Black Conservative Blog

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.

Do we in the Western culture really understand mourning? My wife this morning asked me what I was thinking. I replied to her, “I am mourning.” She asked me, “Why are you mourning?” My reply was, “I am mourning the death of 53 million children.” Needless to say she was sobered by that thought as am I.

But do we in the Western culture even comprehend mourning? It is good sometimes to think in the cultural context of the Bible. The Bible is written from an Eastern mindset and perspective. We have a Western mindset or perspective. Mourning in the East, particularly in the time that Jesus walked in Israel, was a very obvious and public activity. In the West we are taught that we should not display our emotions so openly. We are taught that our grieving should be something done in private, behind closed doors or in our hearts. In the East it was not uncommon for someone who was mourning to put ashes on his or her face and to even change into sack cloth and to openly wail and cry over the loss of someone. In the West we are taught that such behavior is undignified.

In Genesis 23:2 we are exposed to the grief and mourning that Jacob did when he learned that his favorite son Joseph had been killed. (Of course we learn later that Joseph was still alive,) but in Jacobs mind his son was dead. The verse says that Jacob “rent his clothes”, and put “sackcloth on his loins”. In the New Testament we are told of how Mary and Martha mourned and grieved over the death of their brother Lazarus.

The Bible even says that “Jesus wept” when he saw the grief of his friends over Lazarus death. (He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” the Bible says of Jesus in Isaiah 53.)

Mourning is almost always associated in the Bible, and in literature, with death. There are three primary expressions of mourning in the Bible.
1. Weeping: the shedding of tears is an expression of mourning. It is also associated many times with women. Ecclesiastes 12:5 says, “Consider ye and call for the mourning women.” These were professional mourners who were hired to cry and yelp about the death of the loved one. In Matthew 9:23 Jesus has the professional mourners put out of a house because of their unbelief in the miracle he was about to perform.

2. Another outward expression of mourning was disfigurement. This is where the “putting on of ashes and the adorning of sackcloth was used to express the inward grief of a person. Also people would tear clothing or not bathe. Wearing of all black was also a sign of the mourner.

3. A third way that mourning was recognized was by the loud lamenting of the mourner. Grief could be felt so deep that it would cause the mourner to cry out in a loud voice expressing the grief.

So how is someone blessed by mourning, and how does comfort come to a person who is hurting so deeply and emotionally? Blessed in the New Testament is often translated as fortunate or happy. How can the emotion of happiness grow from a feeling of grief and sorrow associated with mourning? And what is the comfort that can come from the expression of this emotional state known as ‘mourning?’

Today I am mourning! I am mourning the murder, the deaths of 53 million innocent lives. I am mourning and in sorrow over the fact that as I write this our nation will sanction the murder of 138.135 babies this hour. That equals 3,315 babies killed per day or 1.2 million killed per year.

What will comfort me? What will bless me? The knowledge that we have repented and turned from this wickedness. That we have stopped the pollution of our land with the blood of the innocent. Why is America experiencing a curse on her productivity? Do you really believe that God does not care about this? Do you really believe that He is blind to this? Do we really believe that he will not avenge the innocent blood of those who have been murdered for profit?

Today, I mourn! Today, I grieve! Today I weep! Today I bow in shame!

(These statistics are based on the best data available from the CDC and the private research arm of Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute. Also it should be noted that California, Maryland, and New Hampshire did not provide abortion reports to the federal government. Since California has not complied with CDC requests for abortion data in many years, and since California accounts for more abortions than any other state in the U.S, CDC totals are routinely incomplete. In other words these totals may be and most likely are even higher than indicated by available data.)
Submitted by Guest Post.
Michael D. Cook, Sr.
You can check out his posts on Facebook

Why liberal policies are wreaking havoc on Black America’s youth

A recent assignment I gave to my students required very little from them. After reading Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds,” students were asked to respond to several context questions, including one which asked them what was unique about the main character’s (Jing-Mei) piano teacher. The results from many of my students were not only astounding, but painfully disturbing: “He was death.” Death? Oh my! That would have made the story interesting on a whole new level. Unfortunately, the real problem is not that he was not a scythe-wielding reaper from the underworld, but someone a bit more benign: he was deaf.
Let me step back a moment. I teach ninth grade English. Surprised? I was. Particularly because this strange error in spelling happened, not just once, but multiple times, over and over again. Did I speak improperly when we discussed this in class? Certainly not! Many of my students spelled it correctly. But that begs the question that is almost painful and embarrassing to ask. How is it that so many of my black students (and yes, all of my students that made this error were black students) could make it to the 9th grade, at the ages of 14-15 years, and have an inability to spell a word that any elementary school child should have mastered years ago. To add more fuel to the fire, it should also be known that all of my Hispanic students, none of whom speak English as a first language, spelled it correctly.
The root of this problem lies in many places. First, and foremost, the problem rests in the home. When did black parents lose sight of the importance of education? The 20th century was wrought with the black community painstakingly fighting, and winning, the right to be taught on equal grounds, not separated from individuals of other backgrounds, but together with them, given the right and responsibility to compete in the American educational realm. And indeed, the generation that preceded my own, that of my grandparents and parents, produced the most intelligent and successful population of black individuals in the history of the world. And yet, somewhere in the past 30 years, the culture has taken a backslide. The desire to prove ourselves as intellectual equals has been held captive, nearly obliterated, and replaced with a new black culture, which cares more about fashion and music industry than how to properly construct a grammatically correct English sentence.

The policies of the past few decades also hold much of the fault for the failings of so many black children. Instead of holding students’ feet to the fire when they fail to make the cut, we now push students through the system, regardless of whether or not they have attained the proper education. Is it so much to ask that before a student is passed on to the next grade level that they be able to read, write, and spell on grade level? These “feel-good” policies have resulted in a generation of students that feel as if failure is an affront to their personal rights, that a failing grade means “the teacher” failed them for some reason beyond their inability to express themselves coherently in written and verbal form, and a generation of parents that have turned harshly against any teacher that might even hint at the idea that the children they are receiving have been coddled beyond all recognition.
As long as we continue to push the roles of parents onto the teachers, we are going to continue to see a degradation of educational attainment from black children. Education starts in the home. When parents are not properly disciplining and educating their students at home, instead hoping their children will somehow get all that they need alongside the 30 plus students in the classroom, and then the children will continue on the ridiculous down slide which has cast the black community in the educational funk that has currently enveloped it. We need to bring education back into the home. Parents need to force their children to read, write, and practice the craft of the language which they speak. Parents need to stop looking at the school system as a glorified baby sitting service, and start taking responsibility for their children’s education, at home, instead of coming down on the teachers who are already struggling with ever-increasing class sizes. And, ultimately, we need to make sure that students know that, yes, in real life, some children will be left behind, and unless black parents kick liberal policies and begin to re-accept the black community’s traditional beliefs of self-improvement, personal responsibility and educational excellence, the ones who will be fading into the background will be us.

I am probably going to get some very harsh responses to this post, but I am ready to take it. I wrote this as a response to a thread on someone’s page. I feel we are about to rush over a moral cliff from which there will be no return. I will be accused of being a bigot, a homophobe, even a racsist for my views on this topic. I am ready to accept all of that. If we as a Nation accept homosexual marriage then we are doomed. I say that with all seriousness. God destroyed every Nation that embraced this lifestyle choice. What makes anyone think that this one will be the exception? I am not the judge of any man. I judge only myself. But just like the law of gravity dictates that what goes up, must come down, so the law of nature dictates that certain behaviors will lead to destruction. One of those is homosexuality. If anyone is offended by what I say, I apologize only that you are offended, but not for the truth. I feel I am taking a step that may one day condemn me in my country of birth. So be it. I will stand with God.

I don’t question their right to be homosexual,( not Gay, because there is no such thing as a “Gay” person, unless you are talking about an attitude). The idea that they choose to have sex a certain way, does not give them the “right” to redefine the roles of male and female. That is a designation given by an Almighty God. Man has a Creator and the rights we have are the ones given to us by the Creator. As the Declaration of Independence states, “We are endowed by our CREATOR with certain inalienable rights. The founders were very specific in the language they used in creating the document. When we think that these rights are created by mankind then we are basically giving up the ones given by the Creator, because we are no longer acknowledging the one that gave the rights. Now we are basically saying that man gave the rights and if man gave them then other men can take them away. There is no “right” given to redefine humanity. I was born a black man, not because of my choice but because of Gods choice…a decision I had nothing whatsoever to do with. Heck I might have made a different choice but an All wise and All powerful Creator knows what He is doing. I cannot redefine the color of my skin. I can only change my character by the choices I make. No more can I change my sex from male to female, no matter how many operations I might have. AT the DNA level, I will always be a male. God also created marriage. Not man. It is not an institution created by man, it is just that man recognizes it. So to change that definition is to deny the creator of that institution.

What homosexuals want to do is a behavior, not a function of their being. A behavior cannot define away what one is at the core. Homosexuality is deviant behavior. It is sex with someone that was not made for that type of sex. It is against what is natural for mankind. No matter how you look at it. It comes back to that. So we want to change 6000 or more years of human history and say that man on man sex is equivevalant to being born black or white or Asian or whatever ethnic group one was born into. It is not the same. One was not a choice based on behavior the other is. I apologize for the length of this posting, but I feel this is a major change in our country that is going to be a part of our demise. We are on the precipice and about to go over a spiritual cliff. If we don’t turn back from this…I fear the results are not going to be pretty.

I appreciate your civility and respect you for your service to this country. I believe, however that our “issues” as you identify them are tied to our stance as a moral nation. God has always dealt with nations by warning them that the course they were on was leading to destruction. It has always been the moral issues that brought about the demise of nations. And God has always sent “prophets” to sound the alarm to the people to change their behavior. And when the alarm was ignored then destruction would follow. God is the same today as yesterday. There have always been false prophets who declare that everything is normal and not to worry about the impending destruction, as if by saying this it would cause the destruction to go away. Read the Bible and see the stories of Sodom and Gommarah, or Egypt, of Israel, of Ninevah, of Babylon, and we will see that before the destruction came they were warned.

Do we ever stop to think that maybe the reason why we are having so many problems as a Nation is because of our moral stand. As we have drifted further and further away from those so called Christian principles we have seen increased problems in the areas of finance, government, ethnic relations, and every other area of our national life. I cannot help but mention the scripture in the Bible that says,”Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalms 33:12a. If that is true then the opposite is also true, that cursed is the nation that forgets God and turns it’s back on Him. How does a nation turn it’s back on God, by denying His ways, by choosing behaviors that are contrary to righteousness and justice. By killing babies, (a moral issue), by accepting injustice, (a moral issue). I portend that every issue you are concerned about in this country is a moral issue. That if we do not judge ourselves then God will judge us. That we are on the precipice of judgement and are about to fall into the deepest pit of which there will be no return. Verse 13 in this chapter of Psalms says, “But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations”. God does not change his ways of doing things. It may take years to reap the harvest of our wickedness, but we will reap. So I understand what you are saying about the issues we are facing, but I believe in my deepest heart, that the one is tied to the other. If we turn as a nation, we will see our land healed. (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Author: Michael Cook
About the author: Michael Cook is regular Facebook user who comments regularly on social and justice issues. Click here To see his comments and responses from others

The very definition of family is threatened by the ruling in CA. This is a serious threat to the traditional family. Homosexuality is a choice. Skin pigmentation is not. To equate homosexuality with the civil rights movement is ludicrious. People of color are not that way because they choose to be. That was God’s decision. God said he created male and female. Marriage was not a human creation, it was created by God himself. (Genesis 2:18-25.) This is a denial of God and a rejection of his commandment.

Although these are not documentaries, which have at their core purpose an outward attempt at advocating a position, many modern films are purposefully designed to put forward the political, social and religious world views of their makers.
As viewers, we are meant to walk away feeling “good” about the end, and as a result, we are meant to walk away feeling likewise good about the beliefs/philosophies held by the movie’s winner, the protagonists, or whoever they may be. We are ultimately persuaded to also share in their victory, which means a shared belief that their worldview was correct.
As long as the filmmakers can paint the bad guys, or antagonists, as an overtly negative force, and in an unabashedly negative light, we fall prey to a rather deceptive form of persuasion that requires very little argumentation, but relies mostly on an ad hominem fallacy against the beliefs opposite to that of the film’s creators.

I have not written one word since my last post. I have literally been missing in action. Well, I am back, and hope with a vengeance.

One thing I have been doing is freelance work. It is really interesting the amount of sites that are out there. I did fine a good one though:

There has been so much happening in the last few months; the election, the economy, Congress doing their usual sneaky, back-handed, dealing.

Maybe I’ve been depressed by it all. I hope not; as now is not the time to be in the dumps about current events.

Let’s start off with President Barack Obama: As a Black Conservative, I was not happy that he won. I realize the historical significance, but it surely stops there. Idealogicaly he is so far from my belief system.

Next my comments on the economy; Let it alone!! The best thing to do is to let the market take it’s course. Government meddling and nationalizing everything they can wrap their hands on will make this more of a socialist country than we have become.

My last comment is a piggy-back on the economy. Why are we worried we have a Savior, his name is Barack Obama and he will just ride in on his white horse and save the day!! Sorry I just had to add a little sarcasm.

I hope everyone is doing fine. Drop me a note and let me know everything is fine with your. Tell me your story of how you are handling all the pressures of life.

I just read an Washington Post Article titled: Candidate Banners Can Leave Clients, Businesses Bruised
At first I was extremely angry at the tone and intolerance of my fellow Prince George’s County Residents. Then the moderation of God and love settled upon my heart. It is with deep sadness and concern, that I write this post tonight.
Whatever happened to respect for others and their opinions regardless of race or creed? When did putting up a campaign sign become a signal for anger and bitterness? What have we become as a people that a sign promoting someone other than who we support causes such anger?
I am not a Obama supporter because he beleives in the nanny state (the government will take care of you from the cradle to the grave) this in itself is unbiblical. Our help comes from God and not government. It is written that it is in Him that we live and move and have our being.

Barack Obama view of the world bothers me. He has made so many promises like 95% of American’s will get a tax cut. This doesn’t even make sense, when only 40% actually pay taxes. Why would he promise a tax cut to people who don’t pay taxes. I call this “Welfare” using the IRS.

Barack Obama is a strong supporter of abortion and doesn’t know when life begans. Come on people, most of you know that life begins at conception.
Barack Obama wants to raise taxes on the “Rich”, and he defines rich as anyone making $250,000 a year or more. That sure does include a lot of PG County Residents as it is one of the richest black counties in the country. A lot of you own small business that bring in that much. Can you afford a tax increase or will this cause you to cut back on investment, and maybe a new employee you are planning to hire?
If you are voting for Barack Obama because he is African-American than you are going against what Martin Luther King. who said we want to be judged by the content of our charcter and not the color of our skin. I call this reverse racism. Yes I used the word that the liberals love to throw out as soon as anything negative is said about Barack Obama.
When is calling Obama out about his associations with terrorist, socialist, and communist racist?
Most of his guilt by associations are White!!

Black Radio Host Slammed For Supporting McCain

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