Saturday, October 17, 2015

Late Fall 2015 Part 4



 

Hebrew Israelites

This is one of the most controversial articles that I have written. I know that I would write on this issue. It’s time to do so. This work will be real and not everyone will agree with my views. That’s fine, because the truth remains regardless. I heard information about this religious movement for years. Now, it is important to note that not every Hebrew Israelite is monolithic. Many Hebrew Israelites are more progressive. Others are stone cold bigots and haters who don’t know a thing about the Bible, Africa, Israel, or history. The common ideological view of Black Hebrew Israelites is that they believe that African Americans are descendants of the ancient Israelites. They share many of the religious views of mainstream Judaism. I will expose the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ and ISUPK, so don’t worry. Now, first history must be shown. The Black Hebrew Israelite movement existed in the modern age during the 19th century in America.  One early organization was called the Church of God and Saints of Christ which was founded in 1896 in Kansas, but it retained its elements of a messianic connection to Jesus Christ. Some Black Hebrew congregations developed with similarities to Christianity and other groups have no connection to Christianity at all.

There was Black Hebrew congregations in Harlem. This was the Commandment Keepers of the Living God. The historian James Tinney divided the Black Hebrew movement into 3 categories. One was the Black Jews who maintain a Christological perspective and adopt Jewish rituals (which is similar to Messianic Judaism). There are the Black Hebrews who are more traditional in their practice of Judaism. Then, you have the Black Israelites who are very nationalistic and are not in league with traditional Judaism. The Black Hebrew movement is different from the Black Judaism movement (or black people who follow Judaism). Ben Ammi Ben Israel created the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem in Chicago back in 1966 (during the time of the modern civil rights movement and the growth of Black Nationalism). He moved to Liberia and to Israel with his members. Growing up, I only knew of one man who was a member of the Hebrew Israelite movement. Other than that, I only saw them on TV. Since then, the Hebrew Israelite movement has grown greatly in American society. Many of them love to go into the streets of America to preach their gospel. Some of them get into verbal confrontations with white people, members of the conscious community, atheists, religious skeptics, etc. Since, they quote the Old Testament and the New Testament, I will quote from verses from both of them.

Hebrew Israelites say that Jesus was black, because they use many Bible verses like Revelations 1:14-15. Yeshua was not a blond hair, blued eyed European. It is important to condemn the system of racism/white supremacy. Also, even the New Testament (which they love to quote) says in John 3:16 that: “… For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should to perish, but have everlasting life.” That verse is self-explanatory that God wants all people to be saved. It is just that not everyone would wake up and be saved.
Yeshua was never born in Europe. Yet, many of them falsely believe that all believers must follow the 600 plus laws of Moses. That’s impossible since humankind is constantly imperfect (even the New Testament in Romans 3:17 admitted that all have sinned and came short of the glory of God. Romans 3:29 says that God is the God of both Jewish people and Gentiles) and the Second Temple is no longer in existence. No one on Earth now can ever fulfill the Law of Moses completely without the Second Temple being in existence. Not to mention that anyone killing oxen, killing cows, not going to Jerusalem once a year and pay tithes to the Temple, etc. then that person is breaking the entire law since if one person doesn’t follow one part of the law, that person violates the entire law. II Chronicles 6:32-33 is rather clear that: “Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house; Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that ALL PEOPLE OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW THY NAME, AND FEAR THEE, AS DOTH THY PEOPLE ISRAEL...”

Deut. 28 is used by the Hebrew Israelites as a way for them to believe that it was prophesied for African Americans (which they say were Israelites who traveled from Israel in ca. 70 A.D. after the Second Temple was destroyed), travel into West Africa, etc. and be enslaved and shipped to America on ships. Many Hebrew Israelites believe that the black people in America suffered the Maafa, slavery, lynchings, Jim Crow, etc. because of the curses from God because of disobedience. That is one of the most self-hating, and lying false doctrines in the world. Black people suffered many injustices, because of the actions of evil people not because of curses from God. The Maafa was a capitalistic enterprise orchestrated by European capitalists who wanted to exploit slave labor for profit (and they used racism and religious deception as a means for them to promote their evil agendas).  Also, there is no conclusive evidence that Deut. 28 is in reference to the Maafa. It is a representation of the rivers and bodies of water found in the Middle East.  The Deuteronomy text they pervert has nothing to do with African Blacks who were sold in America as slaves.  The ships in Deuteronomy 28:68 have nothing to do with slave ships to America.  The ships in this text would travel by the way of the Red Sea, which was the route they traveled along the shores to Mount Horeb.
Also, the law of God existed before the Law of Moses. Moral principles long existed before the Law of Moses. Yeshua was an Israelite and he followed the Law as he said in Mathew 5:17. In that verse Yeshua said that he didn’t came to destroy the law or the prophet, but to fulfill. The law was fulfilled by the sacrifice of the Cross. Fulfill means accomplishment not permanent implementation. There is a new covenant as found in these verses:

"...But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away..." (Hebrews 8:6-13).

Not to mention Yeshua taught the Kingdom of God’s Truth and in many cases replaced what the Law of Moses has mentioned. For example, in Matthew 5:21-22, Yeshua said that we shouldn’t murder anybody (as murder is evil and wrong). Also, he said that we should not be angry unjustly (which was beyond was the Old law said). In Matthew 5:27-28, Yeshua said that even a person looks at a woman with lust in your heart, and then you committed adultery in your heart. Matthew 5:31-32 has the Law of Moses freely allowing divorce, but Yeshua allows divorce for adultery or fornication primarily. Matthew 5:33-37 has Yeshua saying that there is no swearing at all, but the Law of Moses allows making oaths to God. Yeshua did promote mercy, love, and compassion. Therefore, Yeshua was transitioning from the Old to New covenant. Also, Jesus in John 5:1-18 broke the Sabbath by working a miracle during the Sabbath.

Yet, he made exceptions on many occasions in the New Testament. One example is how he helped the Sarmatian woman. Also, following the law alone can never save humanity as shown in Romans 3:20. African civilizations and true spirituality has existed long before the Law of Moses came about. Many Hebrew Israelites extrapolate and claim that the 12 Tribes of Israel are related to Native Americans, and Hispanic people, which is hyperbole. Native Americans existed in the Americas long before the times of Abraham, Jacob, and David. Native Americans are descendants of the Asians who traveled the Berling Strait thousands of years ago.   There is no conclusively evidence that Native Americans collectively are genetically descended from Israelites. This doesn’t mean that there are no black Jewish people who are originated from ancient Israelites.  Unlike the modern Original African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem, the Beta Israel group of Ethiopia is accepted by the majority of Jews and by the nation of Israel as being historically Jewish.  There are many Jewish people of color found in Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, North Africa, etc. that are descendants from ancient Hebrews. Yet, African Americans are descendants from Africans in Africa.


ISUPK and GMS Exposed

Most Hebrew Israelites don’t believe in racism or anti-Semitism. Yet, there is a minority of those who profess to believe in Hebrew Israelites who are bigots. These members include the ISUPK, the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ, the Nation of Yahweh, etc.

Also, the people found in ISUPK (with one piece of work who calls himself General Yahanna) are the examples of the fake males that people are exposing. This punk Yahanna said in a video that black women are monsters and other derogatory words. He is anti-feminist and he’s a coward. The truth is that the black woman is the Mother of the Human Race. Black women are strong, beautiful, and very intelligent. I never talked about ISUPK before on here until now. As for them exposing white racism, police brutality, the evils of that imperialist Christopher Columbus, and other evils in the world, I have no problem with that. What I do have a problem is with their extreme rhetoric that dehumanizes people, slanders people, and they slander black women especially. Anyone that disrespects a black woman is not a man period. We know about Tommy Sotomayor, Sgt. Pete being misogynists, but these ISUPK folks are off the rails too with their misogynist garbage too. Some of them (from ISUPK) disrespect Tamir Rice and Michael Brown. They claim to be spiritual, but they curse with vile language and I do mean curse with extremely vile language. Since they love to quote the Bible, here’s a verse that opposes filthy language: “…But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy talk out of your mouth…” (Colossians 3:8). These self-hating extremists from ISUPK, etc. not only slander Africa, but they slander Africans too (like how that self hating person Tazaryach constantly disrespects Africa and African people). Many of those Hebrew Israelites from ISUPK may intimidate some people in the streets, but I will never be intimidated by no man made up of flesh and blood. I worship the Most High. I am an African American. I have black African descent, so I’m not ashamed of my African heritage at all. I will defend Africa too.


Conclusion.

It is important to note that not all Hebrew Israelites hate Africa or hate black people. I’m against the Hebrew Israelites who are anti-Africans and anti-Africa. I don’t agree with all of their religious views. I do believe in religious freedom. Religious freedom is a very important part of society that must be preserved and maintained. People have the right to believe in what they want. Likewise, religious deception must be exposed as well. Therefore, Africa is beautiful and Black is Beautiful. I definitely will not ally with ISUPK who slanders black women, black people in general, Africa, and other human beings in the most vulgar fashion. The origin of spirituality and humanity comes from Africa. No real human being can respect humanity unless they respect Africa and black people point blank period. Our various Creole and Ebonics languages  are rooted in African speech patterns, so much so that various West Indian Creole languages use African words such as “Rara,” “Nyam,” and “Duppy.” Anyone cursing the original black woman and the original black man is a total disgrace. We should have integrity and morality in our lives. That means that we should take care our families, we should help our neighbors, and we should fight evil.  This means that we should never support movies or TV shows (as found in Hollywood, etc.) that degrade black males and degrade black females. We should use methods to improve our health and fight poverty in our communities. We should control what we think, say, and act in making sure that our actions promote the dignity of black people. We can do something. As long as we are alive on this Earth as human beings, then we can do something. I reject respectability politics. We don’t have to be a token or a compromiser to be free. Black people collectively are never responsible for the modern system of racism/white supremacy. Black people should never be scapegoated for the evils found in the system. We can be outspoken and courageous. We need to develop real strategies to confront poverty, build schools, develop manufacturing including industry, and to grow our infrastructure as a people. That’s real. So, we will not back down and we want justice.

Africa is Beautiful.

Yes, Black is always Beautiful.

 By Timothy


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