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Rent-A-Preacher
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Leutisha Stills
Dear BuzzFlash Readers/Supporters:
I know I haven't been posting much lately. But when I see how the Republican
Party will stoop to all-time lows in trying to hijack America, including
utilizing Pastors and Bishops of African-American Churches, and probably
other Churches as well, either those of us in the blogsphere have them
on the run, or they are just using Black Preachers in particular to
continue covering up what has been a horrendous agenda facilitating
attacks on American citizens who are not in positions to protest or
fight back.
We cannot let them get away with this.
I've posted here as the Christian Liberal, and the Christian Progressive
Liberal when I looked at what I support and determined my beliefs are
consistent with a liberal, progressive context, and the fact that I
am a Christian. So it has been simple to combine them both, especially
when I've read my Bible and confirmed that many of my political beliefs
are consistent with the love and precepts that Jesus taught during
His three year ministry on Earth. What I am finding is that some preachers;
Black preachers in particular, are being lured into shlepping for Bush's
policies because of their succumbing to the "filthy lucre." For
those of you who aren't familiar with the biblical phrase "filthy
lucre," that is a slang term for "dirty money."
And "dirty money" it is. These preachers, who are feeding
at Bush's "Faith-Based" money trough, are complicit in whatever
devastation is wreaked upon African-American communities, such as the
privatization of Social Security. How can Blacks invest into a Social
Security account when you have forced them into jobs that do not pay
enough and therefore, continues to facilitate a wealth disparity that
was already a widening gap before the attack on Social Security?
How can there be quality public education if a Black preacher is advocating
the use of school vouchers, designed to eliminate education opportunities
for at least 75% of economically challenged communities?
How will our children be given accurate information on sex, STDs, sexuality
and other health information, if Black preachers are advocating that
the only issues of concern to our communities are gay marriage and
abortion?
I didn't want to limit this to Black preachers, because I'm sure other
ministers of different ethnicities are equally guilty, but it appears
that Black preachers are being pimped by the Bush Administration the
most. I've done my homework. Every Black pastor that went to visit
with Bush back in January has collected a check from the Faith-Based
Government agency (look it up, if you don't believe me). It's so bad,
the last director of the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives (or whatever
it's called) quit in disgust, because he was being directed to cut
checks to church-affiliated organizations that he believed were coordinating
and facilitating faith-based initiatives in communities, and the organizations
themselves were not adhering to what Jesus taught, nor were their missions
consistent with the teachings of Jesus. So, this is further indictment
of Black preachers taking a check from Bush. If he's paying you, you
have to shill his policies for him, no matter how deceptive or devastating
they are to the communities in which they minister.
I've talked with members of churches whose pastors lined up for that
faith-based money. They are NOT happy with their pastors at present,
especially elderly members who are frightened that they are going to
lose their Social Security check, and they are already worrying about
MEDICARE. They believe that protesting and fighting for the gay marriage
amendment is not worth what they stand to lose in terms of social justice
programs which have longed served to benefit the disenfranchised or
the disadvantaged, by leveling their playing fields in terms of education,
jobs, and affordable housing or liveable, sustainable environments.
When asked how are they personally affected by the gay marriage amendment
or abortion, they have to think, and truthfully reply that if there's
no attention paid to those fringe issues, they would sort themselves
out, without any help from the average American citizen. Yet, their
pastor or Bishop has collected that check (or checks) from Bush, while
stabbing his members in the back (If I recall, no women Bishops or
Pastors were invited to Bush's meeting - and that in and of itself
should have signaled to all women where their place is in Bush's Agenda),
by eliminating the programs and money they need for survival (not to
mention paying their offerings and tithes in church to support it).
This is a slick way to infiltrate a community and destroy it from the
inside out. This is how Karl Rove and company operate; if they cannot
mount a full-frontal attack, they find a way to infiltrate and destroy
from WITHIN. This is another reason why we all must be vigilant, because
the Bush Administration is not stopping with the capitulation of Black
pastors lured by their greed for the Faith-Based money pie. If this
tactic works so well on Black preachers who forgot to study their Bible
and remember that their love for money is the root of all sorts of
evil, why stop at Black preachers? Why not corrupt Latino, Native American
and Asian ministers as well?
What I've learned is that when this Administration discovers a weakness,
like any good strategist, they exploit that weakness until their advarary
is totally and utterly destroyed. We can't be silent on the selling
out of Black ministers to this type of evil manipulation in exchange
for a government handout. For some reason, Black preachers have not,
cannot and will not learn the lesson behind lusting for money and perceived
power on the world stage. And when you are predisposed to forgetting
history, you are also predisposed to repeating that history, each repeat
resulting in more devastating consequences than the last one.
This is a subject I won't be silent on, either. For any pastor, Black,
White, Yellow, Brown or Red, or female - you are not serving God's
calling on your life, nor are you serving the congregation you have
been charged to lead, when you are a bought-and-paid-for Rent-A-Preacher.
You dishonor God and your congregation, and you will reap what you
sow.
My name is Leutisha Stills and I am the Christian Progressive Liberal.
Leutisha Stills
Oakland, California
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
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