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When Passover Is About American Slavery (853 hits)


When Passover Is About American Slavery
A plantation houseboy grew up to be a prophet—and inspired a religious movement.

More than 1,000 men and women gathered this past week in coastal Virginia to celebrate Passover and retell the ancient story of how Moses led the Israelites from bondage to freedom. They were observing holiday traditions that Jews all across the world observe—only these celebrants were not Jews.

Their memories of slavery and liberation concerned not a distant past in Egypt, but a story set in the United States. Their prophet was an African American man born into slavery. He preached to a Christian audience, telling them to incorporate Hebraic practices into their faith out of a desire to return to the true Church as he envisioned it, and based his new Church on both Old and New Testaments. Their Promised Land was a plot in Virginia where descendants of black men and women could gather and be safe from the scourge of white supremacy.

Temple Beth El in Belleville is the headquarters of the Church of God and Saints of Christ, the largest and oldest organization of Hebrew Israelites in the country. Hebrew Israelites are people of color, mostly African American, who identify as descendants of the biblical Israelites. Passover is among the holiest weeks on this group’s calendar. Members travel from across the country and abroad to spend days in near-constant worship in a place they call Canaan Land, after the land promised by God to Abraham in the book of Genesis.

“Just as Israelites of the Bible had their Land of Canaan filled with milk and honey, this is our land of milk and honey,” said Melvin Smith, 46, a fourth-generation congregant from nearby Portsmouth, Virginia. “This is our refuge.”

The group remains little known outside its own ranks, despite over a century of history, tens of thousands of members, and outposts that fan across America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Religion scholars are given scarce, if any, access to the organization’s archives. Leadership guards the legacy of the group closely. Photography is rarely permitted inside sanctuaries. Internal materials, like the group’s unique hymnal, are not to be reproduced or shared with outsiders.

“The Church of God and Saints of Christ is one of the most important religious bodies in America that few people have ever heard of,” said Jacob Dorman, professor of history at the University of Kansas and author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions.

At an evening service last week, hundreds of congregants filed into pews. The sanctuary, opened only on special holidays, was filled nearly to capacity. Saints, as members call themselves, were dressed in the formal garb that has been part of their tradition for generations. The men wore sashes across their shoulders, long-tailed suit jackets, black kippahs, and white gloves. Some wore thin white prayer shawls, or tallits, on their necks. The women were dressed in sashes, brown pleated skirts, and brightly colored headdresses fixed with glittering brooches.

At the center of the room was a large Torah ark decorated with a fabric banner that read “Shalom” in Hebrew, flanked by two seven-pronged menorahs. The chief rabbi, a retired math professor named Phillip E. McNeil, stood behind the pulpit. At 75, he exudes a quiet authority. He spoke lightly into a microphone and the crowd hushed. They had been worshipping together for a week straight. “Are you tired yet?” McNeil joked. “There’s nothing like worshiping the God of Israel, is there?”

A younger evangelist followed McNeil onto the stage and picked up the Passover theme, which ran through almost every sermon. “I’m here to remember that day we came out of Egypt,” Frank Johnson said. “In every age, He’s still passing over, still executing judgment, still demanding that the oppressed go free.”

A choir of hundreds broke into song, complex four-part a capella sung by heart. The lyrics of the songs are composed by congregants and delivered to them, it’s said, through divine dreams. This evening’s choir master pumped his fists in the air, readjusting the kippah on his head as music filled the sanctuary.

Collin McGhie, from North Carolina, sang along, shifting his weight from right to left and clapping. McGhie was raised a Seventh-day Adventist and joined this organization six years ago. “I come here for a spiritual recharge,” McGhie said.


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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 5:58AM
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HARRY, do you want to talk on this subject?



Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 6:51AM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

When Passover Is About American Slavery

SUBJECT

.......Their memories of slavery and liberation concerned not a distant past in Egypt,

but a story set in the United States.

.......Their prophet was an African American man born into slavery.

The group remains little known outside its own ranks..of thousands of members, and

outposts that fan across America, Africa, and the Caribbean.

.......Religion scholars are given scarce, if any, access to the organization’s archives.

Leadership guards the legacy of the group closely.

Photography is rarely permitted inside sanctuaries.....

.....the group’s unique hymnal, are not to be reproduced or shared with outsiders.

"..Church of God and Saints of Christ...religious bodies in America that few people have ever heard of,

said Jacob Dorman, professor..author of Chosen People: The Rise of American Black Israelite Religions."

.....“There’s nothing like worshiping the God of Israel, is there?”

Posted By: Deacon Ron Gray
Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 5:58AM
You can also click here to view all posts by this author...

****************************************************************************************************************

.....True; there's NOTHING secret societies....in USA "worshipping the God of Israel"...????

So can I write....after reading this; that..."Church of God and Saints of Christ", highlighted in

deaCON blog here... is a secret, society...in 2020;..never photographed, heard or studied....?

....A group of 'blackMen' only that seem Retardant of World History, Scholarship and Science

Similar to secret, solo mind only; Racist 'black' propPHAT hood and selfProclaimed "christhood" - harry?

PS

May I ask what date the deaCON event occurred?


Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 9:21AM
robert powell
You are right ROBERTPOWELL there's NOTHING secret societies but there are secret, writings and artifacts.

YOUR QUESTION: May I ask what date the deaCON event occurred?

MY REPLY: PASSOVER was from began Wednesday, April 8 at sunset to ended Thursday, April 16 at nightfall this year.

I hope that I could be of service.







Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 3:52PM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.

"....MY REPLY:

PASSOVER was from began Wednesday, April 8 at sunset to ended Thursday, April 16 at nightfall this year.

I hope that I could be of service....."

Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 3:52PM
Deacon Ron Gray

************************************************************************************************************

Yes, thank you it was more information.....

...August 3/2020...3-4 MONTHS ago this occured....Yes SIR ... THAT is pretty SECRET

1) COVID 19 has happened since 'blackHebrewIsraelite' "Church of God and Saints of Christ"-Passover

2) George Floyd happened since 'blackHebrewIsraelite' "Church of God and Saints of Christ"-Passover

3) USA Election 2020 is less than 3 MONTHS away.....

4) Why does deaCON distract us NOW...seems April 8-16 sunset would have helped Our Passover...

harry"blackChrist'...does LIFE ministry.....expect PASSOVER first or Election 2020...VOTING?




Monday, August 3rd 2020 at 10:41AM
robert powell
Now that is a good question, why don't you ask him, do you think he will reply?


Tuesday, August 4th 2020 at 9:49PM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
The Hebrew PASSOVER and plantation slavery are not debatable because they are entirely two different things separate and apart from each. The nature and purpose of the PASSOVER and the nature and purpose of plantation slavery are as different as night and day STUPID!

Christ Harry!

Wednesday, August 5th 2020 at 9:53AM
Harry Watley
Can't you tell Robert is STUPID since he claims Prophet Mohammed and Robert is not the same race as Prophet Mohammed. Robert is stupid! until he straighten out his stupidity he is not creditable.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 at 9:56AM
Harry Watley

When Passover Is About American Slavery

SUBJECT

.......Their memories of slavery and liberation concerned not a distant past in Egypt,

but a story set in the United States.

.......Their prophet was an African American man born into slavery.

The group remains little known outside its own ranks..of thousands of members....

.....“There’s nothing like worshiping the God of Israel, is there?”

Posted By: Deacon Ron Gray
Sunday, August 2nd 2020 at 5:58AM
You can also click here to view all posts by this author...

**************************************************************************************************************

harry also claims.....'blackProPHAThood'.....but his worship is to Cowardly....ymca LIFE.....

***************************************************************************************************************

As Always it is invigorating to hear from BIA#1...Coward...selfProfessed 68IQ Retardant

...'blackSlaveBoy'-'blackChrist'....opinions are as American as apple pie...and chitterlings!

**********************************************************************************************************

".....Can't you tell Robert is STUPID since he claims Prophet Mohammed and

Robert is not the same race as Prophet Mohammed.

Robert is stupid! until he straighten out his stupidity he is not creditable...."

Wednesday, August 5th 2020 at 9:56AM
Harry Watley

************************************************************************************************************

creditable AS A 'COLORED..byPaganChristian..blackCOWARD-Retardant that thinks he is a ProPHAT'?

....I take that as a compliment...from harryMind...sorry your ymca pool is closed....

***********************************************************************************************************

As Mohamed(sawm) is of African Asian Monothiestic Belief of Creator of Adaam(as) and his language

was Qur'aanic Arabic....I AM an Arab and I AM in the same RACE to worship the Creator of Adaam(as)

....All Mankind is in the same Race to maintain Human Discipline and worship...and

All Mankind is of the Family of Adaam(as).....harry....

Wednesday, August 5th 2020 at 11:46AM
robert powell
HARRY, did you understand the words I put in front of you?


Wednesday, August 5th 2020 at 10:12PM
Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
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