How Byzantine Emperor Justinian and the Vatican Invented the Term "Sodomy"

 

                                            Artwork by Thomas Richards using Photoshop 7.0

                       available at https://x.com/tlthe5th/status/2014074924785172634/photo/1

The Word Didn't Mean What You Think Until 538 AD

By Thomas Richards with Editing and Research by Lisa Weingarten Richards, Assisted by Artificial Intelligence | OvertPsyops.ai | SpirituallySmart.com

The word "sodomite" didn't mean "homosexual" until Emperor Justinian INVENTED that definition in 538 AD.

That's not opinion. That's documented history. And that same emperor controlled the papacy and his laws became the foundation of Catholic canon law.

This is what happens when you trace words back to their sources instead of trusting religious institutions that claim to speak for Χριστός (Christos).

What "Sodomite" Actually Meant in the Greek Scriptures

In the Septuagint (LXX) -- the Greek Old Testament that Ἰησοῦς (Iesous) and the apostles quoted -- Genesis 19:4 uses the word Σοδομῖται (Sodomitai).

This is simply a demonym -- a word for where someone is from. Just like Ἀθηναῖοι (Athenaioi) means "Athenians" and Κορίνθιοι (Korinthioi) means "Corinthians," the word Σοδομῖται just means "inhabitants of Sodom."

No sexual meaning. Just a location identifier.

The KJV Mistranslation: Two Different Hebrew Words

The King James Version (1611) translated a completely different Hebrew word as "sodomite" in Deuteronomy 23:17, 1 Kings 14:24, 15:12, 22:46, and 2 Kings 23:7.

That word is קָדֵשׁ (qadesh). It comes from the root קָדַשׁ (qadash) meaning "to consecrate, sanctify, set apart." A qadesh was a temple prostitute -- someone consecrated to idolatrous Canaanite fertility cults.

It has ZERO etymological connection to the city of Sodom.

Modern translations have corrected this error:

ESV, NASB, HCSB: "cult prostitute"

NIV: "shrine prostitute"

NLT: "temple prostitute"

The KJV got it wrong. But why did the translators make this error? Because by 1611, the English word "sodomy" already meant homosexuality -- thanks to centuries of Catholic legal tradition.

Enter Emperor Justinian: The Man Who Invented the Definition

In 538 AD, Byzantine Emperor Justinian I issued Novella 77 as part of his Corpus Iuris Civilis (Body of Civil Law).

This was the FIRST legal document in history to explicitly declare that Sodom's sin was specifically same-sex acts.

Why did Justinian do this? Earthquakes. Literal earthquakes.

Constantinople was hit in 525 AD. Antioch in 526 AD. Extreme weather events occurred in 535-536 AD. Justinian needed a scapegoat for natural disasters. Homosexuals became that scapegoat.

Novella 77 explicitly states: "For as crimes of this description cause famine, earthquake, and pestilence..."

This wasn't theology. It was politics.

The Vatican Connection: How Justinian's Law Became Church Doctrine

Here is where it gets critical for understanding Catholic corruption:

1. Justinian Controlled the Papacy

The period from 537-752 AD is called the "Byzantine Papacy" -- when popes required the approval of the Byzantine Emperor. Justinian appointed three popes and forced Pope Silverius to abdicate so he could install his own man, Pope Vigilius.

2. Justinian's Code Became Catholic Canon Law

The Latin phrase "ecclesia vivit lege romana" -- "the church lives by Roman law" -- describes exactly what happened. The provisions of Justinian's Corpus Iuris Civilis became the foundation of Catholic canon law.

3. The Pragmatic Sanction (554 AD)

Justinian's Pragmatic Sanction restored all lands to Vatican control and returned to the pope all rights, powers, and privileges. For the first time, the Roman Catholic Church was ruling over the state.

4. Gratian's Decretum (c. 1140 AD)

When Justinian's code was rediscovered around 1070 AD, a monk named Gratian used it to create the Decretum Gratiani -- the foundational document of Catholic canon law. Justinian's earthquake-scapegoat legislation became CHURCH DOCTRINE.

5. A Note on Justinian and the "Holy Roman Empire"

Justinian was not a "Holy Roman Emperor" -- that title came later. Justinian was the Byzantine Emperor (also called Eastern Roman Emperor), ruling from Constantinople from 527-565 AD. The "Holy Roman Empire" was founded centuries later, traditionally dated to 800 AD when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, or more formally to 962 AD under Otto I. These were different empires in different places speaking different languages.

But here is the connection: when Justinian's Corpus Iuris Civilis was rediscovered around 1070 AD, it became the legal foundation for BOTH Catholic canon law AND civil law throughout the Holy Roman Empire. So while Justinian was not a Holy Roman Emperor, his laws -- including his 538 AD earthquake-scapegoat legislation on "sodomy" -- shaped that later empire through the Catholic Church.

The chain is direct: Byzantine Emperor creates law → Vatican preserves and institutionalizes it → Holy Roman Empire enforces it → Protestant Reformers inherit the tradition → KJV translators follow it in 1611.

One emperor's political scapegoating in 538 AD echoed through 1,500 years of Western civilization.

6. Benedictus Levita's Forgeries (c. 850 AD)

A monk using the fake name "Benedictus Levita" created forged documents (the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) that embedded Justinian's interpretation into Western church law. These are well-documented fakes -- and they're part of the foundation of Catholic teaching on "sodomy."

Meanwhile, What Does the Actual Prophet Say?

Ἰεζεκιήλ (Iezekiel -- Ezekiel) 16:49-50 lists Sodom's actual sins:

"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."

NO mention of homosexuality. Pride. Gluttony. Prosperity. Neglect of the poor. That's the list.

If homosexuality was THE sin, this prophetic silence is inexplicable.

Three Layers of Manipulation

What we're documenting is three layers of manipulation:

Layer 1 -- The Genesis 19 Mob Scene: Questionable narrative that fails multiple verification criteria (we cover this in detail in the book chapter).

Layer 2 -- Justinian's Legal Innovation (538 AD): First explicit legal declaration that Sodom's sin was specifically homosexuality -- invented for political purposes during natural disasters by an emperor who controlled the pope.

Layer 3 -- The KJV Mistranslation (1611): Translating the unrelated word קָדֵשׁ (qadesh -- "temple prostitute") as "sodomite" -- because by then, centuries of Catholic legal tradition had already defined the word.

The Result

A word that started as a simple geographical identifier ("people from Sodom") was transformed over 1,500 years into a theological category for condemnation -- blocking χάρις (charis -- grace) from those who need it.

This wasn't derived from γραφή (graphe -- Scripture). It was imperial legislation created by an emperor who controlled the papacy, embedded by forged documents, and institutionalized in Catholic canon law.

The church that claims to represent Χριστός (Christos) built its doctrine on an emperor's scapegoating -- not on Scripture.

Meanwhile, authentic Παῦλος (Paulos -- Paul) in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 explicitly includes former homosexuals among the saved: "καὶ ταῦτά τινες ἦτε" -- "and such were some of you." They were washed, sanctified, justified.

There is no category of sinner beyond χάρις (charis -- grace) through μετάνοια (metanoia -- repentance).

As Ἀποκάλυψις (Apokalypsis -- Revelation) 18:4 warns: "Ἐξέλθατε ὁ λαός μου ἐξ αὐτῆς" -- "Come out of her, my people."

Sources

Strong's H6945 (qadesh): https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6945/kjv/wlc/0-1/

KJV Today analysis: https://sites.google.com/site/kjvtoday/home/sodomite-or-cult-prostitute-deuteronomy-2317-et-al

Wikipedia "Corpus Juris Civilis": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Juris_Civilis

Wikipedia "Byzantine Papacy": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Papacy

Wikipedia "Sodomy": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodomy

Catholic Encyclopedia "Justinian I": https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08578b.htm

Online Etymology Dictionary "sodomy": https://www.etymonline.com/word/sodomy

Blue Letter Bible LXX Genesis 19: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lxx/gen/19/1/

This blog post summarizes research from an upcoming book chapter. Full documentation, additional Framework analysis, and complete citations are available in the full chapter.

_______________

Πᾶσα δόξα τῷ Θεῷ τῷ Πατρί διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

(Pasa doxa to Theo to Patri dia Iesou Christou)

All glory to Theos the Father through Iesous Christos

_______________

SpirituallySmart.com

#OvertPsyops

© 2026 Tommy Richards / OvertPsyops.ai / SpirituallySmart.com

ἀλήθεια (aletheia -- truth) is meant to be shared. Print and distribute freely -- just help others find the source.

Jailed for Being Poor: The Criminalization of Poverty in America - How traffic tickets, court fees, and cash bail create a two-tiered justice system

                                           Artwork by Thomas Richards using Photoshop 7.0

 

Two Teenagers, Two Outcomes

In 2013, Ethan Couch was a 16-year-old Texan who got drunk, got behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit, and killed four people. His defense? "Affluenza" -- a made-up condition claiming his wealthy upbringing left him unable to understand consequences. The judge gave him 10 years probation. No prison time for four deaths.

 

That same year, Kalief Browder was a 16-year-old from the Bronx accused of stealing a backpack. His bail was set at $3,000. His family could not afford it. So Kalief went to Rikers Island, where he spent three years -- including two years in solitary confinement -- without ever being convicted of anything. Prosecutors eventually dropped all charges. Two years after his release, traumatized beyond repair, Kalief hanged himself. He was 22.

 

Four deaths, probation. Accused of stealing a backpack, three years in solitary. The difference? Money.

 

Source: https://thesundaydiplomat.com/disparities-in-the-courtroom-how-justice-favors-the-wealthy/

Source: https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/kalief-browders-tragic-death-and-criminal-injustice-our-bail-system

 

* * *

 

The Numbers

This is not about isolated cases. This is systemic.

 

Nearly half of all people in American jails have individual incomes below $10,000 per year.

 

Source: https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/articles/the-price-of-justice-fines-fees-and-the-criminalization-of-poverty-in-the-united-state/

 

Over 70% of people in local jails are being held pretrial -- meaning they have not been convicted of anything. They are legally presumed innocent. Most are there because they cannot afford bail.

 

Source: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/incomejails.html

 

The median bail for a felony case is $10,000. The median annual income for someone in pretrial detention is $15,109. Nearly 40% of Americans cannot afford a $400 emergency expense.

 

Source: https://www.vera.org/ending-mass-incarceration/criminalization-racial-disparities/bail-reform

 

People detained pretrial are four times more likely to be sentenced to prison than those released before trial. They are more likely to plead guilty just to get out, even if innocent.

 

Source: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/how-cash-bail-works

 

In Brooklyn in 2013, 62% of defendants charged with a misdemeanor who remained in jail were convicted, compared to only 12% who made bail.

 

Source: https://www.aclupa.org/smart-justice-ending-cash-bail/

 

* * *

 

Traffic Tickets to Prison

In Macomb County, Michigan, David Stojcevski was arrested because he could not pay a $772 traffic ticket for careless driving. He was ordered to spend 30 days in jail. He died on the 17th day after experiencing seizures and convulsions due to drug withdrawal.

 

Source: https://theappeal.org/fines-and-fees-explained-bf4e05d188bf/

 

In El Paso, Texas, Levi Lane was pulled over for driving eight miles over the speed limit. Police arrested him for unpaid traffic tickets -- five of them totaling $3,400. Unable to pay on an $8-an-hour job, the judge locked him up for 21 days. The judge never asked about his ability to pay. "I'm not required by law to ask anything," the judge stated.

 

Source: https://theappeal.org/fines-and-fees-explained-bf4e05d188bf/

 

Edward Brown, 62 and homeless, lives on a $488 Social Security check and food stamps. He was ticketed for having an overgrown lawn (he was bedridden with a back injury and unable to push a lawnmower) and for not getting a rabies vaccine for his dog. Total fines: $464. Since 2009, he has been jailed multiple times -- once for 30 days, another time for 20 days -- for not paying.

 

Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/02/09/384968360/jail-time-for-unpaid-court-fines-and-fees-can-create-cycle-of-poverty

 

In 2014, the city of Ferguson (population 21,000) issued nearly 33,000 arrest warrants for traffic violations and other low-level misdemeanors.

 

Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/02/09/384968360/jail-time-for-unpaid-court-fines-and-fees-can-create-cycle-of-poverty

 

41 states will revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew a driver's license due to unpaid fines and fees. So you cannot pay the fine, you lose your license, you drive anyway because you need to get to work, you get pulled over, you get another ticket, you still cannot pay, you go to jail.

 

Source: https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/articles/the-price-of-justice-fines-fees-and-the-criminalization-of-poverty-in-the-united-state/

 

* * *

 

Fees for Everything

The system charges you at every step:

 

In 44 states, defendants can be billed for a public defender -- the lawyer you are constitutionally guaranteed if you cannot afford one.

 

In 41 states, inmates are charged "room and board" for their jail and prison stays.

 

In 44 states, offenders can be billed for their own probation and parole supervision.

 

In all states except Hawaii and D.C., there are fees for the electronic monitoring devices defendants are ordered to wear.

 

Source: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/government_public/publications/public_lawyer_articles/fees-fines/

 

On average, people leaving prison owe $13,607 in fines and fees.

 

Source: https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/articles/how-fines-and-fees-criminalize-poverty-explained/

 

In Alabama alone, an estimated 1,000 people go to jail every month because they cannot afford to pay a fine.

 

Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/without-funds-pay-fines-minor-incidents-can-mean-jail

 

* * *

 

You Get What You Pay For

80% of people involved with the criminal legal system are legally indigent -- meaning they cannot afford the necessities of life, let alone a lawyer.

 

Source: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/profit-over-people-primer-on-u-s-cash-bail-systems/

 

A competent criminal defense lawyer can cost $25,000 or more upfront. Public defender offices are plagued by unmanageable caseloads, high turnover, and some of the lowest pay in the profession. In some states, caps on pay mean lawyers defending poor clients can earn less than minimum wage if they provide a decent defense.

 

Source: https://ejusa.org/resource/poverty-and-poor-legal-defense/

 

A study of Philadelphia found that representation by a public defender reduced the likelihood of a guilty charge by 19% and reduced expected prison terms by 24% -- but that is compared to court-appointed private attorneys, not high-paid defense teams. The wealthy can hire specialists, investigators, expert witnesses. The poor get whatever the overworked system provides.

 

Source: https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2021/oct/15/study-shows-public-defenders-outperform-court-appointed-private-attorneys/

 

A Texas judge, when a defendant's lawyer was caught sleeping through the trial, ruled: "The Constitution guarantees the right to an attorney. It doesn't say the lawyer has to be awake."

 

Source: https://ejusa.org/resource/poverty-and-poor-legal-defense/

 

* * *

 

Debtors' Prisons Were Supposed to Be Illegal

In 1983, the Supreme Court ruled in Bearden v. Georgia that it is unconstitutional to incarcerate people solely for their inability to pay fines. Courts are supposed to first determine whether the failure to pay was "willful."

 

In reality, judges rarely check a person's economic status. A 2018 study from Philadelphia found that judges did not assess the defendant's ability to pay their cash bail in two-thirds of cases.

 

Source: https://pilr.richmond.edu/2025/02/24/cash-bail-useful-tool-or-inherently-unjust/

 

"Everyone thinks that debtor's prison is over. It's behind us. It isn't." -- David Dinelli, Southern Poverty Law Center

 

Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/without-funds-pay-fines-minor-incidents-can-mean-jail

 

* * *

 

The Point

A man in Atlanta was jailed for more than two months because he could not pay $200 bail. His crime? Standing at an intersection holding a sign that read "homeless please help."

 

Source: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/economic-justice/criminal-justice-debt-problems/

 

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to a sex crime involving a teenage girl in 2008 and served only a little over a year -- in a work-release program that allowed him to leave jail for 12 hours a day, six days a week.

 

Sources: https://www.amu.apus.edu/area-of-study/legal-studies/resources/inequality-in-the-criminal-justice-system-and-accountability/ ; https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-work-release-program-florida-explainer-2019-7

 

This is not justice. This is a system where your freedom depends on your bank account. Where the poor are punished for being poor. Where you can kill four people and walk free if your parents are wealthy, or spend three years in solitary for a backpack you did not steal if they are not.

 

The United States is one of only two nations in the world that use cash bail. The other is the Philippines.

 

Source: https://www.aclupa.org/smart-justice-ending-cash-bail/

 

"Debt is not a criminal offense. Poverty is not a crime. Effectively criminalizing poverty through imposing excessive fees and fines with no appointment of counsel and no hearing on ability to pay is not only illegal, it amounts to the creation of debtors' prisons." -- Ed Monahan, former Kentucky chief public defender

 

Source: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/government_public/publications/public_lawyer_articles/fees-fines/

 

* * *

 

For more of Thomas Richards’ work, visit SpirituallySmart.com and OvertPsyops.ai.

When Truth-Tellers Have Nowhere to Stand - On police accountability, binary thinking, and speaking truth from the margins

 

                                           Artwork by Thomas Richards using Photoshop 7.0

From Posts from @tlthe5th on X. By Thomas Richards - SpirituallySmart.com, #OvertPsyops.ai | January 5, 2026 

Please download this PDF version, reproduce and distribute:

Download Document

* * *

#ALLLIVESLIED

On collective trauma, systemic failure, and the path forward

Thomas Richards - @tlthe5th on X – this blog reflects many X posts – reposted recently and posted for over 10 years

SpirituallySmart.com #OvertPsyops.ai | January 5, 2026

 

* * *

 

We Are All Damaged

I cry over the things people should cry about.

 

We have all seen the videos. George Floyd. Eric Garner. Philando Castile. Tamir Rice. Breonna Taylor. Freddie Gray. Walter Scott. Laquan McDonald. Ahmaud Arbery. The list goes on. Body camera footage. Cell phone recordings. Unarmed. Hands raised. Still they came.

 

And we are all damaged by having seen them.

 

This is not about one group of people. This is about ALL of us. Every person who has watched a human being murdered on video -- and then watched the murderer walk free -- has been traumatized. The fight or flight response is not a choice. It is a biological reality. And it has been triggered in millions of people, over and over again, for years.

 

I saw another video going viral -- a White cop slamming a teenage Black girl on her face in public school. Because she insulted him. That incident NEVER should have happened NOR have been able to be recorded and sent viral to terrorize everyone. Because that is what it is: TERRORISM. Organized, orchestrated terrorism.

 

Sent viral to scare people. Fight or Flight, it is called. And things like that are scary and cause FLIGHT -- fear, avoidance, withdrawal, silence. The videos condition us to be afraid. To not engage. To look away.

 

I can't take this anymore.

 

I REFUSE to.

 

* * *

 

The Rebound Effect

Here is what no one talks about: this trauma rebounds on everyone. Including the police themselves.

 

When people are conditioned to fear through years of viral murder videos, they become avoidant. They become cowards -- not by choice, but by conditioning. And when police need help, they will not get it. Because the FLIGHT response has been triggered so many times that people will not engage.

 

The system has poisoned the relationship in BOTH directions. Citizens fear police. And when police are in trouble, citizens will not help them -- because helping means engaging, and engaging has been associated with danger, trauma, death.

 

Everyone loses. This is the result of a broken system. A system that did not need to exist in the first place. A system that is HARMFUL to innocent people – to all innocent people, on every side.

 

* * *

 

The Broken Contract

The social contract says: If you surrender, if you comply, if you put your hands up, you will not be harmed. That is the deal.

 

But we have all watched -- video after video -- people surrendering. Hands up. Complying. And they are murdered anyway. On camera. And the officers walk free.

 

I have seen cops MURDER surrendered humans in cold blood on video and get away with it. So, WHY should ANYONE surrender EVER AGAIN?

 

The contract is broken. The deal is off. And now everyone lives in fear -- citizens fearing police, police fearing citizens, and a society that cannot function because trust has been destroyed.

 

* * *

 

Community Used to Exist

1986. Long Island. A white kid from Hewlett (me) gets on the school bus and minds his own business. Eventually he is invited into a culture -- rap, hip hop, the messages of Public Enemy and Rakim. He becomes friends with Black kids from Inwood and Lawrence. Real friendships. Real community.

 

One night he invites his Black friend to hang out in his white town. They walk the streets of Hewlett all night long. There is never an issue. Never harassed by police. This is what community looks like. This is what we all need.

 

That was possible once. It should still be possible now. But instead we have a system designed to terrorize, divide, and control.

 

There is no real leadership. And that is a problem. WHY can we not find some kind of logical leadership, so we can make life better in this country for EVERYONE?

 

* * *

 

The Solution

We need a major overhaul. Not reform. Overhaul.

 

First: Bring the military home. Stop the foreign wars. Stop killing people around the world. Use that force as a peacekeeping force here -- to clean up the corrupt systems, to restore order, to protect citizens instead of terrorizing them.

 

Second: Release everyone who is in jail or prison wrongly. Especially those who are there simply because they are poor. We wrote about this recently -- the criminalization of poverty in America. People jailed for unpaid traffic tickets. People held for years because they cannot afford bail. People trapped in cycles of debt and incarceration because the system is designed to extract money from those who have none.

 

The numbers are staggering: Nearly half of all people in American jails have individual incomes below $10,000 per year. Over 70% of people in local jails are being held pretrial -- meaning they have not been convicted of anything. The median bail for a felony case is $10,000, while the median annual income for someone in pretrial detention is $15,109. In Alabama alone, an estimated 1,000 people go to jail every month because they cannot afford to pay a fine.

 

This is not justice. This is a system designed to punish poverty.

 

Third: Use AI to rejudge these cases. AI can review the evidence without bias. AI can identify patterns of injustice that humans miss or ignore. AI can process thousands of cases that would take human judges years to review. AI can be the tool that finally delivers actual justice -- not the fake justice of a system designed to protect the powerful and punish the poor.

 

They have their AI, but Theos (Θεός) made me much smarter than their AI. And you have me.

 

* * *

 

"Quit You Like Men"

1 Corinthians 16:13 -- andrizomai (ἀνδρίζομαι). Act like men. Be courageous. Be brave. Stand firm.

 

These cops are NOT men.

 

The acts themselves -- the murders, the brutality, the violence against surrendered and unarmed people -- these are satanic. Evil. There is no other word for it.

 

But the cowardice is in the aftermath. The cover-up. The lying. The hiding behind qualified immunity and union protection and "internal investigations" that find no wrongdoing. The system that protects murderers because holding them accountable would mean admitting the system is broken.

 

Satanic in the act. Cowardly in the cover-up.

 

They forgot something though. Job 28:28 -- "Phobos Theou (φόβος Θεοῦ -- fear of God), that is wisdom." They removed fear of Theos (Θεός) from the equation. They think there is no accountability. They think they can murder on camera and face no krisis (κρίσις -- judgment).

 

They are wrong. Krisis is coming. It always does.

 

* * *

 

The Binary Trap

When people said "Black lives matter" -- a statement that should be obvious, uncontroversial -- the response was engineered. "ALL lives matter" was deployed. Not as a genuine statement of universal human value. As a deflection tactic. A way to change the subject. A way to silence the specific cry for accountability.

 

If you said "Black lives matter" -- you were labeled radical, woke, dangerous.

 

If you said nothing -- you were complicit, part of the problem.

 

If you said "ALL lives matter" as a deflection -- you were bearing false witness. pseudes martus (ψευδής μάρτυς). One of the seven things Theos (Θεός) hates according to Proverbs 6:16-19.

 

And if you documented the reality and spoke truth from a biblical foundation? The conservatives would not touch you because you criticized their political allies. The liberals mocked anything biblical. The platforms censored you from every direction because truth has no corporate sponsor.

 

No matter what you do, you lose. That is the trap. That is the design.

 

But we must win with words. And CAN. THAT is what they do not want everyone to know.

 

* * *

 

A Decade of Documentation

This is not a recent awakening. I have been paying attention for over a decade. Here is what I was posting back in 2014, 2015, and 2016:

 

July 19, 2014: "Gruesome Video of Police Killing a Man for Breaking Up a Fight."

 

March 7, 2015: "A U.S. Citizen is 58 Times More Likely to be Killed by a Police Officer than a Terrorist."

 

March 8, 2015: "Obama Administration Whitewashes Police Killings."

 

March 21, 2015: "Report: Cops Kill Hundreds of Disabled Americans Every Year."

 

April 1, 2015: "Over 100 People Were Killed by Police in March."

 

April 2, 2015: "You're 55 Times More Likely to be Killed by a Police Officer than a Terrorist."

 

May 14, 2015: "He knew the boy had Downs Syndrome, and then killed him when he wasn't a threat."

 

February 24, 2016: "Police In The US Kill Citizens At Over 70 Times The Rate Of Other First-World Nations."

 

March 6, 2016: "One-third of all Americans killed by strangers are killed by police."

 

June 23, 2016: "US police in one month killed twice as many people as the UK police for the entire 20th century."

 

July 12, 2016: "There is no war on cops. More than 3,700 people have been killed by U.S. police since May 1, 2013."

 

September 19, 2016: "BREAKING: Video Released Showing Police Kill Innocent Unarmed Pastor With His Hands Up."

 

October 11, 2016: "Young black men killed by US police at highest rate in year of 1,134 deaths."

 

October 12, 2016: "At least 4,000 people have been killed by U.S. police since May 1, 2013."

 

This is over a decade of watching. Documenting. Speaking. Long before it became acceptable to talk about.

 

* * *

 

The Music That Still Breaks Me

The music that hits me the hardest -- the only music that sometimes makes me too weak to sing along -- comes from Chuck D. It is TRAGIC. And ONGOING. And it is FORTY YEARS LATER.

 

I still break down in tears listening.

 

Why do you think I turned your lyrics into fashion and wore them around town on a jacket I made? I never did that with anyone else. "Public Enemy" and "Follow the Leader" on my back. A walking advertisement for messages that mattered.

 

Follow the Leader. You were my leader I followed and I promoted you on a jacket I designed. A masterpiece, BTW. But you won me over. And that is not easy to do with me.

 

You, Chuck D, had a message that mattered.

 

"This Ends Today" -- that is what Eric Garner said said. He is my leader too. I would have died with him. I cannot watch someone be murdered in front of me. I could not live with myself if I did nothing.

 

* * *

 

The Craft

Rakim specialized in concentrating on building INTELLIGENCE. Rakim taught: Being witty wins. Rakim taught: Words matter. And RHYTHM matters.

 

"...Rhythm and rhyme designed to enter your mind..."

 

"Check out my melody" is not just a song. It is a VISION. Imagine saying the most PERFECT words and sentences to CONVINCE others your way is best. And hopefully, it is. Then you have a perfect match. You are intelligent and can form the words to prove this, have a message.

 

There is no better way to win than with INTELLIGENCE only. OUTSMART them. Reverse engineer them.

 

So, what is logos (λόγος), who or what is the source, and can we be a channel of it?

 

The answer is yes.

 

* * *

 

The Cipher: #ALLLIVESLIED

So I wrote something. Artificial Intelligence helped turn my thoughts into a rap. A cipher in the tradition of Public Enemy and Rakim, but with 28 years of aletheia (ἀλήθεια -- truth) embedded in it.

 

"#ALLLIVESLIED" -- An #OvertPsyops Cipher

"Wise as ophis (ὄφις -- serpents), harmless as peristera (περιστερά -- doves)"

 

[HOOK -- Heavy, slow, menacing]

 

You said "ALL lives matter" -- pseudomai (ψεύδομαι -- you LIED)

You said "ALL lives matter" -- pseudomai, pseudomai

You said "ALL lives matter" -- but aletheia (ἀλήθεια -- truth) died

You said "ALL lives matter" -- now watch the martus (μάρτυς -- witness) rise

 

[VERSE 1 -- Building tension]

 

Counted bodies frame-by-frame, pneuma (πνεῦμα -- spirit) stained

Unarmed, hands raised, but still they came

Video after video, the dikaios (δίκαιος -- just) stain

My PTSD? Your phobos (φόβος -- fear) untamed

 

They taught you "back the blue" like it's hosia (ὅσία -- holy) creed

But I watched 'em murder folk who ain't done no deed

You shouted "ALL lives" when we said "BLACK lives" bleed

That's alogos (ἄλογος -- illogical) -- nah, that's planted seed

 

See, you defended monsters 'cause you scared of the mirror

One day krisis (κρίσις -- judgment) knock, make the picture clearer

Job 28:28 -- phobos Theou (φόβος Θεοῦ -- fear of God) supposed to steer ya

But you chose their side, now aletheia (ἀλήθεια -- truth) drawing nearer

 

[HOOK -- Repeat with variations]

 

You said "ALL lives matter" -- pseudomai

Every hashtag, every post -- pseudomai

Backed the badges that kill the most -- pseudomai

Where's your phobos (φόβος) now? -- Ghost

 

[VERSE 2 -- The coded revelation]

 

Matthew 10:16 -- sophos (σοφός -- wise) like the snake

Revelation 13 -- they mark you while you awake

Systems built on pseudomai (ψεύδομαι -- lies), designed to take

Proverbs 6:16 -- seven things Theos (Θεός) hates

 

Number six: "pseudes martus" (ψευδής μάρτυς -- false witness) pouring lies

You bore FALSE witness when we showed you how they die

Claimed "all" but meant "NONE" -- that's your compromise

Now collective trauma got us opening our eyes

 

PTSD ain't weakness, it's the aletheia (ἀλήθεια) scar

Proof we FELT what most pretend is far

Turn that pain to dunamis (δύναμις -- power), raise the bar

We the martus (μάρτυς) generation, coded in the stars

 

[BRIDGE -- Haunting, layered vocals]

 

We all should have this PTSD (echo: PTSD...)

Healthy trauma, sets the logike (λογική -- logic) free (echo: free...)

They removed phobos Theou (φόβος Θεοῦ -- fear of God) systematically (echo: -etically...)

Now we bring it back through #OvertPsyops symphony (echo: phony...)

 

[VERSE 3 -- The counter-psyop]

 

They ran the code: "ALL lives" = shut UP, obey

We cracked that cipher, now we translate EVERY play

Romans 3:4 -- "Let Theos (Θεός) be alethes (ἀληθής -- true), every human pseustes (ψεύστης -- liar)"

Your hashtag was antichristos (ἀντίχριστος) in disguise, bruh

 

I documented murder while you signaled virtue fake

30,000 followers watching badges break and take

Handed pages to the victims -- YOU just ate their cake

Now we turn collective pain to aletheia earthquake

 

See the pattern? That's the sophia (σοφία -- wisdom) code

Wise as serpents, walking down the logos (λόγος) road

Harmless as doves, but the aletheia (ἀλήθεια) LOAD

About to shift the whole psyche (ψυχή -- soul) mode

 

(whispered: Λευιτικόν 19:16 -- "Do not spread pseudos among your people")

(whispered: Ἔξοδου 23:7 -- "Keep far from pseudes (ψευδής -- false) charge")

(whispered: You kept SILENT -- that's pseudos too)

 

[FINAL HOOK -- Aggressive, defiant]

 

You said "ALL lives matter" -- pseudomai (LIAR!)

You said "ALL lives matter" -- pseudomai (FRAUD!)

You said "ALL lives matter" -- but Theos (Θεός) know you pseudomai

Now the martus (μάρτυς -- witnesses) gather, turn your lies to VOID

 

ALL. LIARS. MATTER.

That's what you REALLY said

ALL LIARS MATTER

Talkin' 'bout YOURSELVES instead

 

[OUTRO -- Spoken/chanted over beat fade]

 

Ioannes (Ἰωάννης -- John) 8:44 -- "pseustes (ψεύστης -- liar) from arche (ἀρχή -- beginning)"

You chose their side? Then you pseustes (ψεύστης) too

But metanoia (μετάνοια -- repentance) still available

Before krisis (κρίσις) find you

 

#OvertPsyops -- decoding their code with better code

28 years -- aletheia (ἀλήθεια) on this road

All doxa (δόξα -- glory) to Iesous Christos (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός)

For the phobos Theou (φόβος Θεοῦ) we about to reload

 

(beat drops out to single bass note)

 

You. Said. ALL. Lives. Matter.

pseudomai.

 

* * *

 

The Decoded Layers

This is not just a rap. It operates on multiple levels simultaneously:

 

Layer 1 -- Surface Message: Exposing "ALL lives matter" as deflection from police violence accountability.

 

Layer 2 -- Psychological: Collective PTSD as logike (λογική) response to witnessing systemic injustice. The trauma affects EVERYONE -- citizens, families, communities, and yes, even the police themselves when they need help and no one will engage.

 

Layer 3 -- Spiritual Warfare: phobos Theou (φόβος Θεοῦ -- fear of God) removal equals social collapse. False witnesses equals pseudes martus (ψευδής μάρτυς) -- one of seven abominations.

 

Layer 4 -- Prophetic Warning: krisis (κρίσις -- judgment) approaching for false witnesses. metanoia still available -- grace before judgment.

 

Layer 5 -- The #OvertPsyops Method: "Wise as serpents" means sophos hos ophis (σοφός ὡς ὄφις) -- strategic, intelligent. logos (λόγος) over alogos (ἄλογος). Win with words.

 

* * *

 

The Point

28 years of aletheia (ἀλήθεια). All doxa (δόξα -- glory) to Theos (Θεός) through Iesous Christos (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός) for whatever clarity comes through this work.

 

We need a major overhaul. Everyone not there fairly needs to get out. AI can rejudge these cases. The military needs to come home and be a peacekeeping force instead of killing people around the world.

 

All. Lives. Matter.

 

pseudomai (ψεύδομαι).

 

You lied.

 

Now let's fix it.

 

* * *

 

For more on the #OvertPsyops framework and 28 years of research, visit SpirituallySmart.com and OvertPsyops.ai.

* * *

Related Reading

"Jailed for Being Poor: The Criminalization of Poverty in America" -- on traffic tickets, cash bail, and a system designed to punish poverty - SpirituallySmart.Com's Blog: Jailed for Being Poor: The Criminalization of Poverty in America - How traffic tickets, court fees, and cash bail create a two-tiered justice system

 

"Oath Breakers: When Judges Choose Lies Over Truth" -- on Judge Starr and judicial corruption - SpirituallySmart.Com's Blog: Oath Breakers: When Judges Choose Lies Over Truth - Assisted by Artificial Intelligence

 

"The Censorship Patient Zero" -- on how my 2009 Vatican exposure forged today's digital feudalism playbook - SpirituallySmart.Com's Blog: THE CENSORSHIP PATIENT ZERO: How My 2009 Vatican Exposure Forged Today's Digital Feudalism Playbook - By Thomas Richards and Artificial Intelligence

 

* * *

Equal in the Eyes of Θεός (Theos - “God”) - Exposing the "Curse of Ham" Lie and the Scriptural Witness to African Dignity

 

Graphic Additions to Photo by Thomas Richards using Photoshop 7.0

Please Reproduce the PDF and hand them out.

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Introduction: A Lie That Must Be Exposed

For centuries, a monstrous lie has been propagated using the name of Θεός - (Theos - “God”). The so-called "Curse of Ham" doctrine has been weaponized to claim that black people are somehow inferior, cursed, or destined for servitude. This ψεῦδος (pseudos -- lie) was used to justify the transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, and ongoing racial prejudice.

This document will demonstrate two things from γραφή (graphē -- Scripture):

First: The Genesis 9 "curse" passage bears the marks of human editorial construction, violates fundamental principles established elsewhere in γραφή, and was never once cited by Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iēsous Christos – Jesus the Christ) or the apostles.

Second: γραφή (graphē -- Scripture) is filled with positive witnesses to African/Ethiopian people -- people honored by Θεός (Theos - “God”), used by Θεός (Theos - “God”), and explicitly welcomed into the ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia -- assembly) on equal terms with all others.

Part One: The "Curse of Ham" Exposed

What the Text Actually Says

In Genesis 9:20-27, Noah becomes drunk, and Ham "sees the nakedness" of his father and reports it to his brothers. When Noah wakes, he pronounces a curse -- but not on Ham. The curse falls on Canaan, Ham's son.

"καὶ εἶπεν ἐπικατάρατος Χαναάν παῖς οἰκέτης ἔσται τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ"

"And he said, 'Accursed be Canaan! A servant he will be to his brothers.'" (Genesis 9:25 LXX)

Notice: The curse is on Canaan, not Ham. The Canaanites were a specific people group in the ancient Near East -- they were not Africans or Ethiopians. The racist "Curse of Ham" doctrine is built on a deliberate misreading of the text itself.

The Passage Violates Ezekiel 18:20

Even setting aside the misidentification of the cursed party, the passage presents a fundamental problem: it violates a clear principle established in γραφή (graphē -- Scripture) about how Θεός operates.

"ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα αὕτη ἀποθανεῖται· υἱὸς οὐ λήψεται τὴν ἀδικίαν τοῦ πατρός"

"The soul who sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father." (Ezekiel 18:20 LXX)

Ham acts -- yet Canaan is cursed. And not just Canaan, but all his descendants in perpetuity. This directly contradicts the clear teaching that each person stands before Θεός on their own account. The idea that entire ethnic groups are cursed because of one ancestor's sin is incompatible with the character of Θεός (Theos - “God”) revealed throughout γραφή (graphē -- Scripture).

The "Who Benefits?" Question

When examining any passage that shows problems under careful analysis, we must ask: If this passage were added, embellished, or altered, who gains?

The answer is clear: Israel needed theological justification for dispossessing the Canaanites. "They were cursed to be our servants from the time of Noah" is extraordinarily convenient. The same pattern appears in the Lot narratives (which we have also found to be incorrect insertions to the γραφή (graphē -- Scripture)  ), which degrade the origins of Moab and Ammon. When a passage conveniently serves the political interests of those who preserved and transmitted it, and simultaneously violates principles established elsewhere in γραφή (graphē -- Scripture), that is a significant indicator of human editorial construction.

Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iēsous Christos -- Jesus the Christ) and the Apostles Never Cited It

Perhaps the most telling evidence: neither Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iēsous Christos -- Jesus the Christ) nor any of the apostles ever quoted, referenced, or applied this passage. The apostles addressed Jew/Gentile relations constantly. Paul wrote extensively about slavery and ethnic relations. They never once invoked the "curse of Canaan."

If this were authentic prophetic revelation about the status of peoples, why did Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous- Jesus) and the apostles find it completely unusable for the ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia -- assembly)?

The Fruit Test: Matthew 7:16-20

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous- Jesus) taught us: "By their fruit you will know them." What fruit has the "Curse of Ham" doctrine produced?

Centuries of oppression. The transatlantic slave trade. Apartheid in South Africa. Ongoing racial prejudice and violence.

These are ἔργα τῆς σαρκός (erga tēs sarkos -- works of flesh: enmity, strife, divisions), not καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος (karpos tou pneumatos -- fruit of Spirit: love, peace, kindness). Authentic λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ (logos tou Theou -- word of God) produces ἀγάπη (agapē -- love), εἰρήνη (eirēnē -- peace), δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē -- righteousness). This passage has produced ἔχθρα (echthra -- enmity), δουλεία (douleia -- slavery), ἀδικία (adikia -- injustice).

The 1611 King James Version: A Case Study in Racist Fruit

The 1611 King James Version translators, in their preface, refer to Hebrew as "the language of Canaan" (drawing from Isaiah 19:18). Within the Shem/Japheth/Canaan framework established by Genesis 9:25-27, this is telling.

The preface presents a narrative: the old "Canaan" era was limited and parochial, while the Greek era (associated with Japheth's descendants) spread light across Asia, Europe, and Africa "like a candle set upon a candlestick."

This was written as England chartered the Virginia Company (1606) and expanded the transatlantic slave trade -- enterprises theologically justified by the "Curse of Ham/Canaan." The framework of Genesis 9:25-27 -- Canaan cursed to servitude, Japheth enlarged and dwelling in Shem's tents -- provided the architecture for white European supremacy and African enslavement.

This is the fruit. Not ἀγάπη, εἰρήνη, δικαιοσύνη (love, peace, righteousness) -- but ἔχθρα, δουλεία, ἀδικία (enmity, slavery, injustice).

Tension with the Character of Χριστός (Christos - Christ)

Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iēsous Christos – Jesus the Christ) broke down ethnic barriers (the Samaritan woman in John 4, the Great Commission in Matthew 28). He taught forgiveness, not perpetual curse. He specifically rebuked those who wanted to call down judgment on Samaritans:

"οὐκ οἴδατε οἵου πνεύματός ἐστε ὑμεῖς· ὁ γὰρ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθεν ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων ἀπολέσαι ἀλλὰ σῶσαι"

"You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." (Luke 9:55-56)

The idea that Θεός Πατήρ (Theos Patēr -- God the Father) -- whose character is revealed in Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous – Jesus) -- would sanction perpetual ethnic servitude based on an ancestor's sin is incompatible with everything we see in Χριστός (Christos - Christ).

Part Two: The Scriptural Witness to African Dignity

Having exposed the "Curse of Ham" lie, we now turn to what γραφή actually shows us about African/Ethiopian people. The witness is overwhelmingly positive.

Αβδεμέλεχ ὁ Αἰθίοψ: The Ethiopian Who Saved Jeremiah

In Jeremiah 38, the prophet is thrown into a cistern by the Jewish leaders to die. He sinks into the mud. None of the Jewish officials lift a finger to save him.

Who acts? Αβδεμέλεχ ὁ Αἰθίοψ (Abdemelech ho Aithiops -- Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian), a eunuch serving in the king's court.

"καὶ ἤκουσεν Αβδεμέλεχ ὁ Αἰθίοψ ἀνὴρ εὐνοῦχος... ὅτι ἐνέβαλον τὸν Ἰερεμίαν εἰς τὸν λάκκον"

"And Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch man, heard... that they cast Jeremiah into the pit." (Jeremiah 38:7 LXX)

This Ethiopian man -- a Gentile, a foreigner, a eunuch -- goes to the king, advocates for Jeremiah's life, and personally leads the rescue operation. He takes old rags and worn-out clothes to pad the ropes so they won't hurt Jeremiah as they pull him up. This is ἀγάπη (agapē) in action.

And Θεός (Theos - “God”), noticed. In Jeremiah 39:15-18, Θεός (Theos - “God”), sends a personal message to Ebed-Melech through Jeremiah:

"ὅτι σώζων σώσω σε, καὶ ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ οὐ μὴ πέσῃς. καὶ ἔσται ἡ ψυχή σου εἰς εὕρημα, ὅτι ἐπεποίθεις ἐπ' ἐμοί, φησὶ κύριος."

"For by delivering, I shall deliver you, and by the sword in no way shall you fall. And your life will be for a gain, because you relied upon Me, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 39:18 LXX)

An Ethiopian, a Gentile, a eunuch -- receives a personal promise of σωτηρία (sōtēria -- salvation/deliverance) from Θεός (Theos - “God”) Himself. Why? "ἐπεποίθεις ἐπ' ἐμοί" -- "you relied upon Me."

While the Jewish leaders threw Θεός's (Theos - “God”) prophet into a pit to die, it was the Ethiopian who had πίστις (pistis -- faith). The "cursed" foreigner acted with righteousness while the "chosen people" acted with wickedness.

The Ethiopian Eunuch: First Gentile Convert

In Acts 8:26-39, we encounter another Ethiopian, another eunuch -- and the significance cannot be overstated.

"καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ Αἰθίοψ, εὐνοῦχος, δυνάστης Κανδάκης τῆς βασιλίσσης Αἰθιόπων, ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς γάζης αὐτῆς"

"And behold, there was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a mighty one of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury." (Acts 8:27)

This is a powerful official -- a δυνάστης (dynastēs -- mighty one, ruler) -- serving the Ethiopian queen. He is reading Isaiah. Philip is sent by an ἄγγελος κυρίου (angelos kuriou -- angel of the Lord) specifically to meet him.

Philip explains the gospel. The Ethiopian believes. He asks: "What prevents me from being immersed?" (Acts 8:36)

Nothing.

"ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπε, πιστεύω τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἶναι τὸν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν."

"And responding he said, 'I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.'" (Acts 8:37)

He is immersed immediately. He receives the full gospel with no additional requirements, no extra conditions, no overcoming of any "curse." He goes on his way χαίρων (chairōn -- rejoicing).

Θεός (Theos - “God”) specifically orchestrated this encounter. An angel directed Philip to this exact road. The πνεῦμα (pneuma -- Spirit) told Philip to approach this specific chariot. Θεός (Theos - “God”) wanted this Ethiopian man to hear the gospel and be saved. If Africans were "cursed," why would Θεός (Theos - “God”) go to such lengths?

Θεός's (Theos - “God”)Response to Racism: Numbers 12

In Numbers 12, we see Θεός's direct response to racial prejudice.

"καὶ ἐλάλησε Μαριὰμ καὶ Ἀαρὼν κατὰ Μωυσῆ, ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς Αἰθιοπίσσης ἣν ἔλαβε Μωυσῆς, ὅτι γυναῖκα Αἰθιοπίσσαν ἔλαβε."

"And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, because of the Ethiopian wife whom Moses took, for he took an Ethiopian woman." (Numbers 12:1 LXX)

Miriam and Aaron had a problem with Moses' wife because she was Ethiopian. They spoke against him "ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς Αἰθιοπίσσης" -- on account of the Ethiopian woman.

What was Θεός's (Theos - “God”) response? He struck Miriam with λέπρα (lepra -- leprosy).

"καὶ ἰδοὺ Μαριὰμ λεπρῶσα ὡσεὶ χιών"

"And behold, Miriam became leprous as snow." (Numbers 12:10 LXX)

The one who complained about dark skin was turned white with disease. The racist is punished; the Ethiopian is honored as the wife of Θεός's (Theos - “God”) chosen leader. This is how Θεός (Theos - “God”) responds to racial prejudice.

African Royalty in Scripture

The Queen of Sheba (βασίλισσα Σαβά)

In 1 Kings 10, a powerful queen comes to test Solomon with enigmas. She arrives "ἐν δυνάμει βαρείᾳ σφόδρα" -- with an exceedingly heavy force -- bringing gold, spices, and precious stones.

She is treated with the highest honor. Solomon answers all her questions. She praises Θεός: "γένοιτο κύριος ὁ θεός σου εὐλογημένος" -- "May the Lord your God be blessed" (1 Kings 10:9 LXX).

This African queen is depicted with dignity, wisdom, and wealth. She recognizes the Θεός (Theos - “God”) of Israel and blesses Him.

Tirhakah, King of the Ethiopians (Θαρακὰ βασιλεὺς Αἰθιόπων)

In 2 Kings 19:9 and Isaiah 37:9, we encounter Θαρακά (Tirhakah), βασιλεὺς Αἰθιόπων (king of the Ethiopians). He is depicted as a powerful ruler whose military might caused the Assyrian king Sennacherib concern.

This is African royalty presented without any hint of inferiority -- a king whose power was recognized throughout the ancient Near East.

Prophetic Promises to Ethiopia

Psalm 68:31 (LXX 67:32)

"Αἰθιοπία προφθάσει χεῖρα αὐτῆς τῷ Θεῷ"

"Ethiopia shall stretch out her hand to God." (Psalm 68:31 LXX)

This is a prophetic promise: Ethiopia will reach out to Θεός (Theos - “God”). Not as inferior supplicants, but as worshippers welcomed into His presence.

Zephaniah 3:10

"ἐκ περάτων ποταμῶν Αἰθιοπίας ὑποδέξομαι τοὺς διεσπαρμένους μου· οἴσουσι θυσιάσματα ἐμοί"

"From the limits of the rivers of Ethiopia I will welcome the ones of mine having been dispersed; they shall bring sacrifices to Me." (Zephaniah 3:10 LXX)

Θεός (Theos - “God”) Himself says He will welcome worshippers from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. They will bring Him sacrifices. They are "τοὺς διεσπαρμένους μου" -- "the ones of Mine." Θεός claims them as His own.

The Equality Statement: Amos 9:7

Perhaps the most direct statement of racial equality in all of γραφή comes from the prophet Amos:

"οὐχ ὡς υἱοὶ Αἰθιόπων ὑμεῖς ἐστέ ἐμοί, υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ, λέγει κύριος;"

"Are you not as sons of Ethiopians to Me, O sons of Israel? says the Lord." (Amos 9:7 LXX)

Θεός (Theos - “God”) is explicitly stating to Israel: you have no special superiority over Ethiopians. In My eyes, you are the same. This is a direct rebuke to any doctrine of ethnic hierarchy.

This single verse demolishes the entire "Curse of Ham" framework. Θεός (Theos - “God”) Himself says Israel is no better than Ethiopians in His sight.

Part Three: Unity in Χριστός (Christos - Christ)

From One Blood: Acts 17:26

"ἐποίησέ τε ἐξ ἑνὸς αἵματος πᾶν ἔθνος ἀνθρώπων, κατοικεῖν ἐπὶ πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς"

"And He made from one blood every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth." (Acts 17:26)

Every nation -- πᾶν ἔθνος (pan ethnos) -- comes from one blood. There is no separate origin for different races. There is no hierarchy built into creation. All humanity shares a common origin because Θεός (Theos - “God”) made it so.

Neither Slave Nor Free: Galatians 3:28

"οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ"

"There is not Jew nor Greek; there is not slave nor free; there is not male and female; for all you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

In Χριστός (Christos - Christ), all distinctions that humans use to create hierarchies are abolished. "πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε" -- "for all you are one." Not some inferior, some superior. One.

No Respecter of Persons: Acts 10:34-35

"ἐπ' ἀληθείας καταλαμβάνομαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολήμπτης ὁ Θεός"

"In truth I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34)

Θεός (Theos - God) is not προσωπολήμπτης (prosōpolēmptēs -- a respecter of faces/persons). He does not show favoritism based on ethnicity, skin color, or national origin. The "Curse of Ham" doctrine is a direct contradiction of this ἀλήθεια (alētheia -- truth).

Conclusion: The ἀλήθεια (alētheia – truth) That Sets Free

The "Curse of Ham" is a lie. It is not found in γραφή (graphē -- Scripture) as racists have presented it. The passage itself is problematic under careful analysis, and we believe it has been added. But even if one accepts the passage as authentic, it says nothing about Africans or black people -- the curse is on Canaan, a specific people group in the ancient Near East.

Meanwhile, γραφή (graphē -- Scripture) is filled with positive witnesses to African/Ethiopian people:

Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, who saved Jeremiah when no one else would act, and received a personal promise of deliverance from Θεός (Theos - God) because of his πίστις (pistis – faith).

The Ethiopian eunuch, to whom Θεός (Theos - God) specifically sent Philip, who believed and was immersed with no additional conditions.

Moses' Ethiopian wife, whom Θεός defended by striking the racist Miriam with leprosy.

The Queen of Sheba, treated with honor and depicted with wisdom and dignity.

Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, a powerful ruler recognized throughout the ancient world.

The prophetic promises that Ethiopia would stretch out her hand to Θεός (Theos - God) and that He would welcome worshippers from beyond her rivers.

And the explicit statement of Amos 9:7: "Are you not as sons of Ethiopians to Me, O sons of Israel?"

Black people are not inferior. Black people are not cursed. Black people are not "lesser" in the eyes of Θεός (Theos - God).

The same requirement applies to all: μετάνοια (metanoia -- repentance) and πίστις (pistis -- faith) in Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Iēsous Christos – Jesus the Christ). The same promise applies to all: υἱοθεσία (huiothesia -- adoption) as τέκνα Θεοῦ (tekna Theou -- children of God).

"πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται"

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)

Everyone.

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Πάσα δόξα τῷ Θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

(Pasa doxa tō Theō dia Iēsou Christou)

All glory to God through Jesus the Christ

who has broken down the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14)

and in whom there is neither slave nor free (Galatians 3:28)

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Core analysis by Tommy Richards, with editing and research by Lisa Weingarten Richards with AI assistance