Let's Talk Jesus and Politics.

There is so much that I want to cover in this post that I hope I do not get side tracked.  I do not want to beat the Mike Brown case into the ground because I think we all have our opinions on that.  I will however give you my personal opinion just to give you a brief background on what I am about to say.


First, yes Mike Brown stole some cigars from a store.  However, this should not be a death sentence.  We pride ourselves in America for giving people the right to go to trail and go before a jury for the crimes they commit.  Secondly, the fact that Mike Brown was confrontational that he deserved to die just does not sit well with me.  I was a correctional officer for three years and was among many aggressive people on a daily basis.  I knew that when I took the job.  As for the police officer, well I should hope that he would know that he would have to encounter dangerous situations in his line of work as most police do.  I can say that in my years as a correctional officer and in all my years of working with severely mental ill people I have never had to kill anyone.  And therefore, I cannot fully understand the officers desire to kill Mike Brown.

I am only 5’2 and in the jail I had to wrestle with those who were well above my height and weight class.  But I manage to physically retrain them and make it work without them losing their life.

I say this to bring me to my next point.  I was watching the 700 club on 11/26/14, and I was very distraught and upset at something that Pat Robertson said.

If you would like to view his comment for yourself the video is linked here.  And please watch from 3:35 for more background on what I am talking about.

First this upsets me because I have endured racism.  I have been called a nigger on a few occasions and once when I was younger a someone spit in the face.  I hate to hear Pat speaking on something that he knows nothing about.  For him to say that racism no longer exists is a slap in minorities faces for those who have to endure racism everyday.

Secondly, he is right.  We do not know Mike Brown’s mental state.  But since when do people have to die for that?  Since when do people have to die for stealing?  What bothers me most about his comments is that this is coming from a fellow Christian.  Whenever I decided to takes sides on something, I always use the old phrase WWJD, What Would Jesus Do, to determine how I should feel about a certain situations.  When thinking about Mike Brown, I was pointed to this particular Biblical account.

Jesus always knew that he was going to be crucified.  When the Roman soldiers came to get him, one seemingly courageous disciple grabbed a sword and cut off the soldiers ear.  After this happened, Jesus healed the mans ear (Matthew 26:50).

Jesus said something wonderful after this account we all should remember.

“ For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Matthew 26:52


I am not comparing Mike Brown’s situation to Jesus.  But what I am saying is that under no circumstances do I feel that we should support the killing of another individual.  As Christians, we should not even try to justify it.  Instead, we should always keep in mind the foundation of our religion and always try to promote peace.  I think this is why Mr. Robertson’s words cut me so deep.  Not only were they insensitive to what was going on with not only blacks but other minorities and other groups that are discriminated against.  But it was also very un-Christian of him to condone the killing of an 18 year old kid.  I say kid, because that is what I still define him as.  He had just graduated from high school some weeks before.  This boy will never have a chance to change, get married, or be rehabilitated.  And for some reason this is okay with some people.

It does not matter if he was white or black, an unarmed person was killed.  This should never be celebrated or rejoiced.  It is not that we are saying that Mike Brown is some hero, it is that we are saying that his life should matter.  Anyone’s life should matter.  Death is permanent, and it is my hope that people would think twice before permanently taking someone out of this world.  This can be said for Trayvonn Martin as well as the countless others that have died for really no good reason.

I am asking you to reflect on the position that you take on this case.  The position that you take on political issues period.  I personally do not even believe in the death penalty.  I think only God has the right to sentence someone to death.  As Christians, it is always our duty to forgive and to speak life into others.  To hate the injustices of this world and to always promote peace.  To never look as someone’s actions and say “ They deserve to die.”  That is not of God, and it is not Christian.

I will pray for Pat, as well as the countless others that do not really understand the heart of the issue.  That no person deserve to die for no good reason.  Especially if this boy did not even have a weapon.  And to always see death for what it is, permanent.  Killing someone takes away their future.  After Cain killed Abel God said

“ What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” Genesis 4:10


This was a cry for all of the descendants of Abel that had not been born.  For the things that he would never get to do.  It is my hope that over zealous police, neighborhood watchmen, security, and whoever else would keep that in mind.  When you kill a person, you kill their future, and the future of the future of their children.  Although we will never know the complete truth in the Trayvon Martin case or the Mike Brown case.  But God knows, and they will have to answer for the deeds they have done.