Courageous as always, Ron.
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A Challenge to the Black Church
Date: Friday, April 24, 2009, 3:39 AM EDT, 3:39 AM EDT from Ron Miller
A campaign ritual I confess I dreaded as a candidate is the obligatory church visit. I looked forward to the worship and it was revealing to see the creativity and energy in the body of Christ, especially at the black churches. I’ve seen more enthusiasm at a Redskins game than in some churches where we’re supposed to be praising the Creator of the universe, so their unhindered worship was inspiring. At my home church, we say “Full devotion to God is normal,” and the black churches get it.
Black churches also see no conflict in blending faith and social responsibility. While American society, including some mainstream churches, is doing everything it can to squeeze the last vestiges of faith from the culture, the black community understands a faith which only manifests itself inside a church building on Sunday is useless, and we don’t serve a useless God. The black church's role as the center of the community, combined with Christ's command to be salt and light in the world, created a religious movement that was dedicated to mobilizing the faithful inside the church to take action outside the church.
So why my dread? For one thing, I was self-conscious about the stares of the congregation, many of whom I’m sure saw me as a heathen who was only setting foot in their church to seek their favor and win their votes. I understand how they feel; I'm leery of politicians who try to ingratiate themselves with the churchgoing community when it’s clear they probably dusted off their Bibles just that morning. They stumble over Scripture and embarrass themselves and the congregation they’re trying to impress. That isn’t me, but they had no way of knowing how committed I am to Christ, that I'm active in ministry at my home church, that I was in fact one of them.
The other reason for my trepidation is political. Bluntly put, I may be a brother in Christ but because I am black and a Republican, I am not a brother in politics. As a result, I approached the entrance to every black church with apprehension, not sure what to expect. My colleague, another black Republican, and I were generally well received, but we had our moments.
At one church service, an man confronted us and essentially declared us fools for being aligned with the same political party as President Bush. A spirited discussion ensued and my colleague eventually pulled me away because it was clear I wasn’t going to convince this gentleman that my reasons for being a Republican were more valid than his reasons for being a Democrat.
The only thing the Democrats do for us is keep race at the forefront of our minds and promote race-based policies which stroke our egos but really don't make our lives better. 90% or more of black citizens vote for the Democrats despite their decades of failure in making our schools better, our streets safer, and our families stronger and self-sufficient. We misinterpret their actions as caring but they're really just keeping us angry and frozen in time so we'll continue to keep them in power.
At another church, a dapper young pastor with a degree from Harvard Divinity School welcomed us and another candidate into his study for introductions prior to the sermon. He then proceeded to deliver a diatribe blasting conservative evangelicals and the policies of the Bush Administration. I thought I was at a political demonstration and not a church service, and my heart hardened. I went to his church to worship, but I left unfulfilled and angry.
I read in the news later that this young pastor was in the hot seat for potentially crossing the line and endorsing a Democrat by attacking his Republican opponent, a black man. "Your skinfolk ain’t necessarily your kinfolk,” he declared, borrowing a line from Julian Bond, and he referred to people deceived into supporting the black Republican as “Barablicans” (read: Barabbas) and those who voted for the Democrat as “Jesuscrats.” Christ wept as his name was abused by someone who declares himself a teacher of the gospel.
The black church that held us together and taught us morality, virtue and perseverance in the face of tremendous persecution now looks the other way while 17 million black babies and counting are slaughtered by the American abortion industry, a high price for appeasing the Democrats. I'm not expecting them to embrace Republicans; I just want them to be, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, a thermostat to the culture and not a thermometer. Make the Lord a higher priority than our blackness and confront evil wherever it resides. That's full devotion to God.
Ron Miller, you are to be commended. There is one thing that i think will
come out of all ths tragedy. I feel sorrow for the African Americans because they have the mistaken notion that Obama is an African American. I honestly feel he is not. He is a Muslim, through and through.
It will sound ridiculous now, but as time goes by, it will dawn on all americans the truth of his leanings. Just imagine the impossible odds of
his winning the presidency after so short a time and against such odds.
I think the reason is that God is behind this whole scenario. We are being chastised for offending Him. What better way to be chastised than to let the so-called messiah have his way. This, from a right-wing extremist, who loves this wonderful country with a passion. God Bless America!
Ron, excellent post as always! I've said it to you numerous times that it boggles my mind that Conservatives and Republicans are always vilified by blacks for the most part. And as yourself being a blackman, and a Conservative Republican, you get the ultimate hate thrown at you. I wish we could just explain the FACTS of what dems. have done to the black community, and continue to do these days? Why won't people of God reguardless of color see the facts, and what must we do to fix it? I believe Ron, we just do what we do and let the cards fall as they will. We'll try to make our points heard, but in the end, if we stay honest to our beliefs, thats all the Lord would need from us in the end. Not to back-track, but like my Dad told me years ago: "you can't change stupid". Good luck Ron, you are needed like never before, and God bless you too!
Ron, I feel your pain my Brother. I too am a black conservative who is appalled and frankly just plain heart broken by the way the black Church community has discarded long held values and principles just to become a part of an historical moment. Before the election I participated in one of Obama's Sunday afternoon teleconference with the "leaders" of evangelical congregations from all over this country. I was floored by the god like treatment the leaders who spoke gave him. One Bishop speaking of the story in Luke 5 1-8 about Simon and the other fishermen who had fished all night but caught nothing, when Jesus told them to launch out into the deep and let down their nets.The Bishop actually said that Obama was telling them to let down their nets and get involved because he, Obama knew where the fishes were.My heart sank within me when I heard how a mere mortal man had been elevated to level of and even compared to Christ. I can recall many times being in Church services and observe brothers and Sisters worshiping and praising God one moment and worship Obama the next. We as blacks have sold our souls for a stale morsel of bread. We have embraced so much of what the very God we so boldly proclaim and profess to serve, opposes. How can we so cavalierly dismiss right and cleave to whats wrong? I can only say that I believe that Christ's return is imminent and a very large part of the Church has been deceived!
I feel good knowing that there are indeed BLACK men like yourself out there who hold to Biblical principles and moral convictions. Blessings
ron,you may be just what this country needs. you and at least a hundred more,black and white alike. people who can not be bought are rare,and ones who will not be corrupted at the expence of the people,well,maybe one in a million.
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