was because of one godless person the rights of Christians have been trampled upon. Because of her arguable hatred for the country and the God of it, Madalyn Murray O’Hair found reason to make legal protestations against prayer and Bible reading in public schools. In 1963 “After the Baltimore courts ruled against her, she appealed her case all the way to the Supreme Court, who overwhelmingly ruled in her favor in 1963: school-sponsored Bible reading and prayer were banned in public schools.”[1] It would seem that O’Hair had no opposition from Christians but what if Christians would have taken a stand? And while the Supreme Court did not say there could be no prayer and Bible in school many are afraid to participate in them out of fear of retribution.

This is the reason why I stand for the Word of God. I have worked in public schools and with many students outside the school setting. At no time did I lay aside my constitutional and God given right to celebrate Jesus. In fact, I have dared to teach biblical principles because it is not possible for me to separate myself from the God I serve. As such the reason why I am so bold in my stance is because the God of gods has proven Himself to me over and over and I refuse to relent to the  sound of political overtures or bend to the whistling winds of destruction.  But this is just one reason I stand. Roe vs. Wade is another Supreme Court decision wherein the Court decided that it was within a woman’s right to abort children under nearly all circumstances (410 U.S. 113 (1973)).

There is little doubt that the State of Texas fought on behalf the unborn child. But what would have happened if the Christians had gathered together and fought in light of the Word of God in respect to the sanctity of life? Would we have Planned Parenthood in place now? Now, while it appears that Planned Parenthood seeks to protect the rights of the woman its true purpose was, and may continue to be, the eradication of Blacks in the United States. But, Blacks were not the only problem. Planned Parenthood’s founder Margaret Higgins Sanger “primarily sought to control the reproduction of immigrants, the poor, certain religious groups, and anyone else she thought was from an “unacceptable” heritage.”[2] This is the reason I fight for the lives of those who cannot fight for themselves. If they are unborn they deserve to live out their lives as God prescribed. I am diametrically opposed to the unlawful and unrighteous taking of life just because the parents choose to live recklessly outside the perimeters set by God or because a true bigot takes issue with those for whom he disapproves.

And now Christianity is being attacked again but more vigorously than ever before. There was a time when homosexuals were ashamed of their practices because they knew it was wrong. Now it is politically incorrect to suggest that the act of homosexuality is an abomination. Yet there is an issue that many do not consider that lies side by side with this immoral conduct and that is the matter of the effeminate. Basically the effeminate, as laid out in I Corinthians 6:9, are men that take on the likeness of and act like females. This goes to the matter of cross dressing and a range of other issues. God is not pleased when mankind perverts and changes inherent conditions of males and females, yet we laugh when movie stars and others wade into this category. They have made light of God and made room for the abominable acts of homosexuality.

It seems that everyone is now stating that homosexual marriage is acceptable and should be a legal right. One of its greatest proponents is Barak Obama who unconstitutionally refuses to defend the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by Bill Clinton. Going against his own convictions Clinton is now having reservations about marriage being between one man and one woman. And the matter grows worse. Even “Christians” are supporting this thing that God has condemned. One prominent group is the Episcopal Church. This corpus of adherents allows “priests in the 1.9 million-member church can officiate blessings to same-sex couples who are in long-term relationships.”[3] This very idea brings to light unchecked immorality that apparently runs throughout the Episcopal Church.

This is the reason why I stand for the standards set down by God. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the very reason yet the United States Supreme Court is hearing arguments on who can constitutionally be married. The problem is that if the Court follows suit as in with abortion and prayer and Bible reading in school then this country might well find itself without the God who has been faithful to it. This is the reason why I stand because I know God’s Word to be true and I further realize that if Christians stand and hold fast to the Word of God then the immoral and ungodly agenda of reprobates and heathens will be halted. Yes, the reason why I stand is because Christ continues to stand for me. The reason I protest homosexuality is because it is abhorred by God!