Thursday Evening Blog with Pastor Williams (April)
Posted on April 1st, 2007 by TADCCBLOG
Pastor Williams will be active on this blog site THURSDAY from 8:30 to 9:30pm. Please suggest topics or questions for discussion.
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18 Responses to “Thursday Evening Blog with Pastor Williams (April)”
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What do you think of the recent fury surrounding the comments of Don Imus towards the Rutgers University Women’s Basketball team? And what do you think of the comments on Imus offerred by certain members of the black community who over the years have been just as offensive in their characterizations of certain white groups, in particular the Jewish community?
Don Imus should be taken off the air and we should boycott any advertiser that chooses to continue supporting his program. I am terribly offended that he used that language toward an upstanding group of young women, doing all the right things, getting their education, keeping their grades up so that they can stay on the team and represent their school on a national level. Furthermore, I think that the black community should rally and stop using these terms in popular culture. White people see and hear how we disrespect our own and everyone becomes de-sensitized to this sort of thing. You know it used to be a really big insult to call a woman a “whore.” Now our society throws the word and its derivatives and synonyms around like it is not a big deal. Personally, I try not to use derogatory language towards any group. I was always taught to treat others as I would like to be treated, and I know that it hurts when black people and women are disrespected so I try not to in turn disrespect others. Imus should not try to deflect blame for what he did onto others. It was totally uncalled for, and those young ladies did not deserve to be the butt of his joke.
Ms. Shayala, I completely agree with you. Imus should definely be held responsible for the comments he made. No one should be on the radio who makes racially insulting remarks. As we strive for racial harmony in this country, the white community should be just as enraged as the black community when one of its members makes comments that only divide and create a greater rift between blacks and whites.
Also, your comments concerning how the black culture addresses each other in derogatory ways were right on (though I think this pervades all groups of people as well). Why are we so drawn to belittle each other? God’s Word says “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:12-13. This means that we can be hardened by the deceitfullness of sin if we are not exhorting (encourging) each other daily. A mark of the people of God should be love toward one another, not coming down on each other.
In Jesus,
Jeremiah
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words shall never hurt me. This is a saying taught to us in our youth but life experiences beg to differ. Because words do hurt!
I am proud of the young ladies that confronted their adversary which was the right thing to do. They are an example of what we as Christians should do when offended.
I don’t expect sinners to act any different from the way Don Imus acted towards the Rutgers University Women’s Basketball team. It was not right nor what he said nor is it right that the language in today’s rap music towards black women that permeates the air waves is allowed. Freedom of speech–right! Where do you draw the lines. And believe me there are lines to be drawn.
These are the days in which we live. We need to do as they bible say. Stand up for right. Cry loud and spare not. Not only to Imus but those who are prejudice, disrespectful, and those totally oblivious to righteousness.
Dear Anonymous,
To address your second question….as a child I was taught that two wrongs don’t make a right. Therefore, the offensive characterizations made by persons within the black community do not excuse the unconscionable comments expressed by Imus.
Christ Jesus our Lord said the traditions of men have made the word of God of none effect. The word tradition used in context in this verse refers to culture. It was the culture of the day that was against Christ Jesus proclaiming Himself Lord. A few examples are disciples eat without washing their hands, a disobedient child is considered a gift, tithes and offerings not significant if not from the heart, and Christ declared Himself to be the Messiah. Christ Jesus attacked the culture of the day to declare unchangeable truths.
Don Imus, and some black prominent people have fallen into the culture of the day. Imus did not speak in a vacuum nor did others who made racist remarks speak in a vacuum. They are all products of a racist culture or environment.
Before Imus or any other person can be delivered from this sinful culture he or she must be willing to admit his or her mind has been corrupted by the norms of the day.
If you are opposed to your child dating a person of a different race (and not for religious reasons) then you too have fallen into the culture trap. If you believe that a segregated church is okay then you have fallen into the culture trap. If you believe that moving to a specific part of town to be with someone that looks more like you, then you have fallen into the culture trap which is sinful. In other words a large number of us have Imus in us. We just were not caught saying it publicly. This speaks to another issue about hypocrisy.
The only solution to overcoming the sinful inclinations from the traditions/culture of the day is to follow the mandate of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. When rebuking the keepers of tradition He referred to the Word of God as the correct measuring tool and correcting tool for a culture devoid of truth. Empty words of forgiveness as Imus offered are a start but not enough if not encased in the truth of God’s Word.
Galatians 3:28 says that we are all one in Christ Jesus. It is satan that divides. If we see ourselves as black, white, brown, yellow and red we miss the true picture of what the Body of Christ is.
Excellent comments! In my view, the “Church” as an institution is still one of the most segregated institutions in America. It is hard for me to support an institution who still practices this type of exlcusion.
As usual, the white majority of this nation is trying to alibi the derogatory remarks of one of their own, Don Imus. It does not matter who said those hateful things, labeling someone/anyone in such a way is just WRONG!!!!!!!! And to use the excuse that one hears our own people refer to each other with the same offensive words does not negate the responsibility of every individual to refrain from repeating hurtful name-callings.
Imus was out of order when he uttered those remarks, however; he nor his counter-partners should expect to find solace/comfort or common ground with a people/culture/tradition that is not their own simply because they” heard it first” from us.
The outcry from the Black community is somewhat hypocritical in that a large percentage of us say the very same words to each other without giving it a second thought. House cleaning needs to begin within our own community. If we so disrespect each other, why should we be so surprised when we hear the words echoing back to us from outside our neighborhoods? We need to “clean around our own back doors before we try to clean around someone else’s”.
I know of no other race of people that attacks itself from within like black people. We, for the most part, do not support small black businesses because of fear and/or envy that person might succeed and prosper. We begrudge our own people when they do succeed, and celebrate when they fail. Granted, some do forget where they came from, but most of us do not.
We must share in the responsibility of why other races/cultures think that its okay to call us “n~~~~~” and “w~~~~~”. Look at the music industry with its depiction of hip-hop and rap artists degrading our women, and our women degrading themselves with such raunchy gyrations and “barely there” attire. Respect begins at home. Imus was out of line, but he only expressed what others think about us. And when I say others, I mean all other races; not just the white ones. Imus got caught on the airwaves and paid a hefty price. Believe me when I tell you, much worse has been said, we just haven’t heard about it.
We need to respect and love one another, support and encourage each other, and as Believers in Christ “Lift up our eyes to the Lord from whence comes our help. Our help comes from the Lord; Who made heaven and earth. The Lord is our Keeper. The Lord shall preserve us from all evil, He shall preserve our souls. The Lord shall preserve our going out and our coming in from this time forth and even forevermore” (Psalms 121:1,2,5,7,8).
2Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
In thinking about the events this week at Virginia Tech, I can’t help but question “God’s Plan” for those who were tragically killed. From what I have read about these folks, they were good people who had a lot going for them and who could do even greater things as they got older. Why does God allow the bright light in these people to be prematurely extinguished? Doesn’t He want those who can make a difference to have an entire lifetime to perform their good works? Why would He allow their lives to be cut short while He allows others who can not and will not improve society to live on? Everyone says God is just, but it times like this you really have to wonder.
It depends on what you define an entire lifetime, as far as I know lifetime is highly variable and indefinable. In The Bible, men are described as living for hundreds of years. I feel that everyday that I wake up is a special gift from God, there are countless situations I know of in my 32 years when I could have easily died, but I am sure that I am still here by the grace of God. Even before birth our very survival is a miracle, as a statistician I have read that approx. to a third of all pregnancies end in spontaneous miscarriage. Even with all of our medical advances and prosperity, the U.S. still has one of the highest infant mortality rates among industrialized nations. When I was 4 months old, I was hospitalized with pneumonia; My mother said she was so very afraid that I would die, as she had a close friend pregnant at the same time she carried me, whose baby had recently died. God spared me for some reason. When I was 10, I was nearly struck by lightning, I was less that 10 yrds from where my home took a direct hit, but I am still here. 18 months ago I escaped just before the truck I was riding in burst into flames and exploded. My point regarding the shootings is that none of us really know how long we have here. It is not a given that we will live a statistical lifetime of something like 80 years. For all of the times that I know that God has protected my life, I am sure there are countless other times that I am not even aware of where I have avoided death. 33 people died as a result of the murderer at Va Tech. Countless others were spared, I am sure it could have been much worse. There are at least a couple of dozen people who are in the hospital recovering or have been released who survived. I am grateful to God for every life that was spared. I am also grateful for each and every time he has spared my life. I am not sure how long I have in this lifetime, but for the first time in my life I can say I am not afraid to die, I know that God will not let me go before my time.
Great question concerning God’s justice in instances such as the one at VT. How can God be good, loving, and just in allowing such a massacre against so many innocent and good people?
This is a gut-wrenching question that seems to turn many away from believing in the God of the Bible. In order to understand this question a little better, we should look at the Bible…if we are going to have questions concerning God, then it’s only logical and fair to examine the very Words claimed to be His. In this way we’ll understand from God Himself who He is and who we are, instead of the common notions running around America.
In America, we often think of people as good…meaning that in general a person deserves a chance at life. But God’s says that all have sinned and that the penalty for that sin is death. (Romans 3:23 and 6:23) From this alone we can conclude that no one really deserves to live…just the opposite, we deserve death. Probably the bigger question is why has God allowed most of us to live so long? Most people in this world do not care for the death and resurrection of God’s Son…the very offer of reconsiliation and deliverance from death. But God has mercy on us and lets us live despite our rebellious ways, at least for a time.
Jesus addressed the fact that we deserve death and not life as he described an incident when 18 people were killed. “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:4-5.
Trajedies are horrible. We grieve and mourn over them. But the strangest thing is not that trajedies happen, but that God offers us eternal life in Jesus instead of the immediate death that we deserve.
Very good responses. I am truly excited to know that there are believers who know the true value of life. It is not based on personal accomplishments, but a life yielded to Christ.
Oh the joy in knowing Christ Jesus. He takes away the hurt and replaces it with joy. He takes away the doubt and replaces it with faith. He takes away the mortal and replaces it with immortality. Life is not truly life if you do not know the giver of life. Trust Christ Jesus He is the answer.
Dear Anonymous,
Psalm 90:12 says Lord teach us to number our days. We don’t know when our time here on earth will expire, that’s why we should come to God with a repentant heart and accept his Son Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior so that we can be covered by His blood and receive life eternal. Not one moment of our lives should be lived vicariously, because we don’t know when this life will end. The moral is that our lives can be taken from us at any moment, whether because of an accident (like the mascot at UNC who was a born-again believer) or by a massacre (VT), etc. It is the mercy of God that has spared our lives, when we walked in flagrant disobedience to His Word and will for our lives. We need to decide today that we will serve Christ Jesus and that we will make Him the Master and Lord of our lives, so that we will be ready when death comes knocking at our door, knowing that our final destination far exceeds the present.
Lord please teach us to number our days and help us to to understand that tomorrow and not even the next moment is promised.
My son asked me the other day what I thought the Book of Revalations meant when it discussed God’s second coming. He wanted to know if I thought that all of those who believed would be left on Earth and all those who did not believe would immediately perish and spend a life in eternal damnation. My response to him was that I felt Revelations was just reinforcing everything in the other 65 books of the Bible in that what we really need to prepare for is life after death. Which way do you want to go after you leave your earthly state? Do you want to ascend or descend? It is interesting to note that these conversations don’t normally happen in my house because I let my kids find out for themselves. I wonder if the tragic events of last week have many young people thinking?
Dear Anonymous,
I think the events of last week have many young and old people thinking about what happens when life on earth as we know it ends…as a believer, we have security in Christ Jesus knowing that we will have eternal life, but for an unbeliever, the outcome is eternal damnation in hell. God has given parents a responsibility to train children in the love, honor and admonition of Him. Allowing children to find out for themselves is almost like sentencing them to a death sentence. There is reason the Bible says to Train up a child in the way he should go (Proverbs 22:6), that’s because children are not born knowing everything, they have to be taught and trained because the end of the verse reads so that when they get old they will not depart from it.
The Barna research group conducted a study that showed that nearly half of christians accept Christ Jesus before the age of 13 and that two-thirds accept Christ before age 18. It goes on to say that half of them were led to Christ by their parents.
Parents not training children to love, fear, obey and respect God, have staistically given their child a 67% chance of having eternal damnation. Since most children leave home at age 18 and only 33% of people accept Christ after age 18. It is the mandate and duty of a parent to parent their children and not allow them to figure it out on their own, because in reality, they are not figuring it out on their own, but are being influenced by the media, peers and other factors outside of the home.
Part II:
Praise God, that all things are possible through Christ Jesus! It’s never too late to teach and tell our children about the things of God and how we can have an abundant life of peace, grace, mercy and favor through Him.
For a child asking questions about the second coming, that means they are searching to fill the void that God has placed in all of us, that can only be filled by accepting His son Christ Jesus.
Anonymous, it seems that you know a lot about the Bible. Although it has not been the norm to teach your kids about Chirst, you can start now, because your son’s ears and heart is open and ripe for listening by him asking you the question. Him or someone around Him has been reading the Bible for such a poignant question to be asked.
I suggest scheduling a meeting with your son (or entire family) and explaining that you typically haven’t spoken to them about a relationship with Christ, but would like to share some things that you have learned. I would probably start by asking your son if the recent events inspired the question. If the answer is ‘yes’ this can be used an lead into explaining why now you want to speak with them about having a relationship with Christ, because we don’t know when our life will end.
After speaking, I suggest starting home Bible studies, as the head of household, it’s important that you teach your children about God. Also, join a church and find one that has interactive youth bible study or programs. Peer pressure can be both positive and negative, if you surround your children wtih other children who are determined to serve God with their whole hearts, that will be positive peer pressue on the attitudes of your children towards Christ.
Don’t feel like it’s too late to share the Word of God with your children, they are yearning for the leadership and guidance that you as their Father can provide.
Anonymous,
The second coming is a promise from Christ Jesus to all that have repented and accepted Christ Jesus as Lord. The first time Christ Jesus came was to show the world His Grace. Grace is God through His Son showing favor to us forgive us of all sins and teaching and helping us to remain free from sin. Sin is disobedience to God’s Word. Premarital sex, homosexuality, drunkenness, lying, prejudice, hatred, unforgiveness and refusing to accept Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior are all sins. If we do not avail ourselves of His Grace presented at His first coming then what awaits us is the judgement of the second coming.
It is not God’s desire that any soul should perish, but if we reject His Son Christ Jesus then all that is left for us is His judgement at His second coming. The Book of Revelation is better translated as the Book of the unveiling. God shows to the world the things that happen to those that do not accept Christ Jesus. All believers are caught up to be with the Lord Christ Jesus and changed from mortal to immortality to live with Him forever. The unbelievers are cast into everlasting torment in the Lake of Fire.
Good theology on your part concerning Revelations. The Book of Revelation is a collage of writings from both the Old and New Testament.
It is important you set the example for your children. It may appear to be difficult to reach a teenager or young adult if you do not ask God for wisdom. God will give you wisdom, such as the Virginian Tech massacre to share with your son how short life is and the need to ask Christ Jesus into his heart. I am sure on the morning of the massacre none of the parents or students thought that such a tragedy would happen. Life if full of surprises. The one constant to life is Christ Jesus. Choose Him and live.