touch downs, chess pieces and dollar keepers

Originally published in Rollingout 10.19.2004

Man, church is a corporation. I know it is not politically correct
to say it,but things are not as sacrosanct in the house of the Lord as they seem. I have nothing against churches or religion really. I grew up in the church,and even loved singing in the choir. But I must call things the way I see them.Everywhere one looks, there are reminders of faith. Religious programming can be observed 24 hours a day on television. It seems more than obvious that religion has become big business for many. Sure, it has always proven to be a moneymaker in the African American community, but things are getting kind of ridiculous.

First, I may be a tad bit slow, but I don’t see why there is a need for the
big, castle like structures that appear to cost millions of dollars to construct.I was taught that church was the people; not a building. Secondly, I don’t or cannot comprehend why a minister needs to wear $1,000 plus suits and/or drive European sports cars panoplied with bullet proof glass. Now I can see this being the appropriate carriage of choice for drug dealers, but not men and women of the cloth.

I just wish the entertainment that we call church in the current form,
redirects attention to the people they serve. We need to re-evaluate
the necessity of passing collection plates around three or four times
during a service and try to figure out how to rebuild and strengthen
our community. If we don’t, then I will rest assured in my conviction
that the church I used to know is nothing more than a capitalistic machine that takes from the poor and gives to the rich. Call me what you like, but I have God in my life and do not need any touchdowns, chess pieces or dollar keepers to show me how to get on my knees and pray.