Lenny Kravitz: "Black And White America"

The civil rights movement of the sixties was supposed to end discrimination and give black folks equal opportunities. In spite of Affirmative Action and legislation against racism during the past fifty years, America is more racially polarized than ever.

Lenny Kravitz wrote a powerful song addressing the struggle for equality and the end of racism. Check it out here:

This may come as a surprise to certain folks but racism exists in every culture. God rightfully forbad the descendents of Israel from intermarrying with gentiles or even to enter into their homes. Yet the Jews of Christ's time felt superior because God had chosen them to be his people.

As we read in Acts 10:44 and 45 (Bible in Basic English), "While Peter was saying these words, the Holy Spirit came on all those who were hearing the word. And the Jews of the faith, who had come with Peter, were full of wonder, because the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentiles."

And in spite of gentiles coming to have faith in Christ, the apostles at Jerusalem couldn't accept that fact at first. Peter had to go to Jerusalem and contend with those who felt he shouldn't have gone into an uncircumcised man's house.

As Peter explained in Acts 11:17 and 18 (BBE), "'If then God gave them, when they had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same as he gave to us, who was I to go against God?' And hearing these things they said nothing more, but gave glory to God, saying, 'Then to the Gentiles as to us has God given a change of heart, so that they may have life.'"

We can read in the next few verses that many who were preaching salvation only went to the Jews. But Paul was continuously having to explain to believing Jews that salvation was for all who would call upon him for salvation.

Provided that Christ hasn't returned by Saturday, I hope to feature the last song Jim Morrison sang on before his untimely death.

Stories: Brother Louie"

Racism is evil. I'm certain almost every one agrees. So a group called Stories did their part in 1973 to oppose racism in a song. Check it out here.

We know that the Bible isn't racist, even if some atheists say so. They claim their opinion is true because some racists wrenched Bible verses way out of their context to prove their point.

Certainly we genuine Christians ought not to be racist. As Paul wrote of our salvation in Galatians 3:28 (Bible in Basic English), "There is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one in Jesus Christ."

Revelation 7:9 and 10 (BBE) also shows that heaven is filled with people from all over the planet. "After these things I saw a great army of people more than might be numbered, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and languages, taking their places before the high seat and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and with branches in their hands, Saying with a loud voice, 'Salvation to our God who is seated on the high seat, and to the Lamb.'"

While Paul was waiting in Athens, he told the Greek philosophers about their "unknown god" and how he assigned places for all races. Acts 17:26 and 27 (BBE) says, "And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us:"

Though Israelites were told not to mingle with gentiles, it was to protect them from being paganized. But this doesn't apply to us Christians. 

Peter certainly learned that lesson about gentiles in Acts 10:46 and 47 (BBE). "And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said, 'Will any man say that these may not have baptism who have been given the Holy Spirit as we have?'"

If Christ hasn't drawn all races of Christians to himself in the air by Saturday, I hope to post about a beautiful song and how we need to step out in faith.

Focus: "Black Beauty)

 What a shame that most folks don't know about this Dutch jazz-rock band's music. It's partly why I'd like to feature this song. The other reason is that it speaks of love forbidden by cultural taboos. While not being as lyrically potent today, we still live with racism and the barriers erected by cultures.

Listen to the song here:

I'm glad that Christianity isn't a "white man's" religion. Paul showed how it transcends all racial and cultural boundaries in Galatians 3:28 (Bible in Basic English). "There is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one in Jesus Christ."

Jesus also wanted his good news to spread to all the world. Matthew 28:19 and 20 (BBE) says plainly, "Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to keep all the rules which I have given you: and see, I am ever with you, even to the end of the world."

Even so, the Jewish Christians wanted to remain in Jerusalem. But God used persecution to scatter them, as we read in Acts 8:4 (BBE). "But those who had gone in flight went everywhere preaching the word."

We also read in that chapter how the gospel entered the African continent. Acts 8:34-36 (BBE) reads, "And the Ethiopian said to Philip, 'About whom are these words said by the prophet? about himself, or some other?' So Philip, starting from this writing, gave him the good news about Jesus. And while they were going on their way, they came to some water, and the Ethiopian said, 'See, here is water; why may I not have baptism?'"

But many Jewish Christians, including Peter, couldn't grasp the universality of the gospel. We read in Acts 10:44-46 BBE) how God gave the Holy Spirit to non Jews as well. "While Peter was saying these words, the Holy Spirit came on all those who were hearing the word. And the Jews of the faith, who had come with Peter, were full of wonder, because the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentiles, And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God."

We also read how salvation is for any person from any tribe and nation who desires it. As 1 John 2:2 (BBE) declares about Christ's saving work, "He is the offering for our sins; and not for ours only, but for all the world."

A day will come when we believers will be in heaven, praising the Lord as one people. Revelation 5:9 and 10 (BBE) tells what it will be like. "And their voices are sounding in a new song, saying, 'It is right for you to take the book and to make it open: for you were put to death and have made an offering to God of your blood for men of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation, And have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are ruling on the earth.'"

If Christ hasn't returned by Thursday, I hope to post about how the world views us who follow Christ.

TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO TELEVISION SHOW HAD GONE BEFORE

Remember the way science fiction T.V. programs were before the nineteen-sixties? Either the heros continually vanquished aggressive aliens or the shows were frivolous sitcoms. Then one aired in 1966 that took the science part seriously and even dared to examine social problems.

In Deliverance From Jericho (Six Years in a Blind School), I described how the cancellation of this show, a mere three years after it began, grieved me. During the days when television helped me temporarily escape the depressing surroundings of Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind, the loss of this inspiring program hit me hard. Here's the excerpt from my book describing how I felt when I heard the sad announcement.

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The news came over my radio one day in April that Star Trek had been cancelled from the fall television line-up. Normally, the loss of a show did not bother me but I felt that program was special. Unlike Lost In Space and similar science fiction series, this one seemed to be, for lack of a better word, plausible.

Furthermore, Star Trek examined many social problems such as racism, conservation, and inequality. I felt sad that this show, which was optimistic about the future of humanity, was leaving the air. The Enterprise's five-year mission ended in only three.

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Deliverance from Jericho contains many more vignettes of what life was like in that government-run institution. These range from poignant experiences of homesickness to hilarious incidents of mischief. Click here to read more about this book and to order it. You may also e-mail me directly if the comment form doesn't work.