The Problem Lies With Christians Not Erica Campbell or Her Dress

Originally published at Brown Mommys

by Cynthia Levy

Social media is once again buzzing. Now, Christians everywhere are up in arms about this:

 Yes, Erica Campbell of the gospel duo Mary, Mary has debuted her new solo album wearing this form-fitting white dress that many say is just to skanky for public Christian consumption. All I can say is that this is why Christianity is quickly drowning in the bowels of the American psyche.


First off let’s get something straight, while Mary Mary may have made their debut into the music industry as gospel artist, they have undoubtedly become artist synonymous with American pop culture. These women are household names, have performed on just about every popular American platform, tour the world and have a reality television show on WE. I mean how much more mainstream can you get. While they have kept a hand in the gospel world, with every No. 1 record the gospel duo has become increasingly immersed in pop culture. So, while they are known as gospel artist it is also fair to say that they are just on the opposite side of the pop culture coin. Just as Beyonce and Rihanna must keep their looks fresh, Erica Campbell is subject to the same culturally demanded style beat.

Besides that when did a Black woman’s body become so ‘un-Christian.’ Being honest, a Black woman’s body is the closest thing to God that you can get. Was it not a Black woman’s body that birthed humanity. Black women were the first women that God saw fit to bless with the ability to birth and nurture an entire world of people, and she was butt-naked.

Not to mention, it was from a Black woman’s body that your Messiah was born, nursed, fed and nurtured as a child as evidenced by the early Black Madonna statues prior to the Council of Nicea’s white-washing of the Bible.. It was also from Black women’s backs that the civil rights movement was carried on. Black women sat at counters, protested, bailed out and went to jail as activist and boarded buses they refused to flee in order to give Black people their so-called freedoms. And, in today’s society the descendants of those Black women are the ones who fill the coffers that keep the church doors open. And yet, we find it so grotesque to look at Mrs. Campbell’s curves in a white dress. Oh, I forgot Black women are only acceptable when we are the downtrodden, dowdy, princess and the frog darlings of America. Dare to be empowered, confident or sexy as a Black woman in mainstream America and you will surely be flogged in the streets, or  worse called a whore.

This is one of the reasons church attendance in America is dwindling. Your so-called holiness is the very thing Jesus warned early Christians to rid themselves and beware of. This obsession with dogma and “correct” living. The real God preaches a life of mutual understanding, of empathy and of unity; not of Facebook and Twitter blasting.

Yet, the modern church at every turn seeks to divide over issues as simple as clothing and outward appearance. It’s time to be more concerned about all of these neglected souls and humanely unconnected spirits walking around in this world. Rather than blasting the very women who attend church the most, pray the most and give the most money to the church, these women deserved to be praised for their service and ability to single-handedly keep the Black church alive. Bottom-line, there wouldn’t be a Black church if it wasn’t for Black women.

So, I say Erica Campbell you look great! And, if Black women can’t wear white turtleneck dresses that show off their beautiful, God-given curves in heaven than I don’t want to go!