In my last tidbit, I promised to address the top two reasons Blacks use for rejecting American patriotism: slavery and racial oppression. Because God is omniscient, He has ‘the’ answer for all things---including both slavery and racial oppression. However, the dilemma for so many is that accepting God’s answers for these two areas often poses a serious threat to their social status, power/position, or money! In other words, because we live in a day when people profit from playing the victim card, the desire to actually resolve social problems is rejected. Over one hundred years ago, Booker T. Washington said it best: "There is a class of race problem solvers who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs and the hardships of the Negro race before the public...”.
  The overbearing question before us is what was God, Who is the Creator, the only Sovereign, Who is Omnipotent, and All-Loving, doing when Blacks were taken from Africa and brought to the Americas? In other words, does God think slavery is wrong? And if so, why did He do nothing during the Transatlantic slave trade?
  Because the Bible speaks about slavery, we should seek to understand this evil from God’s perspective. Two pertinent principles immediately apply:
1.“…the curse causeless shall not come.” -Pro26:2
2.The law of sin and judgment. –Rom8:2; Deut32:4
  Proverbs 26:2 is evidence that nothing happens in this life—either good or bad--without a cause. In other words, there is a reason for everything. Therefore, to understand slavery, we must seek God’s ways*; i.e.God’s reasons…not man’s opinions!  
  Let’s examine slavery first. Because slavery is a vast topic, one tidbit is insufficient to cover everything. However, God does explain slavery in short. For example, when Rehoboam, King of Israel sinned (2Chron12:2), God sent Shishak**, the king of Egypt, against him and his people to bring about judgment (2Chron12:12). However, when they repented (2Chron12:6), 2 Chronicles 12:7 reveals God’s answer for slavery: “And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them ‘some’ deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.” 
  In God’s system, when His law is violated—just like our own judicial systems***--God responds to sin with judgment—which He calls “wrath”. Because Rehoboam sinned and made Israel to sin, and because God is absolutely just, He sovereignly determined the justice for their sin was their destruction. However, after the prophet showed them their sin and prophesied their imminent destruction, they immediately repented. In God’s infinite mercy and justice, He said, “I will grant them some deliverance.”
 
 
 So, what was the “some deliverance”, i.e. “partial judgment” that God had in mind for them? Verse 8 gives the answer: “Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” The Hebrew word for “servants” is ebed and means bondage, bondman, or slave. In short, the judgment of God on Israel for their sin---which the Bible calls “some deliverance”---was a reduction from destruction to slavery. In other words, slavery is a judgment of God on the enslaved for their sin.
  As further evidence that slavery is a judgment of God for sin, in 722/723 BC, the Northern 10 tribes called Israel were taken into slavery by the Assyrians…FOR THEIR SIN! Subsequently, the Southern kingdom of Judah was also taken into slavery by Babylon in 586BC…FOR THEIR SIN! And my final witness is in the book of Judges, where the children of Israel went in and out of slavery for 450 years…FOR THEIR SIN! Therefore, and I repeat, God repeatedly says slavery is a judgment of God upon the enslaved…FOR THEIR SIN! Therefore, the reason Blacks were enslaved and taken from Africa to America was…THEIR SIN!
  Of course, the naysayers will immediately object, arguing that I am saying that the White enslavers of Blacks in America are innocent; or moral; or not guilty for enslaving Black people! On the contrary, God’s system of justice declares just the opposite: those who perpetrate slavery upon other humans are in fact themselves guilty of the sin of slavery. Why? Because God’s word declares that slavery is sin. For example, from the beginning, God condemns slavery in His very first commandment to mankind: “be fruitful” (Gen1:26). Fruitfulness is productivity. The definition of slavery is stealing a man’s productivity—which includes his creativity from which productivity is conceived. Furthermore, the Bible specifically condemns slavery in Exodus 21:16, calling it “man-stealing”; and in 1Tim1:9,10, calling them “enslavers”; and emphatically, slavery is condemned in the seventh commandment “Thou shalt not steal” (Ex21:15).
  When God’s word is rejected or ignored, and I repeat, it leads to a misunderstanding at best, and a rejection of His word at worst, of:
1.“…the curse causeless shall not come.” -Pro26:2
2. The law of sin and judgment. –Rom8:2; Deut32:4
Scripture declares, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you…” (Hos4:6).
  Because slavery is a curse, i.e., a judgment of God upon the enslaved for their sin, as this principle is applied to the enslavement of Blacks in America, does not mean the White enslavers are innocent. Once again, the Bible has the answer:
Jeremiah 25:12 (ESV): “Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste.” In context, He says plainly that He will punish Babylon for its iniquity. And…
Jeremiah 50:17–18 (ESV): “Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land…” Jeremiah 50:17,18 SPECIFICALLY and CLEARLY refers to God’s judgment upon the Assyrians and Babylonians for enslaving Israel (722BC) and Judah (586BC).
  In review, understanding God’s system of justice teaches that slavery, anywhere and everywhere, is a judgment of God upon the enslaved for their sin. However, and I repeat, this truth does not mean the enslavers are innocent of evil!
  Understanding the Scripture, i.e., God’s view of slavery--IF RECEIVED---initiates God’s power to deliver from slavery’s trauma. Therefore, the power of God’s word—and only God’s word, applied to American enslavement- will deliver Blacks from hating Whites, and by default, hating America! How? The application of God’s thoughts, i.e., Biblical truth to traumatic situations creates the ‘AWE OF REPENTANCE’…in wounded hearts--- which over time, is followed by an outpouring of God’s peace, the joy of the Lord---climaxing with a great reward**** i.e.an overcoming spirit*****!!
 
9.The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10.More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11.Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
                      -Ps19:9-11
 
Stay tuned for racism next week!

QuoteBit
Average people look for ways of getting away with it; successful people look for ways of getting on with it.                                      -Jim Rohn

   According to Dictionary.com, patriotism is defined as: “devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.” So, the question is “Can a Black person in America be a ‘PATRIOT’?” If you address this question to many contemporary Blacks, their “NO!” will be so instant and so absolute that it would elicit immediate anger---along with a look of: “Have you lost your ever-loving mind even to ask me such an obviously stupid question!”
  In addition, the many Black Americans who admit their national patriotism, at best, may experience avoidance and abandonment from friends; or with a shrug, simply be dismissed as a MAGA traitor! Or, at worst, after their patriotism has been discovered, other Blacks will begin cussing and spitting; followed quickly by name-calling, such as: “White-washed!”; “Sell-out! “Oreo!!”; or worst of all: “Bootstrap-licking Uncle Tom”!!
   This is tragic because it reveals one of the more astonishing successes of liberalism in contemporary American culture, i.e.or in reference to this tidbit, how liberalism infiltrated and affected the contemporary American Black culture.
        On the contrary, it is my opinion that Blacks should be America’s greatest patriots!!
  Why do I believe Black people should respect, honor, and love America? Three reasons:
1.I have a Biblical Worldview!
2.I understand Providential history!
3.I know American Black History!
 In short, my objective is not to be influenced by the world's mindset but by God’s word (Is 55:8-11)! In other words, I want to know what God thinks about ‘AMERICA’! Or, especially pertaining to this tidbit: I want to know what God thinks about America and the Black culture! And then…I want to agree with Him!! 
  Unlike Dictionary.com, ‘patriotism’ is not limited to love for the nation of your birthplace! It is not only growing up watching your older siblings having fun at their high school and longing to walk in their footsteps! Patriotism is not only graduating from your favorite university; nor is it only landing a job in your dream company! And finally, patriotism is not just loving your hometown professional sports team and patronizing their paraphernalia! 
   On the contrary, authentic ‘patriotism’ is much deeper. It rests squarely on an understanding of God’s call and/or His purposes for a nation, a people group, a business, a school, a family, an individual…i.e. the creation. In other words, if a person will learn to love God, by default, he will learn to love God’s creation, AND its purposes! Why? As God’s thoughts are understood, respected, honored, and adopted---about His creation---it results in ‘patriotism’, i.e. a love for ‘A’ particular creation! Therefore, YES…‘patriotism’ is ‘natural’, it is a love for a specific part of God’s creation--BUT like everything created by God---it has a spiritual, i.e.Biblical root.
  How do my three previous points, along with my ‘philosophy’ on patriotism’s origin…apply to Black Patriotism? And what’s more, especially given the history of Black people in America…why should Blacks love this nation? The answer is both simple and complex.
   To begin, every ‘honest’ person should self-examine (2Cor13:5) themselves throughout their lifetime! Because God’s Word is light (Ps119:105; Jn1:4), only His Word will work as the final standard to honestly examine oneself! Remember, as the Creator, He has both the final answers and authority!
  On the contrary, because liberalism presently controls the American culture, when liberal Blacks and Whites ‘interpret’ past and present events, they do not do so in the “light” of God’s Word! Why? Because liberalism is either a doctrine of atheism or a religion in and of itself—and therefore disrespects, rejects, and even hates God! The consequence of this liberal mindset results in philosophical ‘inventions’(Col2:8), such as White Privilege, Whiteness, White Supremacy, and their natural offspring of Victimology; along with Critical Race Theory; Intersectionality; How to be an Anti-Racist; Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome; Christian Nationalism, etc.  
  Therefore, I cannot address the reason Blacks ought to be America’s greatest patriots without first addressing the liberal “Go To” evidence for hating America: Slavery & racism! Nearly every White or Black liberal has been ‘trained’ to scream: “SLAVERY!” as their Trump card in response to anyone who dares to express a love for America in their presence!!!
  However, there is only one way to ‘honestly’ address the question of the American enslavement of Blacks and racial oppression---and that is God’s word, via Providential History. Using any other way only results in justifying one’s anger and hatred!
  In part two, I begin with the Providential History of slavery and racism in America.
 
 
Quotebit
A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both
sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn’t see the clouds at all—he’s walking on them.
-SAM LEVINSON (1911–1980) Humorist