Nomalanga:COGIC, Obama and Gay Marriage; Let’s Talk About It
Church of God in Christ (COGIC), a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership, has officially spoken out against President Obama’s decision to legalize same-s*x marriage.
First, let’s address the obvious; President Obama is, among other things, a strategist. It comes as no surprise to me that he has “suddenly” had a change of heart regarding same-s*x marriage and has now decided to support and legalize it. We can not, at this time, assume that he even supports same-s*x marriage because he is in an election year and is bound to, like most politicians, say what he thinks the majority want to hear. To me, legalizing same-s*x marriage looks like a strategy; nothing more, nothing less.
COGIC’s stance on same s*x marriage is about as surprising as seeing a dog bark. What remains to be seen is whether or not Black people will be as bold as COGIC standing up against gay marriage or as bold as Obama when he stands up for Gay marriage…or young illegal immigrants.
Black people need to stop looking at Obama as a “Black” president and just look at him as a candidate who either deserves their vote or not. It is important to take Obama’s “Black” off the table because, clearly, it makes people’s ability to clearly examine him and his policies more difficult.
Obama will stand up for young illegal immigrants and the Gay community but has thus far not made any bold moves to solve any of the Black community’s glaring issues. It is June and the elections are five months away so he may just surprise us in the next few months. The question, though, is: if he doesn’t, does that make him better or worse than Romney? That is the only question that needs to be answered.
Nomalanga helps Black Women thrive in their lives and careers. She is a Social Commentator, an Editor at Your Black World , Assistant Professor of Professional Studies and the reigning Mrs Botswana. Visit Nomalanga’s blog at successfulblackwoman.com
29 Responses to Nomalanga:COGIC, Obama and Gay Marriage; Let’s Talk About It
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Good Morning, first of the church and politics are suppose to be separate. President Obama is not a preacher, nor does he run the church. The Bible is to be administered by the Preachers in the pulpit and his job is to handle the social and economics and business of the country. The church needs to do its job and preach the Bible and stop hiding behind it. The church needs to understand and listen to what he said… he said that people should marry whomever they choose. That statement did not say that he denounced what the Bible says and stands for. The church needs to also check the record of Mitt Romney and what he stands for. If that man is allowed to be in the Oval Office the BLACK church and community as we know it will be in chains if he and the wealthy, who are playing this subject AGAINST the Christian Church as a whole to bamboozle us into thinking that Obama has no morals when in fact it is the opposition who cares less about the middle class and the poor. People learn politics and stop shielding the fact that Pres Obama is just that the President and one who actually cares about the affairs of the rich who are constantly progressing and the middle and lower class is suffering at their hands. Remember the the antichrist and the mark of the beast… since the BLACK church and the NAACP feels with in it’s rights to join the others in saying that they will NOT support him in this election. This is what they want, for us the black community and the black church to change our vote …. VOTE wrong and see what happens to US, not them BUT US!!! FYI: I am TOTALLY OPPOSED TO GAY MARRIAGE, BUT I SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT AND ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS MADE THUS FAR. I am a Christian and I will vote NO on the ballots for gay marriage for the state of Maryland. I am asking the church to preach Jesus and the Bible and let the President handle the social and economic issues. Our Biblical beliefs are just that OURs. Let God judge those who actually practice and believe that they are doing the right thing by marrying this way. Our vote has nothing to do with OUR GOD… religion is not what is needed in the church, a RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS WHAT HE WANTS…
I agree 100% with you know one could of said it better!!!!!
Thank you and AMEN! Agree with you 200 percent!
WELL SAID, summed up and ACCURATE…. S. I so agree.
You OBVIOUSLY are NOT fully Christian because if you were you’d know that one of the most important parts of our faith is to spread it, defend it, and stand up for it in AND OUT of the four walls of the church. Since when did Christianity become a closet religion? The Bible says blessed is the nation who’s GOD is the LORD. That’s how we became so prosperous as a nation and because we turn our back on that principle we will be destroyed.
AND THANK GOD THAT HE IS NOT FULLY CHRISTAN as you would see it as that would make him ignorant.
Co-sign with u Terrence Black. Sometimes we can get very common and loose. They can b homosexual,not anyone is stopping that at all. You cannot get more rights or equal rights with families. Just like they tell low-income individuals and single mother,go get u a job with benefits.
FOLKS HOLLA SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE UNTIL THE MASSES START GETTING BLOWN UP ON THE US LAND THEN THEY CALL ON EVERY RELIGOUS LEADER THAT KNOWS HOW TO CALL ON GOD FOR HELP. I LOVE PRESIDENT OBAMA AND AGREE THAT HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB FOR THE MOST PART, HOWEVER WHEN YOU REPRESENT CHRIST AND TELL THE WORLD THAT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN THEN YOU ARE TO REPRESENT CHRIST WHETHER YOU ARE A PRESIDENT OR NOT. YOU ARE CORRECT ONE CAN MARRY WHOM EVER YOU CHOOSE TO MARRY WHETHER STRAIGHT OR GAY BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR CHOICE. BUT TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND CONDONE SAME s*x MARRIAGE AS IF IT IS OKAY WITH GOD IS NOT RIGHT. I AM A CHRISTIAN AND HAVE LOVED ONES IN THAT LIFESTYLE AND LOVE AND RESPECT THEM DEARLY BUT DO NOT SUPPORT OR AGREE WITH THE LIFESTYLE. IN THE END GOD WILL BE THE FINAL JUDGE WHETHER YOU ARE STRAIGHT OR GAY. I WILL WORK OUT MY OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. WE ALL ARE GIVEN THE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE LIFE OR DEATH VIA OUR CHOICES.
The way they are playing this is just like they played the slaves one against the other… bait and switch. President Obama walked into the mess of the Republicans and the Reagan/Bush Administration. Who and what class of people do you think is in the Military and fought/fighting wars that were based on oil and greed… NOT the wealthy’s children and families… they are counting money and purchasing this election and they will be running the White House.
Oh and one more thing… this Christian will be VOTING FOR OBAMA IN THE 2012 ELECTION…
Please don’t let your emotions get the best of you while reading my comments. COGIC must come face 2 face with its on demons before taking the moral high ground.
Similar to the Catholic Church, COGIC has a dark past that’s rising akin to a mist from an early morning dew. Similar to the Catholic Church, COGIC has a dark past that’s rising akin to a mist from an early morning dew. At the head of the four headed fiend is Bishop Charles Blake. Hand picked (the vote was a smoke screen) to replace Bishop Gilbert Patterson, Blake was assumed to lead COGIC into the 21st century. The Old Guard, thought to be uneducated (to date COGIC doesn’t have an accredited university or technical school) and out of the touch with the rest of society; lead the organization to near bankruptcy.
Blake, a man revered and respected throughout the world will finally be brought to his knees when his skeletons are revealed. Blake’s soft stance on homosexuality and his lack of leadership has caused COGIC to lose its distinct identity as advocates of holiness. COGIC has always been known for its position of holiness. COGIC believes chastity, speech and conduct ought to represent the Holy Scriptures. Through the Holy Scriptures, Saints must follow the Word of God and not participate in sinful or questionable situations.
Concerning s****l improprieties, Blake’s ungodly silence aided the late Boship J D Husband’s homosexual desires. Blake refused to out J D as he preyed on young men during his 20 + year reign. Husband’s own wife, who divorced him in the late seventies, allegedly reported him numerous times to the General Board in Memphis, complaining of his homosexual adultery and liaisons, but to no avail. The top presbytery refused to act. The failure of the board to act swiftly and decisively with their contemporary may have pushed him to even further into the double lifestyle.
Maybe Blake is soft on Homosexuality, because homosexuality is so rampant in COGIC and possibly himself, that it serves no use to come against it in a world that is questioning and also seeing the distorted control tactics that typically come from religious institutions. Religious interpretations, beliefs and practices has never had a great track record in either addressing sexuality, s****l orientation or supposed s****l immorality, let alone many other supposed social and political ills of our day. To the mind of a Church goer, JUDGMENT and INTIMIDATION against others with stubborn reciting of biased antiquated scriptures is suppose to heal everything. The Church is quickly loosing its power because its people lean on antiquated beliefs, that are irrelevant, biased, supported by irrational thought and prejudices that does not appeal to the modern day sophisticated mind that recognizes such distortions, unvalidated prejudices, historical inaccuracy and blatant discrimination as well as lack of integrity within its leadership. There is no power in anyone or organization when you have this going on. It makes the people in this organization sound foolish, uneducated and delusional. NO sound minded person, or politician takes such organizations seriously. This is why the black church is becoming a dying institution. They FAIL TO EVOLVE….to wake up from their own SINS and misinterpretations. They want the world to conform to their back wood logic. OBAMA is a man of integrity, way to polished to adhere to anything this country a*s religious, hypocritical bumpkins have to say.
The above statement or article from COGIC has no power, political bite or logical influence. It makes unvalidated suppositions, assumptions and prejudices. It assumes like many Chrisitans who fail to exercise CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS that the world as well as our leaders are best when they are either Christian and adhere to Strict Christian dictates through biased interpretations. GET OVER IT. These people are so disconnected in their irrational understanding, that fail to see that they are actually helping and furthering the Plight of Gay Rights and Gay Marriage. How? What one resists, persists because it entails making JUDGMENTS about somone elses journey and actions that really dont affect you. Judgments often reveal more about the person judging than about the person who is supposedly being judged. This is found in their own Scripture where Jesus relays, “how can you judge the speck in anothers eye, when you have a log in your own”. In Psychology, it is known as PROJECTIONS- where your Judgments are more about yourself than others. This is the main reason why there are so many DL Homosexuals in COGIC as well as hypocrisy. They are quite alright with having Gays in their confines, serving in the pulpit, as long they keep it hidden, hush hush- which further perpetuates dishonesty, lack of integrity, depression, and mayhem against their own families, wives, etc. COGIC IS A MESS. They need to adhere to the separation of Church and state, and stay out of politics and Gay Marriage. Ultimately, these church people in the Black Church are JEALOUS of Gay people, because they have the audacity to live in integrity to their s****l orientation “live in truth” as oppose to living in a lie. GET OVER IT, PEOPLE. Aint nothing you can do about it. The Gays are not Going away. Just shut up and stay Str8… or in the closet. LOL
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient
“Integrity” in ther s****l orientation!!????
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient
say that!!!!
One of the greatest actions of negligence in reading comprehension and religious delusion is when Christians start attempting to SPEAK ON BEHALF OF GOD in a MANNER TO JUDGE, INTIMIDATE, REGULATE AND CONFORM those they believe otherwise are wrong for not seeing things as they do or believe. THE BIBLE IS WRITTEN BY HUMANS- men and while it contains wisdom that many can resonate and integrate into their lives, there is no proof that its the literal word of God. And should it be considered the word of God based upon faith that is SUBJECTIVE or RELATIVE than so are other forms of religious texts, beliefs and yes modern day forms of literature that leans toward personal development. Even GOD is an abstract diety- a name created by men in its attempt to explain unseen phenomena, that is open to a plethora of interpretations and systems of thought. EVEN YOUR QUOTE READS from the perspective of somoneone else attempting to relay their interpretation. THESE DAYS, just like the President Obama, people are thinking for themselves and living for themselves whether the church agrees or not. Yes, there is integrity in one living out their s****l orientation. If your heterosexual, are you having s*x with gay people, and vice versa? Are you recognizing what is naturally guiding the way that you fall in love or you allowing a group of over zealous, sexually repressed, biblical back wood bamas attempting to regulate the word because they are not comfortable with living on a planet of great diversity in behavior, orientation, culture, interests, species, beliefs and levels of intelligence. THAT QUOTE MEANS NOTHING.
USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE START ATTEMPTING TO SPEAK WHAT GOD SAYS, it really means I AM IGNORANT AND DONT KNOW HOW TO THINK AND OPEN MY MIND to greater truths and understandings. And that is not a good thing. This may explain why Christianity is in a great state of decline.
Dr. Luv you are too funny! So the church is judging people by doing it’s job? WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!! Homosexuals ARE EVERYWHERE! MOSTLY IN THE CHURCH!!! AND NOT JUST COGIC!! LOL!! I mean homosexuality is so prevelant these days the only DL gays are people who know it’s wrong! Clearly YOU ARE GAY!!!! Who says something like the people in the BLACK CHURCH are jealous of gays???? or GET OVER IT, PEOPLE. Aint nothing you can do about it. The Gays are not Going away. Just shut up and stay Str8… or in the closet. LOL That mess is hilarious!!!! BTW we know HOMOSEXUALITY isn’t going anywhere…at least not until that h**l FIRE rains down!!! Gays, liars, cheaters, killers, thieves, whores, pimps, i.e. SINNERS, are all gonna be in the same predicament!!!!
Lol… yes I stand by what I say because I have worked in the high ranks of COGIC and other denominations amongst the best of them. and the truth shall set u free and gay…let the cogic say amen. Amen
Did Jesus vote and did he get involved in Roman politics? Did he set up churches that disobey the 4th commandment? No wonder that others say that religion is the opiate of the masses. When the churches disobey God is it any wonder that the culture around them and the political establishment display a degeneration of character. There is no separation of church and state. The church is protected from the state setting policy and procedure for religious practice. Churches are given Tax Exempt status by the state. You cannot have it both ways. The church, following the logic of separation of church and state, does not set policy for the state. Civil laws are the domain of the state. Building Godly character is the domain of the church. But most churches have thrown out the 4th commandment and have lost sight of all instruction from God. The first step is true repentance. Otherwise you serve a different god from the on you think you serve. The destroyer loves conflict. If God is Love then you will love to obey Him.
Its not that the churches are disobeying GOD, but that churches never really KNEW GOD. While many within their confines appear sincere in wanting to live a good and moral life. Morality is relative, as is the interpretation of God, Love, Sexuality and the BIBLE IS AS WELL. How is there going to be unity within Christianity when you have over 30,000 literal denominations within the sect on record. If anything Chrisitans SHOULD RECOGNIZE what they call the word of God is at best THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS, some of which can be validated and greater UNVALIDATED. Therefore, for those who are unable to THINK CRITICALLY, have the courage to question and reconcile themselves with EVOLVING PRESPECTIVES that are more self honoring and loving to the well being of all people, they remain stuck in the hells of narrow and rigid interpretations that further perpetuate ignorance, distortion and inaccuracy on all levels.
S I think you are only half christian as the president only half black it shows that you do not understand there can be no seperation of church and state no more than you can leave your spirit outside of a night club and your body go inside we are to be one body and one spirit, “go into all the world and preach the gospel (of jesus Christ)baptising them in the name of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit how can you remove them out of the world they created S go read your Bible and repent for speaking against God’s word and not be haltered between two opinions.
THE GAY STRAIGHT ISSUE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A DEBATE UNTIL THE LORD COMES. IS THERE SUCH A THING OF A BLACK CHURCH IN GODS EYES OR IS IT THE CHURCH PERIOD. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO IS ELECTED BECAUSE IN THE END THE POWERS THAT BE ARE ORDAINED BY GOD. OUR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE SHOULD NEVER BE IN MAN BUT GOD! THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN/SON. THERE WERE GAYS BACK IN THE DAY JUST AS THERE ARE PRESENTLY. GOD IS NOT SHOCKED OR SURPRISED BY HOMOSEXUALITY AND HE LOVES THEM JUST LIKE HE DOES HETERO SEXUALS BUT IT IS THE SIN HE HATES.
I disagree LETA. I never said I hated homosexuals or homosexuality. SHOW ME PROOF? Hate is a word that signifies strong detest and hostility, therefore how can I have strong detest and hostility to humans that are made in my image? Isnt hostility and animosity a sign of inner disturbance, distress, hurt, pain, lack of love and deep frustration? Therefore, How can I be a GOD OF LOVE MY CHILD and yet be a GOD OF HATE? That is contradiction. Am I not a Spirit that is too Pure to behold iniquity? I am only Love. My greatest desire for you is to love because you were created out of love and that is all that you will ever be– that includes gays and lesbians.
Church of God in Christ (COGIC), a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership, has officially spoken out against President Obama’s decision to legalize same-s*x marriage.
is it just me…but i didn’t find any statements from members of the cogic speaking out against obama. why? you negroes better start watching the feet and not the mouths of these self hating black writers when you respond to these articles. (never sleep on double agents, boyce and yvette)
it’s stunning how much cow manure these self hating negro writers can stir up when they don’t have to use facts (as in this article) to support their positions.
wake up people…this double agent black writer is manipulating and dividing the black community to stay home and not vote for obama in the next election.
s/he point out the cogic opposing obama, but say nothing about all the black churches–preachers who annouced their support of the decision made by obama? why?
who needs the racist teabaggers–white billionaires to defeat obama when we revert back to what our slave masters taught us, to love him and to hate and tear down our black brothers and sisters.
nothing wrong with being critical and holding obama accountable.
but advocating not to vote for him in the next election is asinine, asiten and asieleven..to the ump degree.
@mustafa:
i also found it interesting.
for starters, it wasn’t the c.o.g.i.c as stated by the writer.
it was the coalition of african-american pastors, founded by rev. william owens sr., the group asking for a meeting with president to reconsider his stance. (but we know there is a money shakedown somewhere in the real motive for the meeting)
rev. owens and 19 other clerics, including baptist pastors and bishops in the church of god in christ, signed the letter.
not sure where the writer got the information that it was the cogic speaking out against the president.
it was the coalition of african american pastors, all 19 (lol) out of the estimated 100,000 thousands black pastors in the u.s. who signed the letter and this writer has so many on this site in a frenzy as though some respectable black organization spoke out against obama. lol
thanks mustafa for shining the light on these roaches!
Thank you Jesus!!! I’m COGIC born & COGIC breed. I thank God everyday for the grand old Church Of God In Christ, Bishop Blake, the General Board and all if it’s leaders. Some of us are simply NOT WILLING compromise our beliefs or our integrity… even for the historic first black president. We stand for holiness and righteousness not popularity or the majority vote. We’re not democrats or republicans we’re Christians and we vote the Bible. I think I saw someone mentioned “Obama may not even agree with gay marriage but it’s a political year so he’ll just say what needs to be said to get re-elected”…REALLY?! If this is the mindset of the people we put in office we’re all in trouble, not just US.
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