Well, my freshman year is coming to a close. It was a fun run, and a growing experience. Right now, I am enjoying this time in my college life. As you know I only have two classes, and I have a lot more time to read (for my own personal interest), to think, to learn about events and issues outside of my small little bubble of Elon, religion, etc. To add to my time, my phone broke the other day so I do not have the stress of constantly checking my phone, calling, returning calls and/or texts. It's actually a weirdly nice relief. Anyways, I just watched the movie "Once Upon a Time, When We Were Colored." You can imagine what the movie was about (Im about to read the book), but I enjoyed it so much, aside from the fact it had so many great actors in it, because it showed the great hope and joy we found in the Lord and each other back in the day. Though things were tough--hardly any clothes, not much food, not much money, we took great pride in our education, our churches, and our boxer Joe Louis:) It was a celebratory movie!
I also watched a PBS documentary called "Ghosts of Rwanda." It was very informative about the genocide in Rwanda and told the sad, yet apparent truth about how the British and Americans alike evacuated all the whites and wanted nothing to do with it at all. The only White American who stayed in Rwanda after the evacuation was an adventist named Carl Wilkins (who wrote "I'm Not Leaving," which I also plan to read). The UN here in the US refrained from calling it a genocide, because if it called it that, the UN would be required to take action and send peace troops. This definition of genocide and requirement to act anywhere in the world a genocide takes place was a result of the Holocaust. How could it be denied that there was a Holocaust in Rwanda if in only 100 days, 800,000 + innocent Rwandan civilians were slaughtered? American gov's honest reaction to events such as this is, "We will only participate it it is of interest/benefit to the US." A gov. official @ the time said, "We [Americans] do not have friends, we only have interests." This is a crying shame, but apparently, its the name of the game.
I also just finished a book tonight called "The Church's Official Response to the Epidemic of DownLow Living in the Church: Straight Up," by Pastor Michael Stevens who is in fact not far from me @ Elon, pastoring University City Church in Charlotte, NC. It talked about a topic Black churches so often overlook. There are so many black men in the church struggling with their sexuality and Pastor Michael constantly poses the questions "Do we have healing oil for these men?" The answer is YES! But churches have to be willing and open to believing that God can deliver these men back to His original purpose for them. In the beginning God created man and then created a women for the man. Pastor Stevens elaborates on the fact that many now have convinced themselves that homosexuality is a "gene" or strictly a "mind thing," when it is without a doubt a "spiritual/soul thing." The church must not be condemning, but honest about this issue sticking to what the scriptures say and these men must be transparent with themselves as well as the strong, manly, men in leadership in the church about their problems. I know you are wondering...Yasmine, why are you reading this? Why are you concerned? Well, 1) I am faithful, and strong in my Christian faith, 2) Like pastor Stevens, I notice this is a problem that is only manifesting...with many churches recently ordaining gay marriages and even further supporting laws that grant equal rights to these marriages. How can a church possibly ordain an act that is obviously hated and despised by God? It is not His will that these men be condemned, but that they be saved from their twisted mentalities and returned to the original purpose of headship the Lord originally created men for. In relation to me...Lastly, yes I am a Black unmarried Christian female and this trend among men concerns me and a lot of this behavior is actually learned in jail, where my father was for so many years. Perhaps delving into this issue will help me one day transform the lives of confused men (and women) and broken marriages when I step into the ministry God has called me to.
I plan to continue to read more on this issue and other forms of deception in the church, as well as Black history in America, and African history (on the continent) primarily. There is this book I plan to purchase called "Crooks and Homos in the Pulpit." There is a movie grandma brought to my attention coming out soon called "The UnderShepherd"that addresses such issues. In these last few years, many pastors have been exposed for their hypocritical behavior and homosexual activities specifically. It is long overdue that we began to peel back the layers and discover the root of the issue and cease concealing them. How are we to truly be or claim we are set apart and the light of the world and the salt of the earth and a peculiar people and the seeds of Abraham, if the world is seeing us do these things? I am well aware that events such as genocides even down to the issue of downlow living in the church are all of spiritual warfare. These issues are not of God, but are man-made, manifested from the devil himself. I heard the quote in Sunday school today..."THIS generation of saints, is accountable for THIS generation of souls." I have grown so much since last year in a number of ways. There is no turning back for me...WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO BE YOUNG, BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL...IN COLLEGE! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment