Date: 10/29/2020 5:32:27 AM
"THE LACK OF UNITY"
It's amazing that in the death row community, that we can't overlook mistakes and flaws in our past, and come together for the betterment of conditions, and the lives of those who are suffering. What's more important, attacking someone's mistakes, character flaws, their past, or saying you know what, let me move forward and try to improve this world. Let me.... if I die tomorrow, try to leave this world a better place. Most of you know the song by the OJays, "Back Stabbers." They smile in your face, all the time wanting to take your place. That's not a good attitude to have in here. It's not a good attitude to have out there. It's not a good attitude to have anywhere! For it's just not productive. A lot of you like throwing stones at me. Due to an incident that took place in 2000, some 20 years ago. Well it was a Christian volunteer, in the Christian community, that led me to do what I did. Let me take you through what happened. I'm sitting on Q-wing, I had just went through two executions below me of men I knew well. I'm in solitary confinement. I had accepted Christ in late February 2000, right after these two executions. I told the brothers I was hanging around with, "I'm out dog, I'm giving my life to Christ." They didn't want to hear that. "No," they said, "you've got to stay with the plain." Well I talked to my new spiritual advisors (Christian volunteers). Told them the dilemma I was in. They said, "We will talk with our pastor and see what he has to say." The next week they showed back up. And they began taking me step by step through Roman's Chapter 13 Verses 1-7.
1.) Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2.) Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves. 3.) For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and it will be commended of you. 4.) For he is God's servant to do good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5.) Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of punishment but also because of conscience. 6.) This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7.) Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes, if revenue, then revenue, if respect, then respect, if honor, then honor.
Now we go to 1St.Peter 2 verses 13-21, 13.)Submit yourself for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14.) or to the governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15.) For it is by God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16.) Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, live as servants of God. 17.) Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the King. 18) Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19.) For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and enduring it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21.) To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. Yes we must submit to the authority, for this authority is the will of God, and those who rebel against the authority, rebel against God. The volunteers then they took me to Matthew 22:21 Christ said, "Give to Caesar's what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
So this wasn't merely their words, it comes straight from the scripture itself. It's not vague in any way shape or form. These Christian volunteers had me sold, on dropping my appeals and dying. And I went on that journey to bring it all to an end. I was eating sleeping and breathing the scriptures. And I have forgotten more scriptures, than most will ever know. But as a young Christian, I took my new spiritual advisors' word as "GOLD." These men had been Christians for years. And it wasn't just their idea, it was their pastors, and it was what the scripts says. Religion is very dangerous!!! It usually catches people in their most vulnerable state. And I went all in, hook line and sinker. I would not only regret is years later, I had a bad feeling from the get go. But I was listening to men, and the scriptures that they had laid out for me. And you can't debate what it says. Combine those with Hebrews 10:26-31. For once you've received the knowledge of the truth, and you deliberately continue to sin, then there remains no sacrifice for your sins.
Yes it's easy to get off course when you're in a vulnerable state of mind, and have people guiding you with the scriptures of your belief. I'd later abandon the faith, not only because of this, but I ran into problems in the Bible that I couldn't get past. And although I'm back into the faith, I still struggle with a lot of the scripture and issues that I run into. And I still hold a bit of animosity towards those volunteers who sold me on Romans 13: 1-7. I'm in the middle of writing my life story. I'll be sharing all this and more. God bless and please unite for the overall good of what we are trying to accomplish.
Respectfully Ronald Wayne Clark Jr.