"Us" in the U.S.
The apparent sentiment of Black America has been on my mind for a few days now. From a story posted at Slice of Laodecia, there’s euphoria within the Black community over Barak Obama winning the election; and if you believe what the media has to say about it, this euphoria is indicative of what’s on most of the voting section of blacks in America.
The meat of the story is that many black pastor/preachers in the country have used their positions as a platform for "encouraging" their congregations to vote for Obama; and now that he’s won the election, folks are coming out of the woodworks with praises and hallelujahs for this
monumental occasion in American History. What’s disturbing about the turn of events is not the jubilant outpouring but rather the racial undertones that accompany remarks on this "accomplishment" and I feel undermine the moment.
In an interview at Crosstalk, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson explains the great racial divide that still exists in this country along with some thoughts on how this divide is perpetuated thanks at least in part to pastors/ministers pushing an agenda with racial motives behind it.
I don’t hold the view that "all whites" or "all blacks" hold racially based perceptions toward one another I do however believe that Peterson’s commentary has some points to seriously consider. The AP reports another reaction to Obama’s victory. Some things never change.(Ecclesiastes 1:9)
1st Samuel 8:6-21
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."…
Grace and peace be with you.
I hope that some day we can get to a place where we don’t care if someone is black or white, male or female, fat or skinny, good looking or ugly, and that all we care about is the merit of a person’s ideas. However the more I think about the nature of sin, and how we live in a fallen world, the more skeptical I become of this. But there’s always hope, because you never know what God has up his sleeve.
Christopher says:
E.B. sorry for the difficulties with posting your comment the other day.
For all of the advances we have made in the US regarding race and equality, I’m afraid the people have spoken and it is quite clear that those 40 + years between the Civil Rights movement and Borak Obama becoming the first “black” president of the US have very little in common with Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream … “that one day a man would be judged by the content of his character instead of the color of his skin”.
I was going to open with “I share your skepticism”, however I think that perhaps a better phrase to use in order to not convey being a cynic (just doesn’t seem glorifying to our Lord when I “say” it), is not being naive.
Let us keep that hope.
Grace and peace be with you.
Very nice blog i like it very much.