Toni V. Lee

It's in the past...move on and leave it there.  Let's talk about it... Folk agree People of Color faced hardships, degradation and discrimination in the past. Most are appalled it was allowed to happen.  Too many also believe it's all in the past and People of Color should just move on and leave it there.  Here's the thing, how can we leave it in the past when the mentality that resulted in the past hardships, degradation and discrimination is still present TODAY?  Laws have checked it by guaranteeing our rights to have fair and equal treatment, access and representation, but they didn't kill it. As we've seen recently, those restraints and guarantees are only as secure and sure as the folk in power allow them to be.  See, we know because our life experiences have repeatedly taught us that it's a bigoted, prejudiced, and racist teacher, boss, cop, politician, judge, doctor, business owner, co-worker, shopper, neighbor, pastor, church member, etc., encounter ...

I'm old enough to remember when...let's talk about it. Folk--including Church folk--are in an uproar about Trans using the same restroom as non-Trans.  I read the posts and listen to the harsh rhetoric, thinking, "But I remember when..." I remember attending church with...Let me put it this way: The person had a huge Adam's apple, wore skirts and dresses, and their voice was deeper than my son's.  They didn't hesitate at the ladies restroom door and walked right in just like the rest of the ladies.  I'd seen the individual around--people watchers don't miss much.😉. I believe the first time I actually heard the person's voice was when they were in a restroom stall next to mine one Sunday morning, talking on the phone. You can imagine the jolt 😲 I felt when I heard a man's voice coming from that stall.  Me being me🙂, I waited around to see who came out of that stall. This is the important part. I mentioned the incident. The person was know...

When? How/What will it be like?  Let's talk about it... We've been seeing some of the end-time events Jesus talked about in Matthew 24 for generations.  I grew up hearing end-time messages and that was...🙄several generations ago. My mom heard them. Her mom heard them. It was preached on plantations.  Many have guesstimated at the timing of His return and exactly what it will look like. They've even made movies about how they imagine it will look.  We just don't know the exact answers to when and how it will be.  Even deep dive studies into Revelation, produce differing interpretations and timings of events.  There's not even a consensus on the Rapture: When will it happen? Will it be seen with the naked eye or just experienced? Scriptural interpretations vary. Personally, I'm zoomed in on the following:  🗣 Matthew 24:44 KJV  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.  🗣 The message of the parable...

 Let's talk about it... 🗣 Appearance Klan Jesus is an undisputed white man who supports the idea that God favors the white race above any other.  Jesus Christ is a Jew from the Middle East who has no respect of person and equally accepts all who comes to him.  🗣 Message Klan Jesus promotes a message of hate, intolerance, superiority, and fear. This message is used as justification for intimidation, terrorizing, oppression, suppression, targeting, persecution, marginalizing, and exclusion.  Jesus Christ teaches inclusion and love for all--including those deemed unacceptable and marginalized.  🗣 Mission Klan Jesus seeks to establish a righteous kingdom for God on earth, using racial and religious supremacy as a guide, even going to the extreme of trying to make religious beliefs into laws.  Jesus Christ aims to establish the Kingdom of God which is a spiritual kingdom that surpasses earth's ethnic, racial, and national boundaries. Righteousness or right st...

The bat...Romans 13 has been repeatedly used to beat folk into submission and oppression.  Let's talk about it...It's long, but overdue. This passage of scripture has often been interpreted to mean that Christians must blindly obey the government with no dissent or questioning.  It's been used as a bat by Christian leaders throughout history to ensure total and blind submission during turbulent and horrific times. For instance, it was used against slavery abolitionists, the Civil Rights Movement, opposition to Hitler in Nazi Germany, etc.  Blind obedience and submission is not what that passage means for other scripture let's us know we shouldn't disobey...or rebrand (calling evil good and good evil)...God in our obedience to and support of man.  In the Romans 13 passage of scripture, Paul says that rulers are not a terror to good works, but evil. You should be afraid if you do evil, not good.  Context is important. Paul wrote those passages during the early par...

Let's talk about it.  Historical records indicate King Ahab was viewed by some as a strong and influential leader because of his military power and economic successes.  The Bible tells us that because of his actions and what he allowed, his reign was one of oppression, corruption, and injustice.  He was a morally and spiritually bankrupt leader who led Israel into worshipping a false god, instead of the true and living God.  He was greedy, weak--easily influenced and led, self-centered, emotionally immature, and morally corrupt.  You'd think nobody in their right mind would support that kind of leader, right? Some did, including prophets. Not the Lord's but Ahab's court prophets...the prophets of the false god.  In a showdown, the 450 prophets of the false god were no match for Elijah--the prophet of the true and living God. They were brought to an open shame, then disappeared.  Ahab reigned for 22 years. For 22 years, the people Israel endured his gre...