my southern Christian heritage

AgapeBible said:

I was watching the Waltons and they had a German Jewish family with a little boy of the age of having his Bar Mitzpah. Grandpa Walton went to visit the family and said no matter what your race or religion, you must be proud of your heritage. Maybe pride is a bad thing, perhaps I should not listen to Grandpa Walton, but it reminded me of my own Southern Baptist heritage. I confess sometimes I am ashamed of being Southern and white. I feel like my family has a history of racism. I understand that slavery has been practiced by nearly every culture and race in the world, there is slavery in the Bible, there is bond-servitude, or bond servants, there was the feudal system practiced in medieval England and Europe. The industrial revolution used women and children to work in the factories under inhumane conditions, in third world countries children and girls still work in horrible conditions in factories with the products sold in the USA.

Jesus told us that we must deny our father and mother, deny our brothers, sisters and children, our family, and take up our cross and follow him. The slave owners of the old south used to Bible to defend their brutal business of slave farming. The abolitionists of the north used the Bible to defend there cause of freedom for slaves. If they were truthful, they would practice what Jesus said that whoever wants to be first must be the last, the last would be first. The one who humbles himself like a servant would receive the reward in heaven. Whoever wants to rule them all must be the slave of them all. The riches of gentleman southern plantation owners, the riches, luxuries and things of this world were too tempting for them to be honest Bible believing born again Christians.

Black people of African descent have it hard ever since they were kidnapped from there homes and forced to do back-breaking labor in southern fields. They have trouble finding jobs, they are angry against people who discriminate against them. I must confess I have a bit of racism in me, I am trying to get rid of it and let Jesus Christ change me and teach me to love people who are different. I don't want to be hateful. I want to be filled with God's love. Love, forgiveness, saves us from hatred.

I realize I cannot hate my Southern heritage, that would be to hate myself, and we must love our neighbor as we love ourself. Manners, patience, gardening, kindness, these are southern things.

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AgapeBible said:

I was watching the Waltons and they had a German Jewish family with a little boy of the age of having his Bar Mitzpah. Grandpa Walton went to visit the family and said no matter what your race or religion, you must be proud of your heritage. Maybe pride is a bad thing, perhaps I should not listen to Grandpa Walton, but it reminded me of my own Southern Baptist heritage. I confess sometimes I am ashamed of being Southern and white. I feel like my family has a history of racism. I understand that slavery has been practiced by nearly every culture and race in the world, there is slavery in the Bible, there is bond-servitude, or bond servants, there was the feudal system practiced in medieval England and Europe. The industrial revolution used women and children to work in the factories under inhumane conditions, in third world countries children and girls still work in horrible conditions in factories with the products sold in the USA.

Jesus told us that we must deny our father and mother, deny our brothers, sisters and children, our family, and take up our cross and follow him. The slave owners of the old south used to Bible to defend their brutal business of slave farming. The abolitionists of the north used the Bible to defend there cause of freedom for slaves. If they were truthful, they would practice what Jesus said that whoever wants to be first must be the last, the last would be first. The one who humbles himself like a servant would receive the reward in heaven. Whoever wants to rule them all must be the slave of them all. The riches of gentleman southern plantation owners, the riches, luxuries and things of this world were too tempting for them to be honest Bible believing born again Christians.

Black people of African descent have it hard ever since they were kidnapped from there homes and forced to do back-breaking labor in southern fields. They have trouble finding jobs, they are angry against people who discriminate against them. I must confess I have a bit of racism in me, I am trying to get rid of it and let Jesus Christ change me and teach me to love people who are different. I don't want to be hateful. I want to be filled with God's love. Love, forgiveness, saves us from hatred.

I realize I cannot hate my Southern heritage, that would be to hate myself, and we must love our neighbor as we love ourself. Manners, patience, gardening, kindness, these are southern things.

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AgapeBible said:

Yes there is southern hospitality especially when we are trying to snag tourists and snow birds, Florida makes a lot of profit from winter visitors, snowbirds, tourism is a big part of our economy. Other places in the south are popular with tourists, Georgia, Tennessee, the states with the Great Smoky mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains, or the mountains called Appalachian are very beautiful and popular. The Appalachians are beautiful with gorgeous scenery, so green and fertile. I have seen some lovely trees and wild flowers in those hills/mountains.

There are also beaches and swamps, wetlands for tourists to go through. There are cities with magnificent buildings, mansions to tour, shopping and restaurants.

Do you know about Cracker Barrel, the chain of southern/country restaurants? It's my family's favorite restaurant. Mom and I like the store they have with all kinds of cute stuff.

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