Black Jesus...Am I Going to Watch It?

Some of the content of this post may seem obscene or offensive to some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised!!!

So Aaron McGruder, creator of The Boondocks has made a new show called Black Jesus. Since I am a fan of the original Boondock cartoon, I was asked by a bud if I would be watching this show. Though I tip my hat off to him for the creativity, I can't support him in watching this show.

I'm not so staunch that I don't laugh at jokes that takes jabs at religion.  I get the premise, it's quite clever. I love how this trailer made me to wonder if the Jesus character really the Messiah or is me a man who thinks he is Son of God. I like that there is opposition to him being here. If there was opposing view when he was first on Earth, I know there will be some if he came to live here now The premise almost got me to watch the pilot. Thank God for this extended trailer. I can't support a show with a weed smoking, liquor drinking, profanity using Jesus character. And did the Jesus character throw up in people's faces that he died for their sins? Boasting to get his way? Even if this comes out to be a man who think he's Jesus, I still want him not to be so earthly. Lastly, why is Black Jesus so stereotypically ignorant? He couldn't be funny without the shuck & jive. Yeah, a fan of Tyler Perry said the Black Jesus character is a bit buffoonish for her taste.

According to Romans 12:2, the New American Standard version, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. If Christians, who are Christ like, are advised not to act like the world, why would this Jesus character come back to act worldly? I think it would be funny to see the hilarious calamity & misadventures of the current world with Jesus or someone who believes he is the Savior living here. I can some how awkward some of that could be. I just prefer my Jesus character to be delighted in shopping for fish & bread in a supermarket or wearing a few of the new fashions. I definitely can't envision him using his death, burial & resurrection as a means to take advantage. Even in the case of mental deluded person, some thing need to resemble the actions Jesus and not man.

So, that's my protest. I just won't watch the show. No signs needed!!! Just won't be getting Nielsen points from me. Let me know in the comments, will you be watch Black Jesus. Why or Why not?

Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Oh To Be a Christian Black Woman…

• My pastor drives a luxury car but the church is still paying on the mortgage since 1984.
• My pastor quoted a Chris Brown song in the pulpit but he’s divorced because of an affair.
• The choir director is gay but my church is marching in the anti-homosexual parade this Saturday.
• Oh, my pastor can preach a good word but have you heard him read?
•  My church got a new pastor and some of the singles members have already booked up the counseling sessions for the month.
• Ooh, the first family is so stuck up.
• Have you read that new book or watched that documentary exposing the church pimps. You know I bet they were talking about (insert the name of a popular minister you have heard gossip about). These church folks are brainwashed.
• (Insert a church name) was foreclosed. Sunday is their last service.

Woo!!! I typed those statements and had to break out the gospel. Talk about mind-numbing. So, how many times have you entertained conversations like this? Oh, I know my readers are not the ones starting these conversations. I’m guilty of listening to talk like such as this. I have even called a few ministers & a pastor illiterate. Forgive me, God. But talk like this is so harmful. We keep our mouths on the very institutions we attend. Also, talk about people we listen to tell us the truth.  It gives fodder to those who have all kinds of issues with the church, especially the Black church.

For every blog I have about me being a Christian or talking about church, I get 3 emails suggesting an anti-Black Christian article or a blog post, book, or movie exposing the Black church. I've learned not to take so much of it seriously. Many of it is by people hurt by “church folks” (there is a difference between church folks & Christians) and that is their way of picking a bone with the institution that is full of generalizations and statements based on hearsay and twisted facts with no solutions. I’m not saying any of it is or is not true. I know some were sent and some that just went. I just feel like I have enough sense to watch, fight, and pray for the ones God called.

Christian Black Women are constantly targeted to warn against the intuition of the church, especially the Black church. I get so tired of being called “Brain Washed”, I could cry.  To me, it’s like being told because I decide to listen to a black man (who is just a human as the other humans) tell me about God’s love in his way and decide to donate my 10% (that is mandated by God in the book of Malachi called Tithes) and more sometimes to a place that I expect to be a properly functioning place, I am Stupid. I am tired of the generalized accusations against the black church as a whole. Some make the stories true. I will admit that. But also there are Many, Many which are not. Is the church loving? Though the church speaks against things that are against the Bible, is it still loving as it should be to those who are living against what they are against? Are they issuing loving yet firm sanctions against wrongdoing? Does church function well with paying its bills and is charitable to others. When the church gets hit with hard times, does it have a workable program to handle those times? Is the church getting smart financial planning? People see the pastors driving luxury cars but have you asked the finance committee if that pastor even takes a salary from the church? Did he get the car as an anniversary gift or maybe saved his money and finally bought him a “nice” car? And that first family, that is “uppity”. Have you always been friendly to them or been seen by them being friendly? Oh but as soon they don’t speak… Who said that the first family is the most important people in the church?

I could have sworn God is the most important person there. If we focus on him, all the truths we need to know will be exposed. If we focus on God, we see the bad and the Good. When we focus on God, we don’t complain about faults, we uplift strengths to help the faults. I said we because I'd started writing this post to complain about those always bad-mouthing the church and I need to help them see the God I serve in me and be more understanding that many of those that complain are just as hurt and those they think they are helping. See I have to focus on God more, also. If We All focus on God, “pulpit pimps” won’t have anyone to pimp. As a matter a fact they won’t have time to pimp. People who are Anti-Whatever, won’t be so Anti-whatever. We are working on ourselves and trying to be better in God’s eyes and not trying better others by our “godly” standards. Anything people like to wag their fingers about won’t matter because We All are focusing on God.  Let’s just pray for more focus so this God we claim to serve can be seen. God is not man so he’s not wagging anything. The people who are so against the church won’t have anything to send me articles about because all they see is… I can’t wait for that day, too.

So, I challenge all of us instead of complaining when we see wrong in churches, I understand. Why would you pay tithes to a place that can't pay the light bill or to a man that is backsliding all over the place? Why be a member of a place that says a lesbian can't be over the church Boy Scouts but also didn't find out if the current leader is a pedophile. Pray about what should be said and/or done before you make a move. The statements about would not say if folks were praying about and not talking about it. 

Also to those who are against the church, especially the black church, what are your suggestions (other than don’t go to church)? Oh no, you are bold enough to complain, be bold enough to offer a useful solution or two. You can suggest that I am a mindless sheep following a wayward shepherd, leading me into a better mindset. I believe in God, his son, Jesus Christ, who died for me, and his essence, Holy Spirit, which he left to comfort me until he comes to get me, and those who believe like me to take us to live with him. The human part of me takes offense that you think I am dumb to let my free will participate in such things. But the God in me understands and prays for you to be just as understandable.

Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Not Interesting in Dating: Denominations of Christianity (A Grey Area)

I’m a Christian. I will not date a non-Christian at all. At this point in life, I will Never be in a relationship where God will debate. We can know each other & be friendly but we will not date. When I was younger I dated guys that were not Christian and there was one that always wanted to debate. I argued back but that was annoying. Unequally yoked dated life is not for "The Diva". 

A Man must basically believe that God is the Father, who provides All that we need, and in him, we Must trust. Jesus is his son and he Died for our sins, Rose again, 40 days later went back to Heaven and preparing a place for us and Will be back again for us one day. And finally, know that we are not without God on this Earth because he sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us until the day his son returns. Also, he must believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God. He has to be wholeheartedly be trying to be the best Christian, he can be and not a stereotype. A man I date must pray every day & throughout the day and have a relationship with God. He must not just own a Bible but read it and sometimes other Christian-based books to help in understanding outside of the church. He must have some kind of church affiliation. I don’t mean he has to go to church every Sunday (but he does need a good reason why he doesn’t). I mean he is a part of a body of believers that he has an Earthly relationship with where he is being fed the word, gives his tithes (Oh, he must be tither) and offering at least and he is encouraged to be the best Man of God he can be. So you ask, what is the problem

Okay, so you know by now because of The Church Switch blog, I grew up in a traditional Southern Missionary Baptist Church, yet I never understood the purpose of Christian denominations. There is Anglican, Christian Science, Baptist, COGIC, Methodist, Catholic, Apostolic, Lutheran, and the list goes on. Why the division? When we get to Heaven, we won't be segregated, why the separation on Earth? Eventually, I decided other than the fact Man has Free-Will, All Christianity denominations are not necessary.  Matter of fact I decided that Christian Denominations and Street Gangs can sometimes act alike. I now go to a Non-Denominational church which is still a Denomination but it’s as close to a “Just Christian” church as I can get.

Well in my dating life, if I only date guys who go to “Non-Denominational” churches, I have limited myself much more than I already have. But I have to be careful on dating Christian men because I have run across some characters. 1. Many don’t understand the difference between Christianity as a Religion and the particular Christian denomination they are affiliated with. You will be surprised by how many adult men answer the question “Are you religious?” Or “What religion do you practice?” with “I’m Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, COGIC, etc., instead of “I’m Christian” and wait for me to then ask “What denomination or type of church do you attend?”. Was I the only one paying attention to World History and learning the difference between Religion & Denominations? 2. Some are so steeped into their denomination that they can be very close-minded. I met a man that was COGIC and he truly believe the “You can’t join in, you have to be born in” of the COGIC Church Anthem. He thought that I was not “Saved & Sanctified” enough because my Christian education was different from his. Both my foundation church & church home were types of churches he felt that was not disciplined enough when teaching the word. 3 The type of guy, well actually person, that has never stepped foot inside a particular church or type of church but believes every report, story, lie or rumor about the place. I had heard about an infamous ATM in the foyer of my church home before attending. It took me months to find this ATM. It’s next to the Bookstore near the original sanctuary that is used for a chapel for bible study, overflow, and youth church. It is not right outside the main sanctuary like people make it seem. My leader of the “Bad Ex” list was one of the people that told me that. I attended that for the 1st time almost 4 months before we broke up. I never told him that, too. Yes, hindsight is so 20/20.

Character type number 1 is doable. It’s all about not knowing the terminology. That’s something I might teach him if he is open. But numbers 2 & 3, I am not interested in dating. It’s too negative. I like open-minded Christian men. I know we all have our reservations about each denomination but to believe them without any kind of experience is wrong. It’s just dating. The dating process was designed to lead me to my future mate, in my opinion. I don’t walk a path without any association with the cobblestones aligning way. None of us do. Never know my mate might not be a Non-Denominational Christian but I do know he will be a member of a Christian church with a welcoming open-mindedness like his and mine. If not then he’s not My Mate.

Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms