Don’t think I was sticking up for you like a little brother that can’t fight his own battles for himself, my real issue was this the contradictory tension between his actions and his profession.

and yeah I have some great book ideas to start with…

As I quickly seek to close my comments, let me remind you of the weight and burdensome joy of our faith as believers. It requires that we remain in relationship with those with whom we do not agree, but love. I don’t know your denomination, but most protestant denominations usually govern themselves within the ideals of a “church covenant”. many of the churches I’ve connected with hold many of the same tenants as apart of their covenants. I”ll gamble on this (opps you’re Christian… I meant cast lots…hahaha) but you may be familiar with some of the same covenants of which I speak. One of the lines in this four paragraph document states… (now don’t hold too tightly this comes from memory) “… and if we cannot unanimously agree, we will cheerfully recognize the right of the majority to govern.” Now… being apart of a denomination that recites this quite often, never have I been given the impression that this meant when you don’t see eye to eye it is permissible to leave, give up, harshly critique or anything of a nature that would be counterproductive to community. So I entreat you my beloved brother… to walk worthy of your vocation. and if it is so that you disagree, stay and wrestle that we all may become better… but for God’s sake (and I mean that) don’t cast stones and then leave. I ain’t always been a preacher and where I come from we call a person who does something like that… A Punk!

Hey… it’s all in love.

Grace & Peace
Martin-

Ensayn - I must admit that I’ve not come across most of the books you listed except the Diop book. I’ll make space on the shelf for them soon. Or maybe I’ll add them to my “wish list”.

Martin! - my brother. Thanks for sharing your list. I’m so glad that there are other books on your list beside Mein Kampf…LOL. I was about to go into deep prayer. I’m kidding. I have to pick up most of the 24 books that you’ve listed. Online book review eh? Now THAT sounds like a plan. As you know, we don’t often get the opportunity to “wrestle” intellectually as much as we used to in seminary. I miss it greatly. Maybe we who visit this blog can all decide to read a book and then post our reflections on it here for everyone to enjoy. Can you imagine the types of e-discussions that would spring from something like that? Let me think on this some more. If we were to do it - is there a particular book that you feel would be a great introductory piece for our collective consideration?

Ray - Your comment saddens me. I place great value on your views on many issues and even if I disagree with you or anyone about something - I cherish the opportunity to speak where I am - and more importantly to listen where others are. I never intended this blog to be a place where everyone who visits agrees on everything that is posted. However, what I did envision was a place online where those who sometimes disagree can still remain in “virtual fellowship” with each other. For example, it says a lot to me that Ben J. would continue to visit and comment on this blog though we disagreed with each other pretty passionately on a previous post. What will we become as a society if we only engage those who think exactly like we do? In addition to taking calls on the radio and receiving feedback from newspaper articles and videos, this blog is a place for me to engage some of the most intelligent people online - some of whom don’t think like me. I urge you to reconsider your decision. You are a valuable participant in the Faith in Action conversation. However, if you choose to uphold your decision to leave this space forever, know that I will be praying for you and I ask that you keep me in prayer as well.

I’ve received a number of emails as well from others with additional books that they enjoy and I just checked my email and there is a request from one of my mentees. She wishes to borrow the books that I listed instead of saving up the $$ to buy each one. I have a thought oh anonymous mentee - how about hit the library to get the ones that you can from them and we’ll talk about making arrangements for the ones that they don’t have. If I could make a humble suggestion as to which book to start with - try the Autobiography of Malcolm X. It was my “gateway” book.

Over the last months I have enjoyed reading and participating from time to time in your discussions. However, I must end that today. I respect your right to your OPINION and I would ask that you respect mine. As a preacher, I have been called to try to bring people together in God’s love and his word. That can be learned through the Spirit of God and not just through seminary, where your “awakening” apparently took place. Not everyone will hear and see what you see. But God wants us to approach his people as a whole. Before Jesus ascended he said “go into the world” and through His Spirit He expects us to share HIS love to everyone. That includes the white supremacist network, it includes republicans and democrats, it includes the nation Israel, it includes ALL. ALL means ALL. I see a systematic effort on your part to continue to divide the races. You sound more like a Muslim than a Christian. Jesus said, we shall be known by our love. Not just our love for our race but for every man. It is His will that NONE should perish. Brother, people from every race and creed are dying and going to hell. You said in a reply to me that blacks are not capable of being racist. I don’t believe that for a moment. And after reading your thoughts, I feel as if you have allowed MAN’s educated and bias philosophical views (whether white supremacy or even talk of black supremacy) to overtake the simple truths of God’s Word. My uncle just came back from Africa. He is a Christian. A leader in His church. He told me that the best thing he experienced in Africa was that there was NO white people there. He said he doesn’t want to go to a church where there is white people present. THAT IS RACIST and HE IS BLACK and I feel that much of what you are sharing is racist as well. I admit that it may not be intentional on your part. But this saddens me just like the evils that you are trying to fight. No one gave me the opportunity to choose to come here by way of a black father and a white mother. I had no say in it. Therefore, I cannot ignore the benefits of who I am in total. I will not live in a BLACK world because it is not so.

Today is my last post and I will be deleting this site from my favorites.

With all respect and love, I disagree strenuously.
Ray

list continued….

2. The treasured writings of Kahlil Gibran.
3.Creative Disobedience - Dorothee Solle
4. I and Thou - Martin Buber
5. The Crucified God - Jurgen Moltmann
6. The Recovery of Black Presence - Bailey & Grant, ed.
7.Ideological Representation and Power in Social Relations - Gane, ed.
8. Life Together - Deitrich Bonhoeffer
9. The Aesthetics of Action - Hardin
10. I May Not Get There With You - M.E.Dyson
11.The Maafa & Beyond - Addae
12. Slavery and Freedom - Berdiaev
13. Reveille For Radicals - Saul Alinsky
14.Rules For Radicals - Alinsky
15. Great African Thinkers - Cheikh Anta Diop
16. The Politics of Jesus - Hendricks, Jr.
17. Roots for Radicals - Chambers
18. Bonheffer & King - J. Deotis Roberts
19. Intellectual Warfare - J. H. Carruthers
20. Black Heretics, Black Prophets - Bogues
21. Henry Highland Garnet’s Address - Ayer Co. Publ.
22. The Book of Micah - Old Test.
23. The Book of Hosea - Old Test.
24. The book of Amos - Old Test.

okay dude… there’s too many and too many authors I just enjoy also, and I’ve already used too much space… hey just interested in seeing and reading what others are engaged in. Shoot, perhaps I’ll take part in your next book review…hint, hint. lol.

Peace in His glory,

mcb

p.s. - stay on the wall!!!!

A Member of the Club : Reflections on Life in a Racially Polarized World by Lawrence Otis Graham
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
Black Man’s Religion: Can Christianity Be Afrocentric? by Glenn Usry, Craig S. Keener
Everything but the Burden: What White People are taking from Black Culture by Greg Tate
Free at Last: A History of the Civil Rights Movement and Those Who Died in the Struggle
by Sara Bullard
Indians Are Us? Culture and Genocide in Native North America by Ward Churchill
Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (a tale of pre-colonial African culture)

And a few movies:

Sarafina - Whoopi Goldberg & Leleti Khumalo
Yesterday - Leleti Khumalo & Harriet Lenabe

If there are any of you in the Baltimore area; I’ll let you read mine if you let me read yours.