Been traveling these wide roads for so long
My heart's been far from you
Ten thousand miles gone
Oh, I wanna come near and give ya every part of me
But there's blood on my hands
And my lips aren't clean
In my darkness I remember
Momma's words reoccur to me
"Surrender to the good Lord
And he'll wipe your slate clean"
Take me to your river
I wanna go
Oh, go on, take me to your river
I wanna know
Tip me in your smooth waters
I go in as a man with many crimes
Come up for air
As my sins flow down the Jordan
Oh, I wanna come near and give ya every part of me
But there's blood on my hands
And my lips aren't clean
Take me to your river
I wanna go
Oh, go on, take me to your river
I wanna know
I wanna go, wanna go, wanna go
I wanna know, wanna know, wanna know
Take me to your river
I wanna go
Lord, please let me know
Take me to your river
I wanna go
~ Leon Bridges (et al)
A gospel song? She posted a gospel song? Really?
Yes, really. Back in May, I posted Leon Bridges' song "Coming Home." Since then, I have only grown to like him more and more. If that means opening up my ears to some gospel music, so be it. "River" is a track on Bridges' debut album, Coming Home, released in 2015 when he was just about to turn 26 years old. So, yeah, he's now 28. An old soul, though.
I hope you watched the video linked above. It seeks to offer a glimpse into the lives of many people who live in impoverished and predominantly black communities. Consider how powerfully the happenstance of our beginnings impacts who we become and what kind of lives we live. But regardless of our environment, Bridges posits that we can all seek change and redemption if we surrender to the good Lord. "I want this video to be a message of light. I believe it has the power to change and heal those that are hurting."
You certainly know by now that I am no fan of organized religion. I can barely acknowledge a deity (whether or not it sports a capital D). When confronted with my lack of understanding in regard to faith, I always return to my favorite Rumi quote, "There are a hundred ways to kneel and kiss the ground." Religion is not my chosen way, but I do want to honor the choice in others.
Which brings me to the politics of this post. (You knew it was coming.) I'm talking about Roy Moore, the Republican Senatorial candidate in Alabama, running to claim Jeff Sessions' seat. In case you've been living under a rock (not a bad choice these days), Moore, who has a history of racism, misogyny, homophobia, arrogance, and defiance of the law, has been accused by at least five women of having harassed or molested them when they were underage and he was in his 30s. He, of course, denies the charges.
But here's the kicker. Moore has always portrayed himself as a devout evangelical Christian. His "defiance of the law" involved him refusing to remove a 5,200 lb. statue of the Ten Commandments from his courtroom. And yet, he uses his religion to justify his belief that homosexuality should be illegal and that Islam cannot be practiced in the United States. His positions on so many issues that impact people who do not share his beliefs is exhausting. And yet, he remains popular in Alabama, where people readily admit that they would rather elect a pedophile than a Democrat.
And he'll wipe your slate clean. Oh, if it were only that simple! So people like Roy Moore can simply apologize to their God and begin all over again to molest and attack and mete out injustice on those who are vulnerable or defenseless? There's something wrong with this method.
Leon Bridges reminds me that there are many good people counted among the ranks of the religious. As easy as it is to point out the hypocrisy of so many who claim that God sanctions their behavior, I want to keep perspective on the issue. I want to honor those who turn to the church for spirituality, and in return, I would want them to honor my choice not to. But people like Roy Moore?
Sorry, no.
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