Religion

Imaginary Conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King

Published

9 years ago

May 20, 2015

by Pastor E.A. Deckard
Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times

Forward Thinkers, this week I’m taking a different approach to my weekly Forward Thinking article. As I’m prepare to launch the initiative Communities Living In Peace (CLIP) and become more involved in uplifting our community, my desire to empower the Forward Thinking community has grown to an all time high.

While standing with three mothers whose children were victims were of violate crimes; Tanira Dean the mother of Terrell Paynes, Gerald Edwards mother of DeMarquise Edwards, and Angela Revis mother of Kiara Jackson whose children were murdered in North Houston.

Forward Thinkers, while marching with the NAACP to protest against police brutality in America, I discovered an amazing message written in 1956 by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King delivered an imaginary letter to America from the Apostle Paul. I was so inspired by the message I decided to model the same pattern of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and today I’m am writing an imaginary letter to the Forward Thinkers from Dr. King in 2015.

I, a disciple of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to you who are Forward Thinkers in Black America, Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Forward Thinkers, for many years I have patiently waited to be able to speak to you. I have heard so much about you and what you are doing. I have heard of the fascinating and astounding advances that you have made in the scientific realm. I have heard of your amazing technological advancements. Forward Thinkers, through your scientific genius you have been able to dwarf distance and place time in chains. You have been able to carve highways through cyber space and communicate across the globe as if you’re sitting in a room face to face.

Forward Thinkers, I have heard of your great medical advances, which have resulted in the curing of many deadly plagues and diseases, and thereby prolonging your lives and giving yourself greater security and physical well-being. All of that is marvelous, you can do so many things in your day that I could not do in the 1968.

As I look at you from heaven, I wonder why with all your advancements you are still so far behind.

Forward Thinkers, I remember the poet “Thoreau” used to talk about “improved means to an unimproved end.” I’m afraid with all your improvements Thoreau is still as accurate in 2015 as he was in 1968. Forward Thinkers you have allowed your generation to run backwards and be tricked into believing they are running fast. Forward Thinkers through your scientific genius you have made the world one big neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual decay you have failed to make it a brotherhood.

Forward Thinkers, in Black America, since Thursday, April 4, 1968 I’ve been waiting to speak to you and I cannot think of any better time than now to address the following seven issues facing you in 2015.

Forward Thinking Economy

One of the more under-appreciated aspects of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy is that by the end of his career, he had fashioned himself into a crusader against poverty. In the weeks leading to his assassination, the civil rights leader had been hard at work organizing a new march on Washington known as the “Poor People’s Campaign.” The goal was to erect a tent city on the National Mall, in Washington D.C. that would “dramatize the reality of joblessness and deprivation by bringing those excluded from the economy to the doorstep of the nation’s leaders.” He was killed before he could see the effort through.

Forward Thinkers, I believe Dr. King would question us today on why are we the leading spenders in America but still the poorest race of people in America. Dr. King would ask us why would we overspend on fashion and entertainment but refuse to invest in the economic development of our own communities.

Forward Thinkers I don’t believe it was coincidence that Dr. King was assassinated when his speeches turned from boycotting buses to raising up Forward Thinking Black business leaders and in 2015 it’s sad that we are still assassinating King’s economic dream.

Forward Thinkers, we can no longer afford to just dream it’s time we wake up and rise up and create Forward Thinking economic empires in Black America and stop financing the empires of our oppressors.

Forward Thinking Education

Forward Thinkers, it seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.

Forward Thinkers, education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. Forward Thinkers even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.

Forward Thinkers, the function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.

Forward Thinkers while we are watching Housewives and making heroes out of our spiritual and political leaders, the education system is failing our children at an all time high.

Forward Thinkers, it is not right that in order to receive a quality education our children must be bussed across town to the schools in “the other people’s neighborhood”. It’s time we declared a war against poor education in our communities.

Forward Thinkers, we must realize the mindset of how it takes an entire village to raise a child which it also implies in the education system. It takes an entire village to educate a child and we must unite together against any force in place whose goal is to under educate our children to create a workplace with underpaid workers.

Forward Thinkers Dr. King wants to remind us a mind is still a terrible thing to waste.

Forward Thinking Justice System

Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men’s skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact. ~Lyndon B. Johnson

Forward Thinkers if Dr. Martin Luther King was here today, I promise you he would be in Washington D.C. demanding for an overhaul of the Judicial System in America. Yes, I know we have a Black Attorney General, Loretta Lynch previously, Attorney General Eric Holder which was also Black. Many are not aware that the Federal Bureau of Prisons is under the leadership of Charles E. Samuels, Jr a Black man, for the first time. In spite of those historical facts the justice system in America is broken.

Forward Thinkers, the American justice system is no more than the new slave plantation where free labor is in high demand. Visit any court room in America on any given day and you will find 80% of the people on trial are Black or Hispanic and 80% of the judges and jury pool are White. If we are going to operate with a spiritual and moral conscious, we must bring an end to Mass Incarceration of black and brown individuals ..And by any means necessary we must bring to an end the pipeline from the school yard to the prison yard. Dr. King was willing to go to jail so others would not unfairly have to go to jail. His question today is, “What are you willing to do”.

Forward Thinkers, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know the system needs over hauling; when George Zimmerman continues to walk around free and George Smith and Jorge Santos is doing hard time for petty crimes.

Forward Thinkers, I’m challenging you before you vote for another politician to find out their stance on Justice Reform and before you sit under another Pastor find out when is the last time he marched or spoke out against the broken justice system.

Forward Thinkers, we will continue our imaginary conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. next week as we discuss: Forward Thinking Religion, Forward Thinking Black on Black Crime, Forward Thinking Social Justice, and Forward Thinking Future.

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COMMENTARY: Prayer is Your Power

Published

1 year ago

February 6, 2023

Oakland Post

Prayer is about faith. It is believing that God hears us.

Faithful Utterances

By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew | Texas Metro News

This week, a friend informed me that she was following the ambulance to the hospital with her husband. Her husband was going through a major health crisis. She wasn’t the only one who reached out—a friend’s mother had unexplained pain and another friend contacted me about her friend’s son who was hospitalized with pneumonia. Each of them asked that I pray for them.

I consider it an honor to pray for others. Prayer is powerful and I love that I have a group of friends who I can turn to that I call the “prayer warriors” that when I send a text to lift up the concerns and issues of others before God, they go into battle mode.

Prayer is a weapon and I think many of us don’t understand its power until we need it. For many of us, it’s a routine, something that’s more about religion than it is about relationship. We have gotten prayer twisted as some exchange solely for stuff. God is not a celestial Santa Claus dropping off gifts. Prayer is an opportunity to go before to God sincerely in relationship. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:5–8)

Prayer is about faith. It is believing that God hears us. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) I realize that my prayers are even more powerful when I am in relationship with others seeking God: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). It’s dangerous when we see prayer as a way to manipulate God into doing what we want. There is nothing wrong with bringing your requests before God but it’s important to check our motivation and intention. It’s also important to know that just because God doesn’t answer our prayers in the way that we want does not mean that God doesn’t love us.

It doesn’t mean that God does not hear us. It does not negate the omnipotence or goodness of God, either. We must believe that God is able. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) It’s easy to blame God when things don’t go the way we want them to—”the rain falls on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

Terrible things happen to good people often. We live in an unjust world with people making decisions that are informed more by profit than people. We cannot take those principles into our relationship with God. We must believe that “… all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) …. God is concerned with our hearts, with people and cares for us even when things don’t go the way we’d like. I can report that all of the individuals we prayed for had excellent results.

God is good! Yet, I realize that this isn’t always the case. Prayer is powerful. God wants us to have this daily form of communication. 1 John 5:14, tells us: “And this is the boldness we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Don’t use prayer just when you need something. Just as all relationships require consistent communication for growth and results, the same is even more important in our relationship with God. Prayer is a powerful partnership with God that can move mountains when we believe!

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the host of the Tapestry Podcast and the author of three books for women. She is also the Vice President of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas. To learn more, visit drfroswa.com.

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Black History

AFRICAN-ISH: The First Christmas Story

Both Joseph and Mary were of the lineage of David, Joseph descended from David’s son Solomon (and Bathsheba), and Mary extended from another son Nathan. Therefore, they were required to go to the little town of Bethlehem, in Judea and there, in a cattle shed Jesus was born. (Bethlehem is 70 miles south of Nazareth and 5 miles southwest of Jerusalem).

Published

1 year ago

December 26, 2022

Oakland Post

The four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John chronicled the full theme of Christ as the universal Savior.

By Simon Burris

The narrative of Jesus’ birth and proof of his Hamitic (Black) African bloodline* began in the Old Testament in the book of Genesis chapter 10, in the Land of Ham, located in southwest Asia and Africa. Three most prominent Hamitic personalities: Abraham, Isaiah and David.

People and places of Hamitic origins are underlined.

(1) Abraham the patriarch was Babylonian (Ethnic Ethiopian). Gen. 11:31; (2) Isaiah a prophet lived 750 years before Christ, predicted the virgin birth was a nephew of Amaziah a Judahite (Canaanite) king; and (3) David the great king of Israel was a descendant of Abraham, also of Tamar and Rahab (Canaanites).

The (Hamitic) Genealogy of Jesus Christ: Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-34

The Birth of Jesus: (about 6-4 BC)

Mary the virgin mother of Jesus and her husband Joseph the “foster” father of Jesus, a carpenter, lived in Nazareth, a town in northern Palestine.

At this time Emperor Augustus of the Roman Empire decreed that a census would be taken. Everyone in his domain had to go to his or her hometown to register. He probably ordered Cyrenius ( Quirinius ) the Afro Roman governor of Syria / Judeadistrict to take charge and supervise the mandate.

A short time later shepherds from the countryside as well as Wise Men (Magi) from neighboring countries Arabia, Babylonia,and Persia traveled to the nativity site, paid homage and worshiped the infant-Savior.

Now Joseph was warned by the Lord in a dream that Herod the Edomite king of Judea was plotting the murder of the child, fled with his family to Egypt, returning to Nazareth after the death of Herod.

Jesus had siblings, brothers Joseph, Simon, Epistle writers James, Jude, and several sisters. The last mention of Joseph occurs in the Gospel of Luke when he and Mary take the 12-year-old Jesus to Jerusalem. Mary played a vital role all through Jesus’ life, from the day He was born till the time of the crucifixion.

Conclusion: The four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John chronicled the full theme of Christ as the universal Savior. *Descendants of Ham’s sons Cush (Ethiopia), Mizraim (Egypt), Put (Libya) and Canaan (Ancient Palestine/Israel). Genesis 10: 6-20

Footnotes: Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25?

The ancient Romans celebrated the winter solstice on December 25 as the birthday of the SUN; the Babylonians and Persians -SON of the SUN. Some 300 plus years after Jesus’ earthly demise, Roman Emperor Constantine in 336 legalized this date as the birthday of the SON of GOD – JESUS the CHRIST! Originally: Christ’s Mass.

Eurocentric racism: Pope Julius II in 1508 commissioned Michelangelo, Raphael and other Renaissance artists and church scholars to portray and depict almost all major biblical characters as Europeans (Caucasians), save servants and slaves.

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Activism

SDA Churches Join Outreach Efforts to Find Solutions to Upsurge of Violence

the Northern California Conference of Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) held their annual Convocation at Grand Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church in Oakland. Seven hundred people came together in celebration and worship. The theme was “Embracing Change.”

Published

2 years ago

October 16, 2022

Oakland Post

From left to right: Pastor Raymond Lankford, Elder Busayo Alabi, Pastor Damon Washington, Sister Rose Robinson, Pastor Garrett Anderson, Pastor Edwin Brown, Pastor Willie Johnson, Pastor Virgil Childs.

By Post Staff

On Oct. 8, the Northern California Conference of Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) held their annual Convocation at Grand Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church in Oakland. Seven hundred people came together in celebration and worship. The theme was “Embracing Change.” The guest speaker was Dr. Myron Edmonds, who pastors in Cleveland, Ohio. He spoke about how Christ wasn’t a traditionalist, and the work isn’t being done because some in the church don’t wish to change and they tend to demonize new ideas.

Throughout the day, the Mobile Medical Health Van operated by Immanuel Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church out of Oakland sat in front of the church and provided health screenings and community resource information to the general public. The Medical Van, which was gifted to the church by Pastor Raymond Lankford of Healthy Communities, has provided free health care services throughout Alameda County for the last few years. The prayer of Pastor Damon Washington of Immanuel Temple Church, who was ordained during the afternoon program, is for their health ministry to partner with the other providers like OPIC and Oakland Workforce Agencies and to combat the ongoing health disparities and violence within the city and beyond.

They have pledged to work with the Chaplains, the OPIC and the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back, who want to make amends for the damages they have done to harm Oakland.