Jesus Was Dark, Liberal: Why Fear Obama?
By B. I. Conway
Jesus was born Yeshua Ben Yoseph in the town of Bethlehem. Yeshua means salvation or “Lord who is salvation” in Hebrew, while the remainder of his name refers to his lineage from his earthly father.
He was born into a poor Hebrew family from Nazareth, but one that was provided for very well by God through the Wise Men.
Nazareth was near the Gentile cities of Tiberias and Sepphoris on the Sea of Gaililee that lies in southern Israel along the ancient “Via Maris,” which linked Egypt to Mesopotamia. As has been shown by archaeology and linguistic evidence, this region was essentially an eastern extension of Africa due to the interaction of these peoples.
Second, Jesus’ genealogy is stated clearly in the Bible and demonstrates that he was a man of color. First, Matthew 1:2-17 sets out Jesus’ lineage to King David and beyond, which interestingly contains many flawed human beings (sinners like me), but also contains at least four Afro-Asiatic women: Rahab, Tamar, Ruth and Bathsheba. There was also a substantial general Afro-Asiatic influence in Jesus’ DNA as the Hebrew in Jesus genealogy were a subjugated people that spent a hundreds of years in Africa.
Putting aside the sexual exploitation of slaves that we know from the American and Mexican experience, Moses, for example, had a Cushite or Ethiopian wife and Phineas, which in Egyptian means “the Nubian,” was the son of Aaron and the father of a priestly Hebrew line.
Third, Jesus spent his early years in Egypt, where he and his family apparently blended in quite well. Matthew reports the flight of Jesus’ family to Egypt to escape Herod’s infanticide designed to kill Jesus. Thus, Jesus spent his formative years in Africa and was exposed to Egyptian mysticism.
This is confirmed by non-biblical resources, as early Jewish critics of Christianity argued that Jesus learned his magic in Egypt. Matthew also documents that God called his son out of Egypt.
For all these reasons, it is clear that Jesus was a man of color. He was of mixed blood known as Afroasiatic. Like his parents, he was much like the darker Palestinian, Egyptian or Yemenite of today: More chocolate brown than Caucasian in appearance.
What is in a name? Today in America, our names have little meaning other than to identify us. This was and is not so in Middle Eastern cultures.
The name Hussein, which is being used to demagogue Mr. Obama because it was also the shortened name of Saddam Hussein, does not actually have any evil connotation. In Arabic, it means “to be good” or “to be handsome or beautiful.”
So as with most demagoguery, we find that there is no basis in fact for it, nor is there any thing for us Caucasian Americans to fear from the use of this name.
Jesus was crucified because he was a liberal – indeed a radical against the religious and political leaders in Jerusalem. Immediately after his triumphal entry, with the crowd shouting Hosanna (God save us), Jesus proceeded to the temple where he made a whip of cords and drove out the money changers and those selling sacrifices, along with their animals. “You have turned my father’s house into a den of thieves,” Jesus implored.
This was done in full sight of the Roman Garrisons, which were situated on each end of the Temple Square and the Hebrew religious leaders that no doubt had an interest in the commerce.
Jesus, as he had many times before, then called these religious leaders hypocrites to their face because they misused their wealth, power and position to glorify and satisfy themselves rather than to take care of the poor, the widowed and orphaned. Jesus was consistent in his ministry as he often warned of the danger of wealth and possessions and that we are only stewards of God’s blessings.
These are liberal principals, but it does not end there.
Jesus was against the death penalty. He taught that thou shall not kill and that if one is sinless, let him cast the first stone. Jesus changed a murderer named Saul into the most prolific apostle of them all. Peter was the rock upon which God’s church was built, but Paul spread the Gospel further and planted more churches than he. This belief in the goodness and potential of all men is a liberal principal.
Jesus is a peace maker and believed in and taught peace. He said, “Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called children of God.” He taught that we should love and pray for our enemies and that if anyone should harm us, that we should turn the other cheek.
You see, Jesus knew that love was the most powerful force in the world and that it will conquer in the end. We have seen this proven in our times. Just think about three of the most influential leaders of the last century: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King and compare their effectiveness to the Arab terrorist.
These were men of color on three separate continents in entirely different cultures who used love and nonviolence in the face of powerful entrenched government leaders and evil and hate to effect remarkable change. They were acting out liberal biblical principals in faith.
I could go on and on from Jesus’ rejection of strict enforcement of religious law to separation of church and state, but I think the point is made. Jesus is a liberal; thank God for his grace.
So, Virginia, please see that you need not fear Mr. Barack Obama because of his color or his liberalism and progressive thinking. He is less liberal than Jesus. Mr. Obama has already told us that he does not want our guns and will enforce the death penalty.
Virginia is the birthplace of freedom through the leadership of our sons, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. They were liberals, indeed radicals declared by King George as criminals worthy of hanging.
Patrick Henry cried, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Thomas Jefferson wrote our Declaration of Independence, the most liberal document of declared rights of its time.
We must realize Martin Luther King’s dream. We must show the world that the truth and peace still matter to the citizens of these United States and that we have progressed past petty prejudices.
Do not listen to the demagoguery of this vision-filled man. I think it not a coincidence that Mr. Barack Obama, a Christian and a man of mixed black and white blood, has risen up to us as he has with such a strong belief that we can come together.
We must do this. We must realize the dream. We will be better for it.
B.L. Conway is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Kentucky and a 1986 graduate of its law school. He lives and practices law in Abingdon, Va., and serves in the information ministry of Highlands Fellowship.
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Gee, Dad, I’m really sorry if I offended you. I just thought some of you may care about who is reading your comments and why. I’ll never post here again. Sorry.
Well you see there guys the Princess came to view this article and the comments. She was sorely disappointed that our opinions did not meet her needs and she now blames us for her being an adult, apparently of voting age, who is uninformed about politics, and thinks that the world rotates around her.
She is exactly the type of voter the Pat Robinson, Haggie, and these other religious zeallots can control because they take the hard part out of voting. She would not have to decide which direction the USA should be taken that would meet the moral, ethical, and spitirual truths she holds dear.
Well we failed her.
But if she had let us know she was comming we would have baked a cake and had a party too.
As a young conflicted Christian woman I perused the comments after this article hoping to get some insight into who I should vote for. I am as of right now undecided. I agree with Republicans on the moral issues, but I am TERRIFIED of another 4 years of Bush. I think I am in the majority. Admittedly I am uneducated on politics in general. I am trying to rememdy that before this election. I want to vote with a clear conscience and be completely behind the candidate I choose. So, when I saw the title of this article, and the long list of comments after, I thought to myself “Here is an opportunity.“ An opportunity to read a article, followed by comments made by people of my region, on the topics that I am conflicted over right now. Here is a chance to learn.
Boy, was I wrong. I didn’t even get through the first page of comments. All I’ve read are attacks. You are all attacking each other and in the process pushed away a young woman who was looking to you for advice. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
August 26, 2008
To Whom It May Concern,
Thousands of people call Highlands Fellowship “home”. We love and welcome all who come without approving of their beliefs, lifestyles or political choices. We got that from Jesus. We all are a work in progress and Christ never leaves any of us where He finds us. He accepts us where we are but never leaves us there!
Those who attend Highlands Fellowship range from seekers to seasoned believers and everyone in between. Our purpose at Highlands Fellowship is to: “Bring people into the Membership of God’s family; build them up to Christ-like maturity; train them for their ministry in the Church; and send them out on their life mission in the world all in order to magnify God’s name”. The purpose of our church comes from the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus.
The recent article by one of our members entitled, “Jesus Was Dark, Liberal: Why Fear Obama?” appearing now in several online and print publications does not speak for Highlands Fellowship nor does it reflect the theology or views of Highlands Fellowship and its members as a whole. Our stated beliefs can be found at www.highlandsfellowship.com.
Highlands Fellowship does not endorse any political candidate. We encourage the congregation as citizens to engage in the political process and for God’s Word to be their guide. At Highlands Fellowship, democrats, republicans and independents can be found in great numbers and probably other political parties as well. Our unity comes from our relationship with Christ and the essentials of the faith not in our political views.
Sincerely,
Curtis Johnson
Operations Pastor
Highlands Fellowship
Friends its the dreaded, bl again. i knew i was sick last night, but i did not know it would effect my writing like that. that message was so important that i have redone it. i ask Mr. Foster to please consider editing it for publication Sunday. so here it is on rewrite.
please let up on Jimmie Davidson and the great folks at Highlands. they had nothing to do w/ this. it is my work and my views. i did not seek Pastor Davidson’s approval, nor would i have listened to him if he disapproved. The CHURCH HAS NO ROLE in the rough and tumble world of politics. so say it to my face or in this forum, i can take it.
i have not responded directly to any of your comments b/c most were frankly not worthy of my time. i do take strong exception to one which suggest that i did this for my gratification. Sorry, FRIEND I DID IT FOR YOU. you have been sold a bill of lies by these hypocrites on the right AND YOU DO NOT VOTE YOUR INTEREST. You have bought into the lies that the Democrats are for abortion and blacks and their going to take you guns and raise your taxes. THESE ARE ALL LIES. for example, they are going to raise my taxes, but not yours.
i told my republican friend, Jimmy Humprhies Esq. that the poor would be walking the streets of Abingdon by the time Junior, Cheney and the Republican Congress got done w/ them. i did not know how prophetic i would be. our poor brothers and sisters are having decide whether to ride or eat. they have devalued your dollar w/ billions in debt, much of which was paid to Cheney’s Haliburton and other Defense Contractors.
i can recall during the Bosnia conflict, the Republicans including Pappy, McCain saying they would never get us into a War w/ no exit strategy. Yep, MORE HYPOCRITICAL LIES and what a terrible loss of life and money for nothing. these sunis and shea have been killing each other forever. now, if you think that w/ that pot of gold in oil just setting there between them that they are going to stop killing each other when we leave, then i have some land down in Fla for you, Friend.
The Republicans told us they were the party of fiscal conservatism. Yep, ANOTHER HYPOCRITICAL LIE. THEY HAVE RUN UP THE LARGEST DEBT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR GREAT NATION AND SHATTERED OUR ECONOMY IN THE PROCESS.
The Republicans are the party of the largest prison population in the history of the Untied States. i have been practicing law for over twenty years. What they have done to our Federal System is shocking and so unjust. it is, as designed by them, a one sided inquisition.
we are blessed in Va and E.Tenn w/ a great State Court System and great Judges. i have yet to complete a case in these State Systems where i felt that my client was slighted or that the Judge was not accomplishing Justice be he Republican or Democrat.
Not so, in the Federal system. The Republicans have packed these Courts w/ so called Conservative Judges. in my experience, that means they deprive the Citizen of their rights and remedies.
i am going to give you one example of my throw up cases (i do mean that physically) from the Federal Western District Court of Virginia. there have been 3 that made me physically ill, but i will only burden you with 1. many lawyers that practice here have more. ask them about their horror stories.
this is what happened to Bradley McKinsey from the mountains of S.W. Va. Bradley was at home minding his own business w/ his family when a Sheriff Deputy shows up and said they had child welfare check to do(his wife’s teenage girl had been out of school for a few days and her the mother on his wife’s X side had called concerned). Bradley and his wife explained that the child was in state custody as she had got on drugs and they sent her in for detox. the officer did not call to confirm, but insisted on searching the house where he found several rifles in one room and a pistol under Bradley’s bed. The Deputy left but, he went back and checked Bradley’s NCI report and found he had been convicted of 3 felonies for indecent liberties 12 years before. The deputy came back and obtained Bradley’s confession that the pistol was his.
the Feds pick up the case and there we are in Federal Court. All motions to suppress are as usual denied. the boy has confessed. what i do to help him? i investigated the three underlying felonies. i found that they were bs. Bradley at age 18 had obtained a job driving a school bus. unfortunately, he was assigned to drive “troubled female teenagers’ to and from a special needs school. we found 2 of them and they recanted their previous statements saying that Bradley had talked lewd to them. they told us they got mad at Bradley b/c he would not stop and buy them ice cream or something of that sort. we obtained their sworn affidavits
the problem for Bradley was that his court appointed lawyer had worked him a sweet deal back then. plead to three felonies and you get no jail time. fast forward and Congress passes the Armed Carrer Criminal provision setting the mandatory minimum punishment at 15 years for 3 or more violent prior offenses. these were not violent offenses but, sorry Bradley Congress defined them as such.
So we go to the sentencing inquisition. the probation office who works directly for the Judge despite my begging that he look at the underlying nonoffenses, concludes that they are violent offenses. now here i am cross examing the Judges employee. here i am putting on Bradley and the family to beg for him. i don’t think there was a dry eye in the room other than on the bench. When it’s over the Judge looks down at me sternly and says tersely “you know my hands are tied Mr. Conway”: 15 years for this victimless crime.
Plus, consider that you cannot expect any relief from the 4th Circuit Court Appeals w/ it’s Conservative Judges. any lawyer will tell you that and Bradley could not afford an appeal in any event.
Well, i am sorry folks that was sickening and i could not believe it happened in America. A family was completely destroyed and Bradley who was supporting them sits in prison today rotting away. there are literally thousands and thousands of stories like Bradley’s and young people wasting away for victimless crimes. it cost us, the tax payers over $30,000 per year to house one of those wasting away. we could send them to college cheaper and perhaps develop them in to tax paying Citizens. Congress has no business being involved in the sentencing of the good folks of our region when they never saw or meet them. One size does not fit all. that is not Justice.
So now you know the reason why i did this. it has nothing to do with me. i love the people of this region. they have been so good to me and my family. i did it for them. they must learn to vote their interest again.
if you earn $200,000 or above, you ought to vote Republican b/c yes, your taxes are going to be raised to pay down this debt and stabilize our dollar. but if you do not, your just cutting your own throat if you vote Republican. they do not operate in your interest. Do you really want 4 MORE YEARS OF THIS INJUSTICE, WAR, SOARING DEBT, FALLING DOLLAR, HIGHER PRICES AND CORPORATE WELFARE? Think about it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all i am trying to get you to do. tx bl
All I have to say for right now is, I have a problem with someone that cannot use the name Jesus Christ and instead use Yaweh…
To think that one would compare Jesus our Lord and savior to a mere man is asinine.
1. First and foremost Jesus is God in the flesh and the color of his flesh was a moot point, it was God the creator of all things in human form.
2. Jesus was anything but a liberal, if being a liberal means ones supports the murder of unborn children and homosexual life styles.
3. Jesus wasn’t a taker, Jesus was a giver and preached and taught it is better to give then receive. The bible says it is the churches place to feed the poor and to care for the widows. The Lord said to give and he would open the treasures in heaven for you.
Obama is just a man nothing more …nothing less…….and who by the grace of God has been blessed to have been born in this great country where he has the honor to run for the most powerful position in the world.
In closing Jesus wasn’t crucified because he was a liberal; he was crucified for your and my sins. He was God’s perfect sacrifice because God loves us so much that he willing gave his only son. Mr. Conway you really need to read the bible and understand it is all about God’s love and not about Jesus being a man of dark skin who was as you believe a liberal…..there is so much you are missing.
I think we can argue the definition of liberalism here. We can say Jesus was a radical extremist for His purpose and our good. He, the author of truth, never strayed from his mission. Obama, on the other hand, is a wavering man with a political agenda. His moral convictions are assumed because he refuses to make a stand on moral issues fearing loss of confidence in the voter. Just look on his stand on the issue of when human rights begin during a recent public meeting with Rick Warren.
The author below is comparing a man to God himself as if there was a chance that we were equal in nature or origin. The issue is not race, name, or vision. The issue is truth, a truth that has been set by God for the well being and freedom of man. The law of God’s love has boundaries and when crossed, leads to death. The only solution for that love is the blood of Christ Himself. Why was Jesus radical? So we may see God’s truth and love and accept the only way for redemption of sins. The law of love has never changed.
Do we need to follow Obama because he is a progressive thinker? Not if he will not stand to the truth of God’s Word. If he supports abortion, then he supports the greatest holocaust in world history. If he supports embryonic stem cell research, then he supports the ends justifying the means ethic. This ethic devalues human life for a hope of a better tomorrow. Where does he truly stand morally? If we cannot support a candidate from a moral or ethical view then we cannot depend that we are being told the truth by the candidate since he or she may not hold to any moral convictions.
And please, don’t classify someone as Christian because they claim to be one. The Bible clearly states:
15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruit. People don’t gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. 21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, lawbreakers!’” (Matthew 7:15-23).
We must look beyond the rhetoric and media hype in this political campaign. We must hold the candidates to the standards set by God and if they do not illustrate God given convictions we must look elsewhere for the leadership this country needs..
Doug
Mr. Conway,
I too am very disturbed by the fact that anyone would compare a living person to Jesus Christ. Regardless of color or political party. I’m definately not your judge so I’ll leave it at that. My wife, children and I have also been attending Highlands fellowship and I’m very disappointed that you would use your position in the church to attempt to sway voters. I also want to comment on your statement that Obama does not want our guns. You are absolutely wrong on this one sir. Please take the time to research his voting record. Obama’s voting record is 100% anti-gun.
hello friends. it’s me the dreaded, bl. i have to be in Richmond today fighting for my clients rights and in Charlotesville the following day. so, i may not be able to add much to the commentary w/ all that travel.
i want my remaining friends at Highlands to know that i will not be there this weekend, but it has nothing to do w/ Pastor Davidson. i and my brother, Bart are going diving in St. Thomas over the weekend. i love to dive. i see another part of Yaweh’s majesty. i wish you all could see it. i do have photos that i will be happy to share, if you wish. just email me.
i love diving b/c it is so mediatative. you cannot do it anxiously. this allows one to see the glory.
w/ regard to you atheist that have attacked me, i have a question for you. do you really think that we hurtling through space on this molten core at 3000 MPH surrounded by the debris of Creation w/out the protection of our Creator? explain that to me please. please also explain to me what you are going to do when you face death? just wondering, bl
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