Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Don't Curse

I’m sorry Bro. D, I just don’t get it.



You don’t get what?



I don’t ‘get’, how you can claim to believe in Jesus, but yet some of the language you use, is so secular and disrespectful.



I guess you don’t feel me huh?



No..I don’t.



Did you READ the last post?



Yeah, that’s why I called you. You had so man f-words and ‘hoe this’ and b-that’..I almost thought I was in a den of heathens. I mean, I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life or anything Bro. D..but if you’re going to be open with your Christian faith, you’re required to be more responsible with your words and actions. Just think of all those people who don’t believe, but yet they’re looking at you as a representative of Christ. Once you’re in the faith, you’re an ambassador for Jesus. You have to make sure you present yourself in a distinguished manner.



(shaking my head) I just don’t think you understand where I’m coming from.



Oh..I can FEEL you alright. You want to be one of those hypocritical Christians who point out all the things that you see to be ‘bad’ and ‘sinful’ like guys On the DL, but yet still do all the ‘bad’ things that you WANT to do.



I guess a lot of that has to do with what you consider to be bad.



There’s nothing to consider, the Bible is very descript about the ways in which a Christian Believer is supposed to carry themselves, in deportment and in speech:

"...For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil ... For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned."~ Matthew 12:34-35,37

You even had the nerve to refer to Jesus as the ‘#1 STUNNA’!!?? That is profaning that holy and righteous name by which the Christian has been called (James 2:7)—that “name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). Just as a tree is known by its fruit, a person is known by the “fruit of his lips.” All Christians should strive to rid ourselves of any defilement of the flesh by getting to the real core of the matter. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:4,5, “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and WE ARE TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST. Let us not forget the pure and holy words of Jesus. In Matthew 12:36, He lovingly warns, “And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment.” So you see, Bro. D, as much as you claim to be keeping it real? You have a higher level of responsibility than just that average brother out there…you just can’t be using all that filthy language.



I understand that. I guess I’m so throwed, I don’t consider the language I use to be filthy. Sometimes I ‘get into character’ and I really try to recreate real life people. Rappers, basketball players, truck drivers, there is a fraternity of MEN, who deal with each other and talk a lot more direct language. And there’s also a lot of women who have profanity laced tongues. My point is to make these people feel comfortable with the environment, such that they stick around and check out the spot. But as they sit and read, they are exposed to the good news. If I came at them with all that ‘Thou, thus, holy-holy’, they’d be turned off QUICKLY.



Well..I understand your viewpoint, but you can’t expect any mature Christian to support an endeavor such as this. There’s enough sex, violence and profanity in the media. The LAST thing a good Christian would want to do is read some website or book full of this same sort of filth, let alone BUY one.



Well bruh…I guess this is just a point where we’re going to have to agree to disagree. Because as much as I realize that some people may have problems with the graphic nature of some of my writing, I believe in my heart that there is an audience out there who sees through the secular edifice and recognizes the strength of my foundation. I know how to express myself without using curse words, I don’t use the name of God or Jesus in vain, I think I keep the whole thing PG-13 (sometimes R) for the most part.



All I know is that you wouldn’t say all that f-this, b-that in church.



True..but this is not church, this is a website. There are those who come here, even some Christians, who have expressed their displeasure at how I get down. But like I said, as much as I enjoy the feedback, I can not let that deter me. I write in my own world. There are no kids or children, only grown folks in this world. And most of these grown folks rarely (if ever) step foot in a church and even fewer pick up their Bible and study it. So yeah…I know there’s a lot of Christian support, but in some ways there’s just as much Christian – non-support. To them, I apologize, and I ask that they pray for me as I pray for them.



Sounds like you’re just doing what you want to do to me..those who believe, OBEY.



I guess that’s the problem, I feel like I AM obeying. We’re living in a time when graphic images of sex and violence are prevalent throughout the media. Radio, TV, movies, books, magazines, we’re living in very hedonistic times.



Exactly!! So if you RECOGNIZE this, why are you CONTRIBUTING to it??



Look dude, servinemup.com isn’t church. This is more like a billboard or magazine that people stop by to read. I hit folks who normally don’t even READ..so you gotta understand, some water, some plant, but God giveth the increase (I Cor 3:7). Of all the ways you may decry my curse words, I KNOW that there have been those who have read things I have written, and it made them go pick up their Bible and try to read and study it for themselves. Which is what I always aim to do.



Well, just understand, that by taking the genre of approach that you are, that there’s a LOT of Christian folks who won’t allow your material through their doors. So in that regard, you’re going to have some folks who HATE Christians that will stifle or ignore your efforts, and then you’ll have some Christians who will stifle and ignore your efforts. You’re getting it from both sides bruh, so the best thing for you to do is pick a side and BE ON IT.



I have picked a side. Keep in mind that I’ve got family members, church members, and friends logging in and check out servinemup. I mean, even my parents read my website regularly and as much respect as I have for them, I couldn’t write a line that I would feel ashamed to show them.



Well then, you need to write like it..and not just when you feel like it.



Well, I see your point. It has been brought to my attention SEVERAL times from those who read servinemup.com. All I can tell you is to continue to pray for D, God is not through with me yet.

_______________________________________________



Whew! I’m telling ya’ll, being a Christian ain’t an easy thing to do. No matter how tight you think your game is, there’s ALWAYS room to grow. 'You Gotta Feel D!' generated a LOT of feedback from readers. The wild part is the wide range of comments that varied from 'We FEEL YA D!! Keep doing what you do!' all the way to the other end of the spectrum 'I am no longer a servinemup supporter, you curse too much.' Just like the general population, the Christian faith has various levels of reality. Some folks can feel it, and some folks can't. Through it all, I strive to never lose focus as to what the Christian faith is all about..growing closer and closer to that cross. And once you reach the cross, the journey is not over, because once you get to the foot of the cross, that wood changes from being an altar, into a ladder. And we are bid to climb that ladder, all the way to glory. Being saved is not a static position, but rather a perpetual motion. We move from ‘glory to glory’. So we are not ‘saved’ but rather we are ‘being saved’. Ya feel me?

But for those of you who CAN feel it, and wanna roll with D? (smiling) You probably need to stop cursing so damn much!!