Host Veritéetfeu shares why she didn't vote for Kamala Harris and encourages fellow Christians to remain faithful to Christ no matter their candidate of choice.
In response to the May 11, 2022 Senate vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have codified abortion nationwide, allowed abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy and for which 49 out of 50 Senate Democrats voted in favor, Pastor Tom Buck tweeted the following:
“In light of today’s vote by Democrats to legalize abortion until the moment of birth, we are rapidly reaching the point that voting for a Democrat should be a matter or church discipline.”
I believe Pastor Buck’s words were meant in jest, but some on his thread found them to be spot on and long overdue.
In 2018, I penned an article making a case against the social justice movement entitled, “Social Justice: Why Jesus Didn’t Pursue It + Why Christians Shouldn’t Fight for It”. It was a well-received piece, namely among my Christian conservative friends, and it served as a resource for those who discerned the burgeoning movement was problematic, but had trouble precisely articulating why this was so. Honestly, before writing that piece I, too, struggled with offering a precise, Biblical case for how something that, on the surface, sounded so good was ultimately quite evil.
Years later, I’ve found myself similarly positioned regarding Christian Nationalism, the latest problematic movement seeking to take root in America and in the Church.
In this episode of Truth + Fire: The Podcast, host Veritéetfeu examines the Scriptures to determine how the Body of Christ should address Christians who vote Democrat.
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Host Veritéetfeu follows up on “S2E9 - Abortion: Voting Bloc or Stumbling Block?” by examining the pro-choice abortion positions of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. How might Christians navigate this important election in light of their convictions on abortion? And would many still suggest that voting for a pro-choice candidate is a sin?
Cisgender: I literally JUST learned this term last week while reading an issue of Essence. In light of recent events, I've seen this term more often over the past few days. I've even used it a couple times in broader discussions on gender politics and social media debates.
But I don't self-identify with the term.
I am not “cisgender”. I am not a "cisgender woman". I am not a "cisgender female". I am a woman. I am female. That's it.
Tried as I might to find the intelligence and validity in the arguments of those who took issue with her words, I’ve now settled in my heart that the points they raised aren’t worthy of any further cerebral activity.
Nope! Not one more precious brain cell will be used to intellectualize an argument that is so clearly rooted in tom-foolery!
In my opinion, their issue with her has nothing to do with feminism or women’s rights and very much to do with the fact that Ayesha’s sentiments are a threat to what I call the “THOT life”.
I stand with Paris 100%...it's my most beloved international city! Those close to me know that I am a lifelong francophile - a lover of all things french, but Paris has my heart. My bedroom decor is Parisian-themed. I’ve traveled to, dined and shopped in Paris all alone but, in my awe of such a gorgeous city with amazingly friendly people, I was never lonely...
Again, I LOVE PARIS!!! But here is my issue with the “Twitter Twits”, as I’ve coined them, who DARE compare the terrorism Paris has experience to the racism experienced in the US (and in Africa and other parts of the world, for that matter): WHY ARE YOU ONLY #prayingforparis?
As a fellow Christian, I have to say, I love Kim Davis! Watching her case has taught me so much about standing for God in today's time, and I bless God for using her to demonstrate some important lessons for me. I've been quite fascinated with this case for weeks now. I had plans to publish a full piece covering my specific thoughts on her case for some time, but I find the essence of this matter to be rather open and shut.
Well…well…well!
Lookah here…lookah here!
Same-sex marriage is FINALLY legal in all 50 states and I couldn’t be experiencing more peace in my soul! Yet, my fellow Christian bretheren and sistern (is that a word?) seem to be downtrodden and rather somber about it, and I can't say I fully understand why.
From where I sit, today’s ruling made perfect practical sense and I knew it was only a matter of time.
It’s been a rough week.
As nine innocent churchgoers lost their lives last Wednesday night at the hands of a shooter poisoned by hatred – scratch that – sheer EVIL, I sat in the comfort of my home drafting a carefully crafted piece on forgiveness, specifically what it truly means, how to extend it, and how certain attitudes can hinder it.
In the days leading up to writing that piece, I’d wrestled with God over the topic because I felt it wasn’t ‘sexy’ enough. We’d been privy to the bizarre and the strange that is the Rachel Dolezal story for days at that point, and I felt I was losing too much precious time writing about “forgiveness” when I’d much rather get in on some “transracial” action!
But God nagged me to publish my next post on forgiveness and, honestly, I didn’t get it. I initially felt the subject had absolutely no relevance. “Who would even read it,” I thought. But I soon came to realize why God inspired me to speak on that particular topic.
“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” ~ Leviticus 19:15”
Today’s piece is less of an analysis and more of a good, old-fashioned rant. I simply have nothing profound to add to the discussion surrounding the McKinney, TX incident; the video above more than speaks for itself. But I feel it necessary to share a few thoughts on fairness and balance - two concepts Fox News claims to pursue in its news coverage, though we all know they're about as balanced as a peg-legged pirate standing on a seesaw!
As I wrote my perspective on the Duggar Family scandal, I did my best to implement my analysis through the lens of fairness and truth. In the end, my views on the matter fell counter to popular opinion. From a Christian perspective, I took the stance that we should not gloat in the Duggar’s shame, and I believe it is incumbent upon those of us who claim to be Believers in Christ to not cast stones at Josh for past sins, especially those committed in his youth. I continue to stand by that perspective.
But as I wrote that piece, there was yet another perspective nagging me in the back of my mind: Me as an African American. I prayerfully decided not to include that point of view in the original piece because, frankly, it was not relevant. If I attempted to speak from that vantage point, it would have not only clouded my objectivity, I would have been forcing it upon the issue just to prove a point - God wasn't going to let me corrupt the Truth with my personal opinion.
Nevertheless, as I watched how Fox News’ Megyn Kelly handled the Duggar coverage, I wondered if she might be as gentle and compassionate if the family, specifically Josh, had been Black. I hate that I even had to think that way. It’s sad that I even had to consider it. But I did wonder – and if I’m honest, based on previous experiences with that network, I decided in my heart that Megyn would not have been.
The Duggar coverage was laced with terms like, ‘child’, ‘juvenile’ ‘mistake’, ‘forgiveness’ and, my favorite, ‘over the clothes’. Each time I heard them, my spirit groaned, because I knew similar dispensation would not have been afforded to anyone who looked like me.
Sadly, I was right! (BTW: I'm right pretty often, but it doesn't always feel good!)
Not even a week later, we've moved on to the 'McKinney Melee', as I'd like to call it. (Mind you, 'Melee' is used here only to evoke the image of confusion...the only person running amuck, it seems, was Officer Eric Casebolt - or, as one Twitter user humorously referred to him, 'Paul Blart' - who acted as if he'd chugged a case of Red Bulls before arriving to the scene. Turn down for what!?!) Even though Josh Duggar's and the bikini-clad Dajerria Becton's 'offenses' are worlds apart - one, at worst committed a felony; the other, at worst, was being unruly, the Fox News coverage played out just as I'd suspected. Somehow, yet another case involving Black youth was covered in a way that made the child an adult, and it was implied she brought the officer’s excessive actions upon herself.
“I’m sure he didn’t know she was 14,” said Megyn Kelly during Monday night’s edition of The Kelly File. “She looked like a young woman,” she added. “She was no saint, either,” Kelly actually fixed her mouth utter! She attempts to save herself with the age old, 'BUT, I don't condone his actions' type of rhetoric. But the damage was already done. Her seeds were already planted.
After witnessing Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and other Black youth become grossly mischaracterized by 'conservative news media' (with no opportunity to defend themselves), I am not at all surprised by Kelly’s sly attempt to paint an alternate narrative around this young woman as well. (By the way: When did it become okay for 'news' to be either 'conservative' or 'liberal'? Aren't they all supposed to be 'journalists?'!)
Even if the teens were mouthing off and “lingering”, that’s not why this matter made headlines. A teenager being a teenager is NOT news! The officer in this case is not only an adult, he was supposed to be an officer of the law trained to serve and protect, not sling and drag...curse and berate...or draw a loaded weapon on teens 'armed' with nothing more than beach towels! There was absolutely no justification for his actions. Period. I assume he understands that now, considering his recent resignation.
I so often wish we all (especially Megyn, Fox News and their friends) would learn to do a better job at sticking to the point of a story, avoiding distractions and fighting the temptation to defend only those with whom we identify. I get it: When your side is under attack, you find every opportunity to assuage any hit that paints your side in a bad light. But where is the pursuit of truth and justice in that? What a world we would be if we had the ability to judge a matter justly and 'call a spade a spade' no matter which deck of cards it came from. (I tend to be an idealist that way.)
At the end of the day, I stand by the truth I pursued in the Duggar matter. The pool party video does not negate Josh Duggar was rightfully referred to as a “child”. It is, however, a brutal reminder that Black youth are not afforded the same level of grace - and there's nothing fair or balanced about that!
