"Choices: The Last Bastion of Hope for Humanity!"

"There is something very compelling about the "choices" we make in our lives that manifest a great deal of sorrow and regret or immeasurable pleasure and joy. The problem is, the majority of us spend most of our life somewhere in the middle until a "split second decision" usually determines our fate."

This statement has been resonating in my spirit over and over for the past three days since my visit to Central Prison in Raleigh, NC.  CP is a federal penitentiary housing the state of North Carolina's most complex and diverse inmate population. With over 1,300 prisoners and 1,000 guards, CP is a veritable city unto its self.
Inside the towering 65 foot high and 35 foot wide perimeter wall are the worst of the worse perpetrators against humanity.  There are murderers and rapists and pedophiles and thieves of every ilk, but at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself what is the goal of the institution? What choices do we make as reformers to change laws to make it so these men can re-enter society on a "level playing field" or do we maintain the status quo? How do we "rehabilitate" a man who has never been "habilitated" in the first place? What type of person does it take to objectively administer effective and unbiased treatment to a man who has terrorized his community or viciously raped and murdered a little boy or girl? I would define that person as a "professional!"

As we walked the ominous halls of the prison for what seemed like miles and miles; from prisoner intake to the mess halls to the mental health ward and even "death row," all I could think about was what would make a man do something that would allow him to end up in here? When you do crazy stuff; when you rob people and kill people..you have to know you are going to prison! The Warden of CP is Kenneth Lassiter.  He is unlike any stereotype of the hard ass, uncaring executioner popularized in modern media circles.  On the contrary, what you see is a man of compassion, conviction and unparalleled drive and determination to change the man in order to change the prison. Not his words..these are mine!

One man responds to a question of how much time he has with the nonchalance of flicking away a gnat, "I got 35." I walked away thinking, "35 months ain't so bad (relatively speaking).  He's only 23 years old; he's got plenty of time to make a change."  Then the Warden burst my bubble, "No Nick, 35 years!  The man has to be in here for 35 years!"  My knees buckled! I said, "What? He said "35" like it was nothing. He obviously made the choice to de-magnify his sentence in his mind as a coping mechanism. Choices. Wow!

Another inmate discusses how adulthood choices landed him on "death row."  He said, "I was at a party and smoked some crack. I didn't know what it was.  My friend gave it tome me in a pipe and I smoked it!"  Someone asked him, "You mean to tell me that you smoked something that someone gave you and you didn't ask what it was? And you were how old at the time?"  He responded, "29 years old!" We all looked at other in disbelief. This man has rationalized that the crack pipe caused him to commit murder and end up in prison, but refused to come to grips with the fact that it was a poor decision and NOT the "crack" that got him locked up! Choices. Wow!

The Warden is focused on behavior modification techniques and psychological profiles and models all aimed at getting the inmate to examine his choices; whether his destiny be the "needle" or the "psych ward" the goal is the same.. to try to make him a better man today than he was yesterday.  When you have a man who is sentenced to life or multiple life sentences or even death by execution, the chief administrator has to be a "Teflon Man" with regard to emotional immersion into each case.  Mr. Lassiter has mastered the art of "compartmentalizing" each individuals cause; his assessment and conclusion of his life and offers real talk and hard truth to the man in question. I asked him, "How do you take that much time listening to a mental patient who is rambling on and on about nothing?" He just smiled and kept on walking at a brisk pace.  The "answer" in his smile said to me, "I was just looking for that one moment of clarity in his mind where he might "hear" what I was saying to him and make a better choice today!"

This is my impression of a prison system that is not perfect but is striving for perfection in relational behavior modification techniques.  What does that mean? It just means that the Warden cares about the men in his prison.  And for those men that choose to do better, there is a system in place to help them do their time with dignity and have a chance to become contributors to society.  For others, who choose the darker path, their fate has already been sealed and the mantra that states, "you can't save everybody" comes to fruition!

"Man of God"...What Does It REALLY Mean?

For many Christians the phrase, "Man of God" (MOG) is a veritable "badge of honor" that is thrown around loosely with little or no consideration of what the phrase actually implies and, more importantly, what it denotes about the person the phrase is directed toward.

One usually hears the exchange upon first meeting or greeting another man we believe to be a Christian, one who might be a follower of Jesus Christ or whose life exemplifies God-like qualities. More often than not, the "Man of God" mantra is exchanged between two people who don't even know each other! Now this may not seem like a big deal; but just ride with me for a while.

The inherent danger is that of "perception" versus "reality." In other words, it's like receiving a reward for not having done anything to earn it and then trying to convince your teammates that you are the MVP! When you call someone by their given name they will respond in kind. Be it "Captain" or "Doctor" or "Pilot", there are certain prerequisites to wearing a title.  One has to complete a rigorous set of requirements, skills testing and preparation in order to progress to the next level.  He must be tested and he MUST pass with exceptional grades in order to be "certified." I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want a physician to operate on me who was a "C" student!

Likewise, when it comes to our "spirituality" we seem to get very lazy. Every man is NOT a "Man of God." Every Christian is NOT a "Believer." Every man has not earned the right to be certified as a MOG! There are several characteristics that allow you to recognize a MOG when you encounter him; they are:

1. A MOG is a man of "integrity." He is consistent in his application of the Word of Faith in his life.
2. A MOG is a "Man of Action" and is deliberate and intentional in his service to God's people in the marketplace.
3. A MOG has a profound relationship with God that manifests itself in his thoughts, words and deeds. He is equally adept at leading or following.
4. A MOG is a man who is establishing a financial and spiritual "legacy" for his family.
5. A MOG is a 'Father" to the fatherless (those inside and outside of his biological family).
6. A MOG is a "seeker of wisdom" and understands the power of "destiny."
7. A MOG is not fearful and does not walk in "condemnation" but in "light."
8. A MOG is a Man of FAITH!

This is not an exhaustive list be any means, but if the MOG you think you are or the brother you are calling out as a MOG is lacking these fundamental traits, perhaps you should re-examine your intentions. For the unlearned or weaker in faith that might be in "earshot" of your declaration of MOG to another brother can and will be confused and or damaged when they witness behavior that is diametrically opposed to what they "perceive" to be the manner in which a "real" MOG is supposed to act. 

It is dangerous to sling these phrases around aimlessly.  The terms "saints", "prophet", "apostle", "elder", "pastor" and yes, even "bishop" fall precariously into this category as well. The fact of the matter is that some of these same folks should be called what they really are; that is "witches", "warlocks", "hirelings", "pimps", "snake oil salesmen", "jack-legged" and "devils."

"Poverty in America: The Belly of the Beast!"

One of the most compelling things I love about blogging is the ability to freely express my opinion.  I also welcome the opinions of others; whether we agree or not!  My hot button the past three years has been the veritable "invisibility" of the Black Agenda of which a major component is the "poverty" question. How is it that 46 Million Americans live in poverty and we have not heard one word form either the RNC or the DNC regarding the poverty agenda?

With all the platitudes, alliterations and glittering generalities; multiple orgasmic rallying cries from the delegates and near psychotic emotionalism form both sides, where is the sober voice and the compassionate answer to this overwhelming national crisis? How can we totally ignore 15% of the entire population? The answer: economics, politics and indifference. These "people" represent the lowest common denominator among the populous.  They are unemployed or underemployed; they are homeless; they are mentally ill; they are citizens returning to our society from prison; they are veteran's of foreign wars whose minds and bodies have been decimated by the unending carnage and unfathomable stress; they are victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking; they are poor people of all races who can't afford quality medical care or insurance.

They are our neighbors, brothers, sisters, fathers, uncles, aunts, sons and daughters.  They are our nephews and nieces; our cousins and our grandparents. I can't take any more commercials spewing out enough rhetoric to fill up my living room with horse do-do. These fake-ass politicians lying through their teeth, with a straight face no less, about what "real change" looks like are more than enough to make me vomit.  We are in the "belly of the beast"; and it stinks like hell down here!

So yesterday, Tavis Smiley and Cornel West announced they have schedule several "Town Hall Meetings" to address the poverty agenda. Isn't it interesting that this strategically placed Poverty Barnstorming is taking place after all the cameras have been turned off?  Like a childhood game of "hide-n-go-seek", it's "safe to come out now." What a minute!  Aren't they the "voice of conscience" for black folks?  Don't you think that they could have commanded "national" attention if they would have stopped by Tampa, FL (RNC) two weeks ago and Charlotte, NC (DNC) last week? I am sure everyone would have been watching.  When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE...including their bosses! Did they "fan" on the pitch because they did not want to put their jobs at risk? Given the casualty rate of black anchors in the media I guess I can kinda see their point...LMBO! "No weez don wanna offend Missa Charlie" (in my best "Steppin' Fetchit" voice)! Wait a minute Brother Nick, are you saying that if they were REALLY SERIOUS about the POVERTY AGENDA, they would have established a "presence and platform" at both conventions and then there would be no need for their "dog and pony" show? My answer is, 'Hell yeah!"

So the question must be, what is their agenda? Is it the black agenda? Is it the poverty agenda?  Is it the Smiley-West agenda? I'm not mad either way.  It's really typical when you think about our current "black mis-leadership."  They try to present themselves as eagles when, in reality, they are more like buzzards ripping away what's left of our nation's flesh from the carcasses of our once vibrant and productive citizens....

"The Body of Christ and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder!"

The Modern Day Church (MDC) or the Body of Christ (BOC) as many call it is in a state of turmoil. Many leaders are scrambling for any vestige of sanity they can muster to deliver messages that are relevant and life-changing.  The numbers of people attending church weekly are drastically reduced from years past, giving or "tithing" is down, churches are going into foreclosure at an alarming rate (albeit in direct correlation to the apostasy of their wicked leadership), hundreds of cases of financial, sexual and other abuses are rampant and the nation has lost its faith in God.

The problem is that many Christians (and I must emphasize NOT ALL Christians) are resisting the call of the Holy Spirit into righteous and service in the Kingdom of God. Not ALL Pastors are leading the sheep to slaughter; but many of them are.  The Prosperity Preachers and the Word of Faith Movement are among the worst perpetrators against God and His people! They are pure and simply modern day "cults." The MDC is experiencing what I'd like to refer to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or "PTSD" for short.  You might ask, "Where are you going with this?"  Don't touch that dial!

Let's examine some of the symptoms of PTSD and see the similarities between the disease and the MDC:

• Loss of Interest or Pleasure: Have you been noticing your church attendance or service in the community falling off lately? Do you return home dissatisfied with the message or your "experience"? Christians are too focused on having an "experience" versus an "encounter" with God!
• Feelings of Hopelessness: Has your worship been "dry" and dusty?  Have you placed too much pressure on your Pastor to "give you a word" that consistently falls short of your desire for relief from your situation? ONLY GOD can fill that void.  God is the purveyor of HOPE.  Only He can give you hope; not your Bishop, Pastor or Apostle!
• Stress and Anxiety: Have you been experiencing abnormal levels of pressure from your daily life? Do you try to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs or pornography to relieve the pain? Much of the stress we experience is "self-induced."  A close relationship with God can give your "perfect peace." Spend time with God in the "secret place" (that place He has reserved specifically and especially for you) and read His word daily and read it slowly!
• Confusion: Are you checking your Christian ID to verify your membership in the Kingdom?  Do you find yourself questioning the blatant violations of both Christians and non-Christians on matters of faith, family and community? God is not the Author of Confusion.  He is the Prince of Peace.  If you are confused, you can be assured it is not God leading you down that path of darkness.
• Guilt: Are you feeling guilty about something you have done or something you might be thinking? Are you persecuting yourself or a love one over some transgression past or present?  Get free!  There is now therefore no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! God has already forgiven you for everything in order that you might set someone else free from your wrath, guilt, and shame.
• Reckless Behavior: It is very difficult to tell the difference between "believers" and "sinners" in our modern culture.  So much of what Christians do has mimicked the world system of corruption, delusion, manipulation and treachery to the point where we are rationalizing our behavior as the "new normal."  Christians have compromised Christ and abandoned Him for the vanity of  "popularity, acceptance and job security (protecting my profession)!" Are you one of these pseudo-Christians managing your symptoms with your "meds"?

At the end of the day, when we truthfully hold up the mirror to the face of the BOC we have to see the "reflection" of PSTD. They are profound but not insurmountable. They are powerful but not all-powerful.  They are present, but not omnipresent. What many Christians fail to realize is that God and His Spirit are the prevailing powers in this realm; not the Spirit of perdition.

The remedy for the MDC is pretty is simple; allow the Spirit of God to rule and reign and tear down the idols of the priesthood and inject the paradigm of love, grace and peace in the Person of Christ Jesus! In the world, the most effective treatment for PTSD is called "Cognitive Behavior Therapy" whereby the therapist helps the patient to understand and change their perspective on how they view their trauma or stress and the aftermath. It helps them to then inject "corrective" behavior techniques which improve how they view themselves in relation to the world around them. Sounds a lot like how God works doesn't it?

Get connected to the Master and you will find that it is His "good pleasure" to help you to trace the problem, face the problem, erase the problem and then have the audacity to replace the problem!