What would Jesus do...about BET?

written by guest contributor Tami of What Tami Said

It must be unprecedented—clergy kneeling at the altar of Viacom, shouting praise to a purveyor of bouncing booties, big pimpin’ and a bounty of bling.

In an announcement allegedly signed by representatives of major religious bodies, such as the Progressive National Baptist Convention, the New York Theological Seminary and the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Clergy Strategic Alliances (CSA) gushed:

We would like to congratulate BET and Debra Lee on presenting the inaugural
BET Honors Awards, dedicated to recognizing the achievements and contributions
of distinguished African-American leaders in their fields. As the leading
network for programming in the African-American community, viewers are able to
see the diversity of the Black experience expressed in various art forms ranging
from music and movies to gospel and current events. Over the years, we have seen
BET evolve and change, and while we might not always agree with every step they
make, they have always shown a willingness to listen to their viewers, and
adjust accordingly.

As religious leaders, we are encouraged by BET’s enthusiasm to engage in
dialogue with those of us who have expressed concerns over some of their
programming. BET has responded to these concerns by bringing its viewers new
shows such as Exalted and Sunday Best, but we all know that real change takes
time. We are excited about what the future holds for BET, and will continue to
nurture our relationship with the network and its leadership in their efforts to
provide new and innovative quality programming to our community. SOURCE

One new awards show and a sprinkling of gospel make BET a source of “new and innovative quality programming” that shows the diversity of the black experience?

You might argue that BET is no worse than its paler Viacom brethren—MTV and VH-1. And you might be right. But I have yet to see a group of community-minded holy men and women endorse either of those channels based on their one or two offerings of social value. But BET gets a hug and a cookie for airing Exalted and Sunday Best. I guess a little shoutin’ on Sunday morning erases a multitude of weekday sin—sin like materialistic excess, degradation of women, the sexual hijinks of the College Hill interns, the bumping and grinding of Hell Date, the g-strings and arched backs of the bet.com "B-girls," the crassness of “Read a *&%%* Book,” the celebrated violence of American Gangster 2.

The CSA Web site says:

At CSA our goal is to equip pastors and congregations with the skills necessary
to build power and improve their communities.

If that is the Clergy Strategic Alliance’s mission, then an alliance with BET ain’t so strategic.

Black women—the backbone of the church, the most faithful in the flock—are demeaned every day through BET programming, their children fed a steady diet of shucking, jiving and filth. Why aren’t these religious leaders standing with the women who pack the pews on Sunday, the church mothers who cook the repast, the ladies on the fellowship committee? Why aren’t they standing with ordinary black folks who are trying to raise their children in a world dominated by BET's values or lack thereof?

Gina asked me to remind you all that this isn't the first time a group of clergy members got together to try to stifle a movement led by ordinary people. In fact, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous letter from the Birmingham jail was written in response to a similar alliance of clergy willing to accept crumbs instead of justice.

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

Holy Crap! - Congress to Invesitgate the Finances of Televangelists

OH oh. You know how some multimillionaire preachers don't have to report where their money is coming from and how they have been spending it? Well they might not have to report it to the IRS, but they are about to have to hand over that information to Congress:

"I'm following up on complaints from the public and news coverage regarding certain practices at six ministries," [SENATOR] Grassley said in a statement. "The allegations involve governing boards that aren't independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls Royces. SOURCE

Oh and look who is on the list. I think they left some names off:

_ Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga.;

_ Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga.

_ Randy and Paula White of Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa, Fla.;

_ Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas;

_ David and Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo.;

_ Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas;

SOURCE

This is going to get ugly. You can expect hellfire and brimstone to be rolling out of some pulpits this Sunday. Y'all be sure to pass on the YouTube Clips. It will be interested to see what these folks are spending their money on.

You say what?

The White Progressive Blogosphere Takes Aim at the Black Church... It Ain't Pretty!

Y'all know that I am a frequent critic of the Black church, but in preparing for my NPR appearance today which MAY include a discussion on the Obama McClurkin controversy, I have been reading the comments section on many of these White "progressive" blogs. No matter how you feel about the Black church, you need to scroll through the comments sections of some of these blogs:

It makes it hard for a white liberal progressive to feel good about his lifelong commitment to fight against racism. I can not tell you how many white people - straight and gay - feel betrayed now that we see the black community is full of bigots itself. Comment by RJP3

There's hate-mongering and then there's prejudice-mongering...this whole uproar is a perfect example of the latter. Comment by Michael

There has not been a peep from the gay community on Hillary's endorsement by anti-gay black ministers. This is a terrible double standard. Hillary never has had the guts to say the word "gay" in any speech she ever gave to a broad audience; she saves it for fundraisers to gay civil rights group. In Obama's first speech to a national audience, when no one would have demanded that he address the point, he did anyway on his own, because that's where his heart is. He famously said, "We have gay friends in the Red states," trying to get everyone to see the humanity in others. When we start judging candidates by the personal views of people who just get up on stage on sing for them, we've really lost our way Comment by Stan.

These Christian "holier than thou" make me want to up-chuck. They are some of the biggest sinners and ego-driven morons on the planet. I would much rather see people practice their faith than run for repentence after they screw their fellow man, and lately, they have been doing this quite often, figuratively & literally! Repugssuck

Christians who take the bible literally are spiritual terrorists. They should be treated as enemy combatants. AnotherTry

Having just attended a 2 day Camp Obama training that was hosted at HRC's headquarters this past weekend, I find it hard to believe that the Obama campaign would "use" homophobia for political ends. What purpose would it serve? More likely this is poor vetting of an unknown entertainer. xcrunner77 ( calling Donnie McClurkin an "unknown" entertainer)

Hey, so I'm wondering what kind of protests we can plan at Obama campaign stops? They need to be whimsical, bitchy, and embarrassing as hell. All suggestions are welcome. Maybe carry signs saying "I am a man." Joe Aravosis

He'll stand for ANYTHING...except bigotry against brown people. Your Uncle Bastard on Americablog

So if he's got mcgurk, and now marymary, who will he add to the religion tour next? Phred Phelps? Since obama is going down that road, it would only make sense. Rickc on America Blog

Like I said before, I'm sick and tired of blacks crying "Racism" when it suits them, but when someone else (non-black)are put down, blacks are quiet. What gives? I'm no longer a supporter of blacks like I was when I was in college. Let's get real, Obama isn't electable. jerryCA on America Blog

No because it is true. The Black community tends to be homophobic. They tend to be anti-intellectual as well. Blame the first on traditional religion and the second on rap/thug culture. Mike Hunt

I'm not insinuating a damn thing, let me be perfectly clear, some people are being very racists. And not to be accused of playing a race-card, just take a look at a good number of the posts. If race wasn't an issue, why do SOOOOOOO many people keep saying things about how "black people" don't speak up? Or how those "black christians" are so intolerant/inbreed/simple minded/homophobic. But hey, no racism here. tlhwraith on Americablog

I could LIVE with Edwards remarks that he was "Struggling" and "conflicted" even though they are not the IDEAL stance that I would like to see a candidate have. At least he doesnt call us EVIL PEOPLE and start a CRUSADE AGAINST US who are just trying to live our lives the best we can.Donnie McClurkin is to GAYS what David Duke is to African Americans....I wish people could understand this. Sandy on MyDD

What's interesting to me is that McClurkin is very famous to anyone who listens to black radio. Yet the blogsophere seems to be totally ignorant of him, so that he can be turned into an anti-gay symbol by gay bloggers. An American Idol singer was accused of being anti-gay for singing a Mary Mary song, so this seems to be a standard tactic. JohnDE on MyDD

A gay co-worker of mine in Chicago had his throat cut for no other reason than getting caught walking down the street in "Boys Town". A child of mine is gay.
I ain't gay myself, but when people encourage bigotry against gays -- there are plenty out here doing it including a shocking number of black religious figures--- and when supposed black leaders passively countenance it, I feel it viscerally.
It's safe to bash gays, to exclude and discriminate against them. Among much of the black church it's the accepted norm. Barack hasn't shown guts anywhere else. If he wound not stand up to Bush or powerful interests, why should we expect him to stand up for the unpopular, for the gay. Why? Bruce Dixon on Jack & Jill Politics

Wow, the Lord works in "Mysterious" ways. These folk might be able to accomplish a task that all the prayer's of Mama's prayer circle have been unable to do up to this point, defend the Black church against a wholesale assault.

We need to think about doing that t-shirt thing to highlight folks silence on Dunbar Village too. I like that showing up at campaign stops idea. We can print up T-shirts that say "Obama - Clinton - Edwards Don't Care About Black Women and Girls"

We'll be talking about this on the WAOD Podcast. Thursday at 8:00PM CST. Jasmyne Cannick and Terrance from Republic of T have agreed to come on.

Blackseagoat, have a little faith in me. In case you haven't figured out, I ain't a fan of sanctimonious church folk, but how do we have any kind of dialog if folks refuse to talk to each other? I'm not gon' invite folks on my podcast and then let folks be nasty to them and if folks try, they know that they will be hit with the big ole MUTE button.

UPDATE: COURTESY OF PAM'S HOUSE BLEND
Obama has added an openly gay minister to the lineup at the concert

In response to an uproar from gay activists, Democrat Barack Obama's presidential campaign on Thursday added a gay minister to the lineup for its Obama's campaign invited Rev. Andy Sidden, a South Carolina pastor who is openly gay, to appear on Sunday in Columbia. Obama discussed Sidden's inclusion Thursday with Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, which supports gay rights.weekend gospel tour. SOURCE

Church Folks Getting a Threshing! Juanita Bynum, Donnie McClurkin, and Obama.. OH MY!

OH it a rough and tumble time for those with TBN ministries. They can't seem to catch a break. Juanita Bynum and Donnie McClurkin are taking some beatings on blogs. The Donnie McClurkin and Obama story should register on y'alls radars around Thursday or so, But I thought I would give y'all a heads up.

It is going to be a rough week for Obama. Some folks are in an uproar about the fact that Obama has a gospel tour featuring Donnie McClurkin. Jack and Jill Politics and Eurweb have more. What these people don't understand is that a whole lot of the folks on that tour beyond Donnie McClurkin share his views, so under their standards, no presidential candidate EVER should have a gospel artist in their line up. . Notice none of these folks were up in arms when McClurkin sang at the 1992 Democratic convention. I'll have more later in the evening, but I wanted to put that on y'alls radar. This is going to be interesting because what I 've been reading the comments on other blogs and they say that they have no idea who Donnie is and then proceed to savage him. What they don't understand is that the relationship between a gospel artist and their fans is MUCH deeper than say that between Britney Spears and her fans. Donnie might come down with a case of strep throat right before the tour, but Obama can no more repudiate Donnie McClurkin than he would repudiate MLK. I wonder how many of these "progressive bloggers" have devoted a single SENTENCE to Obama's stance on the Dunbar Village gang rape. Or for that matter Clinton, Edwards or Richardson's stance on Dunbar Village since they all know about it and have not said a word. Obama office said he would be issuing a statement on August 7, 2007... I'm still waiting.

Now on to the THRESHING FLOOR...
The views expressed in this post are in no way intended to be actual spiritual advice or an interpretation of the Bible, but merely Gina pulling some explanations out of the air after about a half dozen folks asked what a "Threshing Floor" was. I feel like I'm in Sunday school class. Mama, call me correct any of my explanations as you are a Black belt Bible Scholar and me...not so much ( okay well sort of when it suits me).
I loathe anything that might attract church folk to this blog, but many people have asked what the heck a "Threshing Floor" is. So I will offer MY explanation which of course some folk will take as an invitation to proselytize on this blog which will tick off other folks and then I'll have to weigh in and say "settle down" and then a second wave of sanctimonious know-it-alls will come along an say I got it all wrong and God called them last night and told them exactly what a "threshing floor" is and they will insist on leaving a tome on the etymology of "Threshing Floor" in the comments and then people will talk about how the "threshing floor' changed their lives and now everybody needs a threshing floor too. In other words, I'm providing MY explanation, I won't let y'all turn this blog into a Sunday school class.

Well there is a literal definition, but then like all symbols, there are probably a half dozen or more spiritual meanings. I am not a religious scholar, only a churchologist so theologians ( those brave enough to openly comment on this blog) please weigh in. I did however dust off my official Bedside Baptist Illustrated Cliff Note's Bible and have dug deep for my readers who did not have to sit through bible study, BTU, starlight band, prayer meeting, youth meeting, angel choir rehearsal, junior usher board practice, bible drill practice not to be confused with drill team practice, oh yeah and Sunday school.

Literal Meaning

Threshing floors and wheat and corn etc. pop up a lot in the Bible. For example the one that pops up in my mind just off the top of my head is the story of Ruth and Boaz. Wheat played a big role in that story. Have you ever heard the phrase "separate the wheat from the chaff?" Well in the olden days, that would happen on the threshing floor. You would beat or "thresh" the grain to separate the usable part from the unusable. The wind would blow and the lighter, unusable portion of the wheat would float away. Not only that, but the place where you would do it tended to be communal, flat, and God liked telling folks throughout the bible to hang out or carry out certain tasks involving a threshing floor. So folks attach some meaning that the threshing floor is somehow "special or sacred."

Spiritual Meaning ( Depending on who you are talking to)

Just imagine your self a wheat plant and the "threshing floor" is where you would go to separate the unusable part of you from the usable. Or purify you, separate the substance from the fluff. Or say that man kind is a wheat plant and the Universe "threshes" us all to separate the usable from the unusable. John the Baptist talked about Jesus coming after him and basically separating the wheat from the chaff.... the chaff get burned. (Matthew 3:12)I told y'all wheat pops up a lot in the Bible.

Juanita Bynum' $200,000 Threshing Floor

For Juanita Bynum, the threshing floor apparently is the place where the Lord Almighty can reach her on her cosmic cell phone with the fewest dropped calls. Apparently she needs this threshing floor or God's going to put her on call waiting. Its kind of like a prayer closet, only bigger.... and more expensive. Think of it as kind of a meditation room. She even wrote a book called the threshing floor.

Well y'all remember Juanita was supposed to become the new face of domestic violence? Well pretty soon after her initial publicity blitz following the incident with her husband, Bishop Tommy "The Hit Man" Weeks. Prophetess Bynum began to appear to capitalize on her increased visibility. For example, she put up an ad on her website proclaiming that 40 million folks had visited that month. Well of course they did, she was all over the news for being allegedly attacked by her husband. Then this video popped up where Juanita basically asked fro $200,000 to build a new "threshing floor" because she had to move from the house where her old floor was located see it for yourself(this was right after the incident with the husband):


Here is one of the most popular responses to Juanita Bynum courtesy of Character Corner:

Church Buys 20 Billboards Denouncing Hip Hop Artists- "Stop Listening to Trash"

Y'all don't know how much THIS warms my heart. Thanks Bronze Trinity for the link. This week has been pretty heavy with the whole D-list comedians and R&B artists doing duets with alleged child predators, but Bronze Trinity brought it all back to center when she sent me that link

Starting today, twenty billboards will be going up throughout the city of Chicago denouncing artists that demean women and perpetuate violence. Some of the billboards are already posted.

Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of Saint Sabina church said, "If we are going to end the violence and the disrespect of women, we must fight every form of negativity, including the music industry."

The billboards read: "Stop Listening To Trash" naming ten present day disrespectful rappers.

Nah Right has more with some ironic commentary. Saint Sabina's website can be found here. Maybe we need to have a campaign to buy billboards? Stop listening to trash for REAL. We have got to stop funding the foolishness.

The story is also at SOHH .