New Subscription Info: The Blog is Moving!

Hey! It's been a while since I posted--not because I ran out of things to say but because I decided to try something new. I've been hosting the blog through Blogger since 2012. That's 10 years!!! Blogger is free, and if you know a little code (which I do), you can do some pretty nifty things. However, I found that I there were 2 things that bothered me greatly about the blog.

1. I have a lot of content and it's really hard to navigate. Separating out the poems from the Bible studies from black history is bad enough, but within the Bible studies I had studies on specific chapters and studies on topics and commentary about different denominations... How do I create a landing page that is both informative and not overwhelming?
2. Every post requires a picture. If you go back to my posts from 2015 or so, you'll see horrible graphics and random photos that have nothing to do with the post, just to avoid the dreaded "image not found" message. Eventually, I started creating branded photos so newer posts are more streamlined, but that takes time. I learned, I don't like graphic design, and I don't like creating images for the posts when they don't add value to the content.

So, I've decided to move the blog to Notion. I've been using Notion to organize my life for about 4 years now, and as I've gotten better with it, I've realized it could be used for a blog site. The con is that I have to move posts over individually. Which has actually been a blessing because I get to see the growth I've had since I began this blog, and I get to clean up A LOT of typos and spelling mistakes 😂.

What does that mean going forward?

For now, www.psalmstogod.com, is going to remain pointing here so you can still access this content. However as I move things over, I will not be adding new posts to this site. New content will be uploaded to that site.

If you are subscribed and want to continue receiving content and updates please visit the new site and subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the home page. I appologize for the inconvenience but hope the new site will be better for all of you as well as myself.

Thanks!!

Why I Became an SGRho...and Why it Matters

I went to college with zero interest in Greek life. Having attended predominately white schools my whole life, I decided I didn't want to join a traditionally white sorority, but my perception of black sororities—the Divine 9, NPHC, BGLOs (why do we have so many names y'all?)—wasn't much better. Without offense to my sister greeks, I just didn't see the hype; I didn't see sisterhood and quite honestly didn't see any "works" that I thought were worth joining one of their organizations. So, I walked on campus without any inclination of joining a sorority.

The shift in this perception happened when both a friend of mine and a cousin of mine crossed Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in Spring 2007. I had never heard of the organization before then. My cousin had grown up surrounded by women of Delta Sigma Theta, so I was shocked (as I'm sure they were too) when I logged on to Facebook to see she had chosen differently. For those not familiar with Greek life, specifically black Greek life, most people become what we call legacies. A legacy is someone who joins the same organization as their parent (or family members). For instance, my grandfather is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, so are two of his sons (my uncles); they are legacies. Many times you will see a clustering where mom, daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousins, etc. all join the same organization. So I expected my cousin to become a Delta if she became greek. This reveal was the first to make me wonder what Sigma Gamma Rho (SGRho) was about. It is what prompted me to attend the SGRho neophyte (new member) presentation at my own school.

My freshman year of college there were no SGRhos on campus. The neophyte presentation or probate (at Clemson we weren't allowed to use the word probate officially) was the resurrection of the chapter. I didn't know what to expect. At that point I had only been to a Delta and a Kappa show; both of which had a large (for a predominately white campus) number of new members. I was shocked to see that only one person had joined SGRho and was doing a show by herself—I was further shocked that this one person was a friend of mine, one of the first people I met all the way back at orientation, who lived down the hall from me. When you watch 20 people spit information and perform complicated steps it's entertaining, but when you see one person command an audience and do the same thing alone it's mind-blowing. My first thoughts were along the lines of "that takes guts" and "I want to be able to do that."

Now, as I researched the organization and fell in love with the motto "Greater Service, Greater Progress," I didn't think I would actually be doing a show by myself. There were actually a couple mutual friends I thought might also join. However, I agreed with the focus on service and education; I trusted they didn't do anything too crazy because both my cousin and my friend were Christian women I trusted; and I wanted the strength, boldness, and leadership skills that my friend exhibited in her show. So, even though I was the only one who showed up at the interest meeting that next Spring, I pressed forward and I found myself learning just what it took to earn those skills as I, too, stepped out to do a solo performance.

So why on my Christ-centered blog am I telling you about my experience joining a sorority? There are at least two posts on this blog relating the things I learned from joining the sorority and what I thought should be learned in Church communities (you can check them out here and here.) Today, however, I want to focus on that first step. Christians are often asking the question of how to convert a non-believer, and 9 out of 10 times the methods used backfire only to create more non-believers. What "converted" me from not interested in Greek life to being a member of sorority is the same thing that converted countless non-believers during the early church: action.

Anyone can talk the talk. Take a look at the missions of the four sororities that comprise NPHC[1]:

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority's aim is to enhance the quality of life within the community. Public service, leadership development and education of youth are the hallmarks of the organization's programs and activities. Sigma Gamma Rho addresses concerns that impact society educationally, civically, and economically. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Alpha Kappa Alpha’s mission is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of "Service to All Mankind". Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is an organization of college educated women committed to the constructive development of its members and to public service with a primary focus on the Black community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Zeta‘s national and local programs include the endowment of its National Educational Foundation community outreach services and support of multiple affiliate organizations. Zeta chapters and auxiliaries have given untotaled hours of voluntary service to educate the public, assist youth, provide scholarships, support organized charities, and promote legislation for social and civic change. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Did you notice anything? Despite having very distinictive cultures and images in the black community, the mission statements are not that different. Every organization is essentially about service, scholarship, and sisterhood. What makes them different is not the words written on their websites; it's the everyday action of the members in the organization. While I would hope every member read the mission statement of their organization before joining, no one comes to an interest meeting and says they want to join because the mission statment really got to them. It's always something they witnessed. As I mentioned, for me it was the rock solid solo performance that exhibited traits I wanted to have. One of the girls who came after me said she was drawn to us because she saw us recieving academic excellence awards (our chapter maintained a ~3.8GPA average giving us the highest chapter GPA in Greek life for both black and white organizations). Some people talk about interactions with a favorite teacher. Others are impressed with the person who mentored them their freshman year...

SGRho isn't associated with education simply because our founders were educators or because our mission statement says we care about it. We're associated with education because the members of the organization are scholars! I have to scratch my head to start naming sorority sisters (sorors, as we call them in NPHC) who stopped pursuing education after undergrad and I can't think of any that didn't graduate. Most of my sorors have higher degrees and even those who did not become teachers/professors, some form of mentoring or teaching is involved in what they do. We didn't just write it on a piece of paper and then keep repeating it until people believed it, we are out doing it.

This is precisely why the church fails to convert non-believers. Galatians 5:22-23 says "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." How often do we show these traits? How many people can say they experienced peace when around a group of "Christians?" How many people can say they truly felt loved (see 1 Corinthians 13 for God's definition of love)? How many people can say they see joy in life of "Christians" or experienced joy from being around these "Christians?" Are we patient? Do we exhibit self-control? Are we kind? Are we gentle? Do we panic with the rest of the world or are we seen to have faith fueled by hope in times of need?

Can you imagine standing in the crowd in Babylon to see these three men refuse to obey the king even though the punishment was death (Daniel 3)? Can you imagine witnessing Daniel praying even though he was told not to and being thrown in the lion's den (Daniel 6)? What about Esther, approaching the king without being summoned and facing the possibility of death? Or Ruth following her mother in law to a strange land not knowing how they would survive? The Bible is full of people demonstrating their faith. They did not knock on people's door and say "Can I tell you about our Lord and Savior today;" they simply lived according to the faith.

⁶“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ⁸You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. Deuteronomy 6:6-8 NKJV

When the your actions (hands) match the words (thoughts from your forehead), you are truely sealed and it is then that others will endeavor to follow the path you've chosen.

As Sigma Gamma Rho turns 100 years old, I reflect on how I became a member 12 years ago and how I influenced others to join. I also reflect on those same questions as it pertains to my faith in the Most High God. Do the things I claim to believe match my actions? Do I live life such that people interact with me and think "wow, I want to be like that, I want to learn how to do that?" I hope so.

References and Footnotes

1. The mission statements of the other three organizations were taken from their national websites. I couldn't find a mission statement for Zeta Phi Beta on their national website, so I substituted a paragraph from their page on the history of the organization which clearly demonstrates what the purpose of the organization.

Out of Touch: Issues with White Christianity

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1 John 4:20 KJV The Church does this often, and that's a problem.

There's a particular ministry that I started listening to back in 2011 that really helped me in my spiritual journey. They have a plethora of sermons and articles about Biblical truth that answered many of the questions I had as a young believer. I am greatful for their ministry, but that doesn't mean I haven't noticed a fatal flaw in it as well.

Last night, they kicked off a series that I thought might be interesting so I set my alarm and made sure to tune in to YouTube in time to catch the broadcast. The pastor was only moments in when he mentioned dressing up like pilgrims and "Indians" as a kid, associating it with the quintessential American experience. He followed that up with the backstory of why the pilgrims came to America, and doubled down on the heroism of the pilgrims by asserting their bravery for traveling to the undeveloped "New World." In the midst of this narrative he casually repeated what people would have been saying about America: "there are cannibals and savages there; you could be eaten!" As though that weren't cringey enough, he continued down this theme of glorifying the pilgrims with a phrase similar to "we are pilgrims passing through the Earth."

It was at that point that I had to stop listening. I want to try to provide some balance and discussion about this issue, because I see it often, and it does more harm to the Kingdom of God than I believe those who perpuate it realize.

Meeting Halfway

Let's start with the fact that none of what this pastor was saying was untrue. At 33 years old, it is true that if you dig through my mother's photo albums you will in fact find a photo of 3 or 4 year old me at my preschool dressed up as a Native American. He was not wrong in the assumption that most people his age had that experience as a child or that many would relate to that sentiment. What is wrong with the statement is that there is no acknowledgement of growth.

First, the pastor refers to indigenous tribes as "Indians" without any indication that this is an incorrect term. This would be like him refering to black people as "Coloreds" or "Negros"—can you image a pastor standing before the people saying "We all gathered around to watch the Negros play sports when we were kids"? Yes, I know, pilgrims and Native Americans sounds weird to the ears because we're used to the phrase "pilgrims and Indians," but that brings me to the second gaffe in his sermon.

Each of us starts life in ignorance. As I said, I too grew up in the era where it was normal to dress up as a Native American (particularly once Disney release Pocohantas and people were dressing up specifically as her for Halloween[2]). However, 33 year old me is aware that this is disrespectful and could be likened to black face in terms of how someone from an indigenous tribe might feel. If I were to show a picture of myself from childhood partaking in the activity, I would acknowledge my growth from that point in my life until now; I would point out that even though it was common practice then it's not acceptable now. This is the major issue with the sermon in general, lack of awareness or acknowledgement.

The pastor is probably right that people in England viewed America as a place were there were "savages" and "cannibals"—it is factually correct in stating that is how Europeans felt about the native population. Again, what he said isn't wrong, but the way he said it was so casual and the reason he was able to say it so casually is because he is removed from the situation. The words are not offensive or hurtful to him because they were not aimed at his people. To him this is simply a piece of history that everyone already knows. In fact, he may have mentally assumed people knew it was wrong, but he didn't verbalize that the way Europeans saw Native Americans was both inhumane and un-Christianly.

Out of Touch

How is it that I, as a black person, can listen to the sermon and instantly feel uncomfortable for my Native American brothers and sisters, but this white pastor remained oblivious? How is it that I, as a "lay person," can see how this would turn people away from the gospel, but an ordained pastor cannot?

In many cases, pastors deliver sermons that probably have a profound meaning hidden in there somewhere, but it is lost by the insenstivty surrounding it. This particular sermon was on the fulfillment of prophecy in the arrival of the pilgrims to America, which is actually a profound topic. Knowing the symbolism of Revelation, I saw exactly where he was trying to go with the sermon and that message is what made me interested enough to tune in. If I didn't already know that symbolism, I'm not sure I would have saw where he was going and the whole point would be missed.

Minorities, and people who are able to understand the minority point of view, are leaving the body of Christ because the gospel is buried under this type of rhetoric. We fail at representing Him when we behave this way and we fail to introduce Him to others when we behave this way. There will be a lot of people explaining to the Most High that their disbelief in Him was caused by our ignorance and mishandling of the gospel and He's going to hold us accountable for that.

The Fantasy of it All

I could stop right there, but there's one more thing that pastor said that is mixed up in this. We spend a lot of time distancing ourselves from this world and focusing on the Kingdom to come (I was actually reading about just that before the sermon![3]). In truth, we are Biblically commanded to do so. We can find evidence of this Biblically. While both Paul and Yeshua/Jesus instruct us to be respecful of government (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13), we see both men (along with Daniel), disrupt the govenment when it conflicts with God's kingdom (Matthe 6:24; Acts 26; Daniel 6). The Bible clearly instructs us to store our treasures in Heaven, not on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). In truth, the Bible supports the statement that this is not our home; we are just passing through (as the pastor said). I even have a podcast episode where I echo a similar sentiment about us merely being ambassadors for the Kingdom as opposed to citizens of the U.S. (or whatever country your citizenship is with).

However, there's a tiny flaw with the way we opperate after internalizing this belief: we leave the world to crash and burn. Yes, we know that it will eventually crash and burn literally, but has God called us watch the world plummet into darkness, or has He called us to be lights in the darkness (Matthew 5:14)? Often, though, we let our focus on the spiritual to allow us to forget that there are people in need physically amongst us.

In my podcast episode Christianity and Climate Change, I touched on the fact that despite the fact that Adam's given role at creation was to take care of the earth, the Church has nothing to say about the topic. We aren't promoting lifestyles that produce less waste, concious purchasing (re: buying from companies that are not harming the planet in the production of their products), or conservation of resources (e.g., not wasting water, fuel efficent/electric cars). Yes, I know that this earth will be destroyed, and a new purified earth will take its place (though increasingly, I wonder if this verse is meant literally or spiritually--that's another blog post though). I know that this earth is doomed, but does that mean it's ok to help sabotage it? If we aren't cultivating and exemplifying behaviors that protect and care for our home now, how are we suddenly going to be able to do so in the Kingdom?

The same conundrum exists with issues of diveresty and socio-economic disparity. If we are unable to make all feel welcome in our midsts on this earth, how will we learn how to foster an inclusive society in Heaven?

References & Footnotes

1. 2CDBN Tv. "America's 11th Hour with Scott Ritsemal". YouTube. November 26, 2021
2. This is not an endorsement of Halloween either. Please see my post Halloween for more on that topic
3. Jeremy Myers. "Meeting Physical Needs to Get at the Spiritual". Redeeming God"; visited November 26, 2021

Book Review: Keep it Shut

Keep it Shut: What to Say, How to Say it, and When to Say Nothing At All by Karen Ehman was recommended to me by a friend during a conversation about how hard it is to control what I say. More specifically, I have a tendancy to say things I think are just fine, only to find out people are offended. So I knew I had to read it.

Overview of the Book

This book is on the power (and danger) of the tongue and how to weild your words in a Godly manner. The author combines personal anecedotes and Bible verses to remind us of how our words can affect others. In each section, there are reflective questions to help you in thinking out a particular response of statement.

What I Didn't Like

I'm not going to lie, it did take me a whole year to finish this book. I don't think that's particularly a statement on the quality of the book, however. The topic is something I knew I needed to focus on (we probably all do) but I think my commitment to it waxed and wanned. Also, the points made are not earth shattering or things you couldn't think of yourself, which keeps it from being a page turner.

What I Liked

Despite the information being "obvious" it was definitely a good reminder, and as God would have it, I was tested after every chapter. The inclusion of Bible verses to keep the advice Biblical was well timed and gave me a great list of scripture to reflect on as I continue this journey.

Would I Recommend?

The book is definitely written with a female audience in mind, though I think anyone could read it and benefit. The author leans heavy on her experience, which is that of a white Christian in the US; I would love to see a similar book written by someone from a different race/culture. Despite the fact that many of her experiences didn't necessarily resonate with me as a black woman, I was still able to convert the experiences shared into useful information. For this reason I would still recommend the book to anyone searching to be more effective and commpassionate in their communication.

Why I Miss the Segregated Church

Sometimes God has a message for the 1 and we're the 99 that's left behind.

As children we are taught to be tolerant and inclusive. It is in our very nature (well, for most of us at least) to reject the idea of being exclusionary. Yet, not quite a year ago, I found myself deeply missing the segregated churches I grew up in. I missed Negro Spirituals and Black History programs. I missed how black pastors related the trials of the Israelites to the trials of black people today. I missed the fact that the people at city hall fighting for justice where the same people sitting in the congregation. I missed the unity that comes from shedding some aspects of diversity.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back

Last May, after the death of Ahmaud Arbery, Breona Taylor, and George Floyd, mayhem insued. I don't mean the riots. I mean the conversations between members of "the church." We were 2 months in to COVID, and where the church was already struggling to maintain meaningful communication, the fracture of race and culture became truly apparent. It felt like every day some non-black church member was saying something insensitive. Leadership was quiet and when those of us with a short fuse (like myself) chose to speak, we were repremainded. The ire I felt culminated with me blurting out that I no longer wanted to attend a multicultural church and removing myself from all church communication.

I thought I was reacting in the moment. I thought a month would pass, and the feeling along with it. I thought I didn't really mean it...

Months passed, and to my surprise, I ended up in a few more heated conversations. I didn't feel any different, and realized I actually do miss attending an all African-American church.

The History of Racism and the Church

The western church (re: Catholicism and it's offspring, known as Protestantism) is responsible for racism. Europeans twisted the curse of Canaan into a non-existant curse on Ham and attempted to legitimize the mistreatment of Africans based on this fradulent interpretation. From there, we saw "devout" Christians torture, maime, brand, rape, and otherwise dehumanize black people. From Europeans whitewashing the people discussed in the Bible during the renissance, to white Americans refusing to let blacks worship in the same spaces, to the KKK, racism and Christianity in America are almost synonymous. I did a three part series going over some of this history along with my personal experiences last year. I'm linking them below instead of repeating myself.

Previous Blogs on Racism in the Church

• A Personal History of Racism in Church
• Healing the Wounds
• Promoting a Culture of Inclusion

The Colorblind Church

Instead of admitting to the role white America has played in racism, there is a push to leave it in the past. Instead of white pastors openly admitting that the white man pictured in churches and homes accross the world is not Christ, they defend those who don't want to part with the tradition of breaking the second commandment to honor some random European man. Instead of addressing white flight, pastors ask minority congregants to make sure they invite their white friends. Instead of uttering a truth that might offend one group, we stick to sugar coated messages that don't challenge anyone. And while churches are fighting desperately to create these diverse congregations to show they are colorblind, black youth are leaving God becuase the message they need to hear is too much for the white people who put us in this position in the first place.

A Lesson In Colorblindness

I've known for a long time that homes owned by black people appraise for less than similar homes owned by whites. We're not going to derail the post by getting too deep into that (I'm sure you're already confused as to why I brought it up, just go with me for a minute). If you're curious about the validity of my statement, read up on some of the recent incidents involving the appraisal of black homes.[1][2]

I'm currently in the process of selling my house to move and for the first time, had to assess the "blackness" of my home.

There was a portrait of an African woman I painted with my friends that needed to come down, as well as a professional painting of a black Southern Belle. Of course any and all personal photographs of me or my family. Just as I'd tucked away all the photos, a book on my bookshelf caught my eye: How Long Til Black Future Month Scanning the shelves, I saw enough black literature to open a library. So I started removing the obvious ones: Is Christianity the White Man's Religion, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, The Autobiography of Malcom X, a collection of African folk tales, everything by Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, Nikki Giovanni...

As I struggled to move the heavy box to the garage, I passed my DVD collection. I stopped to remove the obviously black DVDs from the shelf: The Boondocks (season 1-3), The Babershop, First Sunday, Eve's Bayou, For Colored Girls..., Drumline, Stomp the Yard... It was too many to fit in a box. So I loaded the self back up, and stacked Disney movies in front of them. Then placed a decorative candle on the now empty Disney shelf.

I thought I could finally relax, so I went to my bathroom to take a relaxing bath. There I was greeted by my bonnet, the various oils and moisturizers for my afro-textured curly hair, the wide tooth comb and wooden-handled brush... This was obviously the bathroom of a black woman.

Every where I looked my house testified to the fact that I am black. Even after removing as much as I could, there are still things that made it into the staging (e.g., the poodles that decorate my house which are actually a reference to my sorority, which has non-black members but is a historically black sorority). In the end, I could not completely separate who I am from the space I live in without getting rid of everything.

As I stared at the house that only represented a fraction of me, I felt empty and unsettled. It no longer feels like home and wash day means I have to trek all the way to the garage to dig out my deep conditioner. As I reflected on the inconvience, I realized my life is like this house.

One of the posts above talks about my experience with racisim in the church, but it doesn't detail all my experiences with racism—we might need a book for all of that. Nonetheless, these traumas, hurts, lessons, and conversations have shaped who I am. It is from these experiences that I have the boundaries I have. It is from these experiences that I react the way I do. It is from these experiences that I value this or that. It is from these experiences that this passage hits differently than when you hear it...

When I approach the throne of YHWH, the Most High God, those expereinces come with me. YHWH was there when I watched my grandmother panic over the possibility of white men taking our family's land. YHWH was there with me when little white kids were calling me a n*****. YHWH was there with me when my Asian aunt told me she was glad her half-black daughter didn't have hair like me. YHWH was there when my white teacher said I'd end up pregnant or in jail because that's what happens to black youth. YHWH was there the Asian department chair told me I didn't have what it took to earn a PhD (and YHWH walked across the stage with me when I earned that PhD). YHWH was there when I learned to love my hair. YHWH was there when I learned not to shrink myself into a corner trying to blend into the whiteness around me. YHWH understands my blackness, my womanness, my Americanness, my singlness...

And sometimes YHWH has a message just for me.

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? Matthew 18:12

Leaving the 99

A few weeks ago, I watched a sermon that spoke straight to my heart.[3][4] Seven men and women of God spoke on the last seven things Christ said before He died on the cross. Each message was tied into justice and the black experience here in America. The speakers were black, the audience was black, and the message was specifically for black people. It ranged from a reminder about forgiveness, to a warning about protecting our spirit. There were messages and nuggets of truth that anyone could (and should) appreciate, but the core of the message was a message of hope for the down troddened souls of black America. It was a reminder that YHWH is our YHWH too.

As I listened to the sermon, I realized that was what I was longing for. I wanted to hear that message that God had for me in my time of need. Contemporary churches love to sing "Reckless Love" and belt out the line about Him leaving the 99 to search for the one, but we often forget we're not always the one. In a society where certain groups of people are being mistreated, abused, and belittled, those groups are the people God is going after. He's going after the black person longing for justice. He's going after the people in the LGBT community with questions. He's going after the Asain person scared to step out of their house. He's going after the women who have been abused. He's going after the immigrants who were locked in cages. He's going after the refugees that survived brutal wars. He's going after the poor/homeless, the drug addict, the orphan, etc. And that message may hurt your feelings—it may hurt my feelings—because maybe we didn't do enough for that group, maybe we are part of the reason that group is hurt... But it's not about us, it's about the message for the one.

Finding Love in Diversity

Most of my friend circles have been characterized by diversity. Even here, in South Florida where 90% of my friend group is black, there is diversity—some are Jamacian, some Hatian, some Bahamian, and some Canadian. It is amazing to learn about different cultures and to experience the world through someone else's eyes. It is equally heartbreaking to expreince trauma in the midst of people who refuse to acknowledge the trauma (or the history of that trauma). You cannot obstruct the message for the one because the 99 aren't ready to admit the church has played a role in the suffering of the one. A year later, and I understand where that longing is coming from. I can't say what type of church I'll seek out when I move in 3 weeks, but I can say I want to belong to a body that isn't afraid to leave the 99 to go after the one.

References & Footnotes

1. Julian Glover. "Black California couple lowballed by $500K in home appraisal, believe race was a factor". ABC 7 News. February 12, 2021
2. Debra Kamin. "Black Homeowners Face Discrimination in Appraisals". The New York Times. August 25, 2020
3. Mount Sinai Church. "The Seven Words of Justice". YouTube. April 2, 2021
4. No one is perfect; we're all human. If I gave a sermon, my human-ness would creep in as well. The only reason I'm pointing out this particular nitpick is because it's about doctrinal truth and since I'm "promoting" the sermon, I need to point out what I disagree with doctrinally. Good Friday is tied to the pagan Easter. Passover was last week (March 28). Even if the Bible asked us to celebrate "Good Friday," based on Biblical doctrine, it should occur before Passover and would have been last week.

Whitewashing the Bible

Jesus was not and is not a white man--neither were most of the people discussed in the Bible.

⁵“I am black and beautiful,
You daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
⁶ Do not stare at me because I am dark,
For the sun has tanned me. Song of Solomon 1:5-6 NASB

definition

Whitewash [1]

noun

1. : to alter (something) in a way that favors, features, or caters to white people: such as
   a : to portray (the past) in a way that increases the prominence, relevance, or impact of white people and minimizes or misrepresents that of nonwhite people
   b : to alter (an original story) by casting a white performer in a role based on a nonwhite person or fictional character

Genesis

• Adam is from the Hebrew word meaning red (Edom is from the same word)[2]
• Red, like red clay--remember Adam was created from the "dust of the ground" (Genesis 2)
• Dirt around the world actually matches human skintones (generally) and the dirt that would have been near Eden would have been the kind good for growing plants; this type of soil is dark brown or black
• If two people possess only recessive traits (e.g., blue eyes), the cannot create a baby with dominant traits (e.g., brown eyes)
• Two "pure" white people cannot give birth to a black baby
• Two "pure" black people however can have white babies; there are also black people in Africa with naturally blue eyes and blonde hair

The Non-Existant Curse of Ham

• To justify the mistreatment of Africans, "Christian" Europeans came up with the non-existant curse of Ham (it is actually Ham's son Canaan that is cursed in Genesis 9)
• The curse was said to be dark skin
• Below are some things to consider about this "theory"
  • Canaan actually settles in the Middle East, not sub-saharan Africa
  • The Canaanites intermarry with the Israelites—specifically, the entire line of Judah stems from a Canaanite woman (Genesis 38)—so if the curse is dark skin, the Israelites could not have been white
  • Cush, Mizraim, and Phut who eventually migrate into the main African continent are never cursed

Confusion of Nationality

• The Israelites and the Egyptians had to look similar because they're always being confused for each other
• Joseph's brothers don't notice he's Hebrew when they journey to Egypt during the famine. (Genesis 42:23)
• Pharaoh doesn't say anything about his daughter taking in a Hebrew baby when he's just ordered all of them killed
• The Midianites confuse Moses for an Egyptian (Exodus 2:19)
• Paul is confused as an Egyptian (Acts 21:38-39)
• Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus flee to Egypt to avoid Herod's decree; in fact the Israelites alway fled to Egypt iin times of trouble. Likely they blended in better, just as I would blend in better in Brazil than in Japan.

The Curse of Whiteness?

• DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to suggest that white people are white because they are cursed; it is merely to point out the irony of claiming a curse of blackness to inflict harm when the Bible suggests something closer to the opposite
• In 2 Kings 5 a man named Gehazi, and all his offspring, is cursed with leprosy--the description is that he turned "white as snow" (2 Kings 5:27)
• The leprosy of the Bible which is not the leprosy of today[3] is acutally associated with whiteness multiple times:
  • Miriam's leprosy is associated with turning white (Numbers 12:10)
  • Moses' white hand is called diseased (Exodus 4:6-7)

References

1. "Whitewash". Merriam Webster; visited February 2021
2. "Strong's H119. אָדַם". Blue Letter Bible; visited February 2021
3. Dr. Alan L. Gillen. "Biblical Leprosy: Shedding Light on the Disease that Shuns". Answers in Genesis. June 10, 2007

Do You Celebrate Kwanzaa?

Once, sometime during my childhood (around elementary school), a woman in my community decided to put together a Kwanzaa festival. So for 7 days, we came together with her to learn about the princples of Kwanzaa and esentially celebrate. That was the first and last time my family celebrated Kwanzaa...

As an adult, as I shook off pagan holidays like Christmas and Easter, Kwanzaa didn't cross my mind. Eventually, however, I did start to wonder and ask myself "is it ok to celebrate Kwanzaa?"

What is Kwanzaa

To answer the question, we first have to look at what Kwanzaa is: what is it's origin and what does it represent. The sparks note version of Kwanzaa's origin story is that it was invented in 1966 as a non-religious way to celebrate African culture—those of us descending from African slaves were stripped of our heritage and culture, so this was an attempt to reclaim and embrace some form of African culture. Like many of the Biblical feasts, Kwanzaa is not a single day of celebration; it lasts for 7 days (from December 26 - January 1). Each day is marked by a specific principle—umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kumma (creativity), and imani (faith)—and respresented by a candle.[1]

Digging deeper into the history, however, brings to mind quite a few questions (for me at least). The founder of Kwanzaa, Dr. Maulana Karenga, is a professor at California State University. In the 1960's he formed an organization called US that though originally inspired by ideology from Malcolm X, eventually became a rival to the Black Panther Party. In 1969, this rivalry peaked in a shooting that killed 4 Black Panthers. The LAPD supported the conflict and Dr. Karenga's organization. In 1971, Dr. Karenga was convicted of felongy assault for torturing two women. Dr. Karenga denies any involvement in the crime.[2][3]

Does it Glorify God

The primary question for anything we participate is: does it glorify God? There are many things in our modern world that are not mentioned in the Bible; the litmus test for whether these things deserve a place in our lives is how they jive with the word of God.

Unlike holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa doesn't have any religious connections. There is no deity or long standing history that links it back to paganism to set off alarm bells. Yet, the holiday is spiritual. This is evidenced in the seventh principle. Those who celebrate Kwanzaa argue that it is for a person of any religion, and logically faith could apply uniquely to each individual. (Pause for me imagining myself announcing to a crowd: "Continue to have faith in whatever it is you have faith in!" 😂)

Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of evidence that part of Dr. Karenga's motivation for creating the holiday was actally to lead black Americans away from Christianity. A holiday like Kwanzaa would be great during black history month or for Juneteenth, but Dr. Karenga chose December specifically becuase he wanted to create an alternative—not supplemental—holiday to Christmas. While I, and many others, may understand that Christmas is a pagan holiday that has nothing to do with Christianity, most of the world sees it has a Christian holiday. Based on Dr. Karenga's statements, it is evident that he saw Christmas as a Christian holiday and wanted blacks to reject Christianity.[3]

Kwanzaa is not an imitation, but an alternative, in fact, an oppositional alternative to the spookism, mysticism and non-earth based practices which plague us as a people and encourage our withdrawal from social life rather than our bold confrontation with it. Maulana Karenga

Dr. Maulana is a secular humanist and thus Kwanzaa is primarily influenced by secular humanism.

Conclusions

If I'm being honest, I love the idea of Kwanzaa. There is a part of me that wants to throw out all of the parts I don't agree with and create a Kwanzaa remix that I can celebrate. I want to move it to February, strip out any ideas that conflict with Christianity, and pretend that the founder hasn't been accused of heinous acts of violence. Of course, then it wouldn't be Kwanzaa any more. The truth is, as a descendent of people who were stripped of their identity, there will always be a longing for a cultural tie to my ancestors. Kwanzaa presents itself as a possiblity, but truthfully, it isn't my heritage. The lingo for Kwanzaa is all based on Swahili which is mostly spoken in eastern Africa—the people stolen from Africa were taken from west Africa. Like the native tribes of the Americas, there were (and likely still are) vast cultural differences between tribes and peoples on the continent of Africa. Sometimes things just aren't meant to be.

I think it's great to celebrate our African heritage, however, I don't suspect Kwanzaa will be my way of doing so. Do you celebrate Kwanzaa, and if so, have you experienced any conflict over it's principles vs. those of the Bible?

References

1. The Offical Kwanzaa Website
2. "Maulana Karenga". Wikipedia; visited January 2021
3. Harold T. Fisher. "The Kwanzaa Quandary". The Balitmore Sun. December 2, 2007
4. Bruce A. Dixon. "Why I Can't Celebrate Kwanzaa". Jacobin; visited January 2021
5. David Roach. "Black SBC pastor & prof: Kwanzaa not rooted in faith". Baptist Press. December 21, 2005

Common Knowledge

The first episode in season 3 is introducing the concept of common knowledge and establishing how it will guide this season.

This is the third time that I am coming to you. On the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter shall be confirmed.2 Corinthians 13:1 NASB

Common knowledge is[1][2]:

• Anything you can find in 5 scholarly sources
• Anything you can safely assume the reader/listener already knows
• Not disputed

Bible verses about 2 or 3 witnesses:

• Deuteronomy 17:6
• Deuteronomy 19:15
• Matthew 18:16
• 2 Corinthians 13:1
• 1 Timothy 5:19
• Hebrews 10:28

Biblical examples of God repeating something 2 or 3 times:

• Joseph interpreting dreams (Genesis 40)
• Pharaoh has 2 dreams about the famine (Genesis 41)
• 1 & 2 Chronicles contains much of the same information as 1 & 2 Kings
• Daniel and Revelation have much cross over
• The Gospels

What if this pattern exists across cultures?

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.John 10:16 NASB

The season we're talking about "Common Knowledge"

References

1. "What is Common Knowledge?". Academic Integrity at MIT; visited January 2021
2. Shona McCombes. "Common knowledge: to cite or not to cite?". Scribbr. August 26, 2019

Christianity vs. Greek Life (Pt. 2)

I actually learned a lot about what Christianity should look like from my experiences in a sorority. One of those things was about image and acceptance. In this episode, we're going to contrast views about image and acceptance between Greek Life councils and talk about what Christianity could learn from each of these views

PSALMS to God · Christianity vs. Greek Life (Pt. 2)

Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 CSB

There were three Greek councils at my undergraduate university National Panhellenic Council (NPHC), College Panhellenic Council (CPC) and Interfraternity Council (IFC)

• NPHC - consists of the 9 traditionally black fraternities and sororities known as the divine 9
• CPC - consists of traditionally white social sororities
• IFC - consists of traditionally white social fraternities

Because we were all under Greek life, when we came together we were given a chance to learn about each other's cultures

Like with Greek Life, often people on the outside of the Church have a different understanding of what is supposed to happen and what is actually happening than the members.

• Most people outside of Greek life don't know the difference between councils; they associate the faults and accolades of whichever council they are most familiar with to the whole group
• Most people within Greek life dont collaborate with people outside of their council; they know there is a difference but don't bother to learn from each other

Bylaws are to Greek Letter Organizations what the Bible is to Christianity
Non-members don't have access to the Bylaws, and while non-believers do have access to the Bible, it's unlikely they will read it if they aren't interested in Christianity

The intake process is very different between CPC/IFC and NPHC

• NPHC - you need so many credits to join; most people join sophomore year or later (a few join second semester of freshman year)
• CPC/IFC - people can join their first semester
• NPHC - won't accept you if you make it known you are interested in multiple organizations
• CPC/IFC - encourages first, second, third choices
• NPHC - has no problem rejecting people; the expectation is that you will improve and come back
• CPC/IFC - tries to find a place for everyone

Both methods have a place in Christianity

• Christianity is supposed to be inclusive. We should be working to find a place for everyone!
• You may not be a great singer, so even though your first choice ministry is the choir, maybe that's not where you should be
• Determiniation and improvement is important too though
• You don't want people in the body who fundamentally disagree with it's mission
• You don't want people in the body who aren't going to submit the Christ
• Christ can't be your 2nd choice

Another major difference between CPC/IFC and NPHC is how we view image
NPHC organizations are really good at branding. We don't let other people wear our letters because we want to make sure they're always associated with the right image. We only wear our letters in our official colors and we only wear our colors to events.
CPC/IFC will put their letters on an event shirt and let anyone wear it. CPC will put their letters in patterns and prints that have nothing to do with their colors (sometimes it's cute, though!) and they all have clapping chants that sound exactly alike. Even after spending time around them, it was very hard for me to differentiate between the organization based on principles, values, or even image.

The image of Christianity presented to the world is very muddy
We should be more particular about our image—specifically those who are leading and are front and center
Any and everybody should not be representing us to the world[3]
People are misrepresenting our "organization"
The Bible warns about false doctrine and false prophets — we should be calling them out the way Paul does!

The Political Polarization of Christians

A lot of people are claiming to vote for Trump "because they are Christian" even though there's nothing Christian about his actions!
Please see this video about why black Christians typically vote Democrat and white Christians typically vote Republican.

Other Religious Oraganizations On the Image of Their Organization

The Satanic Temple sued a televison show for misrepresentation over the image of their iconography.[1]
What would the image of Christianity be if we checked Hollywood and ourselves about how we are portrayed?

Subscribe on YouTube

I recently started a YouTube channel![2]
Season 3 will be visual in addition to the usual format!
Currently I am doing a Bible Study series that includes my note taking

References & Footnotes

1. Julia Jacobs. "Satanic Temple Sues Over Goat-Headed Statue in ‘Sabrina’ Series". NY Times. Nov. 9, 2018
2. PSALMS to God on YouTube
3. I understand that there are differences of opinions in what is and isn't of God. I'm not talking about chekcing people over controversial things like whether a woman can wear pants or not or what genre of music a person listens too. I'm referencing people explicitly acting out against scripture and explicitly teaching things that are contrary to scripture (e.g. pastors like John Gray who commit adultery every other year, Catholic priests raping children, racists, etc.).

Book Review: Mexican Gothic

I was looking at a list of new books when I stumbled accross Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This book definitely leans toward the interests I had a long time ago (re: horror) and I actually debated myself on whether I would actually read it. Below I'll add a section for believers with the perninent info on how I feel about the book spiritually.

Overview of the Book

Mexican Gothic follows the adventures of a young socialite, Noemí, from Mexico City in the 1950s as she works to unravel the mysteries surrounding the family her cousin married into.

What I Didn't Like

The book is weird, and that might be an understatement.

The first question I had was, if Noemí's cousin alleged that her husband was trying to kill her, why wouldn't her father accompany her? Who sends their party-girl daughter to stay with a potential killer?

I was also disappointed about the way it ended. The author definitely left room for potential sequels, which is great from a buisness perspective, but not so much for the reader. I had questions, just enough to make it unsatisfying, but not enough to care for a sequel.

What I Liked

Although the pacing of the story starts out slow, I found myself sucked in pretty quickly. The way the novel is written, I felt like I was watching the events play out and it was the perfect level of eerie without the gore (well, until the end at least). I didn't see the big reveal coming, which is always a pleasant surprise.

How I Feel About the Book Spiritually

This section will contain mild spoilers.

As far as horror novels go, this is probably the cleanest thing you'll find for Christians. There's a tad bit of sexuality, but nothing too explicit.

One of the major questions in the novel is whether Noemí's cousin is seeing ghosts or not, thus the novel dabbles with necromancy. This is probably the main thing I would gripe about from a spiritual perspective.

The final twist is pretty twisted—it involves incest and a ritual—and some might feel a bit squeamish about it. However, the main character is very aware of how wrong it is; it is immediately condemned by the main character and isn't praised or promoted as something good, which is why it didn't bother me from a spiritual perspective (though it is unsettling).

Would I Recommend?

If you don't like horror, this book is definitely not for you. If you're looking for something that jumps off the pages or keeps you up at night, it's also not for you. However, if you just want something eerie and a little mysterious, this may interest you.

The BLM Controversy

Black lives matter, period.

Anyone still arguing about the phrase has larger issues they need to work out. I'm not going to explain the phrase because you've already seen the memes and the comic strips. It's been almost a decade since the phrase became popular, and I'm certain someone has explained it to you since then (in fact I may even have a post from way back that does just that). So we're not wasting time on that today. Today, we're talking about a very different type of controversy.

The reason I created this post is because I have used "#blacklivesmatter" both on the blog and in social media before, and I wanted to acknowledge the controversy surrounding the official organization.

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Clay Banks

What is BlackLivesMatter?

BlackLivesMatter is actually multiple things:

• It's a phrase/slogan/rallying cry
• It's a movement
• It's an organization

When people say "Black Lives Matter," they aren't necessarily claiming allegiance to the organization—they might not even know there is an organization. The ideas and intentions behind the people who agree with the basic statement may vary. When the phrase began it's rise to prominence in our society, there was no organization around it, and that gave people freedom to approach the same underlying belief that black lives are just as valuable as any other human life even if they had different opinions on how and why. Now, it is difficult to separate the idea that black lives matter from the organization Black Lives Matter, which makes usage of the hashtag a little messy.

The Organization "BlackLivesMatter"

The official organization of Black Lives Matter was created by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in 2013. Within the past year, I began to see several people denouncing the organization and others wrestling with what they feel comfortable with. Despite accusations that the black people struggling to accept the organization are "sell-outs," there are two valid concerns many have raised about the organization itself (along with conspiracy theories, but we're going to stick to verifiable information), both of which center around it's beliefs.

When I first became aware of the controversy, denouncers pointed me a page on their website entitled "What We Believe." Since the heavy scrutiny of statements made on this page, it has been removed from the site. I was a able to find an archived copy and have linked it below.[1]

While the beginning of this page spoke about ending police brutality, by the time you reach the end, there was a call to dismantle the nuclear family structure and language perceived to be anti-male. Several things on this page are in direct conflict with Christian principles—

Here I want to insert a bit of opinion/commentary/clarification. One of the prominent features of the "What We Believe" page was the support for the LGBT+ community. This has also come up in discussion about the organization. In my opinion, statements such as "We affirm the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, undocumented folks, folks with records, women, and all Black lives along the gender spectrum."[2] are not in contradiction with Christian beliefs. While I may not agree with how people live their lives I do believe their life is valuable and I do think it is a tragedy that the LGBT+ community experiences death by homicide and suicide at higher rates than any other community (particulary people from the black LGBT+ community). I agree with statements such as "Black Trans Lives Matter," because they do. Within the original "What We Believe" page, there was language that seemed to promote homosexuality that I did not agree with, so I do understand why this comes up in conversation, but in general I do not see an issue with affirming the value of life no matter the belief, sexual orientation, lifestyle, gender, etc. of the person. Black LGBT+ Lives Matter just like Black Muslim Lives Matter and Black Atheist Lives Matter. Black lives matter, period.

—so the question quickly became, is it OK for a Christian to align itself with a organization that promotes ideas it doesn't agree with.

Many point to Amos 3:3 to say "no," but many of us work for or shop at major corporations that stand for things we don't agree with. Is this different? Should we be assessing everything in our lives this way?

The second thing I started to hear about the organization, was that there was a lot of spiritualism. The founders of the movement have said that the reason they invite people to chant the names of the dead is to "invoke spirits."[3] This is likely the origin of hastags like "#SayHerName."

I'm not about that life at all. The Bible condemns necromancy (the act of calling up spirits, invoking the dead, talking to the dead, etc.).[4]

In addition to the way these beliefs clash with Christianity, there are people who accuse the the organization of Marxist intentions. This accusation stems from an interview in which Patrisse Cullors admits the founders are "trained Marxists."[5][6]

Problematic Statements

Below are some of the contraversial statements from the original "What We Believe"[1] page (in case the archived page disappears one day as well). In some I have added emphasis to highlight the part that is questionable.

We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.

As a woman, I have experienced sexism and misogny and applaud the goal of creating spaces free of this, but the part about being free of environments in which men are centered is questionable. Ideally, I want the most qualified person to lead, whether that person is male or female. I think there should be groups that are centered on men and groups centered on women and groups for everyone (for example, I am part of a young adult group that is open to everyone, but there are also women's groups and men's groups; all three have their place).

Part of the disruption of the black community has stemmed from the emasculation of black men and the removal of black men from our society. I feel that this statement goes beyond creating an equal and safe environment for women, which is concerning to me.

We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.

I agree that it takes a village to raise a child, but I also know that it has been proven that there is an advantage to growing up in a two parent home (re: a nuclear family structure). I agree that we should support each other, but I'm not trying to "disrupt" two parent homes—the support should be in addition to not in place of.

Further I find it interesting that the mention "mothers" and "parents" but never mention "fathers." Once again the message written between the lines leaves little space for men in the equation.

We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence. ... We foster a queer‐affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise).

These are the statements made that I believe go a bit further than simply protecting members of the LGBT+ community (which as they have accurately stated are disproptionately affected by violence and need to be protected), into promoting the ideals and working to make it normal.

Final Thoughts

As I've mentioned throughout this post, I do believe that black lives matter, and regardless of gender, religion, sexual orientation, political party, educational status, economic status, etc., there is work that needs to be done to protect our community from systemic racism (particularly with respect to the criminal justice system and police brutality). There are definitely things that the organization believes that I do not agree with. Truthfully, there are alot of companies who have employees, CEOs, and shareholders that hold beliefs contrary to mine. A perfect example is a restaurant near my job that has great food; all of their food is halal because the owners are likely Muslim. No one would say that I'm making a statement about Islam because I eat there.

When it comes to the Black Lives Matter organization, I think the question we should be asking ourselves is about what we are taking part in. If I were to show up to a march or rally hosted by Black Lives Matter and they were chanting to "invoke the spirits," I would most certainly leave. If they were pushing for legislation that I disagreed with, I would not cosign or otherwise support that legistlation. If I suspect they are using donations for purposes I don't agree with, I wouldn't donate. However, if they're organizing something that we agree on, I will show up to support that. If they're pushing to get rid of no-knock warrants, I support that. If they're pushing for police reform, I support that. If they're educating the general public about injustice, I support that. In short, I only support the organization on issues that align with my beliefs.

References

1. "What We Believe". Web Archive; visited October 4, 2020
2. "About". Black Lives Matter; visited October 3, 2020
3. Ryan Foley. "BLM leaders practice 'witchcraft' and summon dead spirits, black activist claims". The Christian Post. September 1, 2020
4. Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12
5. The Real News Network. "A Short History of Black Lives Matter". YouTube. July 22, 2015
6. Tom Kertscher. "Is Black Lives Matter a Marxist movement?". PolitiFact. July 21, 2020

Book Review: The Feast of All Saints

I can't remember whether I saw the movie or read the book first, but The Feast of All Saints by Ann Rice is a book I hold very dear to my heart. The book covers the life of a young man who is a member of the gens de couleur libres (free people of color) in New Orleans during the 1800s. Despite being penned by a white woman who specializes in gothic horror and erotic ficion, the story moved me in a way no other historical fiction novel has.

I read this novel in high school, and given the subject matter, wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger. The story is wonderfully written with a few tastefully done references to sex. (I didn't know the author had a history of writing erotic fiction until well after I read the novel, so fear not, it isn't anythin too racy). The characters are wonderfully fleshed out; there will be times when you despise characters, but every character makes perfect sense and because of that, you will yearn to see where they end up.

This book should be required reading. The author did a wonderful job of researching the history of the gens de color libre and bringing that history to life. I learned so much about complexities of racism and American histrory from this novel, and I wish everyone understood these complexities.

Lessons I Learned

The following section is for those who have already read the book or seen the movie (or don't mind spoilers). Since the bulk of why I love this novel stems from what I learned from it, I feel it is impotant to share that, but I'm not sure I can do that with out spoilers. As such, anything you read from this point on may contain spoilers.

The Love of A Mother

By far, the worst character in the book is Cecile Ste. Marie, the mother of Marcel. The first time I read the book, I despised her character. I thought she was just a horrible person with no redeeming qualities. Truthfully, I still think she's a horrible character with no redeeming qualities; however, as over time, I actually came to undestand her character. Cecile was born and raised in a world where white people were the only ones with rights. By participating in plaçage,[1] Cecile sets her children up to have the best chance she can give them in the world they live. Her "relationship" with a wealthy white man grants her son a promised college education in France (even though this fell through) and her daughter the ability to pass for white. Although this is recognizably problematic in today's society, the truth is, she set both of her kids up for a privileged life. There's a lot about her character that I think was selfish and not particularly motivated by the desire to better the life of her children, but it did remind me that there were women during this time who made similar decisions for their children.

Black Masculinity

Marcel and his best friend Richard are young boys growing into manhood. Marcel is privileged and looking forward to a trip to Paris; Richard is in love and ready to marry. However, when tragedy stikes Marie (Marcel's sister and Richard's fiancee), neither of them have the right to do anything because the perpetrators are white men. Throughout history black men and the black family structure have targeted. Today you will often hear black men say things like "black women won't let men be men," and while we could probably do a whole post on that sentiment, the origin of emasculating black men started in slavery. White men could defend their wives and children, even their property. However, black men were powerless to stop white men from raping their wives, selling their children, beating their family members, etc. The trauma of this dynamic has been passed down and learned throughout our generations.

Colorism

Colorism is another topic that is too large to fit into a single paragraph, but The Feast of All Saints surprisingly taught me a lot about colorism. Colorism actually has many layers. Black people were taught to hate ourselves and developed an unhealthy desire to fit European standards. We bought into the lie that they were the standard of beauty. Within the black community there has been a history of favoring light skined women over dark skinned women. It has only been in recent years that dark skinned women such as Lupita Nyong'o have been showcased as the beautiful women they are. Yet, colorism is a lot deeper that. One of the things I learned from this novel was that proximity to whiteness wasn't just about color

In the novel, Marcel's family lives lavishly because their white father is footing the bill. Though relationships between slaves and masters can only be considered rape, sometimes these white slave owners took a "liking" to their bi-racial children. In real life, the only slaves Thomas Jefferson set free were his own children. In the novel, Marcel's father renegs on his promise to set his slave child free, but does spare both the child and the mother from having to work in the field. Marcel was granted a "gentleman's education" and in real life, many children of white men were able to learn how to read because they were raised in the house with the white man's white children (who wouldn't have understood at young ages that black children were not allowed to read).

Remember how I talked about the fact that Marcel and Richard couldn't do anything to avenge the crime committed against Marie? Marcel's father's brother-in-law (a white man) takes it upon himself to avenge her honor. You see, being lighter was simply the evidence of a white benefactor. The man who avenge's Marie's honor states that the white men who harmed her "should have seen the family resemblance." A white man encountering a light skinned black person didn't know if their white father was "attached" to them or not. A black person with black family had no recourse, but one with a white family could be avenged.

Seeing how proximity to whiteness wasn't just about color explained a mystery of my own life to me. When a new girl came to my school, she was welcomed with open arms into the rich white circle of my classmates and my teachers. I had never experienced that. We were both black, we were about the same color, and we both came from middle class families. The difference is that she was raised by her white mother. Her mannerisms and influences were very white, while mine were still black. When parent teacher conferences happened, teachers interacted with her white mother, whereas both of my parents are black. She had a different proximity to whiteness because there was a white benefactor directly involved in her life, not simply because she was light skinned. This realization added another layer of complexity to the topic of colorism for me.

Generational Wealth

Speaking of privilege, the book also subtly speaks on generational wealth. The fact that these white men could afford to keep two families is one thing, but the ability to pass something on to your children is a huge deal. Despite America not having an offical caste system, being born into wealth increases your likelihood of continuing in wealth. Marcel's father inherits a whole plantation simply because he is related to a man who's son is too young to take over the reigns. The gens de couleur libres have the money to give their children opportunities and education as opposed to sending them into the field. For example, Marcel ultimately becomes a photographer, but the only reason he is able to jump start this career is because he inherits the house a white man built for his mother and uses it for collateral.

The Fate of Women

The main character of the book may be a boy growing into a man, but the book gives a heartfelt commentary on sexism and the hardships women of that time felt. Every single woman in the novel experiences some form of trauma and heartache. Marcel's grandmother kidnaps his mother in desperation because she is barren and lonely. Marcel's mother resigns herself to sharing a man who doesn't really respect her just to live a comfortable life. Marcel's best female friend, Annabella, is forced into plaçage when Marcel can't (or won't) speak up for her. Dolly Rose runs a brothel of sorts to avoid the lies of plaçage but maintain an income. Marie is drugged and gang-raped in her attempt to escape the cycle of plaçage. Each woman in the novel experiences loss and heartache because they are not allowed to be independent. This was my first experience with the concept of intersectionality, though I wouldn't learn the word until much later.

I Highly Recommend

Despite the adult themes, the harsh realities of this book still effect the world we live in today. You could read scholarly articles on the topics I meantioned above, and you probably should, but this story will make the topics come alive. It humanizes the theories and philosphies.

References

1. Plaçage". Wikipedia; visited September 11, 2020

Book Review: Moloka’i

A review of Moloka'i, a novel about Hawaii, leprosy, tragedy and hope by Alan Brennert.

I picked up Moloka'i by Alan Brennert because I love historical fiction, especially when it is about a culture I'm unfamiliar with. I had a few reservations, since Alan Brennert is not a native Hawaiian, but reviews suggested he had done his due diligence so I decided to give it a try. The story follows the life of Rachel Kalama in Hawaii during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The main focal point of Rachel's life is her battle with leprosy and quarantining in a lepers' colony in her childhood years.

What I Disliked

The book itself is very slow, and Rachel isn't a compelling character. In the early chapters I had some attachment to the character—despite knowing that she would end up at the leper colony, the reaction of her family and their subsquent attempts to hide the disease was solidly done. After that, it went downhill. The novel is character driven, but unfortunately I didn't particularly care what happened to Rachel.

Warnings

There are a couple topics touched that could be triggers, such as suicide and domestic violence. Also, since it is a coming of age novel, there are also a few sexual passages. None of these are particularly explicit, but I did want to make it known that it does appear. There is also a transgender character in the story; their struggle with gender is mentioned briefly, but that isn't the primary focus of the character. None of these soured the book for me (but I was also fairly detatched from the story by the time these themes and topics entered the story).

What I Liked

I like to end on a positive note, so let's discuss what I did like about the novel. For starters, I actually listened on audio book and the woman reading the novel did a phenomenal job. The novel contained a lot of historical information which would have made for a great documentary. As I mentioned, I love reading about different cultures. The smattering of Hawaiian words keep you rooted in Hawaii, which I enjoyed.

Would I Recommend?

A lot of people seem to love this book, so I clearly have an unpopular opinion in not enjoying it. I would not suggest it to someone, but if you were already thinking about it and love character driven stories, you may enjoy it.

Origin

Photocredit: Unplash.com/Jeremy Bishop

Brown—
The color of soil
Ripe for planting seeds
That grow bountiful plants—
Beautiful blooms and healthy harvests...
Hands,
Work steadily in the sun,
Brown from the golden rays,
They feast on scintillating crops
Seasoned for the soul and perfectly prepared...
Lifted
My spirit each evening—
Sitting around the dinner table,
Antique wood—brown and rich
With memories spanning lifetimes of generation,
Familiar folk tales and memories made...
Me
In the middle
Of wise old women
Shaped and sharpened by time—
The brown bags of betrayal beneath their eyes...
High—
We aim, above and
Beyond our wildest dreams
Covered by this brown that births
Life, gifted by God for glory and greatness.