The Democratic Party has for years
given lip service to the African-American community. They have talked about
prominence without fulfilling the promise. They patronize without empowering.
Worst of all, this unholy bond has done more to decimate and deplete our
community than slavery and Jim Crow laws ever could have accomplished. This
allegiance has destroyed millions of our children; children created but denied
access to the American dream, children aborted.
The Democrat Party has been a major
contributor to the African American slippery slide down the slope of depravity.
It has caused our community to deny the God of our Fathers and ignore the
counsel of His Word. This Word brought us up and out of Egypt. This Word broke
the chains of a terrible bondage and established us in the path of upward
mobility and prosperity.
Our loyalty to this political regime
has vexed our leaders and organizations. Institutions that were birthed to
advance the causes of Afro-Americans, now in their ignorance, lobby for our
decline.
NAACP, Congressional Black
Caucus,
Rainbow Coalition,
Urban League, the list goes on and on.
All of these were once heralded groups with a
noble past and great historic accomplishment. Today, they are stymied by this
ungodly tie.
Rev. Jessie Jackson,
AL Sharpton,
Julian Bond,
Joseph Lowery are all allied in party
and, in the process, have lost their souls. What happened to the God of Dr.
Martin Luther King?
Despite this deplorable behavior of
our perceived leadership, the winds of change have begun to blow. Pastors and
leaders in the Black community have begun to remember their roots and realize
they are chained to mediocrity and complacency. There has been a consistent
flow of Afro-Americans making their way back to freedom. This has sent shock
waves through the present Democrat leadership. While we are yet somewhat in a
vacuum of solid Afro-American leadership with true integrity (there are many on
the horizon not yet recognized), we are once again being wooed by the
oppressor’s ploys to stay on the plantation. Staying where there is little
reward and where our lives and votes are taken for granted. Once again it is
someone of our own ethnicity, our own race being used. The Democrats have
deployed a new pied piper in a desperate attempt to
preserve their self serving party.
New face, same tune. The song being
played is from the movie “The Culture of Death.” The goal is to fill the seats
with Afro-Americans in the theater of apostasy. Why? Because if the current
trend continues the Democrat party could soon be performing in their final act.
Enter Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill), who
is truly turning out to be one of the greatest performers of all times. Obama’s
biggest act is that he calls himself a Christian.
Howard Dean, Chair of the
Democrat National Committee, scripted most of the scenes in this production
starring Obama. Dean outlined an approach that will emphasize outreach to
evangelicals. He said,
“People of faith are in the Democratic Party including me.”
(Now if you believe that, I own a cute bridge in
Brooklyn still available at a great price!)
Listen to this line. Obama stated,
“As I travel around this state, I don’t get asked about gay marriage, I don’t
get asked about abortion, I get asked ‘How can I find a job that allows me to
support my family?’ I get asked, ‘How can I pay those medical bills without
going into bankruptcy.’” (Taken from a reply to questions asked during the
Ill. Senate campaign)
As an African-American male and a
Pastor of a Baptist Church, I am deeply troubled, but not surprised at the
Senator’s remarks. One would only have to look at Obama’s consistent support
and advocacy for the gay agenda and the abortion industry to understand. As a
longtime activist for children in the womb (the most discriminated against
segment of our society) and proponent for family values, I am horrified at this
man’s voting record. Anytime
Planned Parenthood gives you a
100% rating, all Americans should cringe in fear because they are the leading
abortion provider in the nation.
Each day, 1452 African Americans are
murdered by abortion. 4,000 children over all.
There have been over 15 million
African American children dismembered in the womb by the abortion holocaust and
as many women victimized.
As an elected official, should anyone
have to ask you about abortion to make it your concern?
Marriage, since the 1970s, is down
17% in America and in the African Community it’s down 34%, which is twice the
national average.
Should Barack Obama again have to
wait until someone asks him about the fundamental building block of all
society? Shouldn’t he protect the sanctity of marriage? The truth is, someone
has asked and how he has answered the question was
abysmal.
The question was asked of Obama,
should the heinous act of partial birth abortion be outlawed in America? Twice
Senator Obama answered no! When he was asked if a child, who might miraculously
survive the sentence of death by abortion, be protected from an abortion doctor
after surviving? Senator Obama said no! (See
Born Alive Victims Protection Law.)
Has he no conscience? Is he misinformed on the facts of these barbaric
practices? His response to these questions is not indicative of the Black
community’s beliefs, and certainly shows a low degree of conscience and moral
fiber.
These six things the lord
hates, yea seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying
tongue and hands that shed innocent blood. (Proverbs 6:17)
There is no candidate running for the
office of the presidency with a worse record than Sen. Barack Obama. His hands
have aided and abetted the abortion industry’s slaughter of the innocent and no
other community is affected by it more than the African American community.
It’s an industry that targets Afro-Americans for profit at the expense of our
children’s lives and the pain of Black women.
This charade has been quite a
production. It is now playing and coming to a theater near you!
Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in
his
letter from a Birmingham jail,
“The early church put an end to such evils as infanticide
(infant killing).”
From a jail in Birmingham, AL,
without any other source of reference but his heart and the Bible, Martin wrote
to some Bishops and Pastors who were not in favor of the demonstrations he was
leading. They felt that it was counter productive and not in the best interest
of the Negro people. Martin Luther King, Jr. felt quite differently, he chided
church leaders for their reluctance to join him in the struggle for freedom.
King’s reference to infanticide pointed to the legality of infant killing under
Roman law in the first century. Martin Luther King, Jr. pointed to the practice
of Christians to rescue babies left on the side of the road to die, because
their parents did not like their complexion, eye color, hair color or viewed the
child as an inconvenience (sound familiar?) First century Christians rescued
those babies and raised them as their own children.
The early Church defied unjust laws
even when the consequences could have meant their own death for doing so. Oh,
if that kind of love and courage could be demonstrated today by our leadership,
it would begin to heal our land.
Sen. Obama has written,
“I am not willing to have the state deny American citizens a
civil union that confers equivalent rights on such basic matters as
hospital visitation or health insurance coverage simply because the
people they love are of the same sex – nor am I willing to accept a reading of
the Bible that considers
an obscure line in Romans to be
more defining of Christianity than the sermon on the mount.”
Sen. Obama, did you say obscure?
That would tend to lead unlearned listeners to believe that the Bible is vague
or obscure on the subject of homosexuality.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. Nearly half of the 32 verses in the first chapter of the New Testament
book of Romans were dedicated to warning the early church about sexual
perversion. The Apostle Paul warned that perverse thinking and the habits they
create were due to the fact that “they did not want to retain God in their
knowledge.” That verse truly reflects much of the cast in the Democrat Party.
I would like to ask Sen. Obama the
question, “How obscure is this verse?”
Leviticus 18:22
Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with woman kind:
it is an abomination.
That sounds pretty definitive to me.
It would appear to me that Sen. Obama
as well as many others shun and ignore the obvious and cloak the true causes of
our problems.
African Americans make up 12% of the
population, but account for over 50% of all new cases of HIV. African American
women account for a staggering 68% of all newly diagnosed HIV positive women in
the United States. These women primarily contracted HIV from heterosexual sex.
Now, with that said, 60% of all new aids cases in America will be the result of
the violation of Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:27 (men having sex with men).
Martin Luther King, Jr., who never
marched one step for “Gay Rights,” said, “The
contemporary church is often a weak ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound.
It is often the arch-supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by
the presence of the church, the power of the average community is consoled by
the churches silent and often vocal sanctions of things as they are.”
No greater tune of uncertainty was
ever played so loudly and with more confusion then the opening number sung by
Rick Warren at The Saddlebrack Church. Yes, entering stage right is the Author
of one of the best selling Christian books of our time. “The Purpose Driven
Life”
Pastor Warren, which I want to
believe with good intentions, invited Senator Obama to speak at the “Global
Summit On Aids And The Church”
Despite every sociological indicator
and warnings from the medical profession, Senator Obama still endorses and is an
advocate for same-sex marriage. Same- sex marriage gives sanctity to a union
that promotes the practice that accounts for 60% of Aids cases which is ravaging
the African-American community. What message has Rick Warren sent to the
millions that have read his book on “purpose”? Why did he accept this role in
this Howard Dean production? Obama’s antithetical stand on the issues that are
decimating the Afro-American community and the nation at large should have
disqualified him from presenting at this event. It would be like Planned Parent
Hood inviting me to speak at their next rally.
Can you imagine how fearful they
would be at what I might say? It is amazing to me that it didn’t make Rick
Warren and his staff concerned about what Senator Obama might utter across the
sacred desk. This is a subliminal endorsement of a man who presently advocates
the slaughter of innocent babies and the destructive gay agenda. Does this not
diminish the Churches responsibility to remain true to the teaching of the word
of God? Hasn’t this weaken the position of those actively working to stop the
killing of infants?
In a statement made to the
Philadelphia Inquirer Pastor Warren said, “One of my
goals is to take evangelicals back a century, the 19th century said
Warren. That was a time of muscular Christianity that cared about every aspect
of life. Not just personal salvation but social action, abolishing slavery,
ending child labor and winning the right for women to vote. It’s time for modern
evangelicals to trade words for deeds and get similarly involved. “
A few
things jump up at me here when I read this article, things like every aspect of
life! Trade words for deeds sounds so moving! His reference to slavery and child
labor laws should touch the heart of every Christian. Why? A nation is judged by
how it treats it’s weakest and most venerable.
Now as I see it we definitely need to
prioritize things just a little. At the end of this year 20,000 people will die
of aids and more than half of them will be Black. Ok that’s about 10,000
Afro-Americans. 1.2 million will die from abortion. 36% of them will be African
American. That’s nearly 500,000 Afro-Americans. After doing the math it is quite
apparent we need to address this devastating scourge that is affecting every
aspect of life. We need a significant deed! Pastor Warren I know just what we
need. “A Global Summit on Abortion and The Church” With 150,000 babies murdered
each day in the world, yes 150,000; surely the church should convene and caucus.
The 19th century anointing is well over due and I believe with all my
heart that anointing would cause the Church to be a clear clarion voice that
Martin Luther King referred to that put an end to infanticide. Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, today and forever!
I in no way want to minimize the
horrendous effects of slavery, child labor and denying women to vote but in
comparison to the decimation of our community by abortion they are mild at best.
Christianity Today.com gave this
report recently from the autobiography of Billy Graham.
In the heat of segregation and
racial injustice, when racial tensions were peaking, Evangelist Billy Graham
invited Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
To discuss the racial situation
with him and his colleagues. Then before a capacity crowd at Madison Square
Garden he called Martin Luther King to the platform and to lead the congregation
in prayer. In his introduction he said, “a great social revolution is going on
in the United States today.
Dr. King is one of its leaders and
we appreciate his taking time out of his busy schedule to come and share this
service with us tonight.” The words did not explicitly endorse King and King’s
prayer called for nothing more revolutionary than a “brotherhood that transcends
color” but the implication was unmistakable: Graham was letting both whites and
Blacks know that he was willing to be identified with the revolution and its
foremost leader, and King was telling Blacks that Graham was their ally. Billy
Graham’s voice was important in declaring that Christian racist was an oxymoron.
When Graham invited King it was to
set the captives free and identify with the segment of society that was denied
the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It was to ensure the
civil rights of others.
What was the implication of Pastor
Warrens calculated embrace of Senator Obama to the thousands in attendance?
It implies that over 45, million
babies killed by abortion are not relevant. It implies that the definition of
marriage between one man and one woman is not important. It means the church can
remain with a deaf ear to the cry of innocent blood coming from our ground to
God’s ear.
Like Senator Obama, I would also
like to refer to the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 5-13. We are to be the
purging agents God declares that we may avoid consequences for being less, “Ye
are the salt of the earth if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith Shall it be
salted? It is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under
the foot of man.”
Church, where are you?
You have heard my review of this
masterful political production concerning Sen. Obama and a few of his cast.
There is undoubtedly more to come.
Suffice it to say, the prospect of
Sen. Barack Obama becoming President of the United States poses a real threat to
African Americans.
Cathy Cohen, a professor of
political science at the University of Chicago, conducted
a survey
tracking the attitudes of nearly 1,600 young people of all races
nationwide. The professor did one of the most comprehensive studies with the
focus on African Americans 15-25 ever performed.
The survey shows that young
African-Americans are more conservative than their white counterparts when it is
comes to same-sex marriage and abortion. There has been consistent data that
shows African-Americans are pro-life and oppose same-sex marriage. An Obama
presidency would certainly not reflect Afro-American youth or the nation he’d be
leading. In fact, his position on these issues would be ensuring their present
destructive trend.
Black Enterprise magazine
did a survey in which 58% of its participants viewed the NAACP’s
pro-choice stance as wrong. As a role model, Barack Obama would be stirring the
cauldron of confusion and mixed emotion. Many people would be happy for his
success, because he is black, but vexed by his immoral position on the critical
issues.
Obama’s use of the presidential
bully pulpit would be a boost for the culture of death and the homosexual
agenda.
As President, there would also always
be the threat of a veto of any significant pro-life or pro-family legislation.
Additionally, Obama would undoubtedly nominate pro-abortion justices to the US
Supreme Court, which could etch Roe v. Wade into stone for generations.
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Any
success achieved at the expense of our children is no success.” I and many
other African-Americans long to see the day of an African-American President,
but not at the expense of our children and our values.
Remember, all significant social
change which empowered and eradicated injustice has come from the Church not
congress, from Pastors not the president. Politicians often join in the cause
later, but social reform always starts in the Church. To keep this better in
mind I will close with another quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
letter from a Birmingham Jail:
There was a
time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period when the
early Christians rejoiced as they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they
believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded
the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that
transformed the mores of society.
God
help us to be a thermostat.
-------------------------------
Rev. Clenard H. Childress Jr. is the Senior Pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church
in Montclair, NJ. He hosts “The
Urban Prophet” which takes the pro-life,
pro-family message into the urban areas.
Rev. Childress is the author of “No
Shepherd’s Cry.” Pastor Childress and
his book were recently featured on the
700 Club
hosted by CBN’s Pat Robertson.
Pastor Childress is joyously married to Regina Childress and has
four children: Clenard, Thomas, Tonya and Tia.
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