Members of the historic "Mother Emanuel" AME church have given Americans another vivid lesson of what it means to be Christian. The church dates back to free African Americans in 1787 (yes, there have been free African Americans as long as there have been African Americans). They have a history of struggle and perseverance, as does the entire African American community. And they have just reacted to yet another brutal attack with Christian Love and Forgiveness.
After Dylan Roof was arrested for the brutal and senseless assault on their members, they addressed him with love and forgiveness. Other people have expressed rage for his act of hate. They welcomed him into their church and he almost could not carry out his assault. I hope that they will make a mission out of forgiving him, much as Pope John Paul II did with Mehmet Ali Agca.
This church has a long history of leading with love, not hate. Indeed, many African American Christians have had a long history of love and care. I love the South, and I hope that we can show the rest of America that we know how to get past hate. The racial killings in the North in recent times have been met with violence. Here we have racial killings met with love.
After Dylan Roof was arrested for the brutal and senseless assault on their members, they addressed him with love and forgiveness. Other people have expressed rage for his act of hate. They welcomed him into their church and he almost could not carry out his assault. I hope that they will make a mission out of forgiving him, much as Pope John Paul II did with Mehmet Ali Agca.
This church has a long history of leading with love, not hate. Indeed, many African American Christians have had a long history of love and care. I love the South, and I hope that we can show the rest of America that we know how to get past hate. The racial killings in the North in recent times have been met with violence. Here we have racial killings met with love.
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