The Death of the White Boy Theobrogian

There is a certain creature that has haunted the revolution. A hungry and greedy imp, a denizen of a lower realm, has crawled on its stomach like a snake into our midst, Beloved. 

For the last four years, fork-tongued “teachers of the resistance” have “lovingly” shown up to our aid. Like fair-skinned angels, they have swooped in since 2016, amidst the rise of this presidency, having finally noticed the 241 years of systemic oppression and 400 years of genocide. 

They walk among us spouting progressive code, and they are here for one reason: profit. 

John Pavlovitz is one of the more extreme versions of this type. His profile content is nothing more than pre-decided, tweet deck, progressive theological drivel that has all the power analysis of a 12-year-old whose first girlfriend (America) really hurt his feelings with all the racism. 

It is white male-centric, ego-driven profiteering off of influencer culture. If we can’t kill the demon of white supremacy with a vote, can we at least decide as a community to kill this weird progressive Christian influencer culture that is infecting the revolution like a damn disease, already? 

Me included, if that’s the case, I don’t care. I’ll go down with the ship. This shit is gross. 

I hold no illusions about who I am. I am not an organizer; ask the organizers who love me. I don’t have the, *ahem*, disposition for long term delicate negotiations.

That means anything I say—my power analysis of this nation, the church, the movement—it’s all suspect, because there are people who put in a ton more work. I create frameworks of literature and love around the work, but I never pretend to be doing the work when I am not. And when I am doing the work, I usually don’t advertise it. 

My latest series of posts are an exception that proves the rule; even that was internal. My denomination. My presiding Bishop. 

You know my lane. 

It’s time these theobroagians knew theirs. 

I would talk about the list of white progressive woman in theological spaces who are cancers, but as a cis man, I’ll leave that to the womanists. 

Pavlovitz is an obvious target, but there are others have cut their white boy dreads so you wouldn’t recognize them as charlatans. They refuse to listen to Black people, and in particular, Black queer voices, on the ground. 

You know—the whole reason we say #BlackLivesMatter. Queer Black Women. 

We have politely asked them to shut the fuck up for four years, and when this is all over, we need to clean house.

What tangible, actionable thing have you seen some of these progressive white boys do? I mean, other than melt a few guns they bought at Cabela’s or whatever. Great press, swords into plowshares and all that.

But what actionable and real change comes from protesting Liberty University or any of the other fuckery we have seen?

I’m on vacation. I’m taking a moment to tell you that this is progressive fuckery at its finest. 

We have allowed our desire for radical affirmation to blind us to the fact that enemy will dress in any form; will drape themselves in Black blood and rainbow flags to fit into the community. We need to really look at who we are as disciples of this Jesus of Nazareth, a man put to death for insurrection. By law enforcement. By religious leaders. 

What the fuck does that have to do with making a mint speaking at conferences? Selling books? White supremacy is a demonic virus with life all its own. It is spreading like wildfire through this country. This church. This movement. 

We may be all watching the electoral college right now, but one thing is true: we wouldn’t be in this position if we had real teachers, prophets, poets, and warriors all working together as one in harmony for the goal of collective liberation. 

Instead, this thing is close. America will decide by a few thousand votes if white supremacy is the order of the day. It shouldn’t be this close. 

It is because were betrayed from within, and we shouldn’t forget those who have lived high on the hog while BIPOC peoples, queer peoples, trans peoples, and people of goodwill, suffered. 

Because they have made whole fortunes off our suffering during this critical juncture in salvation history. 

They are out here playing resistance leader in front of a live studio audience while I am back in therapy for PTSD, and something is wrong with this picture. They can’t absolve you of the sin of white supremacy, Beloved.

Neither can I.

That’s why you listened to them. In your sincere, loving desire to do something in response to the rising evil in this land. I know.

But they lied to you.

They dressed in the finery of the church, but they have no mercy to give you, or authority in which to give it—only a new way to profit off of Black peoples’ suffering.

I can’t wait until one of them is fool enough to share a stage with me when this is all over. 

Written in Love and Liberation

Rev. Lenny Duncan +