Rev. Daughtry's weekly article that appears in the NY Daily Challenge every Wednesday and Friday

11/15/06

KERRY, SADDAM, BUSH THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD Part III

Mr. Bush called Saddam “a devil.” Mr. Chavez called Mr. Bush “a devil.” Trying to see through the eyes of God, I wonder what God calls them. Once it became known that the original reasons given for going to war were baseless, then Americans were told it was to get freedom and plant democracy. This reason smacks of colossal arrogance. For a nation to say, “We will bomb, destroy, kill, invade and occupy a sovereign nation to get them freedom and democracy,” is the height of arrogance, paternalism and a callous disregard for human life. It treads in the realm of deity.

If one nation is justified in invading another nation based on the invading nation’s value system, what would be wrong, if America were invaded? Supposing a nation looked at America and said, “There is a broken government, too many babies die too early, old people are neglected, homelessness is pervasive, hunger is rife, inadequate education abounds, elections are stolen, jail houses are overcrowded and accelerating at an alarming rate, murder, violence and rape are rampant, sex obsession, substance abuse proliferates, appalling deterioration of health, prejudice and bigotry are deeply ingrained and discrimination is everywhere; the politics is corrupt and abusive, the wealth is misused and increasingly is concentrated in the hands of a few and the leaders have invaded a sovereign nation without justification, America is a terrible place.”

Then there is Fred Douglas, the famous escaped slave abolitionist, looking at America through the eyes of slaves. He describes the horrors of America during the years of slavery. In a speech at Rochester’s Corinthian Hall, July 5, 1852, he said, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sound of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants brass fronted impudence; your shout of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanks-givings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.” (I have only singled out the bad, but I know there are good things and people in America. But to make my point, I wanted to look through the eyes of someone who wanted to invade, occupy or control America).

So, looking at America as described above, a nation might say, “Let’s go and free the American people and impose our way of life on them, after all our systems of government and economics, the values of our society and our way of life are far better and need to be implemented in America.” What would Americans think and/or do? I wonder how God views all of this.

The Bible teaches, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” If you don’t want your house bombed, your family killed and your country destroyed, then leave other people alone, especially, if they are not bothering you. If, however, it can be indisputably demonstrated that an invading nation is unjustifiably bombing and conquering nations of allies it might be justifiable to go to the aid of friendly nations.

Humans should always remember, I believe, this is directed to individuals as well as nations, what the scripture says, and also from the wisdom of the street, “What goes around comes around.”

To be continued
SAVE THE PEOPLE OF DARFUR
Human Rights’ Day Prayer & Rally
December 11, 2006

Where: Assemble for Prayer:
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
(Isaiah Wall)
East 42nd Street & 1st Avenue NYC
Save Darfur Rally:
Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 47th Street & 2nd Avenue, NYC

Attention Clergy: participate in Sabbath on Sudan II. . .in your religious ceremonies on December 8, 9 & 10 we ask that you include reference to Darfur
For further information call l (718) 596-1991or our see website: www.holnj.org

The Rev. Dr. Herbert Daughtry is featured in The Daily Challenge’s Wednesday and Weekend Edition. Reverend Daughtry, known as the “People’s Pastor,” is the National Presiding Minister of the House of the Lord Churches (HOLC). He also pastors the Brooklyn Church. A prolific writer, his books include “No Monopoly on Suffering, Blacks and Jews in Crown Heights,” “My Beloved Community,” “Effectual Prayer,” and “Tupac, Letters to a Son.” HOLC has a weekly broadcast which airs on WWRL 1600 on Sunday from 10:30am-11:00am. He is also on BCAT the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 2pm. Website: www.holnj.org