Too often in this “Christian Nation” (or any other instance of nationwide Christians who live under an instance “Christendom” – where the Christians of a certain nation live under what many will call a “dual citizenship” (Kingdom of God and one of the “Kingdoms of the Earth”) …..too often we avoid the confrontations with the Kingdoms of the Earth where the choice should be obvious to do so.  You see, it’s not REALLY a dula citizenship.  It’s ONE.  Christians are citizens , finally,  of just ONE.  Where it comes o allegiance,  it’s just ONE.  “The Kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of God” (Isaiah).  That is not a declaration of some future time.  Jesus proclaimed that he was announcing the Good News:  which is that the Kingdom of God is HERE.

Lisa Sharon Harper tells her story here about showing up at Ferguson where many in the church have said ,  “No,  we’re not letting this one go”.  In other words,  or ADDITIONAL words,  the police and the powers that be in Ferguson would prefer this just “died down” and “went away”.  The people of the church are saying “No,  not this time”.  The police can be afforded the courtesy of the benefit of the doubt that many of them don’t want to do what they’re doing,  and the respect of meeting their “orders” with nonviolent resistance.  Not compliance, except to call of non-violence.

We took one step forward, and the police in front of us pushed back with their batons. I leaned in and pressed against the police line. I said to the officer in front of me: “I have to do this.”

He answered: “You know I have to do this, too. Tell you what: When this is all over, let’s go have a cup of coffee and talk about this.” We both laughed. In that moment the officer revealed his humanity. He is thinking about this, but for now he chose to follow orders.

I passed through the line and was arrested. Four by four, more than 40 demonstrators were arrested.

—LSH

via Why I got arrested in Ferguson – CNN Belief Blog – CNN.com Blogs.

Clergy from the historic black church, the mainline church, the evangelical church, the Catholic Church, Jewish rabbis and Muslim imams approached officers offering the opportunity to confess and repent of their complicity with the system that terrorizes black and brown men and boys.

—– LSH