Sunday, August 23, 2009

Reconstruction And The Constitution



Let us make one thing clear Black folks: 

True Christianity and True Constitutionality is, was, and always will be incompatible.

No equal rights, no fair rules, and no good laws can ever be derived from commandments or directives that originate from above.

The secular rightness of the freely debatable, in-this-time flexible, and of-the-people consented assuredness of our well-amended present-day constitution; far exceeds whatever soul-saving goodness that might be found in the dusty, ancient, inflexible, discriminating, un-amendable, and divinely ordered morality of the Bible. We need to stop misleading ourselves with this equating and relating of one with the other - they are not, and never will be analogous, compatible or correlative. The history of Black people in Christian America has already shown this as an irrefutable fact. We as a people must wake-up to certain realities, and recent trends.

Reality One:

I will challenge to his face, any white right-wing Republican Christian conservative (that has some reasonableness) to choose between the Bible and the U.S. Constitution. And since this would be a case where only one irrevocable choice could be made - watch which gets chosen. Rights created by the consent of the people, will always trump commandments, decided and imposed by a judgmental and unaccountable party of one. They [Republicans] are not stupid - the non-rhetorical, and surprisingly intelligent choice would be made 100% of the time.

They may talk a lot of mess; but again - they are not stupid.

Reality Two:

My Black folks though - may be a different case. Why? Because too many of my people are intoxicated with Jesus - and don't give a flying fuck about logic, ethics, social science, American history, politics, understanding the constitution, or even - understanding the Bible itself. So - if they are that different case (and yes - they are), I would suggest my Black folks fire-up two fucking brain cells - just two folks - TWO (don't want to overwork a nigger). In our collective heads; and make an honest operational comparison between the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution, the opening lines of The Declaration of Independence, and Leviticus 25:44-46, - and think about where the imposition of Mosaic Law can lead to.

Do the Leviticus verses relating to slavery square rightly with these two documents? Do they? The verses cited are direct from the mouth of God. The same motherfucking God that supposedly "blesses" America. Could an American slave be considered "blessed?" Ever? Can pernicious "Jim Crow" conditions or legally sanctioned racial murder (lynching) be part of "God's Plan?"

I cannot find ONE verse in the the Bible that even supports the idea of "All men being created equal." Not one. Galatians 3:28 comes a little close - but the only equality that it mentions is all BELIEVERS "being one in Christ Jesus" - fuck everybody else. I do find support for "The divine right of kings" and "if you are a slave - you stay a slave." I also find a lot of stupid shit like "loving your enemies" and stoning people to death for bullshit reasons. "Chosen People?" Chosen ahead of or aside from whom? Does being one of the "chosen" equal equality with others? Does being equal "in the sight of God" operationally translate into secular equality? If it does, why would we have a practical constitutional need to separate church and state?

Jesus himself tells you: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's (Matthew 22:21; KJV)." This is his provisional summary of the relationship between Christianity and secular authority.

That summary can be enacted though, in one of two practical ways. Either exercise a totally separate secular government, with a totally separate ecclesiastical authority. This arrangement has a "Second Coming" time limit. The other option is to forcibly initiate the creation of a singular "Kingdom of God" on earth - pushing the clock forward, and hopefully expediting the return of sovereign Jesus.

The "Kingdom of God" creation process can be accomplished either systematically or immediately. One way is to legislatively breach the wall of separation in a piecemeal fashion - Republican style. Or you can suddenly do away with all aggregation of authority - right now - by gun - and martial law - militia style. Kill the liberals, burn the gays, and put the niggers in their place. The Law of God will then overwrite the Law of Caesar.

ONWARD! Christian soldiers!!!

In our case, according to Jesus, this dual rendering - some to the (earthly) king and some to the (heavenly) kingdom, is the correct relationship between the Bible and the Constitution. That is, until the "proper" (Second Coming) changes are finally made. This temporary relationship absolutely means that whatever you are spiritually or denominationally - or however much or strongly you may believe - it makes no difference. If the secular authority says "this is where you need to be," then - according to Jesus, that is where you are supposed to go (you like this?). Whether certain ordinances, acts, or decrees are fair, moral in principle, and equally applicable for everyone, is not an issue.

"Can we get a 'Bill of Rights' here?" "No Sir. Not from Jesus."

The "word of God" has never moved anyone from slave to free. But a constitutional amendment did (the 13th Amendment; ratified on 12-6-1865). The Bible is about obedience - not freedom. About constructing a kingdom - an "in-real-reality" a "you-ain't-got-no-say" gangstership - and not about developing a free, unimposing, and equally righted democracy. According to the Holy Bible - just because you believe does not mean that you should be free (that's American history!). Even those fortunate Hebrew slaves that were freed and relocated with God's direct assistance (Exodus 1:1 - 10:5). They were then cleared by God to exercise the same inexcusably evil practice on others - "You can buy slaves and keep them in perpetuity as an inheritance for your children" (Leviticus 25:44-46). Did those former slaves learn anything?

Apparently not.

Enslavement is just as immoral as murder. Either way - a life has been terminated. "Love your enemies?" Ahh, "Serve your masters?" How about "serving" a potential enslaver with a bullet in the face? How 'bout that? That bullet would be all the "love" you would need to give. Don't you think so?  Isn't shooting a motherfucker the "truly" American thing to do? Why have a 2nd Amendment if you can't shoot a motherfucker - right? At a certain time in this country, there were a lot of true Black believers praying desperately for Jesus to provide relief - that never came. Working in the cotton fields by day - calling out HIS name in vain by night - while getting thoroughly fucked in the ass by massa - every night (OH Jesus!!!).

Reality Three:

Folks... This is where we go into "certain realities and recent trends."

Paul - a biblical hero - said that runaways should be returned to their masters (entire Letter to Philemon: NT - KJV). He had an opportunity to speak directly about the evil of slave-owning in his "letter," but the great man did not do so. He talked about "brotherhood" with a slave(!?) - but not freeing a slave. "Brotherhood" between slave and master. Really? Brothers? OK. Ever heard of the "Fugitive Slave Law (act of 2-12-1793 and law of 9-18-1850)?" Bad laws for Black people in this country have always had their roots and moral justifications in immoral Biblical teachings.

White Christian Reconstructionists, Jesus Christ, and our good friend Paul agree; "You niggers should be returned to your masters." These fine people are not just Republican type propaganda-spouting fakers - they mean what they believe, and they plan to put this country in alignment with those beliefs. And for those that take issue with my usage of the sacred word "nigger" - "nigger" is a perfectly acceptable and proper word to be used in all contexts. I passionately love it, just like the white Christian Reconstructionists do. It was invented by Christians to be used by Christians with no reserve towards certain Christians. And remember: If it's Christian - it's got to be good.

Back to the show...

Many everyday white evangelical Christians are doing a serious study of the Calvinist writings of Rousas John Rushdoony - the father of Christian Reconstructionism. They are also making serious studies of the anti-freedom writings of Charles Hodge, Robert Lewis Dabney, Thornton Stringfellow, and other pro-slavery theologians of the past. Now - take note folks. The worst aspects of Rushdoony's thought (the favorite) in particular, are being mainstreamed and made acceptable by white religious conservatives.

They want the Old Testament Mosaic Law to replace the Constitution, FOR REAL. Thereby putting Caesar's things, and God's things all in one basket, you know, like the Islamically pious, and Koranically literal Taliban. These biblically literal, biblically crazy Reconstructionists DO, LITERALLY want to re-enslave us, you know - American citizen type African-Americans. Because the holy Mosaic Law, literally, and for real - sanctifies and regulates slavery - with no consideration of citizenship status. Well it does - literally, and for real. And let us remember: Jesus himself - speaking in Matthew 5:17-20 makes very clear that he came not to abolish Old Testament law - but to fulfill it.

You cannot say these good white folks are scripturally incorrect, or misinterpretive, like those slavery words - those slavery endorsements - those slavery permissions are not there - because, they are.

No amount of that clergical "correct-interpretation" rightness, or that, "you-mis-interpreted-because..." retortations or that, "you-you-took-it-out-of-context" deflectionary bullshit can move the ink on those pages, to mean anything other than what that ink is supposed to mean literally with no chaser. So all you Jesus fanatics, clergyfolks, spiritual hustlers, and biblical apologists can stick it.

This can go far. Just like a constitution can be established by force - it can also be abolished by force. Reconstructionists love their guns.

For them - no blessings without bullets.

Since the election of Obama, this movement has gained traction and credibility - being consumed daily, with morning coffee. We [Black people] have already been designated historically, as the correct party to enslave by Hamitic decree; and, considering the possibility of this action from a positive societal standpoint; the re-enslavement of Black folks would make white Christian conservatives very happy.

Another positive effect that can happen due to re-enslavement would be that cable TV viewership would (temporarily) go way up. FOX News would do full coverage of the re-enslavement proceedings - along with well-informed and beautifully effusive commentary. Glenn Beck would declare "a great day in America." Stealth racist pundit Sean Hannity would not be able to remove the smile from his face. They would even reserve two or three "FOX News Approved" Black clergymen on-air to comment on how re-enslavement is a "great blessing" for blacks - and also, to provide those "good optics" to show the world that racism did not have a role in this. 

Don't think it can't happen.

So - what does history tell us? What scriptural authority backed-up our former slave master's position? Were they scripturally correct? What was the philosophy and/or the law that freed us? What literal scriptural support did the abolitionists have - if any? Did Lincoln go against "God's Will" with his "Proclamation" to emancipate?

If America and the Bible go together like mom and apple pie - then where is the democracy in biblically reconstructed enslavement?

"The assumption that slave holding is in itself a crime... is an error fraught with evil consequences. It not merely brings its advocates into conflict with the scriptures, but it does much to retard the progress of freedom; it embitters and divides the members of the [white] community and it distracts the [mission of the] Christian Church."

Theologian Charles Hodge -
From the 1836 edition of The Journal of the Theological Seminary
at Princeton.

No comments:

Post a Comment