"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Pastors and politicians alike are scrambling for answers to the problems of the world while ignoring the obvious. All of the killing, the shedding of innocent blood, born and unborn, is a problem. Lack of justice and righteousness in our legal system, and racism are also problematic.
The police and law enforcement are all too often ignoring civil and legal restraints built in to protect and to enforce.
Why is the Christian Church in trouble? Why are our governments in decay? Decline of universal church membership? Decline of voters at the polls? Over 55 million voters and potential church members die by abortion before they see the light of day!
Designer sermons, which pick and choose which sin to preach against (such as ignoring adultery and fornication while slamming homosexuality) are so hypocritical, misleading and downright confusing. God is not the author of confusion! We all have sinned about something. We all need to repent and come clean.
Also, there is an imbalance of equity regarding African-Americans causing moral, social, and financial bankruptcy. It's time to come clean.
ISIS, Ferguson, human trafficking, sexual abuse, child abuse, domestic abuse, abortion marriage wars, and on and on and on. All are symptomatic and systemic evidence that the nation and the world are in tremendous need of repentance and application of the agape love and light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. People need the Lord!
A line in Matthew, 4:16, says it best: "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light."
Let's avoid strife and condemnation at all costs, so that the light of God's love and truth will shine brightly and that the yokes and bonds of oppression may be broken in the power of God's anointing.
Here's a composite of some of the remarks regarding pastor Franklin Graham's recent comments that have stirred controversy:
"U know, I just read the short Charisma article, and I think what Graham said is HIS opinion and, frankly, is being blown up into something it's not. If he misunderstands one group's experience, let that group of pastors go and explain it to him calmly and privately (Read Matthew, 18:15-17). Publicly saying he's "sinned" and attacking him like this isn't Christian. All it does is create an ugly spectacle and give the enemies of Jesus ammunition to use against his Church. We're supposed to luv our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as our enemies. We've also gotta resist acting out emotionally. Every time I make an emotional decision, I mess up! Sister V."
"I think as the white community we are clueless and insensitive on many different levels to what has been and is going on with the pain and inequities that still exist on many different levels. We have no right to lecture in social media. Sister C."
"Way too much abuse by both black and white police. Having a fear of police as being in authority, I probably over comply. Yet being white I've never suffered the kind of abuse that African Americans have; don't have the remotest clue about how that kind of abuse and discrimination would feel.
"Hopefully it's a minority of white police and not the majority of white police. Franklin's post called those shootings 'unnecessary.' He seemed to be saying that if people complied with a command to submit and not fight or run there would be less shootings.
"I didn't feel Graham was sinning against any group by his remarks but I can also see how his words could be interpreted in a way that he didn't mean to have them taken. Mr. Graham goes all over the earth giving millions in aid to hurting and suffering minority groups. He isn't prejudiced but I see he should never have posted that. It made things worse. Yikes. Lord heal our land, end abuse, reconcile our races, restore peace, and get the bad apples out of our police force. Brother S."
"Sometimes people speak without relationship. Brother Graham should be more ambassadorial in his postings. His heart is in the right place but he appears to not have either compassion or understanding about the race problem. Brother B.H."
"If he tells us to 'obey' he must also tell police to enforce the law in an unbiased and fair manner under the law . . . they too should obey the law . . . history is full of cases where blacks obeyed and still were beaten or died or had evidence planted . . . he should urge a color blind justice system as would Christ. Clarence McKee, Fellow Newsmax.com Insider"
While I agree with Dr. Graham's authority perspective, there should be a clear line between Romans 13 authority and police abuse and brutality of citizens; especially black citizens. There are civil rights and there are civil wrongs; on both sides. Please let me know. Alveda"
"What do u do if u believe that u will be mistreated if u obey? There needs to be education on both sides. Through much prayer, God will reveal deeply seated lies on each side. Then we must observe basic guidelines in race relations. God is good. Prophet E."
"Disobedience to lawful orders endangers the life of officers and civilians; officers should have an honest duty of care." Alveda and Mike."
Dr. Alveda C. King grew up in the civil rights movement led by her uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She is a pastoral associate and director of African-American outreach for Priests for Life and Gospel of Life Ministries. Her family home in Birmingham, Ala., was bombed, as was her father’s church office in Louisville, Ky. Alveda herself was jailed during the open housing movement. Read more reports from Dr. Alveda C. King — Click Here Now.