tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73980948000437091522012-01-23T16:23:31.246-05:00staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.comBlogger1601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-42570687501190560222012-01-17T11:31:00.009-05:002012-01-17T17:34:33.387-05:00

Dear Po' White Folks: I apologize that the United States of America and the entire globe trends toward ignoring your existence, but it may just be your own fault. Where are your Al Sharptons and Cornel Wests? Day after day, evening after evening, news byte after news byte, politicians, the media, and even "Black leaders" perpetuate the myth that issues of poverty are actually "Black issues" when

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-8602196859492877772011-12-01T20:44:00.000-05:002011-12-01T20:44:11.428-05:00

Take a minute and view this: Honestly, when I consider the truth in what is being touted here -- essentially that marriage is two selfish sinners trying to build a life together -- it occurs to me that almost anything would be superior to modern Western methods of courtship and matrimony. So why not try something radical? Why not throw out the dating/courtship process altogether? I mean

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-15437339687155764342011-11-11T13:12:00.001-05:002011-11-11T13:22:20.287-05:00

Interesting, isn't it? How every trend that society grabs hold of will later come home to roost. Like a few decades ago when a generation of misguided dudes decided to take societies' backward cues, contradict the way stats show they themselves were likely raised, stoop lower than paternally responsible creatures like the emperor penguin & red fox, and reproduce with reckless abandon. "

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-8649671216267186382011-11-11T10:36:00.002-05:002011-12-01T20:19:50.415-05:00

... I'd call this "decent commentary."

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-91338806710450591772011-11-04T10:24:00.004-04:002011-12-04T17:33:06.060-05:00

I was listening to C-SPAN Radio during this morning's commute and the guest was an official from the U.S. Census Bureau talking about stats related to the changing construction of American households by age and generation. Then something came to mind: The Baby Boomers have a relatively high marriage rate. And Generation Y (the adults therein, of course) has a relatively high marriage rate. But

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-44668508235380562312011-10-06T18:37:00.000-04:002011-10-06T18:37:20.514-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-76160988048463029072011-09-27T14:34:00.000-04:002011-09-27T14:34:36.468-04:00

This is amazing stuff. Click below.Lecrae - I Am Second

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-26711908305181600832011-08-10T11:04:00.002-04:002011-08-10T11:14:44.828-04:00

So recently I was asked about the details of my own record label, if I had one. I thought this was a fun question, so I took some time to think about it. Here are some of the details. * First of all, my label would be a gathering of artists similar to Native Tongues (of Golden Era fame) in the sense that (1) their sonics would be a good mix of soulful instrumentals while preserving the type of

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-15184489141590251972011-06-15T09:41:00.000-04:002011-06-15T09:41:40.342-04:00

Just watch. This will take fewer than 10 minutes. Check it out. Comments?

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-41181018346448606642011-05-26T16:38:00.004-04:002011-05-26T16:42:05.895-04:00

Check it out. As maddening as this is, I look forward to the entire film and hope there is a balance to show that those of us who grew up in conscious environments & didn't experience this ... well, we exist as well. It's amazing how superficial human beings are though we're supposed to be the intelligent species. Are we humans focusing on the color of one bodily organ? Are we not

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-50017120718115620892011-05-05T09:44:00.004-04:002011-05-10T14:45:58.532-04:00

I'm a Pan-Africanist in at least one fundamental way: I believe that all of us of African ancestry, no matter where we live or who colonized us, should consider ourselves one people-group. I've believed this since high school. Sure, we should acknowledge the thousands of sub-groups that exist, from Swahili-speakers and Coptics to Afro-Cubans and residents of Bahia, but due to similar historic

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-35047166653950951442011-04-28T10:53:00.000-04:002011-04-28T10:53:08.867-04:00

Upon reading the title of this blog post many will say, "Here they go again. You can't even criticize their sensitive as$es without being called a 'racist'." Yet if anyone out there is as open minded as they claim, I challenge you to watch this commentary. This is one of many reasons why studying history is important. If you don't know history, you have no context whatsoever to assess

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-79954153816911009122011-04-25T16:24:00.006-04:002011-12-01T21:04:36.896-05:00

Several years ago I outright rejected "Christian holidays" I'd been taught have pagan origins. "Easter" was one such day. Instead of referring to it as "Easter," I'd call it what it actually was: "Resurrection Day." After all, the Messiah was recorded to have been seen by over 500 people at once after He had been crucified. So I called it "Resurrection Day" instead of "Easter," and I still do.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-45152134691320730362011-04-21T18:48:00.009-04:002011-04-22T11:30:31.919-04:00

The African Diaspora is an amazing construct of human history. After thousands of years of being  advanced in terms of technology, science, and the arts while most of Europe lagged behind the African and Asian tide, a switch occurred. Europe emerged from obscurity, entered a time of Enlightenment, and moved into the Age of Exploration. Long story short, within a few centuries, a small continent

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-52720023811419327802011-04-05T13:47:00.003-04:002011-04-05T16:04:32.583-04:00

Please, please, please, please, PLEASE watch this video. Then after you watch it, tell everyone you know about it. PLEASE. Aren't you glad you saw it? Isn't it a music video that should be on all the cable channels? This is what I LOVE about the diversity that is hip hop. Let's face it: 95% of all music (rap included) is not played on MTV or your local radio station for two main reasons:

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-80571701367827391082011-03-29T11:46:00.002-04:002011-12-01T21:05:33.032-05:00

Today, someone I was speaking with told me something she later said was a message from God, through her, to me. "You need to see yourself as beautiful." The messenger probably doesn't know how critical an admonition that was for me to hear nor the boundless results that will come from my heeding it. I'm sure I don't fully know either. Nevertheless, I'm indebted to the God she spoke of for even

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-23731541570869202132011-03-22T12:10:00.003-04:002011-03-22T14:21:48.436-04:00

And what do I love the most? The freedom to CRITICIZE our hypocritical ways whenever we deem it necessary. Jon Stewart does this best. The Daily Show - America's Freedom Packages Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook Our nation is doomed. I hope you will realize that, repent, and turn to your Maker. LOL! But yes, I'm serious. Doomed. Whether

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-73460833704031500592011-03-11T15:09:00.003-05:002011-12-01T21:06:48.781-05:00

Let me let you in on a little secret. Well, it actually isn't a secret if you speak to me personally on a somewhat regular basis. Several months ago I applied to a few PhD programs. The reality is I should have earned my doctorate long ago. Getting that degree is the reason I moved to my current city in the first place as soon as I'd finished my undergraduate studies. Since the university I'd

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-30170093242499505352011-03-04T18:46:00.001-05:002011-11-30T15:03:16.600-05:00

The ignorant statement in the title of this blog post may not be uttered often but there are enough insinuations to its accuracy available in contemporary American life to make me hurl. The most recent occurred just a few weeks ago both in the report delivered through NPR about a gentrifying Washington neighborhood called Anacostia and in the reactions of some to this report. If you know

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-6673803896599181992011-01-13T16:23:00.000-05:002011-01-13T16:23:59.914-05:00

Even a foreign source, the Irish Times, was able to surmise that political rhetoric couldn't have been completely inculpable for the wretched events of this past Saturday.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-53084317022607674812011-01-11T10:57:00.002-05:002011-01-11T11:14:32.780-05:00

[Begin rant] Why don't seemingly intelligent writers and culture analysts realize the true Generation X timeline??? I'm perplexed! The Baby Boomers, predecessors of Generation X, were born right after their fathers returned from the Second World War. My parents, and many of yours, are in this generation. When did WWII end? 1945. The Boomers, then, started being born around that year ... we can

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-69879127082311185612011-01-06T16:26:00.002-05:002011-01-06T16:29:46.752-05:00

By now it's likely you've already heard about the former homeless man, Ted Williams, who had been panhandling on the side of an Ohio road when a gentleman with a video camera captured his timeless voice for the whole world to hear. Basically overnight, Williams went from being a tent-dweller with no job to an international celebrity recognized for his God-given vocal talent. I don't think I've

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-78359758078877803602011-01-05T18:09:00.002-05:002011-01-13T15:44:59.624-05:00

One of the most frustrating things I see in many talented professional athletes who's dads & moms failed to instill work ethic in them is a stubborn sole reliance on their God-given gift. It's almost as if they don't realize that there is a literal end to their talent. It won't last forever, they would be able to extend their abilities several times over if they would just add some work ethic to

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-51390730403519244042011-01-04T14:30:00.003-05:002011-01-04T14:37:10.195-05:00

Reminds me of the constant admonition on Scripture to focus on the Main Thing: Fear God, keep His commands, love Him with all your being, love your neighbor as yourself. Why else are we here on Earth?

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-12116549416086798442011-01-02T14:10:00.003-05:002011-01-02T14:26:38.829-05:00

So yesterday, as you know, was a unique date: one one one one. 1/1/11. January 1, 2011. It was the first day of the first month of the second decade of the 21st century. We won't see another 1111 - I think - for 100 years. By then, we'll all be long dead. Though I'm not a numerologist, I'd been thinking about that particular date, and what it might mean, for a few months. And then yesterday I

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-86368475810292075892010-12-20T14:34:00.002-05:002010-12-20T14:38:31.345-05:00

Dear Contemporary African American Youth: Take a look at this picture ... You're doing much better as a group than the media wants you to know, but the danger of current images of you is that perception can quickly become reality. You're constantly fed visuals that say you're over-sexed, dumb, poor, inner-city, musically limited, and culturally isolated. You and I know that not to be true,

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-10287144753677292872010-12-20T13:48:00.001-05:002010-12-20T14:04:27.804-05:00

Merry Pre-Christmas, readers. By now, you probably know how I feel about the importance of good, solid parenting. It's one of the most imperative processes on the face of this planet. Frankly, those who engage in irresponsible parenting (or non-parenting), as graceless as this may sound, deserve severe chastisement. Why? Because children only have one childhood. One. Just one, and that's it.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-38659522458847458562010-11-19T14:45:00.001-05:002010-11-19T14:46:26.693-05:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-31364099347125552042010-11-12T21:09:00.001-05:002010-11-12T21:10:01.693-05:00

I could not have articulated any of this better. Check it out. If you're a believer in Almighty God & His Messiah, be encouraged by someone who is great at communicating great ideas. If you're not, be open-minded! At least check out some of this dude's thoughts. Peace.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-45900781518512249412010-11-11T14:13:00.000-05:002010-11-11T14:13:51.162-05:00

Shadeism from Shadeism on Vimeo. When will this end? How can humans be endowed with such amazing intellectual features ... yet so willing to accept standards of beauty introduced by folks they should despise because of oppression? Even more, why would people limit beauty to something with no deeper substance than the millimeters of its physical depth? Even more, lol, why is it that ignorance

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-63571639889233301422010-10-22T10:33:00.003-04:002010-11-23T12:23:29.123-05:00

One of the organizations I admire the most is The Yuinon, a youth mentorship program and hip hop movement based in Detroit, Michigan. And one of the people I admire most is Jason Wilson, also known by the producer/DJ name of "Maji," a founder of The Yuinon. The Yuinon and selfless men like Maji are literally making the world a better place. They don't simply live life seeking to accomplish their

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-40653614281029229982010-10-14T19:55:00.003-04:002010-10-15T14:34:58.377-04:00

Wow. I feel like Reggie White in my current season of life. Thank you, Father, for sending this to encourage me.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-83162464451718156132010-10-11T14:40:00.004-04:002010-10-11T14:46:57.780-04:00

YES! It appears the notion of a new rap subgenre (namely, Adult Contemporary Hip Hop) is finally gaining traction. I've been waiting for this moment for a while. Articles like the one this past summer on AllHipHop.com (click here) make me very happy. I, like many rap fans, have been scratching my head for several years now, wondering why record company executives don't seem to realize that the

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-74359958188957734162010-10-11T12:21:00.001-04:002010-10-11T12:22:30.021-04:00

Save this blog post for the day you find yourself believing that racism is a thing of the past, the playing field has finally been leveled, and that the Black Civil Rights Era Generation needs to shut up and realize we don't live in the same America they remember. When that day comes, please return to I Caught The Vapors, and click here. You'll find a few of the images and words of commentary

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-79276068823149755762010-10-05T19:27:00.004-04:002010-11-23T12:35:28.852-05:00

Now, this is a book I'm going to have to cop. Have to. Eugene Robinson, an ingenious social observer/critic/journalist showed up for an interview on NPR this morning and talked about his new book, Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America.  It dives into the impact of integration on African American life. I was enduring my commute when I switched to NPR this morning and heard the discourse

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-41457637045161666412010-09-30T13:42:00.001-04:002010-09-30T13:43:12.641-04:00

I just LOVE this. Too many reasons to name. Enjoy this 1997 visual & sonic classic.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-1625444841505319552010-09-23T17:39:00.002-04:002010-09-23T17:39:07.967-04:00

The Black Ivy from Street Etiquette on Vimeo.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-43629438594848435232010-09-16T18:28:00.000-04:002010-09-16T18:28:12.248-04:00

Hi Readers!Warning: If your truth isn't strong enough to withstand opposing viewpoints, please don't watch this or the other five video clips you see below. I don't say this as a dis; I sincerely know that some people can't take certain ideas that tap into the foundations they've set for their lives. Even I have a low tolerance for certain notions and use things like mispronunciation to discredit

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-56525302901342543372010-09-16T18:21:00.000-04:002010-09-16T18:21:00.797-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-73275353064098703762010-09-16T18:20:00.003-04:002010-09-16T18:20:47.137-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-3798357934393707432010-09-16T18:20:00.002-04:002010-09-16T18:20:32.250-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-51549045053265000962010-09-16T18:20:00.001-04:002010-09-16T18:20:21.375-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-73708069561217513882010-09-16T18:20:00.000-04:002010-09-16T18:20:06.890-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-56272442890946001122010-08-28T14:36:00.004-04:002010-08-28T14:59:13.668-04:00

Click here for an article that says that they are. And then check out the following video clip. Your conclusion? Well, I can't possibly know what you decided. The article says that the members of Generation Y are, in fact, losing faith. Check out my reply to the article if you like ... * The writer had a choice between being led by Scripture or being led by her own notions to determine

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-27056714364751779322010-08-19T16:51:00.001-04:002010-08-19T16:52:50.334-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-31035217100979068452010-08-17T18:18:00.002-04:002010-08-28T14:47:48.422-04:00

Here we go again. Wherever people of African ancestry can be found (such as all over the Western Hemisphere, the Continent of Africa itself, and elsewhere in the world), they experience terrible discrimination and are simultaneously expected to shut up & accept unequal treatment at levels beyond the expectations allotted to others. "Let me put my foot on your neck, and DON'T COMPLAIN!" It's

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-29876359935558579692010-08-13T17:18:00.007-04:002010-08-13T17:30:20.781-04:00

Hello Readers! This blog post and the next 12 are a documentary. Please simply sit back, relax, try not to be repelled by anything in it that you've found annoying in the past, and check it out. At worse, this film is an illustration of the beliefs of a segment of society with glimpses into facts about African American history. Because of this, the documentary is worth viewing. And at best, it

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-66034337046659885572010-08-13T17:07:00.001-04:002010-08-13T17:07:21.365-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-47764970295207247422010-08-13T17:07:00.000-04:002010-08-13T17:07:07.218-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-89255324313543359942010-08-13T17:06:00.002-04:002010-08-13T17:06:46.401-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-53879856868598969712010-08-13T17:06:00.001-04:002010-08-13T17:06:31.350-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-21353038196984179452010-08-13T17:06:00.000-04:002010-08-13T17:06:15.760-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-60887370482727854682010-08-13T17:05:00.002-04:002010-08-13T17:05:54.316-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-3563449753294676982010-08-13T17:05:00.001-04:002010-08-13T17:05:28.628-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-21918436269886140532010-08-13T17:05:00.000-04:002010-08-13T17:05:05.896-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-25106569934042045122010-08-13T17:04:00.000-04:002010-08-13T17:04:48.921-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-3656864871318146862010-08-13T17:03:00.001-04:002010-08-13T17:03:52.837-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-48037068264337282032010-08-13T17:03:00.000-04:002010-08-13T17:03:29.325-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-53373550893195416522010-08-13T17:02:00.000-04:002010-08-13T17:02:25.101-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-71911283405649501512010-08-09T12:24:00.004-04:002010-08-28T14:52:30.967-04:00

This is the BEST song I've ever heard that illuminates the work of Christ on behalf of believers. Mindboggling. Amazing. Thank you, Yahoshua, for rescuing me from a deserved scorching hell. Thank you Father. Thank you Holy Spirit.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-68144432179378987042010-08-09T11:39:00.002-04:002010-08-09T11:39:57.051-04:00

What do you guys do with John 15:16?

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-61834893345496592222010-08-04T09:37:00.001-04:002010-08-05T11:33:57.980-04:00

This is absolutely beautiful. President Obama invited a large group of young African leaders to the White House. Has this even ever been done before? I just hope each of these young, gifted, and Black folks thoroughly reverse the culture of corruption Africa has been drowning in especially since the "end" of colonialism, and draw out of the continent the inherent wealth & genius we all know it

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-40470039936553622802010-08-03T16:34:00.001-04:002010-08-03T16:42:36.170-04:00

Hold Deonte Bridges in your memory bank. You will certainly hear from him again. THIS is what Americans of African descent are about. This is who we are. Media and society, take note. The blood of our dehumanized yet surviving ancestors still runs through our veins: When allowed a smidgen of a chance, we obliterate expectations time and again. Need I say more?

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-72668011418576017112010-08-03T16:04:00.004-04:002010-08-03T16:09:09.490-04:00

Today I came across the best position paper I've seen to date on the issue of whether homosexuals are welcome "in church." The article can be found in the website of a group of Jesus-believers in Tennessee. It's balanced, and certainly in tune with the beliefs claimed by Followers of Christ. It says neither "Screw gay people! They're going to burn in hellll!!!" nor "We're all God's children! Let

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-32510759912771226622010-07-16T12:31:00.011-04:002010-07-21T10:23:03.398-04:00

Hey I Caught The Vapors readers! By God's grace I will be reading through the entire Bible, cover-to-cover, within the next 90 days. It requires a little less than 15 chapters of Scripture per day, and my first day was yesterday. I'm extremely excited: its literally been years since I've read God's "full counsel" or even been consistent with reading His Word on a daily basis. My confession is a

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-16922308692480629042010-07-13T12:30:00.008-04:002011-12-01T21:12:44.017-05:00

I was just reading a blog post entitled "Why Pastors Have Affairs." I think it should be called "Why There is Always Without Fail a Dumb Chick Willing to Make Herself Available To Another Woman's Husband" ... but I digress. In reading this piece, I noticed that four reasons were given: 1. Most pastors struggle with some sort of insecurity. 2. Most pastors have no accountability. 3. Most

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-82217641416059592372010-06-14T19:34:00.002-04:002010-06-14T19:42:02.461-04:00

Most of the readers here know who Wayne Grudem is. He's the Systematic Theology genius who also wrote about biblical manhood & biblical womanhood with John Piper, not to mention over a dozen other works.I'll be honest: Though I'd never met him nor seen him on video, I assumed he'd be a dry, two-dimensional guy who simply studied & wrote books for a living.Fast forward to today, the first time I'd

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-20209063217949118092010-06-08T13:36:00.012-04:002010-07-21T10:30:52.612-04:00

I saw that quote on a friend's Facebook page recently and it was really thought-provoking for me, even though it's not relevant to my current marital status. When we look at Ephesians 5:22-33, we see God through His self-revelation (the Bible) explaining what His institution of "marriage" is designed to be all about: It's about Christ and the Church. Christ is the Head, the Church is His Body.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-64211063498564260422010-06-04T14:00:00.007-04:002010-07-21T10:33:10.716-04:00

... or maybe I'll just entitle this blog post "I Don't Know Nothin 'Bout The Ology, Just Give Me JESUS." I came across a very admirable video which for various artistic, theological, and content-related reasons, I really, really liked! This isn't a plug to get you to go to an upcoming annual conference hosted by one of my favorite Christian organizations; rather, it's just a reference to a very

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-67945260112613924862010-05-25T12:59:00.003-04:002010-05-25T13:06:04.055-04:00

So, Christ-followin' folk, I have yet another question. I actually think this one is critically important. Here we go:When we look at how Jesus speaks to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3, and we're equipped with prior-knowledge in places like John 17 which says those who are truly His He'll never cast out, we probably conclude that in Revelation 3 Jesus must be talking about the "tares"

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-42938203804057732792010-05-12T10:55:00.002-04:002010-07-21T10:33:53.621-04:00

I really love Family Men. "Men" is the operative term here. I especially love those who have known since, like, elementary school, that they wanted to grow up to be husbands and fathers. (These guys do exist, believe me; I went to the wedding of one just a few months ago). Such dudes wanted to build a family, a legacy, and now realize how much of a contribution that is to God's Kingdom & even

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-80492940184829510092010-05-10T17:48:00.005-04:002010-05-10T17:55:00.394-04:00

... Hampton Pirates fight and win!"I always have been proud of my alma mater, the place where I responded to Christ's gospel, enjoyed some of the best years of my life thus far, earned a wonderful education, and gained an even deeper connection to my ethnic community. But the fact that our nation's first Black president selected HU to receive his first HBCU commencement address delights me.Oh,

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-46550759538777986442010-05-05T14:21:00.007-04:002011-12-01T21:15:30.559-05:00

This is a question I didn't even consider until a few years ago! But I'm soooo glad it came to mind. I'm so glad that during a very influential year in my life, it appears the Almighty brought things to my attention that had never entered my thoughts. Questions such as What is my pastor's job? How should the Scriptures be taught? What is biblical accountability? How should local churches be

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-61589212679656438062010-05-03T19:01:00.002-04:002010-05-05T15:30:38.418-04:00

This is one of the most important messages on Earth.Francis Chan speaks pure truth.LORD, please, please, please work in each of us to the extent that we immediately take note and respond according to your will.Open our dull eyes and grant us fire that starts off blazing and only increases daily from there. Fire that comes from you and consumes the lives of people (namely us) who know what a

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-25570748442572526472010-04-23T15:49:00.008-04:002010-07-21T10:36:11.375-04:00

As you know by now, the GURU, of Golden Age Hip Hop fame, passed away a few days ago. His group, Gang Starr, recorded a few songs on my life's soundtrack. I recently read an article written by GURU's older brother, a Stanford University professor named Harry Elam. Check it out by clicking here. There's much that can be said about the rap artist, his contributions to hip hop music, how he

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-10916343599272319492010-04-08T18:45:00.007-04:002010-07-21T10:36:50.758-04:00

I just have to take the time to show some thoroughly superb lyricism that illustrates, to me, what real hip hop is. Unfortunately, nowadays we don't see many "multisyllabic rhyme schemes" in pop hip hop. But I love the way a lot of Christian hip hop artists are purists in this genre. Check some of Timothy Brindle's verses in the song "Inchrow" on "Grassroots Volume 1." see shai and tim might

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-16972767076112320632010-04-06T22:10:00.000-04:002010-04-06T22:11:50.696-04:00

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-25648848035334776602010-04-02T16:41:00.006-04:002010-07-21T10:38:41.285-04:00

Yes, I know. This whole discussion is older than Moses' grandmother, especially for single Christians. It seems some people simply do what homo sapiens have been doing for thousands of years (namely, meeting a person of the opposite sex and ... get this ... marrying them) while others just talk about it. Nevertheless, I recently came across a discourse that is worth your while. The questioner

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-34996417559344656602010-03-23T09:47:00.006-04:002010-07-21T10:39:02.439-04:00

I love to travel, but up until nine days ago I'd never been across the Atlantic, never been to Europe, never even been on a flight lasting more than six hours. Instead, my traveling had been to a few dozen American states, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Granted, that's more than a lot of folks get to travel, but its only been a smidgen of the number of places I'd

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-41339175263979168762010-02-26T17:37:00.007-05:002010-07-21T10:40:22.519-04:00

Hey fam: As many readers of I Caught The Vapors know, for over a year now I've been examining what biblical community actually is in order to ensure that I'm lining my lifestyle up with what Scripture teaches about the way Christ commanded His followers to live, gather, meet, and fellowship. During this interesting process, some questions have come up, been answered, endured reevaluation, and

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-6364268788641460872010-02-15T08:59:00.011-05:002010-07-21T10:40:48.261-04:00

Dear Mr. President: This will be a short letter. And, yes, I know you constantly get "here's what you need to do" feedback. You've only been in a year and criticism on a daily basis is growing pretty old. I certainly credit you with even being able to endure a job for which you campaigned so vigorously on many issues, just to be informed about that which is only disclosed to sitting

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-73250973377225085172010-02-12T13:26:00.006-05:002010-07-21T10:41:24.834-04:00

I'll admit it: I get a little frustrated when dealing with folks who (1) don't know much about race, culture, and the complexities of the African Diaspora, and (2) think they know what they're talking about as evidenced by the assumptions they make. I guess I should have more grace. I mean, there are people who simply don't know, and it's not their fault. Some of those people might be reading

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-88760390821990472912010-01-16T12:43:00.007-05:002010-01-28T08:54:04.833-05:00

For the first time in recent memory, a song challenging the imbecility of a modern fashion phenomena has been popularized. Usually, when a wardrobe trend hits the scene, younger people violate their natural rebelliousness by mindlessly following suit while older people shake their heads in shame and confusion. This time, lifelong community, civil, and human rights activist Larry Platt decided

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-46545256993204155632010-01-04T14:42:00.005-05:002010-07-21T10:42:20.691-04:00

... to get a man to fall into sin. The reason is because such men -- and people of all distinctions -- are wandering through life, in the midst of a cosmic war ... and they don't even know it! They're clueless. They fail to realize that what their eyes have the ability to see is but a minuscule percentage of all that exists. If God decided one day to remove the veil from a married man's eyes

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-63617150753552275782009-12-18T09:49:00.005-05:002010-07-21T10:43:01.887-04:00

Here we go again. One day before I'm due to traipse off to Saint Thomas for a pre-holiday, much-needed vacation with other fun-loving single friends, I come across yet another article about the plight of single Black women. Check it out here. Once you finish reading it, please let me know what you think by replying in the "comments" section of this blog post. As you can imagine, I think this

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-37094100675600094322009-12-09T13:57:00.006-05:002010-07-21T10:44:13.590-04:00

So let me put it to you this way: Far too often I see a weird chasm between married folks and single folks. Considering that both groups could benefit each other in amazing ways ... and are actually part of the same family, the Family of Christ, which will outlast earthly marriage ... this doesn't make much sense to me. There's something missing ... it's as if we don't realize that ultimately,

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-61128567521568003022009-12-04T14:11:00.009-05:002010-07-21T10:45:26.561-04:00

Wow. Can we say that again? "Wow." We're in the last month of the last year of the first decade of the twenty-first century. This is it! My first full decade as an adult. Hopefully, the "this decade doesn't actually end until 2011" folks will let me have this one. Anyway, I'm in a reflective mood, y'all. Maybe you are, too. I'm thinking about new experiences, accomplishments, regrets,

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-26898421008418074772009-10-20T15:21:00.002-04:002009-10-20T15:27:52.186-04:00

In the wake of the shocking death of Cross Movement's former member and co-founder, Enock, I came across the first Christ-centered hip hop video I'd ever seen. It ushered in a second wave of my love of the genre, as did the album this single came on. I'm so grateful to Enock, the Ambassador, Cruz Cordero, Earthquake, the Tonic, Tru-Life, and Phanatik for allowing God to penetrate their gifts

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-30229371760509113362009-10-09T14:39:00.001-04:002009-10-09T14:40:57.315-04:00

... just tears.

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-13293787659531388982009-09-23T14:17:00.007-04:002009-09-23T16:16:23.445-04:00

Not long ago, several highly talented, former NBA stars were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Needless to say, the honor was immense for these men, their families, their teams, and anyone who has ever had anything to do with their success.A highlight of the ceremony was the acceptance speech of "The Admiral," David Robinson. I'll just say this: among many other amazing

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-43403224661354728402009-08-12T10:19:00.008-04:002010-07-21T11:56:16.727-04:00

Those of us who have been eternally saved from the wrath to come know one thing if we know nothing else: Our lives now exist to (1) know our God, (2) make Him known to others, (3) Love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, & (4) love our neighbor as ourselves. One way that we manifest this mandate is by daily walking out this truth. Believing that the four preceding are why we exist

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-89572880100581953952009-07-23T16:12:00.010-04:002010-07-21T12:00:38.952-04:00

When I was a toddler, my dad would do my hair from time to time. I'm convinced that that contributed to our early bonding process. I had a head full of curly hair that grew in every which direction, and my dad's response was simple: he'd part it down the middle and comb away from the part! The dad in the pic above wasn't thinking about hair when he and his wife traveled to Ethiopia four years

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-5728343235497492322009-07-20T11:45:00.008-04:002010-07-21T12:01:07.341-04:00

It's amazing to me how, over and over and over again, satan uses the same tired strategies to destroy lives, yet folk fall for these age-old tactics time and again. A married person allows eyeball and thought pattern to shift from their covenant spouse to an attractive person curiously placed in their path ... the married person and the newcomer develop a friendship ... unable and unwilling to

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-42780825557831902102009-06-26T10:36:00.005-04:002010-07-21T12:01:41.166-04:00

Well, the day finally came. I must say, though, that when I awoke yesterday morning, the very last thing on my mind was, "today will be the day Michael Jackson dies." Curiously, I always "knew" he wouldn't live to old age. I remember first having that thought long ago. But as I was heading to Bible Study yesterday afternoon, I received a text message that read, "Michael Jackson had a heart

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-90402829901577240322009-06-24T09:57:00.009-04:002010-07-21T12:02:02.636-04:00

Last night, I sat down and caught a television show profiling the lives of teenaged parents. In at least two-thirds of the cases, the girls (and their families) were left to deal with 100% of the responsibility for child-rearing, while the boys and their families were allowed to abandon theirs. In each of these situations, when asked about the presence of the teenaged fathers of their children,

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-56213834315268991992009-06-04T10:41:00.005-04:002010-09-23T17:38:27.271-04:00

I heard that this little boy went to the White House to visit our nation's first Black president and, among other things, asked to "feel [Obama's] hair." I'm sure the baby's parents were mortified. As you can see, the President humbly obliged, probably instinctively knowing what the child didn't have the vocabulary to express: "Are you just like ... me?" Never before in American history has

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-45723228147684696392009-05-26T12:25:00.005-04:002009-05-26T12:42:59.081-04:00

As you have probably heard, President Obama has selected rocket scientist, military pilot and astronaut Charles Bolden to head NASA and America's space program. (You can tell, can't you, that I really like astronauts!) Anyway, he'll be the first African American and only the second astronaut to become NASA Chief. And he's one of thousands of reasons that those who are young, gifted and Black

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-83341091007837198322009-05-14T17:00:00.006-04:002009-05-26T12:42:18.628-04:00

A lot of kids and teenagers who are young, gifted, and Black have decided that when they grow up, they'd like to be ... basketball players?I'd encourage each and every one of them to open their minds! There are so many more opportunities for them in this amazing, wide world than having a short career in athletics. In fact, if they apply themselves academically, they'll have a much greater

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-57000450676267490112009-04-21T18:22:00.009-04:002010-07-21T12:03:20.631-04:00

Today, I was reading an exceptional and praise-worthy blog post penned by Voddie Baucham (click here) and, upon looking at the illustration provided, discovered that there are people running around loose who have been using the phrase "Gay is the new Black." Such a conclusion is one of the most pitiful ever to access my earlobe. It suggests that just as Americans of African descent fought for

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398094800043709152.post-36834741761750280232009-04-21T15:05:00.003-04:002010-07-21T12:03:30.511-04:00

Just listen and read!

staff writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947187412170325328noreply@blogger.com0