Black Contribution

Friday 21 Nov 2008

African Americans are leading the charge to protect traditional marriage in America.  Despite the efforts being made by some to blame the Mormon Church; in the recent US elections, it was African Americans who overwhelmingly voted against moves to legalize gay marriage.  White Americans proved to be the most liberal minded of all.  And the contribution by African Americans is not confined to America.  They are also playing an increasingly important role in the Christian Church throughout the world.  In the United Kingdom and Europe, African preachers are among the strongest standard bearers of Christianity.

In the same way that the election of President Barack Obama should be seen as an amazing and wonderful achievement for African Americans who were not too long ago in slavery, their increasing role in Christianity; and their preparedness to stand up for traditional teachings, should be seen as a very positive achievement.  The missionaries, who risked their lives and sacrificed so much to work with Africans over the past several hundred years, must be pleased to see this happening.  The billions of dollars in aid that has been given to Africa, has not been wasted, when we see this result.

Remaining Challenges

Having said this, before we break out the glasses; and turn the water into wine; and start celebrating, African Americans and African Christians everywhere, need to stay sober and learn from the lessons of Christianity past, if they want to make the most of their new found success; and build upon it for the future.  Not only the Church, Western Society, and Africa, but their children need for this to happen.

As they say, ‘one swallow does not make a spring”, and despite their very significant recent achievements, Africans and non-white people generally, in the world, still have much work to do.  The traditional African American family has been devastated by poor leadership and political neglect.  Most African American children live in single parent homes and they struggle to get a decent education.  Peer pressure on them to take drugs and live a life of crime, is enormous and unrelenting.  "Hip hop" culture is killing African Americans.

There is no question that the African Americans are aware of this; which is almost certainly one reason why they voted to preserve the traditional marriage between a man and a woman; because they know how much their own children need for this to be true.  Whites in America clearly still think they can gamble with this social experiment; whereas black Americans know they cannot.

Obama Family Role Model

If President elect, Barack Obama achieves nothing else; than that he and his family become a role model for black families in America and around the world; that alone will be more than enough.  Black families everywhere urgently need such a role model.

Problems in the black family however, are not the only threat that African Americans need to deal with.  As the recent US elections also showed, there are substantial differences in the way that Christianity is preached in Black churches across America.  Divisive, leftist-leaning, Black Liberation Theology, like that preached by Pastor Jeremiah Wright, has a very strong hold in America, but, as Barack Obama found, he had to distance himself from such bias, to be elected the president of all Americans.

The truth is, as Jesus said, “If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3: 25) The Church everywhere; Christians of every color; must never forget this truth.

The Hardest Lesson in Life

One of biggest obstacles we all face in life is to put our past behind us, and move on.  As Christians, we have to know that this is the cornerstone of our belief; we must be born again.  This is why Jesus suffered and sacrificed Himself for us all on the cross.  Because, as he said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  

“You must stop concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” the Apostle Paul said, explaining what it means to be born again.  In his place, “you must put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  Put away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.  Be ye angry?  Let not the sun go down upon your wrath …Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4: 22-29)

The world knows that there is anger in the black community, but blacks need to understand that many people have reason to be angry and that anger will not achieve anything.  This is why the apostle Paul told the Romans, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,” (Romans 12: 19)

Human Trafficking

Black people also need to know and understand, and acknowledge, that they are not the first people to suffer the indignities of slavery.  White people in many countries were enslaved for thousands of years; many white women are still in physical slavery today; and most of the world is chained in one form of spiritual slavery or another.  Human trafficking is still one of the world’s greatest sins.  Wherever the people are not free; as Christians, we need to know that they are in slavery.

True, the plight of African American slaves has been more greatly dramatized and highlighted in this age of modern communications and film and television; but it is true that man’s inhumanity towards his fellow man is legend.  We are all in the ship of life together.

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