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| Pastor's Comments Reflect Deep Hurt |
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| Recently there has been much consternation concerning the sermonic remarks of Senator Barack Obama’s Pastor, Dr. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. I do not pretend to speak for Dr. Wright, but as a minister and a pastor, I do share a similar responsibility in ministering weekly to a comparable demographic of parishioner as Dr. Wright. In the context of the predominantly black church preaching experience, one is tempted almost weekly to succumb to a desire to pacify one’s parishioners with messages designed to validate the belief that someone else is responsible for their condition. That someone is often Satan or the Devil, the President, the Government as an entity or perhaps even White Folks in general. This is due primarily to the victim psyche that is pervasive in the black community. Years of racism perceived or real have left a deep scar of hurt and distrust of those outside and some inside the black community. As real as this hurt is to the individual, I believe it has been equally or even more self destructive. This is the context in which the black Pastor must minister. He or she is challenged to “lift the spirits” of those who arrive each Sunday, many licking wounds that are real, whether self-inflicted or not. I am convinced that Dr. Wright’s apparent dissatisfaction with America in his commentary suggest that he has validated the role of victim and determined that any black success must be achieved in a separate arena, without any credit going to an overtly oppressive and racist society. While I understand Dr. Wright’s comments, I must disagree not only with what he said, but with the suggested sentiment behind his words. It is true that America has been slothful in responding to the evil of racism and the corresponding racist attitudes derived from within a culture of segregation and oppression, but we no longer live in a society where we, as black people, can afford to explain away our ills under the broad brush of racism and racist conspiracy. For example, we cannot continue to blame a racist culture for the disproportionate number of black men in prison and ignore the argument of proportion in reference to the number of black children who have children and/or abortions in their teens, or the number of children in our community without a father. The facts speak for themselves. It is clear that Dr. Wright has distinguished himself personally and the congregation that he leads by providing vital ministry that gives opportunities for uplift to the thousands who attend and who live nearby. He has more education than many will ever earn. Yet we cannot not ignore the fact that his controversial comments may be born out of a generational pathology of victimhood. No doubt that Dr. Wright and many of his generation could relate many more horrible tales of indignities suffered because of their black skin than I could even imagine, let alone experience. No one can argue the absence of injury, but we can say that it is time for us to heal. We must heal the injury by not reopening the wound at every opportunity, but by generating the hope of our ancestors and their belief in a country where character is more important than skin color. In speaking to a hurting people each week it is my duty to speak of hope for opportunity and improvement in their lives; while refraining from passing on my personal pain or even validating their self imposed victim status, if applicable. This is because if one chooses to live as a victim, he or she will operate as a victim with a ready made excuse for failure. My duty is to minister to the hurting masses as one that provides hope for success and not reasons for failure. America has much to learn in reference to race and may or may not be moving quickly enough in her lesson. But one thing we as black people can do is stop giving relevance and legitimacy to racist attitudes by allowing them to be our song of defeat. Racism is irrelevant in the face of the confident and self assured person who recognizes their opportunity was purchased at a high price. We would do well to concentrate our efforts on building this kind of personal drive within our young people that says we can and we will succeed INSPITE of the obstacles that lay before us. No more will we validate defeatist attitudes in our young or in our leaders. The target of black uplift must be placed firmly and squarely within our own community. We have much work to do. We will lessen the prison population the moment we decide as a people that we will no longer tolerate nor support the illegal drug trade even if it means turning in our own family. That is a hard pill to swallow, but one of many necessary to bring the required healing and recovery. Dr. Wright may publicly blame America for her failure, it is his right. Yet the freedom of this America insures that he, as well as others can stand in the pulpit or in the pasture and express themselves. This freedom must be defended in a difficult world. America is not perfect and has fault both at home and on the world stage, but fault alone cannot be reason to disavow this country. I have been disappointed in America, but she is mine. She belongs to me as much as she belongs to anybody. I choose not to be one of her victims, but one of her healers. |
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| To add a comment to "Pastor's Comments Reflect Deep Hurt" |
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| March 22, 2008 |
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| Well spoken Pastor. It's time for our people to realize we are our own enemy. The last time I checked our children that are dying in the streets is at the hands of others blacks. Remember what the blacks did in Black Wall Street doing a time when racism was at it's greatest. |
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| March 22, 2008 |
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| Pastor Raymond, you are a man of truth! Thank you brother!~ Keep pressing on........ |
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| March 22, 2008 |
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I'm just a humble servant of God. Pastor Raymond your point is well made. I agree with what you are saying. I pray and I know others do as well. For a time to come when we all are able to see through the color and realize that we are all the same under God's eyes and that God loves everyone and we are to follow that same Love.
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| March 22, 2008 |
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| Good thoughts. |
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| March 23, 2008 |
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There is no way I could honestly say blacks are not being held down in this society. I look in the supermarkets, businesses of all sort and see very few black people. I live in the Boston, Massachusetts area where you can find most black are into selling drugs than making any other kind of a living. But, I do believe they are convinced they won't be able. Because white people are given first chance. I do believe this to be true, and it bothers me. I can see much social injustice against blacks I hate to see. I wish I could do something about it. I also see what the drug companies are doing to us. Inventing new diseases to sell their drugs to us. Oil billionaires making more money than God and holding all of us under. A person who has a good deal of stocks in oil does not worry about it. The more they burn. The more money they make.
So, we are all victims in some way of the very rich.
But, I do wish all whites would not be subject of hate because of this fact. I also hope I am not increasing some more hate as it won't help any of us.
it is not a sin to be rich. But, yes, there are many rich who do not care what the working class go through. And the drugs that are sold are also hurting everyone else.
The biggest victim of drugs, such as cocaine are white women. They are the ones out on the street corners in the cities selling themselves to feed their habit.
So, tell us Pastor. What can be done to change things. I would like to help. I think most of us would. I don't know how many see things from my prospective. but I see a lot of people hurting out there and it can't continue. we have too many problems that need to be addressed and I don't believe the government is the answer!!
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| March 23, 2008 |
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| Well stated Pastor Raymond... |
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| March 24, 2008 |
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Amen, Pastor, Amen!
Each of us needs to remember to keep moving in spite of obstacles - wherever they come from - whatever the shape or name. I think we can each, in our own way, feel that we have been ashamed of America at one time or another by something said or done that hurt. We, who live here in America, have the greatest opportunities and the greatest challenges on the planet.
I'm proud to stand beside you any day. God Bless you. |
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| March 25, 2008 |
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| I'm still hoping for an answer Pastor. Why do we have to have "black" churches? I thought church was church. I thought we were all part of God's church. But, it seems like we have to congregate with our color to understand. I almost went into a church the other day. But some guy had red spots on his skin. What kind of garbage is this? Why can't we all gather together? Are we not all God's children? Or are we only God's children if we were wronged by some other color? Hey, pastor. I was a POW in Vietnam. Should I hate them for gathering against me over there? STOP the insanity and lets all be children of God and worship as his children. Before it's to late. I never felt you were too good to come to my church!! God bless you. But let's get some sanity about this situation, or come out fighting!! |
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| March 25, 2008 |
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| Golden 2100 Please read James 2:1-7 we should not judge poeple by there skin color, economic status, or even religious belief. I also have been looked at as if I was in the wrong place at some churches. Black Churches, white churches are just blaces to gather true churches have no color lines, they have God lines (believers or non-believers). If we truely believe in God, praissed Him worshiped Him and thanked Him we would not see color. I don't come to church to see who's there I COME TO PRAISE HIS NAME. |
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| March 26, 2008 |
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| AMEN PASTOR |
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