Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr. is the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, TX. He blogs at Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr.
While watching the Dallas Cowboys versus the Washington Redskins on Thanksgiving Day, I was excited to see the advertisement of the Christmas Day release of a movie featuring Jamie Foxx entitled, “Django Unchained.”
I am not a movie-goer. I am a man in love with my wife, and she loves to go to movies. Therefore, from three to six times a year, we make our way to the movies together.
One of our favorite times to go together is during the Christmas Holidays. This Christmas, I decided on Thanksgiving Day, that we were going to see “Django Unchained,” because I was so impressed with the trailer.
Family movies, historical documentaries, biographies and Black oriented movies are usually my preference in movie selections if I must go. The internet descriptions of “DJANGO UNCHAINED” captured all of my motivations for going to see a movie. Django was a freed slave in the 1850’s who set out to reclaim his family that he’d been separated from.
My wife and I plan to go to New York in February to see the Broadway Play entitled, “Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson.” Against the backdrop of William Joseph Seymour (May 2, 1870 – September 28, 1922)—the Patriarch of the Azusa Street Revival and the Pentecostal church emerges Aimee Semple McPherson. Her play is a biographical church history documentary that, again, captures most of my motivation for seeing a movie or play.
However, as of today, I’ve decided to personally boycott the “Django Unchained” movie for one reason, and one reason only: THE BLASPHEMOUS REMARKS OF JAMIE FOXX referring to President Barack Obama as “our Lord and Savior.”
During the Soul Train Music Awards this past Sunday evening, Jamie Foxx made the following comment:
“It’s like church over here. It’s like church over here. First of all, giving honor to God and our Lord and Savior Barack Obama.”
It’s highly possible that Foxx, being a comedian, was simply joking by his paraphrasing of a highly familiar greeting or preface statement often spoken in many African-American churches where the words “Barack Obama” appear in the above quote, the greeting would normally say, Jesus Christ.
But that begs the questions: Is this acceptable comedy to those of us who believe that Jesus is simply off limits to joke about in this manner? Is the Foxx comment a violation of the third commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7)? Is the Foxx comment an example of what Jesus meant when He said, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh…every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:34b, 36b)? Was Foxx attributing praise and descriptions to President Obama that biblically only can be said of Jesus, thereby committing some form of blasphemy (Matthew 12:24, 31, 32; 1 Timothy 1:12, 13)? Jesus’ comments about blasphemy were in response to the Pharisees attributing to the power of the devil, the credit for what should have been attributes to the power of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 12:28). Did Foxx, by invoking the name Barack Obama in a place where only the name the Lord Jesus Christ belongs, commit a violation similar to what the Pharisees committed in Matthew 12:24?
I don’t watch Jamie Foxx often, but the few times I’ve caught him on TV, I immediately recognized that he has an affinity to and an intimate knowledge of the Black church. The reason his audience laughed immediately at his “joke,” was because they also readily picked up that this was a familiar expression in the Black church. Therefore, I am going to give Jamie Foxx the benefit of the doubt and assume that he was joking.
Nevertheless, I will personally boycott “Django Unchained”; and I believe all believers should as well, so that we can send a message to Hollywood that using our Lord’s name in vain, and—in a serious or comical blasphemous manner—is simply unacceptable.
If Foxx was joking, it was a very bad and inappropriate joke; if he was not joking it is an assault on the Christian faith. At either rate, unless Foxx repents, those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ—including President Obama—ought to boycott “Django Unchained”; and the President should correct and repudiate Foxx’s blasphemous comments. There is one Lord, and his name is not Barack Obama! His Name is Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; and He shall reign forever and ever. There is none like Him; not even the highly beloved, respected, appreciated and iconic historical figure, President Barack Obama!
Many, many things happening in the nation and even in the church, folks can’t do much about. And one guy may not feel like he can do much about Foxx’s remark. But boycotting the film is something you CAN do, and doing what one can is always admirable. Even if, in the grand scheme of things, it makes no discernible difference, God still notices.
Good for you, Dwight.
Dwight, FYI, this link is to a picture that was painted from a copy of a photo found at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, showing Aimee Semple McPherson’s daughter being baptized by a preacher in Mississippi (per the story told by Jim Cymbala when we visited Brooklyn Tab about 5 years ago). It hangs in a stairway of their main lobby, with many other meaningful pictures.
https://www.facebook.com/images/photos/profile/gradient.png
Correction: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151087128957418&set=pb.650802417.-2207520000.1354057265&type=3&theater
Bob,
Thanks for the link. I’m awestruck by the multi-racial composition of that picture. Since you saw the picture close up, is that a Black Preacher baptizing in that picture?
BTW, we will also be worshiping at Brooklyn Tabernacle when we go to New York, and leave from there taking our first trip to the Holy Land. I will be searching for the picture wall at Brooklyn Tab. Thanks again.
Dwight, if you need a chaperone for your trip, let me know!
Sorry Dave,
That has always been my job when the McKissic family travels out of Texas. Mrs. McKissic likes me because I am a cool dresser and I don’t play with my firearms in public. She also likes me because I always remind Dr. McKissic to buy her nice gifts to commemorate the trip. Gifts like diamonds, rubies and genuine pearls.
CB,
I pray my wife don’t read this thread, particularly your comments. I’m afraid it could literally cost me diamonds, rubies, and genuine pearls-:).
I’m preaching this Sunday on The Pearl of Great Price, and I’ve become somewhat fascinated with pearls. BTW, CB, How do you identify the Pearl of Great Price. Some scholars say the Kingdom, others say the church. What say ye?
That is hilarious!
Dwight,
I believe it to be the Kingdom, that which is eternal, without beginning and without end. I apologize for this late answer. I did not see you question until just this moment.
CB,
You answered that question so well, thanks.
Next question: Who is the merchant in that text, seeking the pearl of great price? Is it the disciples/believers? Or is it Jesus who endangered His life in order to deliver the pearl(the Kingdom) to His Father? Thanks in advance for your answer.
Dwight,
I tend to believe (and have presented it so in sermons) that the merchant is me. He is Dwight. He is every man and woman who frequents this blog. He is my father, my mother, my sister, my brother, my daughter, my son, my neighbor and my enemy. He is the rich, the poor, the exalted, the downtrodden, the proud and the broken.
She is the harlot, the Queen, the mother, the grandmother, the homemaker, the business woman. She is the barefooted and pregnant, the childless spinster in the sable fur coat wishing she was young once again.
he is the banker, the gambler, the prisoner, the warden, the stock broker, the slave in stocks. He or she is the man, woman, girl or boy in the mirror.
He is anyone who would recognize himself/herself as a sinner before a just and righteous God and repents and believes the biblical gospel, taking up the cross, dying unto himself/herself and follows Jesus who is the Eternal Lord and King of the Kingdom.
Dwight, I would go on, but you will have to send me a check for the rest of the sermon.
Love you brother and it was good to talk to you today. Give me a call when you can talk longer.
CB,
Love you brother. Great preaching on the pearl and the merchant. Will use your info. Sun. Counseling session waiting. Will call later.
I agree, David….You have made a point worth making. We need to stand up and say, “I am offended, and I will take action.” Foxx also has a program on BET which I saw listed either today or yesterday. I pray that folks will take especially note of anything Foxx stars in and boycotts the same until he shows signs of a change of mind on the matter. Push is coming to shove as most Christians are going to discover very shortly, I fear.
“There is none like Him; not even the highly beloved, respected, appreciated and iconic historical figure, President Barack Obama!”
This is our “beloved and respected President”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi-V_ilJu0w&playnext=1&list=PLACCA13A30F3DDC73&feature=results_video
Then there is the BHO who is working feverishly to make all Christians complicit in the murder of unborn children by forcing us to pay for them. His reasons? Let’s see, he doesn’t want his girls to be “punished” by having a child if they make a mistake. Or, he thinks having a child removes a womans equal opportunities.
Sorry Dwight. I pray for BHO because the scripture commands it. Beyond that I do not respect him, he is not beloved, he is not appreciated and apparently he also thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to use the scriptures out of context to gain his own evil ends. It seems to me that he and Jamie Foxx have the same problem. Neither has a respect for Jesus Christ.
Chief Katie,
I honor and respect your right not to respect or view President Obama as beloved and appreciated. Obviously, though, millions do.
The Bible commands us to honor our national leader. Therefore, I am going to obey the Scripture. I insisted that our congregation respect and honor President Bush, and I will do the same for President Obama.
Dwight, I do not have an issue with you personally. My prayers are for my country and our government. I admit also that my prayers are for the deliverance of this country from BHO. In my mind he is nothing short of reprehensible. It simply is not possible to disrespect the scriptures, use them out of context, promote the killing of our children in the so-called advancement of equal opportunity, make you and I an accessory to the crime and then say with a straight face that he is a follower of Jesus Christ.
Here is another black leader. He is a Catholic. Listen to him on the issue of abortion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv3MRyKfEHA
God help us all.
I had not seen that video. It just shows how biblically illiterate he really is. I pray for his conversion.
“There is none like Him; not even the highly beloved, respected, appreciated and iconic historical figure, President Barack Obama!”
Even with this nonsense, some will blindly go anywhere Obama points. And, some Christians will argue they are “following Scripture.” Praying for our leaders is not the same as “bowing down to our leaders.”
Honor for any man must be subjugated to honor for God.
Les and Frank,
Thank you for your comments. I know that when these particular articles come along, that my response is almost always emotional. I just can’t find any nice way to clean up the conversation as it relates to the murder of babies.
Here is another point of view on our President.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phrdgLDoN2g
God speed Brothers. It’s good to know I am not alone.
For Barack and Jamie: Meet my King.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE
Amen!, Chief Petty Officer Katie.
Chief Katie: Greetings. Your usage of Dr. Lockridge’s eloquent praise of our Lord and Savior reminds me of the fact that the Black folks might well be the template for the spiritual Isreal as Dr. King and Arnold toynbee suggested and as Zeph.2 implied.
Dr. Willingham,
The answer to my question may be in your sermon that you once recommended that I listen to, but I admit I haven’t done that yet. Maybe now is the time for me to do so. My question: I’m intrigued by your reference to Toynbee and King as it relates to the Zeph. 2 reference that I’m familiar with. Can you elaborate more, or point me to the source(s) where I can get more information on what these two men said about “Black folks being the template for spiritual Israel”?
Thanks.
Dear Brother McKissic the link for the sermon is:
bgbc.info/?powerpress_pinw=604-podcast
or you might google the Berry’s Grove Baptist Church, Timber Lake, NC and the first listing is Entries RSS – Berry’s Grove Baptist Church, click on that will take you to the list of sermons. At the top of the page, left hand side, click on the Warehouse Report then go down the right hand side and clikc on July. The sermon is listed for July 1, The Ethiopian Proof, Zeph.2:10-12 with two other biblical references. Neither Dr. King nor Professor Toynbee used Zeph’s reference as I did, but you can decide for yourself whether I was faithful to the text and its setting in Zeph. and in the whole of Scripture. God bless, and may He grant us all grace to struggle with the problems confronting us today.
Dr. Willingham,
There are so few men of any race that are as eloquent as Dr. Shadrach Meshak Lockridge. I have many of his sermons that I obtained from Moody Press. I have enormous respect for him and look forward to hearing him say”I wonder do you know Him” & “That’s my King”.
I have a real affinity for our black churches. It’s a joyful experience and the love for Jesus is palpable. Nothing would make me happier than to see our churches FULLY integrated, but I don’t believe it will ever happen. Not because there are any legitimate reasons to remain segregated, but because people do not want it. I firmly believe that.
I must admit that my Zephaniah knowledge is pathetic. You have caused me to get busy and learn.
You are a real treasure for me.
Dear Katie: Our pastor had Dr. Lockridge’s very passage on Jesus as king played for the opening of one of the Sunday morning worship services of the Good Hope Baptist church. If memory serves correctly, the whole congregation, 300-400, stood and applauded at the conclusion of the sermon.
correction at the conclusion of the clip, I meant to say. Anyway that short clip is better than a lot of sermons that I have heard.
Jesus should always be off limits when it comes to comedy. I have seen a worse jokes made about Jesus on 30 min. comedy shows.
I suppose alot of people thought of Romney (The Mormon), as saviour.
No one can take the place of Jesus.
Steve Harvey stating if he could introduce Christ:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDpmBfncbjw
Directs praise to the Son.
Let’s not forget this is a Quentin Tarantino movie. I can’t imagine your wife would’ve enjoyed it; mine sure wouldn’t. Far from a historical action / drama, this is more of a bloody historical revision in the vein of Inglorious Basterds. Hardly a heartwarming Christmas flick. ; )
That was my first thought exactly. We’re talking about a Quentin Tarantino film, not some feel-good holiday romp.
Our President could be considered as some ministers have been considered, who came to the pulpit unconverted. I could mention a few outstanding examples, but prefer to remember that Judas was unconverted and Jonathan Edwards used him as an example to caution George Whitefield from his vigorous attacks on the unconverted ministry. In any case, prayers have been made to God for such ministers and the same can be made for our President tht God would open his eyes to Christ and to the work of God in raising up this nation. I did not vote for him. I do not support his program of using tax dollars to fund abortions. I would also point out that the makeup of our nation has changed, the 55 million dead babies who would have made up this nation in part have been replaced by people from other lands who have little appreciation for our democratic republic and its practices. Sadly, this might prove the undoing of the greatest nation in world history with the consequent loss of freedoms and the rise of a world dictatorship which shall accomplish its goal of reducing the world’s population to 500,000,000 or less, thus, ending the consumption of their resources (I haven’t yet figured out how they determined that the resources are theirs). I was working in a temp job about 2-3 years ago, and a lady from a communist country was also employed there. When she found out that I had studied under a theoretician for world communism and that I did not agree with that view, she cussed me out. I think, if she could have gotten away with it, she would have murdered me. Later, I guess she realized that she had gone too far, and she apologized. But I kind felt there was something lacking in her apology. One thing I am sure of is that Socialism is not the answer, and it will be the means of enforcing a dictatorship on us. We will soon find the government bureaucrats constitute a new class, one that will show all of the trappings of a new class as the communist party did in those countries where, supposedly, communism collapsed. Of course, I have reason to believe the controls of those governments were located in the Western World. Bella Dodd, one time chairperson of the American Communist Party, quit the party, after Moscow ordered her to take her orders from one of two capitalists then living in the Waldorf Astoria. Interestingly enough, Carroll Quigley in his Tragedy and Hope, who in my opinion gives away the whole secret, admits that the U.S. government infiltrated and had control of all the radical groups shortly after World War I. He also gives away the theology that the group that runs the world holds and the theology that they oppose. You folks would find that very interesting.
As for me and my house we’ll be seeing Les Miserables Christmas Day.
Yeah right,
You and your house went to see Red Dawn for Thanksgiving, you cowboy, you!
Was it as good as the first one?
Some movies should never be remade.
David: You are right some movies should never be remade. Take John Steinbeck’s Red Pony. I think it has been remade three or four times. The best however, if memory serves correctly, was the first, made by the old Western B movie maker, Republic, a color version, and Robert Mitchum as one of the stars. Who the child star was I cannot recall. what is outstanding is the musical score, the work of Aaron Copeland. for years I could and still do to some degree remember that musical theme….
Dwight,
Interesting post and kudos to your last paragraph! Always good to hear a strong profession about our Lord.
I wonder what you think it would look like for Foxx to repent in this situation. Would an apology (like “I’m sorry for offending Christians, of which I am one”) lead you to buy a ticket? Or, something stronger, like “I apologize and recognize that there is only one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ”.
Furthermore, you say the message to Hollywood is that Christians will not stand for our Lord’s name to be taken in vain. And you may be more consistent/convictional on this than myself, but it seems to me that most movies I attend do take the Lords name in vain. Perhaps not as offensively as Foxx did, but certainly they use the name of God and of Jesus Christ in blasphemous ways. Do you suggest a stronger position by Christians in general in this regard, perhaps such that Christians should not attend movies where the Lord’s name is taken in vain, period?
Again, I appreciate your stand on this and, in fact, for bringing it to my attention.
With that I am,
Euphranor
Bro. Dwight,
Thank you for your thoughts on the Foxx quote and your subsequent reasoning for boycotting his upcoming movie. I normally appreciate your positions and stand with you in your reasoning. While I understand your position on this issue, I am troubled by its logic. As already noted, this movie is not a historical picture but a Tarantino film that will focus heavily on blood and revenge. I will credit the fact that this film will address many slavery issues that few films want to tackle. But the problem that I have is not your desire to see the film but your reasoning to boycott it now. You referred to the 3rd commandment as your foundation for doing so, but what about every film that destroys the 1, 2, 3, 4 commandment…and so on? Even more, when preaching on idols is it not true that we apply the 2nd commandment to things beyond physical idols. We condemn the idol of money, based on peoples desire to seek it and the security they find in it. If this is true, then why are you only now boycotting the abuse of commandment number 3 concerning our president? Shouldn’t you have condemned MSNBC for their “idolatry” in that across multiple shows they praised and promoted Obama as America’s only hope? The bible says our only hope is Jesus. In essence was this not idolatry. Sure Foxx said it directly, but don’t the actions of these and others say the same thing? Like the Democratic Jewish Council hijacking of the sedar to add Obama in their praise? http://www.njdc.org/blog/post/4questions Shouldn’t you boycott a president who breaks the first commandment by publically stating that there are many ways to heaven, therefore exalting the gods of Islam, Buddha, etc. Obama said, “I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place.” 1 While we could debate back and forth on the merits of this argument all day, I would say my biggest issue is not that you object to the movie, and not that you selectively choose to apply your disdain to only 1 commandment, but why blog about it on a site like this? I have no doubt the Lord led you to boycott the film, but why publically state it to influence others, yet not apply the principle fairly across Hollywood?
1 http://cathleenfalsani.com/obama-on-faith-the-exclusive-interview/
Justin,
Yes!!! Hollywood, the media, and other entities are common places for some form of idolatry to take place. If I condemned every act of idolatry in America, I would have to hire a PR firm to help me, because idolatry in America is rampant.
However, the Foxx quote is so outrageous and so blatantly and indefensibly idolatrous, it deserved a response much more severe than the other statements/acts you alluded to. The Foxx quote was a line in the sand for me.
MSNBC by praising President Obama as the only hope was speaking politically, not spiritually. Foxx was obviously speaking spiritually and salvivic(sp). That demanded a stronger rebuke and response, at least from my perspective.
If I “boycotted” President Obama for his universalism beliefs–all roads leads to Jesus–I would also be required to boycott George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and probably most Presidents held to universalism. The point is, none of them (at least to my knowledge) dared referred to someone as “our Lord and Savior” and not be referring to the Christ of Scripture, as did Jamie Foxx; thus the extraordinary rebuke and boycott I advocate for him. What say ye?
“”I believe it to be the Kingdom, that which is eternal, without beginning and without end. I apologize for this late answer. I did not see you question until just this moment”"
CB, I think you are correct since this entire chapter is about the Kingdom of God, or what some call, the KIngdom Parables.
However, I don’t think the emphasis in this particular parable is on the “pearl” but on the action of the man. He recognized “true value” (eternal value versus temporal gain).
He was willing to “sacrifice all” just to have possession of the Kingdom, or Kingdom citizenship.
With focus on the “action” of the merchant, it begs the question for a disciple: 1) do you recognize what is really important? 2) are you willing to sacrifice all for the Kingdom?
A sobering thought indeed.
Jamie Foxx couldn’t hold a candle to Denzel anyhow.
Wondering why the President, who certainly has heard this, hasn’t come out personally and refuted Foxx’s remarks.
Nate,
Because Foxx votes Democrat.
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