I've always wanted to get a true understanding of those Christians whom after finding the truth about Kwanzaa, still insist upon supporting it. I've been participating in a debate with Cobb, who considers himself a conservative Christian. As I'm learning more about him, something he reveals to me helps me to understand even further the thought process of those who profess to know Christ, but would support the worship of man in this celebration called Kwanzaa.
"I am thankful to live among people who recognize that there are multiple valid interpretations of holy works and that throughout history there have been many paths to the truth."
As a Christian who believes in the inspired word of God called the Bible, I see immediately a major contradiction. He's a Christian who believes in multiple interpretations of holy works and many paths to the truth. As a bible believing Christian, there is only one true word of God and only one path to God: through Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of mankind. If I've misunderstood Cobb, I'll welcome him here in "my house" to correct me.
Cobb goes on to say:
"It is an acknowledgment that human beings speak different languages and come to universal truths in different ways. More directly, we are fortunate that African Americans, at a crucial point in history decided to move beyond the same pulpits and the same messages, to confront restrictions on their liberties and minds from a new perspective. The best of that perspective embodied in works of the Black Consciousness, Black Nationalist, and Black Arts Movements, is still alive, and some part of that is carried forward in the spirit of Kwanzaa."
Those who love Kwanzaa, love the "black consciousness." Honestly, I'm still not sure what that's supposed to mean. But it appears that those who subscribe to this black consciousness, want ALL blacks to possess the same type of consciousness. I figure that I'm black and have a conscious, that's as far as my black consciousness goes. What shapes my mind is my own life experiences as dictated to me through the word of God. Perhaps I can hear from people as they explain what "black consciousness" means to them. My world isn't shape by the color of my skin. I do experience things because of my color at times, but my life's consciousness doesn't dwell on color. Maybe that's why I don't fit this black consciousness thing.
When one falls in love with God and his Word, you want to guard the sacredness of anything about Him with your life. The way to better living (an abundant life) is through God's word and anything else that attempts to imitate it we must expose. Thus my writings regarding Kwanzaa.
Though claiming to be a non-religious celebration, it imitates several religions. It has lighting of candles such as you see in the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, it has pouring of water and libations as in ancient African religions that practice ancestor worship, it has gift giving as in Christmas, the holiday is even spread through many days as the Jewish spread the days over in Hanukkah. And most strikingly, it is celebrated near the Jewish and Christian's seasonal holidays of Hanukkah and Christmas.
My world is Christ-centered, thus the name of my website Christocentric as opposed to afrocentric. Instead of my world being ruled by the color of my skin, it is ruled by the things of God as it relates to Christ.
More musings later.
