by Brian FoulksR3 ContributorFor all intense purposes, I should be a bitter black man. I have trained for a position that I can’t secure a job within; I am without a full-time job; and I continue to read and see the injustices heaped upon black males with a myriad of other things as well. I have seen how the city of Philadelphia bombed the MOVE headquarters where black children were living. I have seen the blatant injustice around the Trayvon... Read more
I just wanted to make a few comments about having God in a political party’s platforms. I do not wish to ask the question why, because, we already know that mentioning g-d/God/Godde is either privileging or trying to make a space for religious persons (usually the former). In many circles, there are Christians who pride themselves on insulting people who are atheist/agnostic, and these postures are horribly arrogant and self-righteous. It has more to do with those people’s/person’s (the self-righteous... Read more
Why did Jesus have to die? Was it to appease a wrathful God’s demand for punishment? Does that mean Jesus died to save us from God? How could someone ever truly love or trust a God like that? How can that ever be called “Good News”? It’s questions like these that make so many people want to have nothing to do with Christianity. Countless people filling our pews have adopted this hurtful view of God and themselves. It has led... Read more
We will read many perspectives over the next few days about how to honor the 11th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on US soil, and we would do well to read them. Some will call us to unity. Others might promote our nation’s inherent pluralism. However September 11th, 2001 marks a very different anniversary for me. For me, it is a solemn day, a dark day. September 11th, 2001 marks the day my hatred toward religion was born, and... Read more
“Faith is an integral part of the Democratic Party,” the Reverend Derrick Harkins proclaimed Wednesday as he kicked off a panel on religion at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. “Don’t put any credence to the lie that somehow faith is not an integral part of who we are as Democrats—somebody ought to say, ‘Amen!’” Applause filled the forum. The event, the second that Harkins helped organize this week in addition to a daily morning prayer series, is the most... Read more
Republicans plan to “Take Back America.” While Democrats lead a charge “Forward.” In less than sixty days, voters will determine the one path for a divided country. President Barack Obama and Willard “Mitt” Romney reveal in their personal stories and party platforms America’s great diversity and divisions. Religion is part of that diversity and division. Religion is meant to influence the decision-making of its followers. During the political conventions, every speech ended with “God Bless America.” Interfaith clergy prayed for... Read more
With the release of his new album, Gravity, earlier this month, Lecrae is growing in popularity as a hip-hop artist among audiences Christian and non-Christian, black and white. The Associated Press, among others, praised the album, saying, “Lecrae delivers a strong piece of work. He’s not afraid to rap about his past mistakes, supplying inspirational rhymes filled with Christian values backed by well-produced secular hip-hop beats.” Lecrae (his full name is Lecrae Moore) stands at the intersection of two contrasting... Read more
http://dgjigvacl6ipj.cloudfront.net/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf Watch Religion and the Democratic National Convention on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. Read more
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