This is about what happened on January 6, and before. This is about the Cross and the sword. This is about how easily we can miss the point (or be led away from the point) for self preservation or preservation of a preferred way of life. This is about hamartia, about missing the mark, about sin. This is a little bit about Christian Nationalism, but only a little bit… that would really require more words. This is about Jesus, and hope for redemption for those far from the Father.
Person. (pwmctv – 1)
There was a person Who looked at a woman While he was killing a man She recorded it on a cellphone camera It was seen around the world On the internet and TV
Spoken Word – Your Heart Is A Diamond
A quick foreword: Image via The Washington Post Last week was quite a week. Old, untreated wounds have caused a massive fever in the US. It's gotten so hot that even those who are not sick are taking notice around the globe. There have been outpourings of pain and hurt in protest. There have been... Continue Reading →
Same Last Words, Same Pre-existing Conditions, and a Birthday (George Floyd, Eric Garner, Erica Garner)
Erica Garner’s birthday was May 29. She would have turned 30. In honor of her birthday, and her tireless striving for justice, I wanted to share this spoken word in its entirety, my thoughts on God’s heart as life ends. Weeping. Doubly so when life ends because of an abuse of power by those in authority. The word was originally written her father. Unfortunately, it can easily apply to George Floyd who died in police custody this week. The pre-existing condition that took Eric Garner, and Philando Castile, and George Floyd, and Erica Garner and the grossly overrepresented percentage of African Americans who have contracted and died of Covid-19 and who have become slaves of the carceral state, the same pre-existing condition that was weaponized by Amy Cooper to threaten the life of Christian Cooper, was, and is the condemnation of blackness in a society steeped in white supremacy, and the extreme vulnerability that belongs to poor and low wealth communities in America. I explore these pre-existing conditions and some of their outcomes.
Spoken Word – Year of Jubilee
Johnny Cash's “When The Man Comes Around” was a huge influence for this piece. That song moves in the expectation of The Man’s judgment and (I gather,) payment or punishment for sin. With such great injustice in the world, we can long for the same. And there is Biblical allowance to do so, but as followers of Christ I feel there is a fine line between our anger and sinning not (Ephesians 4:26). Sinless whip-snapping and temple-table-flipping is probably not natural. In this broken world, where injustice and pain and violence is rife, the tension is real. I believe that we, as believers are called to bear witness to, and to cry out against evil. But witnessing and speaking out against injustice and brokenness can weigh us down. This piece calls our focus back to the Lamb, Slain and Risen for us, even in a world of brokenness. It calls us to long for love, over vengeance.