The Institute (協会)

The cynic in me wonders who my "evangelical leaders" are anyway - and would I trust them with my "voice." It also wonders whether or not the Jena debacle is held at arms length because hate beget violence - and while a gross injustice was occurring there's a belief (true or not) that when such a thing comes to light it (the situation) will be rectified.

The bigger picture is that the events in Jena and Tuscaloosa are happening at all. What route has taken us there and has the church been active in countering them before they took place?

Also Anthony, folks other than you do care about this and have brought it to the attention of others. Don't let the cynic in you dismiss the rest of the body wholesale. Do these events need further attention? Of course yes, but quips about abortion and N.T. Wright don't help - because they're both horrid and divisive as well.

I continue to be encouraged by your posts, so keep them coming. btw, thanks for the link to Rev. Lance – as you come across more, please share. If you know of an “evangelical response” – let us know of that as well.

Peace.

Stelmo, said "The bigger picture is that the events in Jena and Tuscaloosa are happening at all. What route has taken us there and has the church been active in countering them before they took place?"

Great question.

Jason Whitlock makes the same argument as stelmodad.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/284511.html

This is good stuff.

Keith, excellent, excellent article. Where do you all find this good stuff?

An aside: my husband went to Burma/Myanmar under the radar to train church planters. It is so incredibly poor there, the people have no cars, but the military dictatorship drives around in SUVs, Navigators and such. The people make something around 50 cents a week, and the whole family will share one toothbrush, not knowing when they might get one new one. When he was there, we had to be careful in our e-mails, the government listens. Su-Ki (not sure of spelling) has been languishing under house arrest for years. She was elected president years ago, then the military government wouldn't step down and let her lead, put her under arrest. There is a growing underground church there, very undercover. About the Jena 6 happenings, I think it would have been such a wonderful testimony if both the local white and black churches in that community had gotten together over this issue, rather that having Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton spearheading this thing. I don't know if their presence, and the march will have much long-term effect on that community. That's definitly where the local churches are needed to make the difference.

I can see hesitation to speak on two grounds. First, it can be said that the system is working; convictions are overturned on appeal, prosecutors are scouring the law for "is this a crime," people are seriously looking at the new school district maps, and more. Can we seriously argue that this would have happened, say, in 1965 without the National Guard being involved? There is still progress to be made, but isn't this huge?

Another big reason is quite frankly the Al & Jesse factor. Sometimes they get it right, but how many good people have had their lives trashed by Al & Jesse? If you want people to keep quiet, telling people they're bigots when they disagree with you is a great way of doing it.

Thanks Prof. Bradley. Very thoughtful and honest (as usual). I really enjoy readig what you say. As I stated before, maybe I will grow up and be like you. LOL. But to the point, it is sad that not one "popular" pastor has spoken out or up against this. I at least though Ligon Duncan would since it is only a few miles down the road (well not that close).

I thought that the article on this topic at Chuck Colson's Breakpoint was good:
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7105

Pastor Bradley,

I've noticed a knee-jerk penchant for blacks to blame whites in any instance of inter-racial conflict, and the Jena Six is just another example.

The charges for these boys (2nd degree attempted murder) fit the crimes in the definition of the law. I don't know how much experience you have with physical combat, but when someone is punched from behind and attacked while unconscious by six people, it's attempted murder. The severity of the victim's injuries afterward are really immaterial. Say, for example, that someone shoots at you and misses. Should the attacker just be charged with something other than attempted murder because you are unharmed?

What, in your estimation, should white evangelical leaders say in response to this? While we're at it, where have black church leaders been with regards to the fact that black-on-white crime is 50 times more prevalent than white-on-black crime? Could the high black crime rate be the reason for white self-segregation?

YOu racist!!!

Get the HELLL OF THIS BORED!!!!

Are you directing your comments at me, Phil? You know, insults are the most graceless way to state that you've lost an argument:
http://www.city-journal.org/html/6_2_my_black.html

PRCalDude, Relax. Phil M is being sarcastic. You two have more in common than you'd (or probably he'd) like to know.

Oh. Heh. Sorry, Phil!

Sarcasm is so hard to detect online if you're not used to reading someone's comments.

I AINT BEING SARSASIC!!!!

THAT RASIST CLOWN COME ONE HERE SPREDDING LIE RASIST LIES ABOUT BALCK FOLKS BEING MORE VIOLENT THAN WHITE PEOPLE LIKE 50 TIMES MORE VIOLET!!!!

THAT IS A RASIST LIE!!!

ANTHONY NEED TO BAN HIS RASIST LYING ASS FROM THIE BORED!!!