(ThyBlackMan.com) “Whites only”…. “Colored”…. “No colored allowed”….
These words remind us a very ugly time in American history.
A time of separate and unequal State sponsored fascism and racism. We all know about the history of Jim Crow, its demonic legacies; and the horrible results of its policies.
For Black-Americans; limited freedoms, discrimination, ethnic violence, along with systematic racism and bigotry was a normal part of everyday American life from the 1870’s well into 1950’s and 60’s.
These laws sought to marginalize, isolate, demean, and control a specific group of people based solely on the color of their skin. Fostered by the pseudo-science of the day that flowed from the halls of academia; along with a cultural belief in racial superiority. Jim Crow created a caste system of second-class citizens. This “stay in your place” ideology reinforced erroneous and malicious beliefs about blacks, which had been promoted and adopted by politicians, clergy, jurists and intellectuals. A belief that bled into the fabric of American society aided and abetted by the media.
It took a civil reformation, a radical non-violent offensive movement lead by a few brave people at first, who were armed with the knowledge of biblical truths and constitutional rights, along with faith in a just God; that ultimately caught the wind of multitudes; and turned the tide of Jim Crows’ titanic injustices.
Today; similar beliefs and gross misinterpretations about the role of religion e.g. Freedom of Religion and Laws concerning “Conscience” in relation to Christian beliefs in the public square are constantly being challenged by those who believe that Judeo-Christian ideologies should be separated and isolated from all vestiges of public (government, marketplace) life.
An often repeated and erroneous belief that “The Wall of Separation between Church and State” is actually a part of the Constitution or infers that the Government must be secularized and inoculated against all that is of a Judeo-Christian origin is a farce. These principles framed our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution and our republican form of government.
And provided the building blocks upon which this Nation was founded. One of our founding fathers John Adams put it aptly when he said:
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other”.
Yet the insidious belief of a secularized State started after a broad interpretation of the establishment clause of first amendment by the justices in Everson v. Board of Education . After that ruling, a slow drip of religious separatism and isolationism began in the courts, which has now turned into a flood of anti-Christian sentiment in Government and in the public square.
Today nearly every sector of American society, education, arts & entertainment, media, politics, business, the study of the sciences, in the mental health field, in our courthouses, at our workplaces.
The signs are already up in some of these places, and are just being erected others. And they say….
“No Christians allowed” or “No Judeo-Christian beliefs here”.
A few decades ago we only saw sporadic manifestations of this rank disdain for Christianity in the public square, during the Holiday season or on the National Day of Prayer.
But now attacks on Christianity and religious freedom of expression in the public square have become an almost everyday occurrence. With the HHS mandate to the Catholic Church, declaring; they must provide contraceptives to all female employees. Or the EEOC’s decision to include transgenders into its workplace non-discrimination policies. Policies that will affect not only public, but private businesses as well. Forcing Christian or conservative business-owners to violate their conscience or face lawsuits and fines!
Christians, social conservatives groups and some churches are being labeled with the social stigma of a hate group. Called dangerous, extremists, culturally illiterate, ignorant, having low-intelligence or IQ and out of touch with mainstream society.
Sounds a lot like the same labels that were attached to Black-Americans not so long ago. These unsubstantiated labels and attitudes about blacks, led to an American society that violated its own constitutional soul and altered the biblical foundations of this Nation.
We must stand against these new Jim Crow policies aimed at separating and isolating Christianity and Judeo-Christian principles in American society before it is too late. Before we accept and become accustomed to a separate and unequal life of limited religious freedoms that dictate to us when and where we can share and live our values and beliefs.
I think all Christians should join the Catholic Bishops call to prayer for continued Religious Freedom in America.
We must go on the offense as well and make a demand on ourselves, our culture, our constitution, our churches, our government and our God! Get out front… get on school boards and councils, run for office, become teachers, and administrators. Lobby congress, get petitions going, and get in positions where decisions are made or get close to those who make them!
Vote for people who fear GOD more than their political parties. Fight them in the courts with groups like ACLJ, ADF, Liberty Counsel and others.
And like our reformist predecessors lets stand on biblical and historical truths, correctly interpreted constitutional rights and a firm unwavering trust in Almighty God.
Let’s refuse to allow our beliefs and values to be relegate to the back of any public square bus. Keeping Jim Crow where it belongs…ancient history!
Staff Writer; Donald Thornton
This brother, who also serves the lord, email address is; DThornton@ThyBlackMan.com.
