American Racism: Depart from Me, Ye that Work Iniquity

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you, if your son asked for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, through you are evil, know how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7: 1-23)

We are warned about those who will come in the name of our Lord to proclaim truth, who will be misleading the masses. Many will be deceived by these religious leaders and will be not be allowed entrance into the eternal kingdom due to their lack of knowledge.

All over the world we have chaos ensuing. People are witnessing the destruction of their entire life’s work while those on the opposite spectrum fight for survival within a corrupt system. Neither side is truly free as if we were free there would be no reason for this violence; but that is just not how America is.

The divisive history of the United States is well documented, but the portion left out is the current use of the system to control those of the minority community. It is no secret that the victors write history, while the same can be true with those who control a country’s money. Our world is witnessing the consolidation of wealth within the 1% that rivals the wildest imagination. The hurt that the middle class is now feeling is the same hurt that the black community has felt since the inception of this country.

Every step of the way, the black community was presented with roadblocks that limited success and restricted growth of generational wealth. The ignorance of the modern white community has allowed for the perception that we all have the same opportunities and as long as we all work hard, we will get ahead. That cannot be true in a society that has manipulated the wealth concentration to funnel the majority of the country’s assets into a select few. Those few then use their massive wealth to influence their impact on society, only helping those within the same socio-economic condition. In other words, all the money and property has been funneled to the top portion of the population who then use that money to create the laws that allow them to say in power. Only those within the same sect of society will benefit, as those with the power, choose who they will share their wealth with.

Its not surprising that the black community would feel hated and abused by this type of society, especially when we consider that those in power, those who have generational wealth, received that same power and money from their decedents who used racial motives to benefit from the abuse of the black community. This is no secret when you look at the conduct of the forefathers of the two most recent Republican Presidents. Both of which have actions conducted by their forefathers that would be considered racist by today’s standards.

This does not mean that the times were different, and things have changed now. This only means that racism has been deeply entranced in our society and the white community is only now allowing itself to see the pain and hurt we have caused.

We cannot change the past, but we also don’t need to support those who took advantage of a system they created and manipulated. We can no longer stand by idle while our brothers and sister in Christ are hurting. Regardless of what side of the political spectrum we stand, we all have a moral obligation to help those who are in need.

We have watched the black community stand by and hope and pray that their country would allow the same freedoms to them that was promised to all. Those hopes have never been realized and now our great country must face the consequences of our actions. We created this mess and we will be destroyed by this mess. If we had only lived by the Christian standard that we preached about every week. If we had only showed compassion to those we had done wrong to. If we had only showed love instead of hate, we would not be witnessing the fall of our great nation.

May love and kindness conquer all during this dark and trying time.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Its does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13: 1-13)

 

Clinton Kowach

06/02/2020