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Sunday, 20 July 2008

  • Conveniently Black

    “Obama ain’t black.” 

    I turned to look over my shoulder to see who had uttered that ridiculous statement. 

     

    Pardon Me?” I squinted at the dark-skinned man who had just interjected himself into my over-coffee conversation with my buddy, Kevin.

     

    Obama ain’t black.” He said again more matter-of-factly as he walked around the porcelain dividing wall and stood at our table where he could be more active in our conversation.

     

    My name’s Andree,” he said as he extended his hand.  “I couldn’t help but hear what you boys had been discussin’ and I don’t mean to stick my nose in where it don’t belong, but I couldn’t leave without settin’ you straight.  Obama ain’t black.”

     

    I looked at Kevin as he shifted nervously in his seat, not sure how to take this visitor to our table. 

     

    Well, have a seat Andree,” somewhat trying to judge the book by its cover.  I’m Dave, but most folks call me Coach, and this is Kevin.”  Kevin extended his hand politely.

     

    Oh, I know who you are.  I‘m always seein’ you in the news and I listen to your radio show, that’s why I decided I needed to say something.  Do you mind if I have a seat?”

     

    Absolutely…sit down.”  He had my attention as I tried to figure out where this conversation was headed.

     “I don’t have a whole lot of time, so let me say my piece and then I gotta get off to work.”  He was dressed neatly in his brown package-delivery service attire.I want you to know that not all black folk are the dummies the media makes us out to be.  Lots of us think for ourselves.  You have a voice, Coach, but more importantly, you have courage.  You are not afraid to say what needs to be said.  I know that about you.  I don’t really know you…but I know that about you.  The kind of courage you have is rare these days.” 

    Thanks, Andree,” I said as I looked into his deep, thoughtful eyes.  Feel free to say what is on your mind, brother….”  (Bells and sirens starting going off in my head.) I had just called this strange black man “brother” – and not because he was black but because I’ve developed a habit of calling fellow Christians “brother.” 

     Please forgive me, Andree,” I hurriedly interjected an apology for my insensitive remark.  I didn’t mean anything by it…sorry if I offended you.”  He leaned forward slowly and looked directly in my eyes.  See, that’s why I sat down here, brother; and we are brothers.  They’ve got even honest folks like you afraid to speak the truth.  Talk to me like I’m white, and I’ll talk to you like you were black, OK?  Let me fill you in on what is really going on.”  Obama ain’t black -- only his skin is.  He is what I like to call a BOSCO…Black On Skin Color Only.  They are doing all they can to try and convince everyone that he is black but Obama is white.” 

    I was not sure how to react.  I was only thinking what would be said about me if I were to say this on my radio show or write about it in my weekly column.  But I wasn’t about to do that.  I’m aware of the double standard that exists.  Only whites can be racists, blacks can’t.  To say what Andree had just said has ruined many a career.  A white guy would have to be a fool to raise questions regarding Obama’s blackness in today’s PC culture.

     Come on now, Coach,” he continued.  I know you are a man who is not afraid of the truth, so let me pass you a little pepper to mix with that salt of yours.  The only thing black about Obama is his daddy.  Other than that, he is a white boy.  His mama was a white woman from Kansas, he was born in Hawaii, his daddy wasn’t even an American, he moved to Indonesia at the age of six, moved back to Hawaii at the age of ten where he lived with his white grandparents who enrolled him in an uppity prep school.  He went to college at leftist Columbia, and eventually Harvard law school.  How many boys from the hood can claim those accomplishments?  There ain’t one thing black about his life-experience.  Obama is a BOSCO.  If he had a white face he would just be another Dennis Kucinich.” 

    Jesse Jackson is black.  Al Sharpton is black.  Minister Farrakhan is black.  But Obama…sorry, Coach, Obama ain’t black.  You see, those in the black community will tell you that you are black by the way you behave, not by the color of your skin.  It is a cultural thing, as the rappers love to say.

     

    Clarence Thomas was never accepted by the black community.  Neither was J. C. Watts, or Kenneth Blackwell, or Michael Steele.  In fact, Bill Cosby was on of the most admired blacks in America until he started talking like he was white…expecting black daddies to raise their babies.  Remember, being black is a cultural thing.  Bill Clinton was black and so was Hillary, at least until she ran into Obama.  He made her look like a pale-face.  Why, just last week Rev. Jackson accused Obama of ‘talking down to blacks.’  How does a black talk down to blacks?”

     

    I get all of that, Andree, but why is Obama so popular with limousine-liberal, white politicians?”  I asked.

     

    Come on, Coach, I thought you were sharper than that.  Obama is popular because he is a BOSCO.  He has a black face, which makes all of those on the black-plantation vote for him out of hope, but he talks and thinks like a white guy.  Jesse couldn’t pull that off.  Sharpton could never appeal to white folks, but Obama can pull it off because he doesn’t act black, he just looks black.  He is less scary to white middle class America.  He thinks and speaks like them.  Most whites will vote for a black face, but they will never vote for the black culture.  Obama holds the black vote and snookers the white vote.”

     Look what happened when it was discovered that Barry O. may have thought like a black guy.  You remember Rev. Wright and his black liberation theology?  Well, for twenty years Obama was buddies with the Reverend so that he could convince the black community that he wasn’t just another J. C. Watts, but when the truth about the way his pastor really thought came out, Rev. Wright was booted off of the bus.  Why?  Rev. Wright scared white folks.  He reminded folks of Jackson, Sharpton, and Farrakhan.  But not Obama.  Remember, Obama was raised white.” Connect the dots for me, Andree.”  How I wished others could hear this average black man’s perspective.  Why has he risen so fast?  No one had even heard of him five years ago.” Coachie,” he giggled.  “I thought you were smarter than you are showing, being a talk-show host and all.  The Democrats aren’t interested in Obama’s skin color.  They are interested in his politics.  Obama is a socialist...which is what they like.  But it is deeper than that.  They used to call Clinton the “Teflon President” because nothing stuck to him.  Well, Obama is the “radioactive” candidate.  You don’t dare touch him or it will be death to your career.” 

    If you mention his religion, you are a racist.  If you question his experience you are a racist.  When you point out his leftist record you are accused of racism.  If you are against anything he stands for then it has to be because you are another one of those hateful, racist bigots.  He’s untouchable.  Barry is a white socialist liberal with a black man’s face.  Come on, Coach, do you think his meteoric rise had anything to do with his skin color?  He is the perfect candidate to sell socialism to America.”

     

    I ain’t gonna say he is a Muslim like some others, but he sure isn’t a real Christian.  I am a Christian and that is why I sat down to talk to you.  Somebody has to tell the truth, Coach, somebody with some courage.  Obama is a big-government socialist dressed up in a Willy Wonka suit.  He will destroy what is left of America.”

     “I love this country.  I fought in Iraq for her….saw lots of men die.  And I’ll tell you this; they didn’t die so that a woman could kill her baby or so that a man could marry a man.  And I quaran-dam-tee you they didn’t fight and die to see this country handed over to the communists.” 

    Barack Obama is not black, Coach.  He is a white big-government liberal with a chocolate veneer.  If he gets elected we’ll all be slaves.  Please tell folks, Coach. Somebody has to do something.   I know you are not afraid to speak the truth.  Lots of folks are counting on you.”

     

    He got up, shook my hand and walked out to his brown truck.

     

    Hmm.” Kevin grunted at me.  I hope you’re not thinking of taking that one on?”

     

    Not me,” I winked.  I could never get away with saying those things.”

  • The Pulpit Initiative--Come on Pastors!

    It is time for the intimidation and threats to end.  Churches and pastors have a constitutional right to speak freely and truthfully from the pulpit – even on candidates and voting – without fearing loss of their tax exemption.

    The Alliance Defense Fund is seeking pastors to stand with them and once again reclaim their constitutional right to speak the Truth.  Visit the ADF for info on the way Pastor's can fight back. 

Tuesday, 08 April 2008

  • No More RAKs

    There is a new trend going around: doing Random Acts of Kindness, or RAK for short. The idea is to go up to other people, often strangers, and do something nice for them. So go buy someone’s dinner, put their trash can back after the garbage collectors have left it astray, attach an encouraging note to their locker at school, go mow someone’s grass, etc. Think right now: in your life what would be a RAK that you could do for someone else? Come up with some ideas. Now don’t miss my next point.

    I hope you never do another RAK for anyone you ever meet till the day you die. Sounds a little harsh doesn’t it? Not very loving is it? I heard that at the funeral of a girl that was killed in a high school shooting, her Mom asked everyone to go out and do RAKs in loving memory of her daughter.

    But you know what? A RAK does not glorify God. We are here to glorify God. You may cause someone to question why you or anyone would do that nice thing, but it doesn’t glorify God. I have known Christians who have gone to New Orleans to help Katrina victims with their houses and their lives. If you do not help them along the journey of coming to know Jesus or serving the Lord Jesus Christ with their whole life, what is the point? I know of atheists who have gone to New Orleans to help Katrina victims, too. So is that going to help people come to the realization that there is no God? Of course not. People need to know why you are doing something so special in their lives.

    I was going through a toll booth the other day in Florida. After witnessing to the toll attendant, I paid the toll of the car behind me. I gave him a tract booklet and asked him to give it to the guy behind me and let him know that a Christian man paid for his toll and just wanted to bless him today. As I drove away I watched in the rearview mirror. The attendant wouldn’t take the money from the man in the truck. They were talking and then he handed him the tract. Later on down the highway, he sped up to catch me, honking his horn and giving me a thumbs up. I don’t know if that was for the money he saved on the toll, or the Christian part, but either way, I wanted to make sure he knew why I would do something nice in his life.

    In Acts 17, Paul is addressing the men of Athens. He says in verses 22 and 23,
    “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

    I am so glad that Paul didn’t get some 4O9 out and start cleaning up the statues and altars that the people had set up. They probably couldn’t have been super clean being outside and all that. I am glad that Paul stood up and declared eternal truth to these folks. They were worshipping false gods, and heading to the wrong destination for eternity. And someone needed to love them enough to tell them so. I thank God that Paul did just that.

    A few days ago, I got an email from a former atheist. This is what part of her email said:
    “I am a student at a high school, located in Michigan. My friend Brooke and I were walking around the mall in Wausua, Wisconsin two weekends ago, and all of a sudden two women came up to us and asked us questions like you ask people in your book, One Heartbeat Away. I found it kind of interesting because I've always been an atheist and never in a million years thought that God or things that Jesus had supposedly done were real. When they first started talking, I couldn't wait for them to finish. My friend just kind of laughed at the situation, but the two copies of your book that they handed to us, I took home. I've been reading one at home and one at school. It's changed my life more than you can imagine. I'm still in shock that anything could have convinced me to change my beliefs like your book did.”

    I am so glad those women just didn’t go to the mall that day and buy a meal for those students. I am so glad they didn’t buy them a nice pair of shoes. I am so glad that they did an act of kindness for those girl’s souls by telling them the truth about Jesus Christ.

    On one of my recent trips, I was at a drive-thru and decided to buy the meal of the person behind me. I didn’t know who they were. I witnessed to the young man working the drive-thru, and gave him a copy of one of my books to give to the car behind me and let them know a Christian wanted to bless them today with their meal and with a book he wrote. A couple of days later, I got an email from the woman driving the car. That day she only had ordered enough food for her two children because finances were real tight. When she came to the window, the young man gave her the book and explained what I had done. Her little boy in the back said to her Mom don’t you think that is a sign from God that we need to start going back to church?! Wow. Mom was blown away. God used the entire encounter to get her attention as she is going through some tough times. She is back in church, reading the word of God, and obeying what it says to do.

    We serve a wonderful God. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive. He meant that. Go on out today and go and bless someone. As a matter of fact, go out and bless more than one person. Just remind them why you are blessing them. You are blessing them because you have received the greatest blessing ever given 2000 years ago. Don’t just be a nice person, but be a nice person with an eternal purpose who cares about the souls of all people.

Monday, 07 April 2008

  • Pastors Killing Lambs

    Pastors Killing Lambs

    Ezekiel 34:8-9 “As surely as I live, delares the Sovereign Lord, because My flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but cared for themselves rather than for My flock, therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue My flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.”
    Another raving wolves scandal in the modern day church. We shouldn’t be surprised, but outraged, especially when we have been witnessing and reporting outside this notorious abortion mill in Granite City the shepherds, or better known as “wolves”, accompanying or forcing the women in their churches to get rid of any evidence of their sin. It is the Uriah syndrome of our day, the sin of fornication and adultery. We are looking squarely everyday in the faces of the unfortunate products of this sin.

    Just the other day, Friday, we stood in the alley and witnessed a SUV with “MINISTER 1” on it’s personalized plates pull onto the parking lot with a young girl. We inquired what church he was with. He responded, “Word of Life in Springfield , Illinois .” We then gave him heaven as he stood in line. “How can a man of God take a pregnant woman into an abortion mill? What Bible are you reading from?” He just stood there smiling. “Haven’t you heard of the Ten Commandments? Thou shalt not kill?”

    We then pointed out the fact that it was the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. “He died fighting for Black Americans’ civil rights. Where is that baby’s civil rights? You share in the bloodguilt. You are assassinating your baby. You are killing off your race.” He just smiled and waved as he walked inside. They never came back out during our watch.
    It’s sickening to face this sin and the hypocrisy in the Church today. We have confronted many a pastor or priest bringing girls for abortions. Some are so bold or just plain stupid as they bring them in their marked church vans. Evidently, they fear man more than God. They don’t stand on Biblical teachings and they tolerate and participate in sin. The poverty of morality has only added to the climbing murder rate in our nation.

    We are refusing to deal with the decadence and immorality in our pulpits and we are reaping it in the streets and sowing it in the womb. Over 50 million and no end in sight and we, the Church of Jesus Christ, don’t even blush. This is what happens when a man is out of line. His priorities are distorted and his loins rule his mind. His sacred cow is cash, and his lust for flesh and pride rule his office and position with the Lord. Instead of fasting and praying, they are fleecing and playing. God speaks a word when He tells us He “will hold those shepherds accountable.”



    Who is most responsible for the sin of abortion in our nation? We need only look in the mirror.

Saturday, 12 January 2008

  • Baby Elsie is here!!! Thank You Jesus!
    Brian Cranford • 1/7/2008

    Brian's babyBaby Elsie was Born Wednesday Jan 2nd, 2008, weighing in at 6lbs. 4oz.

    I just want to start off by saying Thank you King Jesus for this wonderful child you have given to us. Some of you may know the story about her, as she was the child the doctors told us would not live and that we needed to abort her! But God Almighty said for us to trust Him. Here is a photo of Little Elsie...

    The day that The doctor told us our options, we knew that we would never abort any child no matter what problems we would face! That very day we contacted a very special friend of ours by the name of Rev. Flip Benham; he is the Director of Operation Save America.

    Flip with Brian's BabyFlip and his Family are very special to us, so as I called Flip that day and he said I understand the risks that are involved but you can never take the life of any child. NEVER! And we agreed totally with that and we sat in the car that day talking with Flip and praying over the phone in a parking lot, and during the conversation he mentioned two doctors we should get 2nd opinions from and so we did and from that day on we just prayed and asked God to heal and protect little Elsie. The doctors we have now are a gift from God and they walked with me and Sara every step of the way and we want to personally thank them  for that! So I just wanted to say thank you Lord for this child and thank you for taking care of my wife Sara and giving her such a quick recovery. Elsie we Love you and pray God uses you in a mighty way!

    Thank you very much for all the prayers from everyone!

    And I Want to thank my Pastor Garland Faw and the whole Truth Temple Gang!

    God Bless you!

    Brian Cranford