Shit Happens

August 13th, Monday... Far be it for me to judge but what is wrong w/ the Black Church leadership? Why are the parishoners so angry? The church I attend has me all confused. I'm thinking that the people would be more cheerful and friendly but all I'm getting is attitude.
If I had the relationship w/ GOD the way some of them claim to have, I'd be happy all the time! I mean, what would I have to be angry about? My future is secure (you know, I'm going to Heaven!). Whatever I'm gonna get has already been promised to me! I don't have to worry about dating or marriage (I'm already dating Jesus!). What is the problem?
I mean, I like it there and all but... Sure I can leave but what guarantee do I have that the atmosphere is any better than where I am? I guess my alternative would be to not go to church at all! What good would that do me? I could go to a "white" church but I don't like being stared at. I'm confused... Lord have mercy!

Shit Happens/ The Resurrection

July 26th, Thursday... In Christianity there is talk of the Resurrection of Jesus. He will rise from the dead and reappear to the believers. I'm thinking that it is a test of faith and belief in the principles of said religion of which I have no problem with.
That being said, I feel like I am witnessing a resurrection of sorts in Society. I call it the resurrection of stupidity! I keep hearing about how easy it is to access information via the Internet. The "social media" is easily accessed through one's cell phone and the system is on fire with communication. It's so fast no FaceBook seems outdated now. And, with all of that, people seem to be so fucking stupid!
Just the other day, James Holmes, allegedly, a brilliant student, shot up a theatre full of movie goers posing as the character "The Joker" at the Batman movie premiere in Colorado. Why? Okay, you can say he is sick. That, however, does not that he is not also stupid.
The world seems to be getting smaller, but the hatred is looming larger amongst people. The economy is now global but there is a divide between races and creeds. Global warming is evident and yet people are still polluting the planet! How stupid is that? In the Black community, the brothas are wearing their pants hanging off their ass, as a fashion statement, with the knowledge of the history of the move. How stupid is that?
I'm puzzled with the world right now. I cannot make heads or tails out of what I am witnessing. The question is, why do I even want to? Maybe I am just as stupid? D'UH!

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

January 25th, Wednesday... For the record, I am not a Bible thumper. I cannot recite chapter and verse off the top of my head. I do believe in God so I am not all bad! I try to live right. You know, respect others, respect myself... That sort of thing. I do go to church and I enjoy it. When not in church, I sometimes watch and listen to THE WORD Ministries that come on during the week. All of that being said, I cannot listen to every pastor or bishop or apostle that gets up there and goes through the process of teaching. I say that because I have problems with the presentation and delivery of the WORD by some.
There is one pastor, I won't mention his name, who wrangles my nerves! He is a good preacher, in my opinion, but he always manages to talk about his house, his possessions, his riches... He talks about how much he tithes and how it measures up with how much other pastors tithes... He's like watching religious train wreck performance art! (I can't turn away!)
Maybe I should not be critical of a religious man but am I wrong for feeling this way? I mean, if I visited his home that is set up like a museum and be comfortable in it when I cannot touch anything, when there are no signs posted that says "DO NOT TOUCH!" Not that I would want to touch anything. My fear is that the alarm would go off and security would physically remove me from the premises and, yet, I should be comfortable while visiting. Maybe I don't get it? Maybe I should just submit to a passive-aggressive, masochist who seems to get pleasure out of beating my brains out under the disguise of Christianity! Lord Have Mercy!

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

November 27th, Sunday...Yeah, I attended church this morning and the Pastor talked about how people worship. Oh he cited John, Chapter whatever, verse whatever... He followed with Mark and he made his point. I get it. So I make it home and I'm watching TV, flipping channels, and I come across the mighty Oprah, doing her thing. What is her thing? She is interviewing some guy who wrote a book, and he is explaining his mastery of understanding his character and I'm trying to get what he is saying and then the Big O chimes in: It was her understanding of what he was trying to say that she KNEW! How could she know what he was trying to say when he wrote the book and was trying to explain what he wrote? Was she there every pain staking minute when he clicked on his computer or uncapped his pen?
I wonder, by what authority, is Oprah an authority on anything? Was she in the ministry? Did she write a bible? When she was not Oprah, was she Oprah? At what point, in her life, did Oprah become Omnipotent? If I ever met Oprah, would I have to wash her feet like Martha? (Or was it Mary... Or Gail?) Does Oprah use a teleprompter? If she does, is she reading what She wrote or what some producer wrote? And lastly, should I stop attending church and just watch "OWN" all day long?
Help me LORD!

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

October 23rd, Sunday... I attend a church in the state of Maryland and it is a nice church. I have been a member since the mid- nineties but the pastor said, to my face, that he does not recall that I even joined. (Maybe he said that because of that tithing thing?) Anyway, I noticed that the members of the hierarchy flat out refuse to speak! Ok, maybe it's a bad Sunday. But not every Sunday!
I'm thinking that one of the missions of the church is to promote fellowship. I don't know... I could be wrong!
Sometimes you can speak to them and they will look you right in the eye and not say a word! There are some Sunday's when they come around and want to "pray" for you, then they start "laying hands" all over you like you are in a church massage parlor. I have a problem with the Quickie" prayer thing. It reminds me of police officers pulling black drivers over for no apparent reason to meet their ticket quota!
Another thing I don't see at my church is a suggestion box! I wonder why?

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

March 20th. Sunday... Well, I am out of the closet! I am an exposed atheist!/ Actually that's not true. I have separated from a girlfriend, who is a devout Christian. I'm hurt because she is totally committed to her faith and beliefs in the spiritual world, but has (absolutely) no respect for my existence in the secular world. She is a confirmed procrastinator, poser, posturer, bigot/racist, but she steadfastly proclaimes that she is GOD's child! How can you be that and carry so much baggage? (Her baggage is like being packed for a year's trip to Europe but traveling by a Trailways bus! She has prejudice issues!)
Things were going well until she stopped all affection w/ me and decided that she'd rather be affectionate w/ Jesus! Ok, how was I supposed to be able to compete w/ HIM? Now going to church is awkward for me because I am listening to my pastor talk about the man who stole my girl, in favorable terms! He can do no wrong! (Shit, HE stole my woman!)
Hey, if the church is going to condone that kind of behavior from their ("Superstar!"), why should I even go there? And, she's not the only one! Every woman in the church is dating HIM! But to be honest, I didn't see where being a concubine is one of the 7 deadly sins so...