THE WORD OF GOD IS LAMP
At last night’s revival with Bishop Rudolph McKissick and Elder Earnest Pugh, several of the members asked me for clarification of what I meant when I said Sunday, “indigenously conceived, rich in distinctive substantive content.” I am praying over whether or not to clarify this further on Sunday, but let me offer this explanation. Webster defines the word indigenous as having originated in and being produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment. There can be indigenous food or indigenous culture. The opposite of indigenous is the mass produced forms such as fast food restaurants that no matter where you go they look basically the same and have the same menu. Each restaurant is a copy of the other regardless as to what particular region or environment it is placed. It does not occur naturally from the particular region or environment, but is imposed from some central office miles and miles away. My point on Sunday was because we do not have internal clarity from the word of God, we do not originate, but we become copies – covering ourselves with all kinds of brands and labels, slavishly following others in our thoughts, feelings, and buying patterns. Because we are a copy, we are not rich in distinctive substantive content. Our content is the same as everyone else so it is not distinctive.
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Comments
I totally agree with your comments and appreciate the explanation. It made the statement a lot clearer. However, my comments are about another matter all together. I would like to know if you have a prejediced opinion against overweight people? I know that you are concerned about our health and the fact that we should take care of ourselves and the consequences of not taking care of ourselves. But I am concerned about the already low self-esteem of persons in our congregation who are dealing with the stigma of being overweight. You recently made a statement about you being at a pevital point in your like and you are not "all fat and out of shape" or something to that effect. I praise God that you are healthy and strong and you have the energy and strength, and time to work out whenever and for however long you would like. Many do not have that luxury. We are all wonderfully made of God and there has yet to be any one who can fully explain why He made us of all different sizes, shapes, colors, heights, etc. But the constant harping on the issue of weight has begun to make me feel as if you have a hint of prejudice against people have are overweight. Do you feel they are inferior? You recently spoke of a friend who died that you stated was due to his being overweight. How many of your friends had died who were not over weight? Is it not true that it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgement? Can we move God's timetable or our appointment date with the inevitable? I know people who have more physical problems than I can count and do not have a weight problem. Do you associate with people who are overwieght? Have you talked to any people who are overweight? I know of one member who left the congregation becaue of the uncomfortableness of being constantly reminder of the shame that she was already dealing with. Are there not some other internal issues and some other things far worse going on with us, that deserve just as much attention? Just becaue someone is overweight, does not mean that they constantly eat fat, salt, sugar, or grease. There are many things that can cause a person to gain weight. What other than talking about it are you going to do to help those in your congregation who are struggling? Are you offering to conduct some exercie classes? Cooking tips? Self-esteem classes? I simple want those who are struggling to not feel ashamed when they come into God's house. Just as you are often verbally receptive to gays, lesbians, drug addicts, those with children out of weblock and those with many other issues in the congregation, give those that are struggling with their weight some love as well. I hope taht you will soom move on to some other vises that may need to be hammered into some of us. We're all God's children, fearefully and wonderfully made, fat, skinny and in-between. Wonderfully made