<p class="s19"><span class="s20"><span class="bumpedFont15">WHO I AM – WHY I AM – WHAT I DO -- </span></span><span class="s20"><span class="bumpedFont15">PART 7</span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">Again</span></span><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">, JESUS WAS BLACK – Not a blond hair, blue eyed, peace and love promoting prophet…</span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">As </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">I continue pressing the reality of Jesus’ Blackness, I am certain that there are some who may be asking, “Why does it matter if Jesus is Black or not?” That is an excellent question. </span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">First, it matters because it is true.</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> Why would someone desire to reject the truth and support a lie? </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Most of us</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> personally attempt to live lives that honor and support those things that are true and dismiss those things that are lies. We teach our children to pursue the truth and reject lies. Jesus even told us in </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">John 8:32,</span></span> <span class="s25"><span class="bumpedFont20">32 </span></span><span class="s24"><span class="bumpedFont20">And</span></span><span class="s24"><span class="bumpedFont20"> you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.</span></span> <span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Jesus did not say that the truth will </span></span><span class="s26"><span class="bumpedFont20">set</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> us free, rather, the truth will </span></span><span class="s26"><span class="bumpedFont20">make</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> us free. When we pursue and attain the truth, we are made free. In other words, we have no other option except to be free. Lies hold us in bondage.</span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">It matters because it is true, and since it is true, we have a responsibility to live that truth and share that truth</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> that we live</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> with others.</span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Second, it matters because it challenges us to rethink what we think about Black people. Throughout our history in this country, we have been, and continue to be taught that everything about us is bad. Our dark skin color is bad, as opposed to lighter skin color. Our naturally curly hair is bad, as opposed to straight hair. Our broad noses are bad, as opposed to narrow noses. Our </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">thick lips are bad, as opposed to thin lips. Every distinct feature and characteristic that make us uniquely who we are as Black people has been determined to be bad. </span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Therefore, since our dark skin color, naturally curly hair, broad noses, thick lips and every other distinct feature and characteristic that makes us uniquely who we are is bad, we are bad. Since we, as Black people, are bad, then Jesus cannot be Black. Why? Because if Jesus is Black, then that mea</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">ns Jesus is bad. Consequently, we</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> a</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">re</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> forced to make a decision: Either </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">we</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> reject the truth that Jesus is Black and continue to support the lie that Jesus has blond hair and blue eyes, thereby </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">assisting </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">us</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> in continuing to support the lie that we as Black people are bad because every distinct feature and characteristic that make us uniquely who we are as Black people is bad. </span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Or, </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">we</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> accept the truth that Jesus is Black. When </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">we</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> accept the truth that Jesus is Black, </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">we</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> accept the truth that dark skin color</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> is good; naturally curly hair is good;</span></span> <span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">a broad nose is good; t</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">hick lips</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> are good</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20"> and every other distinct feature and characteristic that makes us uniquely who we are</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">, are good. Why? Because Jesus had </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">dark skin color, naturally curly hair, </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">a </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">broad nose, </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">and </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">thick lips</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">.</span></span></p>
<p class="s22">​<span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">Additionally, when we accept the truth that Jesus was Black, </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">we can no longer say that all Black men are dogs. We can no longer say that Black people cannot run a business. We can no longer say that Blacks are categorically inferior to whites. When we accept the truth that Jesus was Black, we are forced to </span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">rethink what we think about Black people</span></span><span class="s23"><span class="bumpedFont20">.</span></span>​​​<span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">-- To be continued next week </span></span><span class="s12"><span class="bumpedFont20">–</span></span></p>