Racism & the Cross

Jesus said, "Love your enemies. Bless then that curse you, Pray for them that despitefully use you" I am a follower of Christ, which is deeper and more intimate than religion. And therefore to you that say that Christianity is the downfall of the black man, my response is so is every other religion the downfall of all men. Even in this 21st century with the political flurry and backlash of the Trump presidency that has not only divided a nation (if you can call it divided. Actually they poll numbers would indicate more of a lopsided nation than divided as only about 30% support Trump) it has brought the true racist and apparently in their eyes, justification of White Evangelical Christians (WEC) particularly the likes of Pat Robertson, Paula White & Jim Bakker to stand by and even praise this President who is racist, sexist, narcisstic, is deemed by members of his own political party as possibly mentally unfit for the job, and the list can go on. And they, by means of their television platforms would use these as a means to admonish and even place people on guilt trips if they do not think like they think even going as far as calling Trump a prophet. Roland Martin was right to call out Paula White, and others should be called out as well, because they are using Christianity to justify their racist views. Here is another interesting point. Did you know that Paula White pastor's a predominately black congregation? Are they being made to feel guilty if they disagree or are they blindly following the leader?  As I watch CNN talking heads the other night they brought out a good point. Donald Trump always play the victim. He is a victim of the press, he is the victim in the Charlottesville Massacre (although a young woman was killed) he can't rewrite history, so he is the victim. Because I am a follower of Christ, because I know Him through my relationship with Him, I pray for all of the above mentioned. But praying for them does not mean I am in agreence or will be subject to their ideas of backwards views. When Barack Obama was President I prayed for him. He was on my everyday prayer list. I pray everyday for Trump as well, and Bakker, White, Robertson and some of the others who just might be considered enemies because they help stir the racist climate. And I cannot stand with them on issues that are spoken from a racist perspective. The other day I was called out by a white minister who said that I was fanning the flames of racism and that I should repent and stick to preaching the gospel. Easy for him to say. Suddenly, I am the bad guy because I won't be silent of what affects me & my community.  I do not pray for something bad to happen to them or that they die and go to Hell, (In fact, I wouldn't pray for anybody to go to Hell. In spite of that some are going to go anyway) because that would put me in the same category as them. But I'm praying that my Lord would heal them, open their eyes and let them see the world from a different perspective, that they would see the world from a different pair of eyes than just their own privileged point. As a Black man, and a Minister of the Gospel I will never sell-out my people. That being said Christianity is not the Black man's downfall, it's racist interpretations that are also found in Islam, Buddhism, Judaism. Check the history!!! Don't just get religion follow Jesus. As a follower of Christ and a minister of the gospel I must point you to the Cross. Look to the cross, the only hope of mankind's redemption. It ain't about religion or the flaws of self-justification through it. It's the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. Jesus is Lord!!!