Friday, February 22, 2008

I'm getting a lot of email from friends telling me how great Obama is and why I should vote for him. Should I really?

Should African American's Vote for Obama?

I like this guy. I think he would make a great president. One thing stands in the way of me voting for him. It's Barack Obama's stand on abortion.

Obama's Stand on Abortion

  • Expand access to contraception; reduce unintended pregnancy. (Feb 2008)
  • Rated 100% by NARAL on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 & 2007. (Jan 2008)
  • Voted against banning partial birth abortion. (Oct 2007)
  • Stem cells hold promise to cure 70 major diseases. (Aug 2007)
  • Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion. (Apr 2007)
  • Extend presumption of good faith to abortion protesters. (Oct 2006)
  • Constitution is a living document; no strict constructionism. (Oct 2006)
  • Pass the Stem Cell Research Bill. (Jun 2004)
  • Protect a woman's right to choose. (May 2004)
  • Supports Roe v. Wade. (Jul 1998)
  • Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
  • Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
  • Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
  • Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance. (Dec 2006)

Obama Explores Abortion Issue

Obama's response to a question during his NEW HAMPTON, Iowa trip. A questioner, whom Senator Barack Obama called upon during a campaign stop in a city park, identified himself as a resident of Denver. But he said he was attending a family reunion here. Read the entire answer.

  • How does abortion affect the African American community? Get the facts.
  • What can we do? Click here to visit the Center for Moral Clarity.
  • Margaret Sanger the founder of Planned Parethood knew what the effect of abortion would have on certain races and groups of people. More
  • 25% of the African American community has been exterminated since 1973.

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Electronic Deal of the Day: http://www.cbdcdesign.com/products.htm

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Does being a Christian mean I'm a dolt?

Ann Coulter - Donny Deutsch Jews Perfected the Big Idea

Ann Coulter, while being interview by Donny Deutsch on his show The Big Idea (Watch a clip of the show in the video bar to the right of the page.) made a statement that she believes that Christians are perfected Jews. She added that if Donny were to become a Christian he would be perfected. What a concept! Donny took offense and shot back at Ann by telling her he thinks she is far too educated to believe something like that. What Donny did was expose himself as a person who does not think too much of Christians. Ann is not alone in this belief. Billions of Christians world-wide are taught the same thing and believe it as well.

I agree with Ann Coulter. And the reason she made her comment is because she “is” educated. The statement she made is based on Christian scripture and is a basic tenet of Christian belief. I believe it too. Here is the scripture her belief is based on.

Romans 9:30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it (Perfection). 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.” 33 As it is written: See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

In the underlined portion of Scripture above, the stone that caused men to stumble is Jesus Christ. He is the Rock that makes men fall because of unbelief in Him.

It is belief in Jesus Christ that perfects us. What unbelievers don't understand, like the lady in the red dress seen in the video bar on the right of the page, is that the perfection Ann is referring to is in our human spirit only. Our flesh is far from perfect but Ann would have had to preach a sermon in order to get folks to understand her true meaning.

The fact of the matter is that our country has been blessed because we are a Christian country and founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and laws. Read your history. This country was founded on Christian principles and beliefs. Don’t stop at the founding fathers, those signers of the Declaration of Independence. Go back even farther than that. It is not by accident that the United Sates of America is the greatest most powerful country in the history of all mankind. Then get yourself a Bible. Don’t just read it, study it.

Unless we remain a Christian country I believe we are a doomed nation. The one thing humankind has not learned from history is that we do not learn from history. A country that turns away from its Judeo-Christian beliefs will fall. In addition, it’s time people began to realize that being Christian does not mean you’re some country bumpkin that’s too ignorant to even know how to breathe. Donny D. insulted everyone in the Body of Christ. If I were as ignorant as he, “I’d say Donny you are far too educated and sophisticated to be a Jew.” But the fact of the matter is I’m not a hater. And in another part of scripture, the Epistles to be exact, Saint Paul writes that there will be a point when the Jews will come to believe in Jesus Christ and become “perfected.” But maybe I’ll deal with that in another post.

What About Obama?

I’ve been keeping track of the primaries this year. I’ve watched the debates and the speeches being made by all of the Presidential primary candidates. I’ve been impressed with some of them and not so impressed by others. I like Huckabee, McCain, and Thompson. I don’t dislike Mitt Romney but a Mormon for President? I don’t’ think so. Hillary, bless her sweet soul is doing her best but is now having the time of her life battling to beat an upstart Barack Obama. Obama, who seems to be touching the hearts and minds of some unexpected groups of people, has it seems the wind at his back.

As an African American I am proud that he has comes so far and that so many people have decided that the platform of a Black man can be taken seriously. Obama is educated, well spoken, well spoken of, well informed and very eloquent. However I have a few problems with his platform. But I’ll only write about one of them in this post. It’s his stand on abortion. For this reason alone I can’t vote for him. I wish I could. But I’m not Pro-Choice. I’m Pro-Life. Our government is using our tax dollars to inflict genocide on its own people. Much of that money has been going and will continue to keep going to Planned Parenthood.

There have been 46+ million American babies killed in this country since 1973. Rod Parsley the pastor of World harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio states that the ongoing federal funding of Planned Parenthood is among America’s most egregious national sins — a tragedy of unspeakable proportions. Abortion is a crime against humanity. The fact that we are forced to sponsor it with our tax dollars is unconscionable. Every committed Christian citizen must join in this battle for the sanctity of life in America, calling upon Congress to STOP the funding of Planned Parenthood. Please read the Center for Moral Clarity’s Petition (Click on page 3), and then complete the form to electronically add your name. Let’s stand together ... enough is enough!

There is an online petition available for you to sign if you would like your voice to be heard in regard to the shedding of the blood of the innocent. Click here (Click on Page 3 once on the site) if you would like to sign this petition. I think for those of us that are of African descent it is even more important for us to sign if we really know the facts about the percentage of those aborted who are African American. The latest statistics show that 25% of the African American population has been exterminated since 1973. That is something that must be known. The slaughter has to be stopped.

So to Obama I say I wish you well. To you I ask are you willing to do your part.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

“Go Tell It on the Mountain, brings down the house”

Langston Hughes “Black Nativity,” opened this past weekend (December 1- 9, 2007) to a capacity enthusiastic crowd in Yeadon PA, Delaware County.

Evelyn Graves Drama Productions cleverly laid out a spectacular show that enriched the lives of theatre crowds to “wows’ and unstoppable audience member applauses from Baltimore, Maryland to Camden, New Jersey.

“Black Nativity,” has been a successful Christmas Classic since 1961 when it opened on Broadway, in New York later touring Europe. The Philadelphia cast of Evelyn Graves Drama Productions has been engaged in the classic since 1990 when opened at the Philadelphia Academy of Music featuring recording artist Annette Hardeman, Betty Griffin Kelly, Tamika Patton, Dorothy Newton and Dr Vernard Johnson. “Black Nativity,” finds its home at the Evelyn Graves Dinner/Theatre in Yeadon since 1992.

During Saturday’s opening Carroll Kelly of Philadelphia debuted with a smooth sultry melodic Gospel sound in “Joy to the World,” setting the tune for the rest of the musical which placed the audience on the edge of their seat throughout the show. Long time North Philadelphia resident Shirley Kinlaw in her mid fifties hit the stage like a zealous teenager placing the audience in a frenzy with the Classic song of “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” in the middle of the show. Kinlaw brought the house down as dancers flew across stage with choreography combinations that simply wowed the audience. Joyce Abbott of West Philadelphia states “the show is phenomenal.”

Artistic Director/Founder Evelyn Graves gives audiences a complete creative healing experience in the arts. A well-catered meal greets audiences with warm hospitality. Evelyn Graves Drama Productions is a non-profit theatre troupe that strongly promotes the cultural arts with over thirty years of performing traditions and education in the arts in Philadelphia, South Jersey, Delaware, nationally and internationally.

Black Nativity is a re-telling of the classic Nativity story with an entirely black cast. Traditional Christmas carols are sung in gospel style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes, the show was first performed on Broadway on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an African-American to do so.

In some productions by various African American theater companies the show begins with the theater completely darkened. Barefoot singers clad only in white robes and carrying (electric) candles walk in, singing the classic hymn "Go Tell It on the Mountain". The birth of Jesus is one of the most dramatic aspects of the show. The stage, previously lit with orange and blue lights, is bathed in a deep red hue. Mary's contractions are echoed through the use of African drums and percussion. The Three Wise Men are typically played by prominent members of the black community in the neighboring area, and have no singing parts. The show closes with the chorus singing a reprise of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" as they walk out in darkness. A final soliloquy by a young child ends the performance.

The original name for this play was “Wasn’t It a Mighty Day?” Alvin Ailey was a part of the original Broadway cast.

For information and reservations for all performances put on by Evelyn Graves Drama Productions Click here.