The debate is on, I tend to see Pat as being racist and bigoted in this speech, but I am sure there are plenty of other perspectives. Freestyle with me, why is Judge Sotomayor such a controversial figure for the RNC?
Transparency
Sometimes when I look around, it seems like everyone else has it all together, and that I am the only one who struggles and has weaknesses. But then I have a true and real conversation with a close friend, and am quickly reminded that we all struggle, we all have imperfections, we all sin, we all are broken.
Unfortunately, the church seems to a breeding ground for people who walk around with a facade, as though everyone is perfect. Churches are not a place to be transparent and honest, rather it seems that we teach people to put up walls, hiding the reality of their humanity and sinfulness.
Yet we are reminded of Paul’s self-pronouncement as “chief of all sinners”. Freestyle with me on this, how have you been able to share authentically and transparentally with others for mutual accountability and encouragement?
Racism at the Pool…
I wasn’t going to write about the racist pool incident that I heard about recently, but then I ran into this article and it was right on point, so I wanted to pass it on. Click here to read it… let me know what you think!
Here is a video as well… talking about what happened!
Senate asks Obama to pardon late boxing legend Jack Johnson
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate urged President Barack Obama to pardon the late black heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, who was sent to prison nearly a century ago because of his romantic ties with a white woman.
Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion in 1908 — 100 years before Obama was elected America’s first black president. The boxer was convicted in 1913 of violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for immoral purposes. The law has since been heavily amended, but has not been repealed. The resolution was sponsored by Obama’s 2008 opponent, John McCain. Similar resolutions offered in 2004 and last year failed to pass both chambers of Congress.
He said that there would be “tremendous historic significance” in the nation’s first black president pardoning the nation’s first black heavyweight champ. King added that he hoped Congress will take up the resolution next month. Neither McCain nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment. But in unveiling the resolution in April, McCain said, “We need to erase this act of racism which sent an American citizen to prison on a trumped-up charge.” It (the resolution) says a pardon would “expunge a racially motivated abuse of the prosecutorial authority of the federal government from the annals of criminal justice in the United States.”
Freestyle with me, is this actually a good thing? Jack Johnson is dead and gone after spending years in prison. It seems that this sweep under the rug would actually erase the countries conscience and memory of what Jack Johnson went through. Is this the best way to fix his reputation? I am curious what you think…
Freestyle TV
Just wanted to make sure people were not sleep’n on Freestyle TV. There are a few videos available to be watched. Also from time to time you can catch live footage provided through the technology of Qik.com and my cell phone. Enjoy the videos and let me know what ya think!
Just One thing… Remember the Poor!!!
Galatians 2:9-10
“and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.”
Isn’t it interesting that when Paul was commissioned to take the message of Christ global, the only request that the leaders and so called “pillars” of the church had, was that they remember the poor. Clearly taking care of the poor, as seen lived out in Acts as well as spoken of in other letters of Paul was central to the mission. And when we look at the message of Jesus, we see exactly why they would have said such a thing. Jesus constantly taught on selling one’s possessions and giving it to the poor, as well as several parables, clever comments, and teachings on the rich and the poor, and what was neccesary to follow him.
As the Church of the 21st Century, how do we take heed to the same ancient caution and exhortation that was given to Paul and Barnabas 2000 years ago to Remember the Poor? Freestyle with me…
Michael Eric Dyson on President Obama
Watch this edgy and controversial video of Michael Eric Dyson commenting on the first 100 days of the President!
What do you think about Dyson’s thoughts on President Obama? Is he right? Freestyle with me, has the black community given President Obama a free pass without any critique or accountability?
Compassion International and Rob Bell team up for this new Nooma Video
Check the video, out and freestyle with me on what you think…
What is the Gospel?
There are a lot of different definitions out there for the gospel… I am in search for a good, biblically informed, comprehensive, working defintion of the Gospel. Any suggestions? Freestyle with me.
Color Blind or Color Conscious?
Many times people talk as though being color blind is the goal that we should all be attaining. I guess the first question is whether or not being color blind is even actually possible. Secondly, is being color blind really the goal that we should be pursuing? Tim Wise in the video talks about another possibility… color consciousness. Do you think that is where we need to go? And does color have consequences? Freestyle with me…
Drew G. I. Hart 