religion

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Religious Masters

You know I really wonder just how is it that White and Black people see God so differently and yet the same in many ways? I don’t know if it’s the theology being taught, or if it’s the history of religion that makes the two races have similar and differing places from which they come from. I thought about this because I was watching a movie yesterday and the characters were all white. The main antagonists were heavily religious zealots who felt that they were doing God’s will by abducting and killing young White women. It’s a concept that I have seen in almost every single movie where religion is the main plot and the focal characters are white.

I sat and wondered to myself why is this the case. Why is it that when I watch a Black movie about faith, there is a rigidity there but it’s also an undertone of love and compassion for following the rules of God. And then a wrath or a damning if you don’t follow what that person sees as God’s will. White people, their movies always say that one or two characters are the conduits for God. They’ve been spoken to and told to do harm to others who are devils or devil worshippers in order to please God and secure their place in heaven. When you think about that, to me that isn’t what God is all about. It shouldn’t be what religion is all about either, but unfortunately it is. Religion is suppose to be about guidance and togetherness. Bringing people the gospel and letting them decide how to incorporate it into their lives.

Both of these paths though, have tenants that I reject, and is why I am a Spiritual Christian not a Religious Christian. I believe that there is a gang like mentality to Religious people. They don’t want to accept people who aren’t like them. That don’t walk and breathe like they do when it comes to the God and scripture. I am very despondent as a Black, Gay male because people are so quick to want to take that Bible and castigate me if I don’t subscribe to some kind of Exorcism to take the gay away from me. This premise is stupid in every way to me. You know people keep saying that Gay is this major sin and so on, but there have been Gay people on this planet since the beginning of time. So what does that mean? Because to these Bible toting Christians God created it all and hates Gay people. But answer me this if God created all and knows all, then God created Gays and we should be accepted.

It is something that has split families and households apart because there is religious rigidity that seems to settle in amongst the religious folks. Like they’re the only ones who are right. Like they have all the answers. It’s as though they forget about the fact that they’re human and the only perfect being is God, who created the son Jesus. How are we to ever assume that in all situations we have the answers just because we are religious believers of Christ. If you read in the text it doesn’t say that at all. It doesn’t say that you are always correct or you always have the high ground because you base your bias or prejudice on the text. It is in times like these that we should be looking to the text for what it really is, a guide and a blueprint. It provides some structures and foundations upon which we should operate and conduct ourselves.

The Bible gives you moral and philosophical basis from which you can take lessons and grow towards. The text also preaches about love for each other and respect for each other. Yes it gives things that also shouldn’t be done and it also tells of things that shouldn’t be done when rebuilding a society and that grown men shouldn’t be sleeping with children. These are the places that we should be building from and understanding that religion is to be a common gathering ground. It’s suppose to be a way for people who believe in God and Christ to come together to bond spiritually, not act like thugs and judges and determine who is deserved of the love of God.

Some point in time we will finally realize that faith is something that should be a uniting thing and not a diving thing. From television shows to movies to real life, religion is always painted in a oxymoronic position. It serves to be the judge for some in terms of people they don’t agree with or feel represent God, but then it serves as their moral compass and compassion for when they want to try to reach out and bridge a divide created unnecessarily. How about we change the way we use religion and think about it. Use it for the purpose of love and support, growth and togetherness. Then we can possibly bring more souls closer to God.

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Are you Spiritual or Religious?

This conversation to me is one that is very intricate and detailed but one that to me should be more necessary than some like to think. When I think of these two words they can be very synonymous with each other but there are distinct differences to me that makes one more preferable to me over the other. Lets start the with big R word that makes for more divisiveness that togetherness.

Religious people in large part are more judgmental and tend to look at things through the lens of their beliefs of religion. They are more apt to try to drive a wedge through the community with their antiquated beliefs rather than really be a driving force of togetherness as taught in the bible. More specifically, within the Black community religion has always seemed to be a very tense subject to discuss. Primarily due to the fact that that hiding behind religion has torn apart families that have children or relatives that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. It has always been a source of disagreement amongst my peer group just how destructive religion in the Black community has been.

Also, that same religious rigidity seems to lead to black men not be allowed to accept or embrace all of themselves. They are taught too often to be firm and absent of emotions. Not to allow themselves to cry or be seen as “soft” because of what the Bible say. You know how religious people love to use that quote. But, the truth is the Bible doesn’t mention anything about a man not being allowed to be in touch with the softer side of himself. It doesn’t say that a has to be either warrior or mascusensitive. It is not distinguished in any part of the text, yet somehow, because of ancestry and a need for strength during slavery times, Black men have been robbed of their sensitivities, and in some ways, their humanity.

Let me focus for a minute on why I prefer the Spiritual self over the Religious self. The spirit self, to me, is of God and Jesus. The spirit is not judgmental nor does it hinder on acceptance of a theology. It allows for you to be in touch with the higher power in God and believe in Christ, while not being critical or belittling to someone who shares a different belief. Maybe their Muslim or Atheist or Hindu or Buddhist and they chose to worship a different deity but still have the fundamental in a spiritual foundation of God and love of man based upon these foundings. It does amaze me that so many run to the bible and disparage other religious texts, but if you look at the basic pillars and tenants of other faiths of spiritual belief, they have similar principles. A belief in love of self, love of fellow man, togetherness, family, building a strong community, kids being the future and a general sense of equality amongst all people regardless of status or class.

The spirit is something that you cannot quantify or judge. Because to truly be in the spirit is to be one with God and if that is the ultimate goal that one seeks, to be one with the Holy Spirit and to act in a way that would be Godly and acceptable unto the Lord, then one should tap into that love of the Spirit not the love of a text or religion that puts an emphasis on following someone’s interpretation of the text and not having a solid understanding for yourself, in order to fully be present during the service and to challenge the leader of the church it is so needed. The basic premise of blindly trusting man to lead you is something that is not preached in the text either. It is said that you need to trust Jesus and God as your leaders and that the preacher is an extension, sent to help you find that understanding, but he or she is still man and is subject to being tempted by wrongdoing or misgivings when they taste the power and influence given to a leader.

I wonder just how much Religious people truly justify their wandering belief system. See I don’t understand how you can be quick to say that God knows all and sees all and doesn’t make any mistakes. But, the minute that your child or close relative says their gay, you run and hollar God doesn’t like that, you aren’t being in touch with God, or somehow you are sinning because you are loving the same gender. That flies in the face of your initial statement. If you know that God see and knows all. If you know that God created all, then surely you know that God knew that there were Gay people in this world because God created them. Knew that they would be this way and allowed them to live and be free and flourish because we are all God’s people created in God’s image. See that’s where a Spiritual person sits in the seat of preference. A spirit filled person doesn’t look at homosexuality as a sin, it’s seen as what it is, a part of the diaspora of the world. There is not judgment for accepting your sexuality or your gender preference, rather it takes the belief that you are free to be who you are, as long as, you hold the basic tenants of life.

This post may not resonate with many and it may be controversial to some, but it’s something that is necessary to discuss. We have to get to a place where we aren’t judging people because they choose to live in their truth. That they accept God and also accept that they love the same sex or they like to drink or they like to wear mix blended clothing. That they had children prior to being married or they eat shell fish. You see all these things in the text are said to be sins, but we don’t ever focus on those do we? It’s just the most disturbing things to us that we see as not acceptable that we want to run to the bible and start throwing scripture as a weapon. What side of the ledger do you reside? Are you a Spiritual person or are you a Religious person?

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Political Pussy’s

Yes I know that my title is bit vulgar, but if you know me, then you know that’s just who I am. I write with great imagery and color. Now let’s get to what this title is all about.

Once again after a controversial shooting of a young, unarmed, black man, we see government officials make a decision based on the outcry after the fact and not the facts before the outrage. Someone needs to tell me why the fuck Rahm Emanuel didn’t review this prior to the dash cam being released and the public being outraged? Why, again, do we see politicians hiding behind the “independent investigation” bullshit, instead of having the balls to fire people and make a statement.

I think that Americans all over the country are tired of the corrupt police departments covering for their own people over and over again. Let me again be clear, I have a great respect for all of the men and women who wear the uniform to protect and service the communities in the United States of America. But let me also be clear: Dirty cops fuck it up for those who truly go out here every day to make a difference and protect us from dangerous people.

We are a nation that likes to hold civilians accountable for their actions, but we don’t want to hold officers of the law who are breaking those very laws they took an oath to defend. Also, these sneaky ass folks holding office who are covering their own asses by covering up the wrong doings of some of these dirty cops need to be punished. I think that one of the great problems of our time is that we don’t take our duties to vote and be aware of what our elected leaders are and aren’t doing.

We must accept the fact that we must be responsible to our fellow man and hold everyone accountable for their actions. It is a necessity. And I’m sorry if the police officers and unions are uncomfortable because their “comfort” is being challenged, because we are tired of the endless and pointless killings of unarmed and innocent people, then do the work to clean up your ranks and maybe the public wouldn’t be clamoring for heads to role.

Lets all wake up and do our jobs because when we all do our parts we are a better nation and a better people.

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The Hier Apparent

OK, so I know in my last post I released most of my inner irritation with the Donald Trump clown show, but I think it’s also fair that I dish my displeasure for the nominee for the Democrats, Hillary Clinton. And before you stop to ask am I affiliated with either party or am I an Independent, or a nonvoter, I want to say that without doubt and hesitation, I am a staunch Liberal and true blue Democrat. I have given my support to President Obama, voted for him twice and Presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.

I have and will continue to defend the first African American President in American history. Not only does he look like me, but what he’s done for this country is nothing short of amazing, given all the bullshit he’s had to put up with. Ha, now that I’ve taken a little time to plug my favorite President of all-time, let me get back to Mrs. Inevitable. Don’t get me wrong, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Hillary Clinton. She was definitely one of the smartest first ladies in history and she was a very dynamic and influential Senator and Secretary of State.

That not withstanding, I have to be honest and say that I’m very uninspired by her message and speeches at this point. I do think she lied about the email situation and I don’t believe she is speaking about issues that really close to my heart and generation. I think she has flip flopped on positions more than Trump himself. I think she is a comforter rather than a trend setter. She hasn’t taken the lead on anything. If you press her about any of her positions hard enough or the public sentiment changes strong enough, she will switch quicker than you can change your pants.

This is a battle of the old people. And no, I’m not prejudiced to older Presidential candidates, but the reality is that both Hillary and Trump are more in the twilight years, than youthful fresh faces of their respective parties. I also think that the media has suffocated her competition in order to make sure she winds up as the nominee at the convention next year. Quite frankly, I think they were shocked, stunned and in total disbelief in 2008 when Senator Barack Obama launched a campaign that completely destroyed the “Clinton Machine,” enroute to winning the nomination and becoming President.

See the narrative then was much like now, that Hillary was unbeatable. She has this massive war chest and organization power. She was the one who was going to rewrite the Democrats legacy because a Clinton was returning to the White House, and she was bringing arguably, the most popular President in history, with her as the First Dude. You just knew that his policies and his people were going to be all around her cabinet. But something amazing happened. The impossible became possible. The media ugly duckling became the media darling and Obama rode to victory.

This time there is no narrative like Obama’s with Hillary’s rivals so naturally the media has decided to gravitate to Mrs. Clinton and once again usher her in as the inevitable candidate with the stones ready to take on and defeat the men. I only hope her policies are as strong as the media is building her up to be. I can’t forget that her husband signed that God awful Defense of Marriage Act into law, without any arm twisting needed. He was not an advocate or supporter of same sex couples, and since I’m a very openly gay man, that is something that I always remember. So Mrs. Clinton you and your husband can say you’re for the gays, thanks to VP Biden and Pres. Obama, but many of us haven’t forgotten the actions taken by your husband and championed by you.

So yes I think the media has hand picked their candidates. Bernie Sanders is good television fodder and makes for great ratings. A candidate like Martin O’Malley, who really has some awesome points and accomplishments and objectives, well he can’t get any t.v. time because he’s talking too substantively and would really be the candidate to derail Hillary if given the fair chance.

So I will vote for Hill and Bill, but I hope that the new guard of Democrats are lining up waiting for 2024 or 2020 to make a run and stop the media control of the process.

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The Great Black Divide

Now listen most of what I’m about to say is nothing new and probably been said before. My hope that my framing of it will cause you to think a little harder, reflect a little deeper, respect each other a little better, and cause some unity, if only for a moment, to advance the cause.

I’ve seen all over social media since the historic decision on Friday, a call to arms of all different groups. From White Conservatives, to Black Conversations, to liberals of all persuasions and I can’t forget the moderates who keep the whole damn world sane..LOL

But there is a schism that exists in the Black Community that’s preventing us to really achieve more the unilateral improvements we all wish for that we see occurring for other groups. The primary reason for this is because we aren’t able to come together long enough and in large enough numbers to truly affect things and bring change.

See we are so controlled by the damn dollar and being distracted by trying to look like White people in order to beat White people that we can’t ever come together to get things done. We love to run and hide behind “traditions” as our reasoning for so much, but I challenge you to tell me what traditions you speak of that are inherent to us. Because if you take a few moments to think, what you’re really talking about are the White conditioned traditions that we have gravitated towards.

The Black Church has become a Capitalistic vessel because it decided to lay in bed with the White Mans money, rather than continue the work to uplift its people and champion the causes that lead to equality. We as a people became so fixated on the division within the Church once the pastors starting preaching exclusion instead of inclusion, that we too turned on each other and stopped looking our different skin tones, unique accents, alternative lifestyles as opportunities to learn and unite, and instead used them to divide and tear down.

We must learn that it’s not up to President Obama to make the way for us. It’s not up to Politicians, who are just trying to keep their jobs, to make the way for us. It ultimately is up to us. We have to learn how to take queues from my LGBTQ community and come together enough to affect change. Don’t think that our community is peaches and cream because we spend more damn time tearing each other down and fucking up own images than we do building them. But, we do know how to come together for a cause as well.

Black people we gotta stop being so damn gullible. We must learn that we are all beautiful and amazing despite our different skin tones and accents and choice of clothing and lovers. We must realize that we have so much power in our midst that if we just stopped fighting we could have so much power. We are our biggest detractors. We are our biggest road block. We are our own worst enemies. Instead of us embracing our differences and coming together around our commonalities, we spend time bickering about which section of us is right and which is wrong.

It’s a shame that religion has torn us apart because so many Black Christians hide behind destructive religious teachings instead of learning the text and its context and meanings for themselves. We are damaging ourselves so much that we just accept the endless hurt and killings. We kill each other over drugs, money, men and women, but won’t come together to make sure we can be power players at the table to increase our access to the money so we don’t need to kill over it.

Black people wake up, where mom or dad is there or not, you are a strong person with power in your mind and heart. There is power waiting for all of us, if we step up and just accept the call to arms instead of deferring it to those who need to profit in order to speak for us. Gay or straight, thug or geek, athlete or business person, we are all one people fighting to advance. Lets join together and make some shit happen.

Wake up

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Grace, Mercy and Faithfulness

First and foremost I would to wish you a Happy New Year! I hope all the things you want for yourself this year comes true.

Now, I was sitting in church this Sunday when my pastor preached about Grace, Mercy and Favor. But he likened Favor to Faithfulness. As he dug into his sermon and began expounding on these words, their interceding points and it they tie into you being favored in your life, I began to take stock of my life and realize that I have been and am highly favored.

When I think about the situations I’ve put myself in because of stupid decisions, rushing to be with who I thought was best, or being young and dumb, I realize that it was not me who got me through and subsequently out of those situations, it was nothing but Gods’ favor. His mercy to pull me out of my own mess, his grace to not hold me in disdain for the foolish choices I made.

See when you have been in situations where you shouldn’t have gotten out alive. When you faced death in the face and lived to tell about with a sound frame of mind. When you can call your mama and just say hi or even to talk about anything at all you are favored. When you get to lay down in your own bed, under your own roof, with your own clothes, eating your own food and watching your own tv, you are favored.

I am often times conflicted about this because I’m human just like anyone else, and when I am in the midst of going through a trial and a challenge, I tend to sometimes forget that every issue I face is only building my story and making me a better person. I forget that all things will generally work for your good if you let it.

That may be explanation for the reason why I have always been so willing to share my life, the stories, the memories, the tragedies, the heartache, because I know that there is someone whose life will be saved, someone whose views will be re-imaged if only because they talked to someone who’s been in their shoes and is on the other side of the struggle.

I dare you to take some time and stop bitching and complaining, stop whining about what you don’t have, stop sweatin’ the things someone else has, and just think about how much you have and how fortunate you are; then I bet you, you will say Thank God, or whomever you pray to.

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Take Me to The King

Let the church say Amen.. and let the church say Amen again.. I am one who is very quick to point out that I a religious man, who is more spiritual however than religious. I do not believe in going around toting a bible, nor do I go out of my way to speak about the word or demonize people for things they’ve done. I identify myself a Southern Baptist, straight out of the African American church. 

I will be the first to admit that being an openly gay man in the Black Church has not been nor is easy. You see for whatever reason, Black people think that if your sin is being Gay, then somehow you are more damned to hell that the one who cheats on their spouse, or have a child out of wedlock. The bible toting Christian elite think that you must do everything by the book and if you don’t well then you’re not equal. See they have to sit in the pew’s every Sunday and talk about the folks in the church and then make sure once they leave the church for the day that they are ready to gossip about what they think they know or what they saw that day.

I don’t particularly care for the religious zelots who feel it is their responsiblity to let you know where you’re fucking up or preaching to you what they think the Bible is saying. There are two fundamental problems with this style of religious teaching. One, more than likely you know nothing about the true meanings and contexts of the text  and two, your really just picking parts of the text to fit your beliefs and the rest you decide to discard and unimportant.

Real religious folks don’t spend their time trying to convert you, or worry about who you’re sleeping with. They don’t spend their time trying to figure out how they can control your life or how to make you feel less than worthy about yourself because you don’t live the “Godly” life that they do. 

The truth is that if you really are a child of God, then you love all of humanity regardless of if they share your faith, beliefs, or lifestyle. If you believe in God, then your actions would reflect that; so instead of damning someone, or spreading church rumors, try to be courteous and empathetic, loving and forgiving, because the truth is the text was meant to a guide, one that should be updated history changes and evolves. 

There are stories in the text that will always withstand the test of time, however, there are passages that are outdated, because they applied to a time of discovery and war and destruction. where entire civilizations were being destroyed. Now we live in a world where change is continuous, acceptance is the norm and civilizations are busting at the seems.

So.. before you go off believing a rouge ministry just trying to tap into your feers. or being sucked into the vacuum of the mega church, thriving on the fiances of its congregation, take some time to figure out what kind of person are you. Do you believe in religion and God? Are you an Athiest ? Are you a condemner or an uplifter? I will submit that the only way to God’s wishes, is to truly act like one of God’s children,.