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RELIGION
THURSDAY, JUNE i , 20;/=,
LifelB
Taking on
Lemuel’s
burden
King Lemuel’s mother
taught her son to be aware of
tile power an individual has
to do good- She had govern
ment actions in mind and
then moved on to personal
actions as shown by a virtu
ous woman.
It has been noted that
Proverbs 31 contains the only
Scriptural reference to King
Lemuel. We are not sure of
bis origins or of his kingly
reign. All we know is that he
“received words of wisdom
fiom his mother concerning
wine, women, and the legal
ri^ts of the weak and poor
(Prov 31:1-9), Exactly where
Ills kingdom of Massa was is
not known, although certain
linguistic features in the text
have led scholars to place it in
North Arabia, possibly near
Edom.
This section of Proverbs
apparently comes fiom a non-
Israelite woman” (Holman
Illustrated Bible Dictionary,
2003 ed.).
It should also be noted that
Proverbs 31:10-31 is an acros
tic poem where each verse
begins with a successive let
ter of tile Hebrew alphabet. It
was likely written in this
fashion to make it easier to
memorize. Some have also
thought that it (i.e., verses
10-31) continues the teaching
of King Lemud’s mother (see
w 1-9), but it may also be an
independent, concluding
unit.
Questions
THE INSTRUCTION OF
LEMUELrProverbs 31:8-9.
1- Whose teaching was
King Lemuel communicat
ing?
Verse 1 indicates that
Lemud’s “prophecy” is actu
ally an oracle, or burden,
given to him by his mother.
This was a heartfdt message
that reflected her deep con
cern for her son (see v 2). It
appears that his woman is a
good example of the godly
woman talked about in the
next section of Proverbs.
Lemuel thought highly
enough of her to remember
her counsd (see v. 28).
2. What kingly responsibili
ty is emphasized in Proverbs
31:8-9?
The “dumb” or “speechless”
who are referred to in verse 8
are not physically imable to
speak, per se. Rather, they
are the poor and downtrod
den who are not allowed a
voice of their own. Leanud
was to be their spokesman
and represent their interests.
He was to protect them from
injustice.
The Bible has much to say
about the mistreatment of
the poor. The prophets
denoimced such oppression
(see Amos 5:11-12). It was
incumbent on a king to play
an active role in protecting
Please see BIBLE/7B
To forgive, but not to forget
White family takes steps to amend for what slavery did to blacks
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CAMANO ISLAND, Wash.-Jacob
Lienau was ,13 years old when the
chains were first looped aroimd his
wrists.
A wooden yoke, the kind usually
reserved for oxen, was fitted aroimd
his neck and he was locked in next to
another person.
Jacob, his family, and a small group
of people were in Annapolis, Md.,
wearing black T-shirts that read “So
Sorry” in white block letters.
The group began to walk. The only
sound was the clinking of chains, a
haunting reminder of how slaves
were once herded along trading
routes to auction blocks to be sold
like cattle.
Jacob is white.
That’s why he believes he should
apologize to blacks for slavery His
race bovight and sold slaves.
Ts this Camano Island farm boy,
it’s reason enou^.
“How could we?’ he cried out into
the quiet ni^t. It’s a moment cau^t
on video by his father, Michad Lien
au, a documentary filmmaker who is
producing a television series about
the marches.
The symbols are shocking. They’re
meant to be.
Men, women and children in yokes
and chains on long marches under
hot sun.
The Lienau family has travded the
world for two years, apologizing for
slavery a practice the U.S. govern
ment officially ^ded in 1865.
They don’t have much choice in the
matter; they say they have to apolo
gize. God asked Michael Lienau and
his wife to, just as he asked them to
adopt five children fi*om an Indian
reservation in Oregon three years
PHOTO/FILE
In 2004, Michael and Shari Lienau
and their nine children squeezed into
a motor home and drove to the East
Coast to shackle themsdves in yokes
and chains, and to march thmugh
former slave ports with a group
called the Lifeline Ejqjedition.
The London-based group believes
white people must apologize for the
Atlantic slave trade.
Slavery spawned an ache that
spans generations, said David Pott,
lifehne Expedition’s founder.
When descendants of slav^ see
whites making an effort to identify
with what happened duiir^ the era
of slavery Pott said, they remember
their pain, pain that’s been long-
buried, yet still exists.
Throio^ forgiveness, he said, that
Please see TO FORGIVE/6B
Ministers trained to deteet, report child abuse
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARRISONBURG, Va.-
The case study was grim:
Congregants ministering
door-to-door had discovered
“Kate,” an 8-year-old girl cov
ered in bruises and left home
alone.
The Rev. Rob Hoskins, a
United Methodist pastor, had
a decision to make. Shoxald he
notify child protection author
ities? Was the girl a victim of
neglect?
The seminary never covered
lessons Hke these. But now
it’s part of the training for
Methodist clergy in Virginia
The denomination’s Vir
ginia Conference has made
its pastors “mandated
reporters” to help protect chil
dren. But soipe worry that
clergy with little ej^rtise in
identifying child abuse will
make baseless claims.
Virginia Methodist leaders
will spend the next several
months holdir^ three-hom
training courses, like the one
Hoskins and about 60 other
pastors fiom western Virginia
attended recently in a Him,
Harrisonburg church.
The sessions offer pastors
tips on everything fiom han
dling anger at abirsers to
using simple language to help
kids open up, said Ann Davis,
director of children’s min
istries for the Virginia Confer
ence. Pastors also learn how
to protect themselves —talk
ing to kids in open spaces like
parks rather than closed
offices, for example.
The classes are being held
one year after leaders of the
Virginia Conference began
requiring aU dei^ to report
any inkling of child abuse,
even if revealed in confiden
tial settings.
The Methodists are one of
several denominations that
started taking a closer look at
child welfare after abuse alle
gations rattled the U.S.
Please see MINISTERS/SB
Woman tosses boys into bay says God told her to
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO-A
woman accused of murdering
her three young sons by toss
ing them into frigid San
Francisco Bay said (fod sum
moned her to sacrifice her
children, her lawyer said.
Lashuan Harris, 23, who
faces three coimts of murder
in last October’s drownings,
was diagnosed as a paranoid
schizophrenic with delusional
thought disorder, defense
lawyer Tferesa Caffese said at
the mother’s preliminary
hearing in San Francisco
Superior Court.
“The voice of God called
upon her to sacrifice her
three children,” Caffese told a
judge and courtroom filled
with about a dozen of Harris’
fiiends and family who cried
and gasped during testimony
“Why is the DA prosecutii^
a pathetically schizophrenic,
poor, black woman?” she
asked during a break in the
hearir^ where a judge will
decide whether there’s
enough evid^ce for a trial.
“She loved her Mds.”
Harris was arrested Oct. 19,
shortly after she dropped her
duldren, one,by one, over a
rail and into the bay from the
end of Pier 7. Taronta Greeley
Jr, 2, was buried. The bodies
of Treyshim Harris, 6, and
Joshoa Greeley 16 months,
were never recovered. Harris
has pleaded not guilty
Katiisine Spring, who lives
in San Antonio and was
attending a meeting h«:« last
fall, said Harris made a ‘Tiuge
impression” as she jogged
past on the Embarcadero.
“I was surprised that she
was so out there. She was so
not present. It struck me as
kind of odd,” Spring testified,
“Hct kids were having such, a
nice time and she wasn’t.
There was nothing there.”
Spring said the children
were clean and well-behaved,
smiling, laughing and hang
ing off the stroller.
Caffese said her client was
diagnosed schizophrenic sev
eral years ago. She was hos
pitalized once because she
said God was telling her to
jump out a window.
Harris crossed the bayfium
Oakland on the day of the
killings because she was dri
ven by voices in her head,
Caffese said.
Harris, who wore a light
blue pantsuit, white blouse
and no handcuffe, showed lit
tle emotion as she listened to
* others recount that day
The preliminary hearing,
which typically starts with
Please see WOMAN/8B
Church News
Gospel for
the
younger
set
Tye Trihhett & GA..
Victory Live
Tye Tribhett II, Thaddaeus
Tribbett
and Dana Sorey, producers
Sony Urban!Axis Records
ly Tribbett is as unusual
looking as his music is, well,
odd
Tall, dark and with a head
full of fiizzy hair, Tribbett
hits the stage with a burst of
energy that flows through
audiences like an avalanche.
That’s how ‘T Want It AU
Back” wOl hit you. It’s more
kinetic energy than a song.
There’s nothing conventional
about it-
That may be why a lot of
conventional gospel listeners
wiU have a hard time with
this and a lot of the other
songs on this CD. “Victory
Live” is as unsettling as it is
entertaining. Tribbett and
Greater Anointing- sean to
like the imusual and flam
boyant. He’s Idnda hke Kirk
Franklin on steroids. He and
his group are young folk and
that’s what the young folk
like in, gospel music these
days - lots of stuff going on.
As rmusual as much of this
recording is, there’s lots to
hke. “HaUelujah Tb Your
Name,” is almost like an Irish
jig with gospel vocals. “Every
thing TOU Be Alright” has
good dynamics, and really
gets cranking on the reprise
when Kim BurreU takes over.
The conventional stuff
works as, weU. “G.A. Hymn
(Who Else But (3od?) is sim
ple but powodul. “Seated At
The Right Hand of God” is a
bit more elaborate but no less
powerful. “Sinking” is as close
to strai^t up gospel as this
CD gets and it’s a dynamic
song.
This is a hard CD to figure.
Young folk wfll probably like
it automaticaUy More tradi
tional hsteners may like it if
they hsten close enough But
getting past the first few
songs may keep that fiom
happening.
The deadline to have your church announce
ments added to the calendar is noon on Fri
days. Fax your announcements to (704) 342-
2160 or e-mail your announcement to
cheris.hodges@thecharlottepost.com.
June 9
CPCGs Sloan-Moigan Building wiU ring
with the soxmd of a cappeUa Afiican American
gospd when the Charlotte Folk Society gath
ers on the evening of Friday Jime 9.
For half a century, the group Men Standing
For Christ has been carrying on the tradition
of black quartet singing. Voices rise in rich
four-part harmony accompanied from time to
time by keyboard.
The fi:ee and family-friendly program begins
at 7:3()pm Friday Jime 9 in (CPCCs Sloan-
Moigan Building, 1220 Elizabeth Avenue.
Donations, which benefit the peformers, are
appreciated. Refieshments, jam sessions, and
a sor^ circle follow the hour-long concert. Free
parking is available in the Faculty-Staff-The
ater parkir^ deck on 4th Street. For details
call (704) 377- 5257 or www.folksodetyorg.
Jime 10
The Marriage Ministry of New Beginnings
Commimity Church will hold their annual
Marriage Emphasis Weekend tiirou^ Sun
day Senior Pastor Mchael and First Lady
Twanna Henderson wfll be the facflitators. The
cost is $50 per couple or $25 per person if reg
istered by'June 4th. The church is located at
9229 Lawyers Road, Suite K, Mint Hfll.
June 11
Trinity Park Baptist Church wfll host it’s
annual Men’s Day Cdebration at 4 p.m. The
guest speaker will be Rev Tferry W^ace Jr,
pastor of Greater Life Ministries, .York, SC.
The church is located at 9115 Trinity Road,
• The New Beginnings Community Church
wfll host Marri^e Emphasis Sunday services
at 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. For additional
information call (704) 567-2900.
• Waddell Chapel AME Zion Church’s board
of Stewardesses wfll sponsor its annual pastor
appreciation program for the Rev. Clarence C.
Roberts Jr. at 3p.m. The church is located at
the comers of Buffalo and Dekalb streets in
Shelby
Jufy 14
University Park Baptist Churdi, located at
6029 Beatties Ford Road, will host comic
Jonathan Slocumb at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $13
ifpurchased in advance and $15 at the door.
July 22
The New St. Luke Chmxfli’s Youth/Yoxang
Adult IVEnistry wfll sponsor UNITY in Praise
Pest 2006. This an outdoor event that wfll take
place in the 'Winchester parlting lot,. 910 Win
chester Ave. Rain location: Wmchester Gym
(across street)