Breaking the rules...

You know how sometimes people talk at the tv when they get all riled up? Well today I talked at my book. I'm still pushing through Dreams from my Father, as I don't get much time to myself for reading. Three pages here, ten there. But, something it related today caught my attention, and made me point to the book and say aloud, "yes!" I'd like to share the passage today. I think it speaks enough on its own.

In this chapter, Obama has just given up a prolific position with a financial company to pursue community organizing with a grass roots group of Chicago-based churches. The following was spoken by a member of one of these churches.

"A lot of black folks in the church...think that as long as they follow the letter of Scripture, they don't need to follow the spirit. Instead of reaching out to people who are hurting, they make them feel unwelcome. They look at people funny unless they're wearing the right clothes to mass, talk proper and all that. They figure they're comfortable, so why put themselves out. Well, Christ ain't about comfort, is he?

It's like this collar I wear. That really gets some of 'em mad. 'Collars are for priests', they tell me. But see, just 'cause I'm married and can't be ordained don't mean I don't have a calling. Ain't nothing in the Bible talking about collars. So I go ahead and wear a collar to let people know where I'm coming from.

It's these rules again that keep us apart- rules of men not rules of God."

Yes.


Love grows.

I took a photo of this vine because I liked how the leaves looked like hearts.