Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
4BODYOFCHRISTNEWSFEBRUARY2015CURRENTAFFAIRSIvebeenveryprayerfulandwatchingverycare-fullytheeventsinFergusonMOaswellassomeoftheeventsaroundourcountry.IamawareatthetimeofthiswritingoftheclearingoftheofficersinvolvedintheEricGarnercasewhodiedwhilepolicewasarrestinghiminachokeholdinNewYorkandalsothetragicpassingawayof12-yearoldTamirRiceinClevelandOhioshotbypolicewhilepossessinganAirsofttoygun.Iamalsoawareofthesenselessshootingof22yearoldJohnCrawfordinBeaverCreekOhioinaDaytonareaWalmart.JohnwaskilledwhilecarryinganewBBgunforsaleinthestore.IwantedtocometoyouandjustsharewithyouwhatIveprayerfullycometosomeconclusionsaboutconcerningtheneedforpolicingreformandalsosensitivitytrainingwithlawenforcementaswellaseducatingthepublicinengaginglawenforcement.Irecentlysharedwithourcongrega-tionatoneofourservicessomeofthesethoughtsmorespecificallythedealingwiththeFergusonMissourisituationwithMichaelBrown.IknowthattherearedifferentsidesofthisstoryandIknowthatpeoplehavestrongfeelingsonbothsidesofthisstoryormultiplesidesofthisstorybutIdliketokeepitfocusedonthefactsandIdliketokeepitfocusedonscriptureaswellaspolicingreformsthatareneededinAmerica.IhavebeeninmeetingswiththechiefofpolicetheDistrictAttorneyofAdamsCountyandArapahoeCountyandwiththecitymanager.Ivedonemyresearchbecauseoneofthereasonsweareinthispredicamentisbecausewehavebeenreactingratherthanresponding.Afterdoingmyresearchacoupleofthingscometomind.Thefirstthingisthattherearesomethingsthatwecanlearnfromthisparticularinci-dent.HoweverIamoffendedthatpeoplehavesuggestedthatthisincidentisinanywayshapeorformconnectedtotheTrayvonMartintravesty.TrayvonMartinwasonhiswayhomeafterpay-ingmoneyforSkittlesandicedtea.Hisonlycrimewaswearingahoodieintherainwhilebeingblack.IknowthatthereareatrocitiesinournationandIknowthatlifeisntfairandyesIknowthereareover-zealouspolicemenwhoarebiasedagainstpeopleofcolor.Butifwearetofurtherouragendaagainstracialbiasoflawenforcementweneedtopickalegitimatecase.TheMichaelBrowncaseisnotalegitimatecase.Itisnotlegitimateforalotofreasons.Firstofallwhatgotusallupsetisthereportstatinghewasshotinthebackonhiskneeswithhishandsupandwassurrenderingwhenhewasexecuted.Whatforensicevidenceandwhattheeyewitnesseshavesaidunderoatharedifferentfromthatreport.Wehavenoevidencethathewasshotinthebackandwehavenoevidencethathishandswereup.WehavenoevidencethathesaidDontshoot.Witnesseswhoassertedthisaccountrecantedtheirtestimonywhenunderoath.YoungpeopleandoldpeoplestopsmokingweedYourjudgmentisimpairedandyourdecisionmakingisunstablesoyoudothingsyoudontnormallydo.InGenesis128weseeGodhasgivenusdominionoveralltheearthandHetoldustosubdueit.Whyarewegoingtosurrenderourdomi-nanceoveralltheearthWhyarewegoingtosur-renderourcontroltoplantlifeintheformofcan-nabisInthestateofColoradoabloodTHClevelof5nanogramsmlisconsideredundertheinfluence.AccordingtotoxicologyreportsMichaelBrownhad12nanogramsmlofDelta-9-THCinhisblood-streammorethandoubletheundertheinfluenceamount.Idontcareifitislegal.JustbecauseitislegaldoesntmeanitsrightStoprobbingconveniencestoresPayforwhatyouwant.Ifyoucantafforditleaveitalone.Youseetheselessonshavebeenlostinalltherhetoric.AccordingtoDorianJohnsonwhowaswithMichaelBrownintheconveniencestoreitwasnottheirintenttorobthestore.DorianJohnsontestifiedthathehadplannedtopayforthecigarillosbutBrownreachedoverthecounterandgrabbedthem.StopgivingthepoliceanexcusetoshootyouThepolicealreadyhavetheupperhand.Theyhavedeadlyforce.Thestreetisnoplacetopleadyourcase.Getoutofthatsituationassafelyasyoucanandthenhandleyourbusinessincourtlikesomebodywithsomesense.StoptearingupyourownneighborhoodsNowwhereareyougoingtoshopNowwhereareyougoingtogotothehairstoreYouknowweNEEDhairstores.NobodywillwanttobuildthereanymorebecausethefirstthingwewanttodoisusesomethinglikethisasanexcuseanddowhatwefeeloutofangerwhichisnotwhatGodtaughtustodo.ThatiswhytheHollyShoppingCenterandtheDahliaShoppingCenterhavenevercomeback.Storeownersrefusetobuildthereagainbecausetrustwaslostbetweenthegrocerystorethecommunity.InMatthew543thewordofGodsaysYouveheardthatithasbeensaidthatyoushouldloveyourneighborandhateyourenemybutIsayuntoyouloveyourenemiesblessthemthatcurseyoudogoodtothemthathateyouandprayforthemwhodespitefullyuseyouandpersecuteyou.IhaveevenheardpreacherssayprayerisgoodbutIdontseeaBUTinmyScriptureWearenotthefirstgenerationofAfricanAmericanstobepersecuted.AreyoukiddingmeWevebeenthroughthisbefore.Dr.Kinghastaughtushowtogothroughthis.TheScripturecontinuesthatyoumaybethechildrenofyourfatherwhoisinheavenforhemakeshissuntoriseontheevilandthegoodandsendsrainonthejustandtheunjust.ForifyoulovethemwholoveyouwhatrewarddoyouhaveDonoteventhetaxcollectorsdothesameAndifyougreetyourbrotheronlywhatdoyoumorethanothersDonoteventaxcollectorsalsoBeyethereforeperfectevenasyourfatherinheavenisperfectWevegottostophatingLoveisnotwhatyousayitiswhatyoudo.LoveisgodlyactionIfweareChristiansifGodhasgivenusHisheartandHisspiritthereisnojustifica-tionfortorchingpolicepatrolvehicles.Notonlythatbutyoujustburnedupsomeofyourtaxdollars.Nexttimearoundyourlevyisgoingtogoupandyouaregoingtospendmoreonpropertytaxbecausethatsyourtaxdollarsyoujustburnedup.Insteadweneedtolearnhowtoloveandperhapsweneedtotakealessonfromthechildren.ChildrenataFergusonMissourirallywereholdingsignsthatreadYoumatterFreehugsandSmileyouarebeautiful.Somebodyraisedthesechildrenright.SomebodyhastoldthemthatGodneedstofightyourbattle.Somebodyhastaughtthemnottogoandburnupsomebodysstorewhoselifesavingsisinthatstorebutwearetohonorothers.Wevegottoactonwhatweholdtrue.Whenyouactmakesureitisoutoflove.DonotactoutofhatebecausethatisnotofGod.ActingoutofloveisGod.OurheartsaresaddenedovertheretaliationkillingoftwopoliceofficersinNewYorkandoneinFloridawithinhoursofeachother.EnoughalreadyWhenyouactmakesureitisoutoflove.IvebeenaskedifIopposerallying.Dontrallytojustifywhatsomeonedidonhisown.Rightisrightandwrongiswrong.Ifthisguywaswhitetherewouldntbeanybodyofcolorinthestreetsprotesting.Ibelievethat.Infactifhewaswhitewewouldnthaveevenhearditonthenews.Godhastaughtusthatthecolorofoursoulisnocolorandheiscomingbackforoursouls.SomeofyoumaysayWellPastoryouaresell-ingout.Shutup.Nobodyissellingout.YoudontknowwhatIvebeenthrough.YouhavegotnoideawhatlifewaslikegrowingupinYoungstownOhio.Youhavenoidea.ButyouknowwhatWegrowwelearnandwedobetter.Saintsitstimeforustodobetter.ItisunfortunatethatMichaelBrowndiedthatday.Anytimethereisalossoflifethereisregret.Butlearntherightthingsfromit.YesIknowyourefrustrated.TherearetimeswhenIgetfrustrated.Beforeyoureactgetthefacts.Thenewsmediareleasedapictureofacryingyoungboyhuggingamotorcyclepoliceofficer.Hismothersharedthattheofficeraskedhimwhyhewascrying.TheyoungmansaidBecauseImafraidofyou.ThemotorcyclecopsaidIseeasignthatsaysyouaregivingawayfreehugs.CanIhaveoneAndtheofficerhuggedhim.Saintsthatiswhereitstarts.StopHatingByDr.RobinD.HollandPatriciaRaybonLoveisnotwhatyousayitiswhatyoudo.LoveisgodlyactionIfweareChristiansifGodhasgivenusHisheartandHisspiritthereisnojustificationfortorchingpolicepatrolvehicles.Notonlythatbutyoujustburnedupsomeofyourtaxdollars.Nexttimearoundyourlevyisgoingtogoupandyouaregoingtospendmoreonpropertytaxbecausethatsyourtaxdollarsyoujustburnedup.