AMERICA’S CONTRADICTIONS

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

American has called itself a “Christian nation” and has put forth the notion that God has chosen it to be a model for all nations. The Declaration of Independence lends to this thought of being a Christian nation: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

History reveals that this nation that claims God began with contradictions. The language in the Declaration of Independence did not apply to enslaved Blacks who were brought here from Africa. They were not seen or treated as equals. The slaves could not demand the unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

The contradictions continue to this day in this nation that claims to be a Christian nation. The overwhelming majority of Black people are still asking that the contradictions stop. Stop the marginalization! Stop the hatred! Stop denying us the full rights of citizens.
Stop your discrimination! Our demand is this: Live up to what you put on paper! You said “all men are created equal” that includes Black people even if the Founding Fathers did not mean it when they wrote it. You said all are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” That includes us!

Prayer: Dear God we pray that the day comes when the contradictions stop in America. We pray the words Langston Hughes penned in a poem: “O, let American be American again-That land that never has been yet-And yet must be-the land where every man is free.” Please let it be. Amen

© 2020 Dr. John Ogletree – Houston, TX