Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

I would like to address the stupidity of some who have nothing better to do but squabble about petty sentiments.  First of all, I don’t see the term “Christmas” anywhere in the Bible because it is a term coined by man who saw a way of making a profit and flexing their religious piety and as it includes the coming year it is indeed holidays; not only that but one of definition of the word “holiday” is “holy day”.  I don’t see anywhere in the New Testament that they celebrated the birth of Christ any more than they celebrated His death and resurrection.  They celebrated His life and the purpose of it, the power of it. Petty sentiments as ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays’ does not sway our Creator, only petty people.  Displaying the nativity scene or the Ten Commandments does not change the fact that the energy used by these zealots, has no bearing on easing the sufferings of our fellow human beings.

In truth, if one was to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, one would open the doors of their heart and homes to those who have nothing.  JESUS was born to save us; He was a sacrifice for us, yet we are not willing to sacrifice except for our family and loved ones.  We do not sacrifice for His cause which is to take care of the weak and despised of our society, those who are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.  To paraphrase, “Give me your tired and your poor, your humbled masses yearning to be free.”

He IS the reason for the season yet we fail to live as He showed us.  Going to church and singing songs is not enough to celebrate CHRIST.  If it was truly about Him, why do we buy gifts to give to those within our little circles?  If it was truly about Him, why do we have one month alone to share and spread the love, joy and peace?  If it was truly about Him, would we not live the love, joy and peace all of the year?  If it was truly about Him, why don’t we hear of the homeless being housed; those without parents being taken in and adopted?  If it was about Him, why don’t we hear a cry so loud, in unison, to do away with the injustices?  If it was about Him, why isn’t the love He has shown us not permeating at home and abroad as well?  In all honesty, when it comes to the forgotten and ignored of our society, “What Would Jesus Do?”

We are a very ignorant society.  We force our children to sit on the lap of a stranger dressed up as Santa Claus, without knowing who the person is or what Claus stands for.  In truth, ‘santa’ is another word for ‘saint’.  The story is that this person went to the homes of the poor, delivering not only much needed fuel and food but also toys for the children as well.  There is a Christmas carol entitled “Good King Wenceslaus”, about a king who went out into the deep freeze of night to deliver fuel and food to the poor of his kingdom.  These actions exemplify what the celebration is about, not the celebration of Christ’s birth but the celebration of His life.  We look to His birth and the power of it in its simplicity.  We look to His death, knowing He took our place and the power of the sacrifice.  We must celebrate His life, not just on one given day but all year round.  “But whoever has this world’s good and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how can the love of GOD be in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or in talk but in action and in truth, {1 John 3: 17-18}”.

  
Sandra M. Corder
12/19/05

           

Black Folks – Our Story,Do We Know?

Do we know who we are?  Do we really know our story?  Many of us are narrow-minded or ignorant to whom we are as a race.  Many of us are narrow-minded or ignorant to the truth of whom and how many has fought by our side.  Many of us just don’t care and would rather live in a small narrow-minded or ignorant world.

Here’s some truth for you to digest:  Not all Caucasian (white) folks are racists or our enemy! Before White men landed on the African shores, many of our ancestors were already slaves.  If tribe A battled tribe B, the losing tribe was enslaved by the victor.  Half the slaves coming over where traded from African master to American master, slavery is still slavery, no matter the color of the master.  During the battle for freedom and justice, let’s not forget people like John Brown, a White abolitionist, who died trying to stop slavery.  Remember that Sojourner couldn’t have operated the Underground Railroad with success if not for the White folks who helped her, because Black folks did not own homes back then.  You have to know the truth before you can live; you have to know the truth so that the shackles of confusion and hatred can be released. 

What is the meaning of Black History? Is it of African savages naked and wild and Tarzan saving the natural inhabitants from themselves; or is it of the days of the Southern rule on slavery, when mothers killed their child(ren) to save it; or when the saying was “the best niggrah was a dead niggrah”?  Or is our history of strong hopes, ambitions and dreams; of bloodshed, tears and rapes; of deaths of young Black men, dangling like rag dolls from tree limbs, castrated from the fears of ignorant men? To whom do we owe our circumcised freedom?  We owe it to those who fought for this, both Black and White.  We owe it to those who weren’t able to sit anywhere, eat anywhere or own anything. For whom shall we struggle, for whom shall we enrich our minds, strength and soul in our history?  Our virgin history that was plundered, stolen and borrowed until it is ours no longer.  We shall struggle for ourselves, for our children and theirs, to search and find our super heroes, Black people who lived strong in their beliefs and died fearless for their belief; so too shall we grow strong in our race and ourselves.  In learning our story, we shall be afraid no longer.  No longer shall we belittle each other, for if we cannot progress as a race, we shall cease to exist, until we are no more.

The truth is that we need to know who we are in our Creator’s eyes first and then deal with our issues as a race.  If we know who we are in GOD’s eyesight, then His spiritual truth will set us free to learn and accept the truth of our racial story.  Not all Caucasians are against us and not everyone of our race is working on our behalf.  Know the truth to free yourselves from the spiritual, mental and racial prisons.  Because if all men are created equal, why are we trying so hard to keep up?  

Sandra M. Corder

8/1/05

         

 

 

 

Black Folks – Racism

There are two sets of truths that exist, spiritual and physical and although I try to live by the spiritual, living on this earth sometimes make it quite difficult.  Before I go into my perspective, I will start with two spiritual truths; they are “GOD is no respecter of persons” {Acts 10:34} and “from ONE blood GOD created EVERY nation of men” {Acts 17:26}.

Racism is evil in itself and all who practice it, even Christians, are stiff-necked, hard-hearted people.  Beyond that, it never fails to amaze me that Black folks would have the audacity to practice this evil not only against others but each other. Somewhere along the way, Black folks assumed that they had that kind of power, NOT.  I am so tired of hearing about ‘foreigners’ first because my parents are foreigners as am I and second we are all of one race, human.   I am tired of hearing Black folks whine and complain about those foreigners.  They do the jobs Black folks are too good to do anymore, so what’s the problem? Black folks complain about how many of them live in an apartment or a house but they are working together to better themselves, what are we doing for each other?

In retrospect, the signing of the Civil Rights Bill did more harm than good because we lost our souls; we lost ourselves.  I say that because the racism practiced against us still exists but we are no longer united.  Before the signing of the C.R. Bill, we were there for each other, for comfort, for strength.  Although we’re now allowed to sit anywhere on the bus many still resort to the back.  Those of our race who ‘have made it’ have forgotten those of who haven’t.  Usually it’s the light skinned, long hair females such as Beyonce, who is thrust upon us as the measure of beauty.  Black children and adults who have the nerve to strive for something better are labeled as trying to be white.  What is wrong with us? 

For the talking some Black folks do, they don’t or can’t seem to back it up by taking action.  What happened after the Million Man March?  I don’t see Black men stepping up to the plate.  What about the Million Woman March?  Black women are still treating each other with disrespect and distrust. The things Black folks had to contend with before the signing of the bill, still exists.  Racism hasn’t been erased; those who practice it just can’t do it as openly as before.  The problem also lies in the fact that people like Clarence Thomas and others of the Black race practice racism against their own race [known as reverse racism].  It’s all about image and what they got and what they can achieve for themselves and their peers.  If they were about us, they would have fought harder for equality and justice.

The owner of a dog will do what is necessary to keep it quiet.  Within the global community, the U.S. was the owner; Black folks were the dogs.  The neighbors were watching to see what was going to happen, so to quiet us they gave us a bone.  Once we got that bone, we settled down with a whimper.  We have no power because we are divided. I will close with two adages that says, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem” and “Silence is golden”.

 

Sandra M. Corder

7/10/05