Creflo Dollar Adpots White Baby...and thoughts on Black Familes Adopting White Kids

Gxg (G²)

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Because being able to intelligently engage with culture is often helpful in our administration of the good news of the kingdom.

Blessings,
Ben

Thank you for noting such, sir...

And on the issue, to be clear, I think that many times we fail to understand that the issue of racisim is not something that has EVER gone away.....though it has more than gone UNDERCOVER in many respects---and for those experiencing such, like the many black families who've gotten alot of grief from others offended they'd raise white babies, it's something we cannot act as if it's not an issue.

And to be clear, even for the Lord Jesus, racism was not an issue that He could afford to be "undercover" and act as if it was no issue.

Luke 10
The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[
c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]“
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”


29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Has anyone here ever considered why it was so significant for Jesus to speak in PARABLES REGARDING THE USAGE OF SAMARATINS? Or why the lawyer in the story couldn't even say "Samaratin" when ASKED who in the story did good? Race wasn't a new issue....and if we were to be honest for a moment, regarding the RACE issue, I think that we are often moreso like that Lawyer and the others in that parable than we’d want to believe. We treat the TOPIC as an topic for discussion like the Lawyer did with the wounded man, or we act like the priest and treat the man as a topic to avoid or an object of curiousity and go about our buisness for the “Lord” like the Levite……rarely acting like the Samaratin and acting out of love

…..because it’s much more easier to talk about the Lord within the realm of our OWN CULTURES than outside of it…

Regarding treating all people the same, something I've always found intriguing is the fact that Jesus always used parables with Samaratans to illustrate MANY POWERFUL points....and rightly so.



For example, there was a deep hatred that existed between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Jews saw themselves as pure descendents of Abraham, while the Samaratans were a mixed race produced when THE Jews from the northern kingdom intermarried with other peoples imported from other nations by the King of Assyria after the exile in order to keep peace (II Kings 17:24)

Moving on, the Jews in the southern kingdom considered Samaratins to be “IMPURE”RACIALLY/refused to recieve help from, even during the rebuilding/return from EXILE.

Thus the pure Jews hated this mixed race because they felt that their fellow Jews who had intermarried had betrayed their people/nation…….and the Samaratins had set up an alternate center for worship on Mount Gerizim to parallel the temple at Jerusalem, but it had been destroyed 150 YEARS earlier.

… For more info, go check out II Kings 17/2 Kings 17, Ezra 4 , Nehemiah 2 , Nehemiah 4.)……

Starting to see some parallels toward today, where one race was forced to do something to the other race’s detriment and how it embittered them for life???



BUT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, even into Jesus’s Day (and hence, the reason WHY JESUS CHOSE TO HAVE A SAMARATIN BE THE HERO of HIS STORY, as he would’ve been the person least suspected by a Jew to be worthy/capable of anything good)…..and moreover, the reason why JESUS HIMSELF WAS INTENTIONAL ABOUT MINISTERING TO SAMARATANS.
John 4
Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11″Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”
13Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
17″I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
19″Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”
The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29″Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
<B>
31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, &#8220;Rabbi, eat something.&#8221;
32But he said to them, &#8220;I have food to eat that you know nothing about.&#8221;
33Then his disciples said to each other, &#8220;Could someone have brought him food?&#8221;
34&#8243;My food,&#8221; said Jesus, &#8220;is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, &#8216;Four months more and then the harvest&#8217;? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying &#8216;One sows and another reaps&#8217; is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.&#8221;
Many Samaritans Believe
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman&#8217;s testimony, &#8220;He told me everything I ever did.&#8221; 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.
42They said to the woman, &#8220;We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.&#8221;
</B>
To give some context, to go from the territory of Judea to Galiee meant passing through a central territory called Samaria. Most Jews did EVERYTHING they could to avoid traveling down through Samaria&#8230;and the reason was their HISTORY.

This is the same thing seen today in principle&#8212;where people refuse to actually do things that&#8217;d be EASY/BENEFICIAL and choose to take the harder way *(though in their minds, because there are racial issues that one doesn&#8217;t wish to deal with because of the humility/willingness to work it&#8217;d require), they&#8217;re cool with it&#8230;.and actually come to see their actions as QUITE PROPER


As many churches say, &#8220;Well, it&#8217;s best to keep things seperate between our churches&#8230;..they have their culture and we have ours&#8230;&#8230;.and we&#8217;re all serving Christ!!!!&#8230;&#8230;.yet the SEPERATION/DISUNITY CONTINUES TO FESTER and we&#8217;re so used to it that we no longer see it as an issue&#8230;..


Jesus, however, DID NOT LIVE BY SUCH RESTRICTIONS&#8230;THE ROUTE THROUGH SAMARIA WAS SHORTER, and that was the ROUTE HE TOOK&#8230;.why take a harder route for the sake of RACE when it&#8217;d be more sensible to take the one where you&#8217;re actually forced to deal with it but it&#8217;s more beneficial in the long run?


When He talked with the woman at the well, many people forget that the woman was known to be living in sin&#8230;.and was a Samaratan. NO RESPECTABLE JEWISH MAN would talk to a woman under such circumstances&#8230;&#8230;.


But JESUS DID&#8230;&#8230;..FOR THE GOSPEL IS FOR EVERY PERSON, NO MATTER WHAT HIS OR HER RACE IS, or social position, or past sins&#8230;&#8230;..JESUS CROSSED ALL BARRIERS TO SHARE THE GOSPEL AND WE WHO FOLLOW HIM MUST DO NO LESS. Sticking with our own sub-culture cannot be tolerated&#8230;.
 
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Gxg (G²)

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Because being able to intelligently engage with culture is often helpful in our administration of the good news of the kingdom.

Blessings,
Ben

Agreed..

Don&#8217;t know how much it&#8217;s worth, but after being raised in a church---known as Liberty Church of Marietta, under Pastor John Ficthner---- that literally had to FIGHT FOR BEING MULTI-CULTURAL (and this from a WHITE PASTOR whose congregation was predominately white and HALF LEFT when he started preaching about PRACTICING RACIAL RECONCILLIATION rather than merely THEORIZING/PREACHING ABOUT IT&#8230;..and which truly blessed my mother and I since we had never seen a church truly like that to that degree), it's something that has always been dear to my heart.....and to be honest, annoying when it seems people act as if it's not an issue...............despite the fact that for the couple living in the South and going into a "Waffle House" store and being sneered at for having children of a different race, America is anything but "Color Blind" and over it.

Here are some resources that may bless someone out there on the issue of dealing with racial issues in our day--on the series my mother and I first heard from our pastor called "Racial Reconcilliation":





Also,


As said best by them..in Race and Pastors' and Theologians' Forum on Race
In the Book of Acts, we see the first Christian churches coming to terms with this very issue even though ethnic and theological issues were intertwined in that context.

There were Greek-speaking widows who felt that they were being treated as outsiders and not being given a fair shake. This is what minorities often feel and oftentimes with good reason. The widows&#8217; concerns were immediately addressed (Acts 6:1-3). And what we also see is how the gospel itself enabled the early Church to overcome its potential for racism. In obedience to Christ (Acts 1:9), it took the gospel to&#8212;of all people!&#8212;the Samaritans who were religiously deviant and with whom Jews had had uneasy, strained relations for a thousand years. And Peter was also to learn personally how hard it is to go beyond one&#8217;s own group (Acts 10:9-48).

In this regard, wouldn&#8217;t it be a wonderful day if we no longer had all White, or all Black, or all Hispanic churches? These churches come about, I know, because of where people live. And yet we do need to be able to find ways of modeling the gospel together, do we not? After all, we come to Christ as sinners, not as Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics; and if our union with him does not obliterate our uneasiness with each other, then we discredit the Church, the gospel and, worst of all, Christ himself. That is what is at stake.
If we really care about people we will take 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 seriously. First, that God has made reconciliation with Himself possible through His Son Jesus Christ, and as verse 20 says, "..he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
 
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Gxg (G²)

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In a society where racism doesn't exist, your comment would hold water. However it exists (whether people want to admit it or not) and a couple adopting a baby of another race IS a huge deal because it is one step closer to helping cure the race problem in this country and the world over.

Thank you for noting this, sir..


And on the issue, concerning why it's an issue, it doesn't seem to be the case that many whites are cool with blacks adopting/helping their camp---as it gives the impression that what's underlying in thought is "I'm here to help you.....but never do I wish it to be known that you can help me--and have."

Even with the President---agree with him or not---it's interesting to see how many whites have made it out that Obama (as a Bi-Racial) would not have made it without their resources/knowledge..as if blacks did only contributed a little to his strengths/abilties....almost as if when he came to power, there was a "Paternalism" complex coming into place.


Brought it up recently---but have you ever heard of the movie The Blind Side ?


The-Blind-Side-2009-Cd-Cover-15718.jpg

Going back to a film "The Blindside", it concerns a young black male who is without a family and gets picked up on the side of the road by an upper-class white family...taking him in/giving him an education and helping him out to become a professional football player. Seeing how the mother's background is a bit racist on her side of town, its remarkable to see how she went all out to make certain the man knew he was family....

More factors besides that...but that's the "Sparknotes" version. The entire story is actually a true story....and I loved it alot. But as a Black Hispanic, at times, one couldn't help but feel like it was another Hollywood film that seemed to not show the examples of where blacks and other minorities have done the same.

And most of the examples I've seen in the media of blacks rescuing whites have never seemed to be good---most of which are comedies......lilke "Me, Myself and Irene" with Jim Carey or another with Steve Martin where he didn't realize he was in a black family.

The only one I know of is called "The Secret Life of Bees" with Queen Latifah.....

It does seem that the movie "The Blindside" does indeed bring out questions such as "Wouldn't it be refreshing to see a black family take in a downtrodden white boy?" or "What role do whites play in the progress of blacks...and to what extent is it appropiate?"....as many have indeed saved been a blessing to countless blacks adopted/given a chance...


It is indeed a trip to see the issue in action....especially as it relates to images seen in the media of how it always seems to be the whites rescuing the blacks from certain death. Again, "The Blind Side" I thought was an EXCELLENT film---As it greatly got the point across that what's happening within the Black Community is not something that others can say is just "Our problem"--and growing up fatherless myself but later going to a multi-cultural church, I could definately relate since I've had white friends/father figures who've adopted me and helped to raise me.............and we're all in this together. For more info, wrote about it on my blog in the article known as "Fatherless: Who’s Your Daddy (or more specifically, whose responibility is it to be your daddy?!!)" ( )---and also over at one of my dear brothers in the Lord's site...as seen in "The Black Woman: Backbone of the African American Family?" ( )... See More

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but think of how it would be if a film came out showing a privelaged black family rescuing a white baby---or a black family in the working poor/middle class rescuing a white baby that was going to be aborted by a middle/upper class white family (as they deal with abortions as well and can often cover it up). Most likely, people would then have a bit of a double-standard...

My girlfriend actually brought up the issue as to how she was a bit bothered with how it seems the media often portrays blacks as needing the help of whites all the time as if we're helpless....but the moment we try to help in reverse, many may get bothered...or even MAD..almost as if there's a hidden social order that must be kept. W.E.B. Dubious called it the double Consciousness which is seeing ourselves through the eyes of others whether good or bad. And in so doing we conform or transform to meet that criterion.... See More

Going through African-American Literature class years ago, I remember reading a novel by W.E.B Debois called "The Souls of Black Folks" that addressed the reality of how there are 2 Americans and that Blacks are caught in between living in 2 worlds.....while also living life within their world & knowing that what mattered was doing their own thang. That's one of the reasons why I SO loved the New Negro Movement ( )/Harlem Renaissance ( )--as they actively sought to challenge white paternalism/ stereotypes and rejected imitating the styles of Europeans and white Americans, rather instead celebrating black dignity and creativity as they sought to assert their freedom to express themselves on their own terms......and did not go easily with the mindset that they needed white help to be successful----counter to what's often seen in many portrayals today. For some excellent books on the issue:






Apart from that, there's also the issue of Black babies being adopted more so by others ABROAD in other countries than do white babies here in the States---as seen in "Born in America, adopted abroad" ( http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1027/p11s01-lifp.html ) and "Why Are American Babies Being Adopted Abroad?" ( Why Are American Babies Being Adopted Abroad? - Adoption, Real People Stories : People.com )

Additionally, there's also the issue of how it's odd that it cost more to adopt white children than it does black children...for as said best by another, "when a couple seeking to adopt a white baby is charged $35,000 and a couple seeking a black baby is charged $4,000, the image that comes to the Rev. Ken Hutcherson's mind is of a practice that was outlawed in America nearly 150 years ago — the buying and selling of human beings" ( Why it Costs More to Adopt a White Baby - ABC News )

There's also the reality of WHITE parents adopting Black Babies ..as seen in "Behavior: White Parents, Black Children: Transracial Adoption" ( Behavior: White Parents, Black Children: Transracial Adoption - TIME ) and how many blacks feel it's not right since white parents cannot teach about their black roots...and would be doing so from a white majority perspective rather than from a minority perspective. Though the same goes back to Black parents raising white kids since they'd grow up with the minoritty perspective---never mind that they'd have access to what's in the majority.

Some thoughts....as there are many things that NEED to be dealt with...and something that we as believers need to get dealt with head-on...
 
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Gxg (G²)

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In a society where racism doesn't exist, your comment would hold water. However it exists (whether people want to admit it or not) and a couple adopting a baby of another race IS a huge deal because it is one step closer to helping cure the race problem in this country and the world over.

Thank you for noting this, sir..


And on the issue, concerning why it's an issue, it doesn't seem to be the case that many whites are cool with blacks adopting/helping their camp---as it gives the impression that what's underlying in thought is "I'm here to help you.....but never do I wish it to be known that you can help me--and have."

Even with the President---agree with him or not---it's interesting to see how many whites have made it out that Obama (as a Bi-Racial) would not have made it without their resources/knowledge..as if blacks did only contributed a little to his strengths/abilties....almost as if when he came to power, there was a "Paternalism" complex coming into place.


Brought it up recently---but have you ever heard of the movie The Blind Side ?


The-Blind-Side-2009-Cd-Cover-15718.jpg

Going back to a film "The Blindside", it concerns a young black male who is without a family and gets picked up on the side of the road by an upper-class white family...taking him in/giving him an education and helping him out to become a professional football player. Seeing how the mother's background is a bit racist on her side of town, its remarkable to see how she went all out to make certain the man knew he was family....

More factors besides that...but that's the "Sparknotes" version. The entire story is actually a true story....and I loved it alot. But as a Black Hispanic, at times, one couldn't help but feel like it was another Hollywood film that seemed to not show the examples of where blacks and other minorities have done the same.

And most of the examples I've seen in the media of blacks rescuing whites have never seemed to be good---most of which are comedies......lilke "Me, Myself and Irene" with Jim Carey or another with Steve Martin where he didn't realize he was in a black family.

The only one I know of is called "The Secret Life of Bees" with Queen Latifah.....

It does seem that the movie "The Blindside" does indeed bring out questions such as "Wouldn't it be refreshing to see a black family take in a downtrodden white boy?" or "What role do whites play in the progress of blacks...and to what extent is it appropiate?"....as many have indeed saved been a blessing to countless blacks adopted/given a chance...


It is indeed a trip to see the issue in action....especially as it relates to images seen in the media of how it always seems to be the whites rescuing the blacks from certain death. Again, "The Blind Side" I thought was an EXCELLENT film---As it greatly got the point across that what's happening within the Black Community is not something that others can say is just "Our problem"--and growing up fatherless myself but later going to a multi-cultural church, I could definately relate since I've had white friends/father figures who've adopted me and helped to raise me.............and we're all in this together. For more info, wrote about it on my blog in the article known as "Fatherless: Who&#8217;s Your Daddy (or more specifically, whose responibility is it to be your daddy?!!)" ( )---and also over at one of my dear brothers in the Lord's site...as seen in "The Black Woman: Backbone of the African American Family?" ( )... See More

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but think of how it would be if a film came out showing a privelaged black family rescuing a white baby---or a black family in the working poor/middle class rescuing a white baby that was going to be aborted by a middle/upper class white family (as they deal with abortions as well and can often cover it up). Most likely, people would then have a bit of a double-standard...

My girlfriend actually brought up the issue as to how she was a bit bothered with how it seems the media often portrays blacks as needing the help of whites all the time as if we're helpless....but the moment we try to help in reverse, many may get bothered...or even MAD..almost as if there's a hidden social order that must be kept. W.E.B. Dubious called it the double Consciousness which is seeing ourselves through the eyes of others whether good or bad. And in so doing we conform or transform to meet that criterion.... See More

Going through African-American Literature class years ago, I remember reading a novel by W.E.B Debois called "The Souls of Black Folks" that addressed the reality of how there are 2 Americans and that Blacks are caught in between living in 2 worlds.....while also living life within their world & knowing that what mattered was doing their own thang. That's one of the reasons why I SO loved the New Negro Movement ( )/Harlem Renaissance ( )--as they actively sought to challenge white paternalism/ stereotypes and rejected imitating the styles of Europeans and white Americans, rather instead celebrating black dignity and creativity as they sought to assert their freedom to express themselves on their own terms......and did not go easily with the mindset that they needed white help to be successful----counter to what's often seen in many portrayals today. For some excellent books on the issue:





Apart from that, there's also the issue of Black babies being adopted more so by others ABROAD in other countries than do white babies here in the States---as seen in "Born in America, adopted abroad" ( http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1027/p11s01-lifp.html ) and "Why Are American Babies Being Adopted Abroad?" ( Why Are American Babies Being Adopted Abroad? - Adoption, Real People Stories : People.com )

Additionally, there's also the issue of how it's odd that it cost more to adopt white children than it does black children...for as said best by another, "when a couple seeking to adopt a white baby is charged $35,000 and a couple seeking a black baby is charged $4,000, the image that comes to the Rev. Ken Hutcherson's mind is of a practice that was outlawed in America nearly 150 years ago &#8212; the buying and selling of human beings" ( Why it Costs More to Adopt a White Baby - ABC News )

There's also the reality of WHITE parents adopting Black Babies ..as seen in "Behavior: White Parents, Black Children: Transracial Adoption" ( Behavior: White Parents, Black Children: Transracial Adoption - TIME ) and how many blacks feel it's not right since white parents cannot teach about their black roots...and would be doing so from a white majority perspective rather than from a minority perspective. Though the same goes back to Black parents raising white kids since they'd grow up with the minoritty perspective---never mind that they'd have access to what's in the majority.


And on many things Blacks go through, there are simply some things many do not really know.. concernning how racism never died as much as it went undercover (as is often discussed in issues ranging from Affirmative Action to Racial Profiling in the Workplace, Police Brutality and many other issues). Perhaps its more seen in the South......and for those in Texas/California with the issue of Hispanic problems, a different world altogether. But something we need to face head on.







CNH2007112246769_PV.jpg



profiling.jpg


dialloracialprofilingkirk.jpg


Again----it's amazing seeing how many people ignore what the Bible has to say on the issues of RACE, especially on the realities of how the majority are to treat those who're minorities within a group----whether here in the states, or for those in the minority in other countries (seeing that this isn't just a "white man" thing but a general principle)---35 Bible Passages on Race, as seen here-= )

And on the issue, it's really a trip to see how much the Lord can come in/redeem situations. An example of racial cooperation in action can be found in the story of Ruth, which is the story of the compassion and redemption of the gentile woman, Ruth. Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, fell into the unfortunate circumstances of losing both her husband and her two sons, one of whom was Ruth's husband. With nobody to provide for her and Naomi being "too old" to be remarried, she chose to go to Israel, where the laws and traditions required the Israelites to take care of widows, even if they were strangers. One of Naomi's daughter-in-laws chose to stay in the land in order to find another husband. But Ruth chose to go with her mother-in-law, even though this meant that she would probably never be married. However, Ruth was "redeemed" by Boaz, who married her despite the fact that she was a gentile. Boaz is a preview of the unconditional love of Christ:
Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" And Boaz answered and said to her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. (Ruth 2:10-11)

The line of Ruth and Boaz led directly to King David, and, of course, eventually to the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.



Just some thoughts
 
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Hey Easy,

I just preached 6 messages on the need for being a church for the nations. There are still many, many segregated churches in London every Sunday!!!
I lead a church with 8 different nationalities and 10 different languages, a Jamacian lady married to an Englishman who have just adopted a Chinese baby and my wife and I are in discussion about adopting an Indian child.


Meant to say that I think it's awesome to see how you and your church are passionate for being multi-cultural and crossing the color line. My best friends have always been white consistently----and my older brother/sister in the Lord are Bi-Racial couple..with him being white and the wife being black (from the Deep South in Georgia, I might add). Racial Boundaries are something we have to always be aware of...and something we cannot afford to be light on (IMHO). And the Youth Group I go to/work with--known as 5979 Youth Ministries--is very much focused on the issue.

I was curious as to what were your thoughts in regards to the ways in which Christ was portrayed in various WOF Circles.....and whether or not you yourself have encountered this scenario in the churches you've been able to experience. Perhaps it hasn't been brought up on your side of the street before...but I remember having many conversations concerning how the way in which Jesus was depicted in many circles even when others like WOF Teaching seemed to be something that actually caused many to leave it....for it always seemed to be the case that people could agree that Christ was our Prosperity and that "Death and Life was in the Power of Our Tongues"--and yet for many, there could never be agreement that Christ was not one simply one who was skinny (unlike carpenters were), blonde and with "blue eyes"...and it was amazing seeing the firestorms that came of it when one began dialouging on the matter in differing circles. It's something that actually attracted my mom and I to the church we're now at when the Pastor--who's very much for WOF in a myriad of ways---was teaching a series on Racial Reconcilliation between differing ethnicities and how presentation makes a difference in the growth of any movement for the Lord.

Regardless of the color/shades, The Gospel Message’s still the same.
IMO, what makes the difference isn’t so much skin tone as it is conveying an accurate depiction of HIS CHARACTER/TEACHINGS.

When my mom and I attended our church we're at now (i.e. Liberty Church Of Marietta, Ga), there was what we called "THe Great White Flight" in which half the church left due to how the Pastor was preaching on the issue of racial reconcilliation...and dared to say that Jesus, when one studies those who're Jewish, was similar to how many Black people look. And that it was something that needed to be presented whenever discussions on the person of Christ occured if there was to be outreach to those in Urban communities and from Minority Backgrounds.

That was something that greatly shocked me....for even in growing up, I always considered Jesus to be of white-looking complexion due to how often I saw him portrayed in the dominant culture..even churches. Even if it came to knowing Jesus was Jewish, as one being Black Hispanic----it was often the case I even felt as if God couldn't relate to me due to how it seemed that Jesus was always seen one way........and that blacks were not apart of Jewish culture. Though I was amazed when doing the research..




Falasha_Exile_Of_The_Black_.jpg


Though for the Faith Movement, I'm also involved in other camps.....and one of them is Messianic Judaism. I've been really enjoying the Messianic Jewish Fellowship that I've been attending for sometime now. However, one of the things that has always intrigued me is feeling at times as if those within Messianic Judaism have been portrayed one paticular way. I must admit that it's highly intriguing when one does the research how often those who're either Jewish or Messianic Jewish are portrayed as "caucasian" the majority of the time in many churches....and those who're Black are considered "Black Jews" rather than simply Messianic Jewish since anyone honestly researching will see that the stereotype of Jews predominately being "caucasian" in the Original Culture is off. And the same goes for other cultures, whether Hispanic or Asian and various other groups.​



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However, I was further surprised when doing research and coming across this ministry called Be’chol Lashon (In Every Tongue)--which is a research and community- building initiative created by the Institute for Jewish & Community Research to support a Jewish people that is more racially, ethnically, and culturally inclusive, both in the United States and around the world.

I must admit that it's highly intriguing when one does the research how often those who're either Jewish or Messianic Jewish are portrayed as "caucasian" the majority of the time in many churches....and those who're Black are considered "Black Jews" rather than simply Messianic Jewish since anyone honestly researching will see that the stereotype of Jews predominately being "caucasian" in the Original Culture is off.

For more information on those who're Black Jews and how culture intertwins, Wikipedia had a fairly excellent review on the issue of Jews and Judaism in the African diaspora ( )---as it was highly intriguing and had a myriad of solid articles/resources one could study on the issue.... alongside this one labeld Beta Israel Festival in jerusalem with hassidic reggae in regards to the movement occuring among those who're Ethopian Jews in what's known as the The Beta Israel ().


Even in attending the fellowship I'm in now, it can be odd at times being a Black Hispanic learning about/loving Jewish Culture---and there are times I'd prefer that I'd be a bloodline Israelite. But the reality is that we're grafted onto Abraham's line, if the Scriptures are true, and are apart of His line in Christ by Default....and again, I'm continually amazed at how much of the Early Church Fathers (Augustine of Hippo, in example) and various others in Jewish Culture have black aspects within them that I never realized---from Simon of Cyrene (Luke 23:25-27 ) to Solomon and a host of others.


For some people, that may be shocking. And as one of my brothers in Christ said best:
Ok. Jesus was a Jew. He was Middle Eastern. So He was not white, nor was He black. He probably had more olive colored skin of a Jewish person in the first century (ie: non-European mixed).

But the reality is that different cultures will "culturalize" Jesus. The west makes Him white; African Sahara show him black. Is this bad? Hmm. Don't know. It's not fact. It's quite true though. But imagine, say, a white plantation owner in 1820 being presented the Gospel of Christ with pictures of a black Jesus. He probably wouldn't accept the gift, now would he?

Hearing that made me think of how hilarious that'd be..but facts are the facts..and if he was black-toned, we shouldn't be fearful of that.





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All that aside, I'm glad my pastor shared what it was that he did when saying Jesus and many others were akin to blacks. For from that point on, the leadership made it a case to display Jesus in Easter Plays as someone of a different ethnicity everytime portrayals came up so as to be culturally sensitive.​




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And it has been a huge blessing. But to see the level of division over the issue even in a fellowship associated with WOF and that claims UNITY--it can be disheartening. It was already enough of an issue when President Obama was elected and many said "If you even vote for the man, I cannot attend this church since no Christian would EVER VOTE FOR HIM..."​




I've always wondered if when we get to Heaven people will see the Lord in the image of whatever culture they come from. In example, Asians will see the Lord in Asian Attire that's glorified while those in the Urban Hip Hop community will see Him in their style.....​



But ultimately, as goes the song I use to listen to growing up (Ephesians 1:6-8/Ephesians 2:12-14), by Kirk Franklin in The Blood Song Kirk Franklin Crystal Lewis Jaci Velasquez :​

Kirk Franklin: "The Blood Song" Lyrics





Featuring: D. McClurkin, C. Lewis + J. Velasquez​



Songwriters: N/A​







You have the power​



To make the seasons change

The river flows for you​


The wind whispers Your name​


For me you left Your throne​


And traded crown for thorns instead​


I'm safe within not by Your skin​


But because Your blood was red​









Some say You're black, you're white​



They question if you're real

We treat you like we treat ourselves​


I wonder how you feel​


To see your children fight inspite​


of the tears for us you've shed​


Doesn't matter what color youare​


As long as your blood was red​









[Chorus]​



For it's strong enough

to wash away my sins​


And it's pure enough​


To cleanse me deep within​


And it's real enough​


To find me when I'm lost​


Great enough​


To die upon the cross​


It doesn't matter what color you are


As long as your blood was red









We may be different but​



The God we serve's the same

Yet every Sunday we separate​


Help bring the Father pain​


Your name is higher than any other


Yet You took my place instead


And now my sins are washed away


Because Your blood was red









[Chorus]​



For it's strong enough

To wash away my sins​


And it's pure enough​


To cleanse me deep within​


And it's real enough​


To find me when I'm lost​


Great enough​


To die upon the cross​


It doesn't matter hat color you are


As long as your blood was red









[Bridge]​



Oh precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow


No other flounce I know


It doesn't matter what color you are


As long as your blood was red


It doesn't matter what color you are


As long as your blood was red


It doesn't matter what color I am


As long as my blood was red









Revelation 7:9
[ The Great Multitude in White Robes ] After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.​






__________________​


[/quote]​
 
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The OP asked for my thoughts about a black family adopting a white baby.

Personally I'm more concerned about whether the child will be loved valued and nutured and grow up in a stable happy home, than the colour of the skin of the family doing the adopting.

There may be rampant racism present in the world, it doesnt mean that I have to have a role in further continuing peoples ignorant bigotry.

And I use the word ignorant in regards to racism because I have yet to hear an racist arguement that wasnt based on complete ignorance

Good thoughts.......

I agree------though I'd think that in many things, culture does make a significant difference in how we go about it.

As goes the complaint from many blacks opposed to whites adopting BLACK kids, would a black child learn actively about black heritage/history as much as they would within a black family....and by reverse, would a white child raised in a black family see life through their cultural lenses as to how things such as "white privelage" and the issues blacks may have with cultures outside of their own?

For many whites, the thought of having to be raised within a minority experience and then see the majority (whites) through their eyes is something many are not comfortable. It's one thing to be raised in a white family and told by other whites what blacks are like (including things such as stereotypes, ignorance of culture, etc)---but to experience being told what blacks are like from other blacks...and then told what whites are like is another thing all together. With whites adopting blacks, Many blacks feel it's not right since white parents cannot teach about their black roots...and would be doing so from a white majority perspective rather than from a minority perspective. Though the same goes back to Black parents raising white kids since they'd grow up with the minoritty perspective---never mind that they'd have access to what's in the majority. Even in loving families, the reality is that one can never be fully "color blind"...
 
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I think it's wonderful that Creflo adopted a White baby. If this is what it takes to help break the spirit of racism in this nation, then I hope more people will do this. Shoot, I may go out and adopt a couple of White babies.

Amen...

Agreed 100%....and the same thing I pray many other blacks will do as well.
 
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He did more than adopt a white baby, he adopted a troubled white teenage boy.........hardly anyone wants to adopt teenagers much less troubled ones.

I agree...and on that issue, I think the other issue to consider is that of getting beyond "Black & White" and considering not just the issue of adopting babies...but Teens/Young ADULTS. For it does seem that when the issue of adoption/abortion comes up, most automatically get the mental image in mind of a little baby child. None, however, think of adopting one past 9 or 10----as many times, habits/development has transpired and most would not want to deal with character problems that are difficult.

It's why much of the Foster Care system is struggling...as many battle with adopting babies but not giving a FLIP about the teenagers..as most want cute babies. And as a result, people fall through the cracks and feel as if they really are not worth being cared for---becoming statistics in the process. And it adds another layer of problem into the mix---as it's no longer a matter of "race/culture"...but one of how old you are to be considered worth taking a chance on. With that said, it's one of the reasons why I enjoyed "The Blindside Movie"----and of course, other movies on the issue---though admittedly a bit more rough, such as "Four Brothers" ( Four Brothers | Plugged In Online Video Reviews ).


Our foster care system at this point is a kind of temporary emergency care system with a large amount of long term cases. And truly, Older kids ARE tough. One story I heard of was with a family who tried to fost adopt. The boy they tried to do this with was prone to rages and violence that made them hurt for him so much but the mother just couldn't cope with the fear it caused her and her other son and so they did not adopt him. Apparently, they still have nightmares not because of fear of him, but because they feel guilty that they didn't follow through.

It's a hard, hard situation...
 
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