What happened to Black society?

What happened to Black society?

By Bobby E. Mills, PhD

Prior to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the “systematized-legalized-dehumanization” of Blacks by “LAW” demanded a collectivistic-approach to life as it related to economic development, educational development, and socio-religious-development. In fact, Blacks were forced into functioning as a nation within a nation. Therefore, they had no choice, but to share resources on a higher level of spirituality and morality. More-over, the Black church became “Black society” that epitomizes the Black community. Of course, it is better to live together as Americans rather than as “divided, we fall”. By the way, we did declare, constitutionally, that: “We Are One Nation Under God”.

Unfortunately, the greed for money and power, coupled with “racial–tribalism”, keeps us divided from each other as Americans.

Even U. S. currency is inscribed with these sacred words: “In God We Trust”. So, what does all of this mean? It means that for too many Americans it is only symbolism, not spiritual reality. Thus, making Money is equivalent to GOD! Seemingly the majority of Americans have lost their way in terms of achieving and maintaining a democratic-godly-society! The ungodly desire for “White Privilege” has polluted White thought processes to the degree that minorities are not permitted the opportunity to demonstrate how to live one with another in peace according to the Two Great Commandments of Jesus. Additionally, the election of Donald J. Trump to the Office of President has become a frightening “moral-leadership” reminder of that “socio-spiritual-fact” of American life. Life in America with Donald J. Trump as President is indeed CHAOS to the “nth” degree.

The “White Only Signs” were visible “pictorial reminders” that the destiny of Blacks was inextricably tied together and “you had better not forget it”: “PhD or No D”. Unfortunately, some Blacks accepted the racial-mandates of that “ERA” (racial dehumanization) and allowed themselves to be mummified by “fear” and embraced an individualistic approach to life. The election of President Donald J. Trump is a stark “twenty-first century” wake-up-call? Black people must stay vigilant and never take an “inch” backwards because The Donald J. Trumps of America, in conjunction with Christian Right Evangelicals, and the Greedy-Money-Changers of America, are working toward the demise of minorities. Blacks must change their “socio-economic-paradigm”, or else they will perish.

Hence, the inability of Blacks to maintain a focused sense of morality from one generation to the next has had profound socio-spiritual disintegration consequences on both families as well as churches. Thus, it is a spiritual-moral- imperative that Blacks “love and serve each other as well as others (fellowman)” because it is God’s will (command).

Sinfully, and without a doubt, some “White Folks” are always going to be White Folks looking for an excuse to explain away their personal failures because America to them was, as Judge Roy Moore declared, “GREAT” only when slavery existed. Of course, most God-fearing Americans believe that slavery was America’s original sin, not its greatness. Shame! Shame! Shame! Even though the LAW has changed, some individuals cannot and will not obey the “LAW” simply because they do not know the “Spiritual-Lawgiver”: GOD! Moreover, the “Law” concerning work was given when the entrance to the “Garden of Eden” was sealed by God to all humankind, and life was no longer a “free-gift”. Men must work by the sweat of their brow!  God’s universal commandment concerning work is recorded in (Genesis 4: 17-19): Every man must work by the sweat of his own brow because “cursed is the ground for thy sake”. The Law is the Law and Justice is spiritual. Thus, the basis for Justice is just Laws. For example, Jesus was asked by the religious hypocrites of his era should they pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus answered: “Whose image and superscription hath it? Why tempt me? —-Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s and unto God the things which be God’s” (Luke 20: 23, 25). Life is not about extremes. Individuals do not have control over either the circumstances of their birth or death. But, individuals do have “free-will” and the devil is your enemy. Of course, in the case of suicide an individual has broken faith with himself or herself.  Therefore, if an individual is willing to commit suicide, he/she has made a “suicide-pact” with the devil. Question: Why kill yourself? Just have patience and wait because death is inevitable? Everything changes. Nothing remains the same. Just keep on living.

God spiritually commanded that men love and protect their wives as well as provide spiritual-moral-leadership and material substance for family units. Women should teach, by example, love in the context family interaction. This is why families should “spiritually” and “prayerfully” choose church houses for family worship with the upmost spiritual consideration because broken homes engender broken churches and vice versa. Let’s not forget, society begins and ends in the family unit (s).

The lack of “quality educational environments” in the Black Community has become a monumental “spiritual-moral” impediment to civility. Therefore, since the desegregation of public education in 1954, America has steadily been marching toward a “spiritual-moral-mental” as well as an “educational bankruptcy” of minds. The decline in public educational environments is associated with a number of factors: Home environments, neighborhood environments, administrative management, and teacher quality.

Racist legal structures and White public attitudinal disdain as displayed by “White Only Signs” spiritually forced Blacks into living from the “Inside to the Outside”. The removal of physical legal structures and public signs of dehumanization gave some Blacks a false sense of “Free at last, thank God almighty, free at last”. Of course, “Freedom” is a spiritual internal state of being, not physical mobility. Nelson Mandala was free in a South African prison. Martin L. King, Jr. was free in the “Birmingham-Jail” with his “letter from the Birmingham jail” as the spiritual testament thereto. Kunta Kinte was free, even after losing a foot, in running from White oppression in his mind.

Jesus was free nailed (i.e., crucified) on a “Cross on Calvary’s Hill”, dying for the sins of a spiritually sin-sick world. Now, too many Blacks are dealing with freedom as external, i.e., the physical right to go anywhere at any time as well as the ability to acquire things. Material things do not make individuals happy or free. And, if they did everyone would be happy and peace on earth would exist! Greed and tribalism is a dangerous combination. Therefore: “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12: 15). Selah!