Protesters knock over abolitionist statue while others want to eliminate ‘white’ religious depictions at churches

“Free Yeshua” has been among protesters’ chants so far.

This demonstration started at the Dane County Jail a few hours ago in part because of the arrest of a Black activist earlier today. Background on that incident here: https://t.co/czNZDjyBiB

— Emily Hamer (@ehamer7) June 24, 2020

COGwriter

Protests erupted in Wisconsin after a bat wielding man was arrested:

June 24, 2020

Turmoil unfolded outside the Wisconsin State Capitol on Tuesday night as protesters allegedly attacked a state senator, smashed windows and toppled two historic statues.

Demonstrations began in downtown Madison earlier Tuesday following the arrest of a Black protest organizer, who police say walked into a restaurant while speaking through a bullhorn and holding a baseball bat. Devonere Johnson, 28, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon but allegedly broke free from the back of a squad car. He was tackled to the ground as he attempted to escape, according to the incident report from the Madison Police Department.

Two officers suffered minor injuries during the alleged incident, …

That night, protesters chanting for Johnson’s release tore down the “Forward” statue and dragged it away from its base at the steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol, according to Madison ABC affiliate WKOW. The bronze allegorical statue, which is more than 100 years old, depicts a female figure standing on the prow of a boat, with her right hand stretched out while her left clasps the American flag.

A short time later, the same group pulled down a statue of Col. Hans Christian Heg and threw it into a nearby lake, according to WKOW. Heg was a Norwegian immigrant and abolitionist who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He led the predominately-Scandinavian 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment into battle against the Confederate Army until his death at Chickamauga in 1863. https://abcnews.go.com/US/protesters-allegedly-attack-senator-topple-statues-wisconsin-state/story?id=71421766

It seems odd that protesters would knock over a statue of a man who fought against slavery. But angry people do not always act logically. Sometimes they engage in violent and terroristic acts.

Such are prophesied for those who will not heed the Bible:

25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. (Proverbs 1:25-27)

5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

6 You have forsaken Me,” says the Lord,
“You have gone backward.
Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;
I am weary of relenting!
7 And I will winnow them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land;
I will bereave them of children;
I will destroy My people,
Since they do not return from their ways.
8 Their widows will be increased to Me more than the sand of the seas;
I will bring against them,
Against the mother of the young men,
A plunderer at noonday;
I will cause anguish and terror to fall on them suddenly. (Jeremiah 15:6-8)

For more on prophesied terrorism, check out the article: Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied?

As far as destruction of various symbols go, notice also the following:

June 24, 2020

The ongoing racial tensions in the US have been characterized by tearing down statues of historical figures with racist associations but this has expanded to include other historical figures with no racial associations. Shaun King, a controversial leader in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, called for expanding the destruction of statues of historical figures to include churches and the Christian figure of Jesus …

Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down.

They are a form of white supremacy.

Always have been.

In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide, and blend in, guess where they went?

EGYPT!

Not Denmark.

Tear them down.

— Shaun King (@shaunking) June 22, 2020

King tweeted again. calling for the destruction of stained glass windows, murals, and other parts of churches and buildings that depict Biblical figures as white. https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/153621/blm-leader-calls-to-destroy-churches/

Now, we in the Continuing Church of God do not use statues or icons supposedly of Jesus.

Early Christians did not as well (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?).

As far as what Jesus looked like, that is not entirely certain. Below is the earliest surviving paintings claimed to be of Jesus, from a church at the ruined city of Dura-Europos on the Euphrates (dating from first half of the 3rd Century AD):

While the picture is not easy to fully make out, it does not portray Jesus as looking like most claimed pictures on Him appear.

As far as racial appearance goes, some have tried to claim that the Jews were black, hence Jesus was black. Because of that claim, I also located some photos of 1st century A.D. coins–the century Jesus was executed in. After General Titus conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Emperor Vespasian issued coins–the back side of which shows conquered Jews:

Titus on left, Jewish man on bottom right (CNG coins)

Vespasian on left, captured Jewish soldiers on right, 71 A.D. (CNG coins)

Notice the the Jews were not African (which is clear from the hair of the man on the first coin as well as the hair of the man to the left of the second coin). The second coin inscription in Latin Ivdea means Judea. These coins are clear evidence that the Jews of the first century–like Jesus–were not black Africans.

If most Jews of Jesus’ time were black, the coins would have been expected to portray that–but they do not. The issue is whether the ancient Jews of Jesus’ time were predominantly black–the Roman coins prove that they were not.

Related to this, we also put together the following sermon:

1:10:38

Were Ancient Hebrews Black? What About Jesus?

Were the ancient Hebrews black as asserted by Frank Cherry and William Crowdy? Was Jesus black? Was Jesus a Jew? What about the ancient Egyptians? What about the descendants of Noah: Ham, Japheth, and Shem? What does the word Egypt mean? Does Cush mean black? What do hieroglyphics, statues, coins, Fayum mummy paintings, the Mereneptah Stele, the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, ostraca, coins, and mosaics show? What about the mummy of Ramesses II? What about Prince Ra-Hotep and Princess Nofret? What about DNA? What about Cleopatra VII? Where the ancient children of Israel mainly Negroid, Mongoloid, or Caucasoid? Do Jews have genetics consistent with Mediterranean peoples like the Arabs of the Middle East? Are the bulk of the descendants of the tribe of Judah Negroes? Were the bulk of the ancient Egyptians black? Must Joseph’s wife Asenath have been black? Could British-Israelism be true or does the identity of Puerto Rico and Cuba make more sense? Which nations best represent the tribes of Israel based upon what Jacob said in Genesis 48 and 49? What does the Bible teach on these matters? How did Roman Emperor Vespasian depict conquered Jews on coins with himself and General Titus in 70 A.D.? How have the Jews portrayed themselves? What do we learn from the Song of Solomon and Job? What about the Khazars of the 8th century? Does any of this have to do with salvation? Does properly understanding this aid in understanding biblical prophecies? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon video: Were Ancient Hebrews Black? What About Jesus?

Anyway, irrespective of what color Jesus was (and He likely looked like a highly tanned Caucasian), mobs should not be going around tearing down statues and causing destruction.

This is not good and can lead to worse issues. Notice also the following:

Just in the past few weeks, demonstrators — mobs, really — have destroyed or defaced the following statues across the United States. Or, unelected bodies have decided to remove them with no input from the public. …

This young Venezuelan woman says she has seen all of this before and is warning Americans where it leads. …

She points to several steps Venezuela went through on its way from being one of the most prosperous countries in the Americas to a socialist police state and economic disaster:

Statues came down because socialist dictator Hugo Chavez wanted the history erased.

He changed street names for the same reason.

He changed the educational curriculum to erase history and substitute his version.

Some movies were banned, presumably for the same reason.

We’ve seen all of these happen in America just in the past few weeks, with statue destruction happening in blue cities and states from coast to coast, as city leaders choose not to defend them. https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/bryan-preston/2020/06/22/video-young-venezuelan-woman-warns-america-where-destroying-statues-leads-n564632

As Jesus said: