White Gowns are a Good Thing!

Fort Worth Star Tribune columnist Bobby Ray Sanders levels a White Sheet slander against the fantastically qualified Judge Samuel Alito and other great Bush nominated Judges. They are savaged by his comment: "Get ready for the next nominee, who is likely to be a judge as comfortable in a white robe as a black one." See Radioblogger post, he even takes a racist dig at Hugh Hewitt:

HH: Who on the list of any of the judges that have been named, do you believe would be more comfortable, or as comfortable in a white robe as a black robe?
BRS: I will tell you this. I mean, don't you want somebody comfortable in a white robe?

HH: Absolutely not.
BRS: Oh, you don't. Okay. Do you want somebody that will turn back the clock?

Well lets set the record straight regarding White Robes in the History of the World as opposed to the relatively young colloquial problem in the American South. White Robes and those in White are the Mr. Cleans of the Old and New Testament. The KKK high-jacked the White Robes from Spanish Pilgrims who would dress in White during Holy Week celebrations in Spain. The contemporary white gown with a cone hat costume originated in Spain during the middle ages as part of the Easter Holy Week or Semana Santa tradition. The Penitent or "Nazarenes" are dressed in their baptismal white color and march through the streets of Seville. This tradition and such garments have been used since time immemorial in this Holy Week festival which symbolizes an act of penance. In Spain and former colonies, the pointed hat is called "Capirote" and these Nazarenos (Nazarenes) are a Lay Brotherhood or fraternity members, who walk as a processional entourage and carry candles or insignias outfitted in white tunics, capes and masks. You see, Holy Week or Semana Santa is a religious festival where these white hooded and robed penitents march in long processions followed by huge baroque floats on which sit Images of the Virgin or Christ. Large crowds surround the parade of penitents and celebrate the Salvation of mankind, by Jesus' Passion and Death. The masked marchers represent the penitents or sinners who are sorry for their sins against God and as a result want to hide their faces in shame. This is without a doubt one of the most spectacularly reverant and devout Christian Festivals in the World which honors our Savior!

In the Roman Catholic Church the white garment is donned in Baptism because it is a sign of the glorious resurrection life, unto which men are born again by Baptism; and in order to designate the purity of life, to which he will be bound after being baptized, according to Rm. 6:4: "That we may walk in newness of life."

Furthermore the Holy Spirit has some very impressive things to say about

beings in White Robes!

2 Chronicles 5:12 - Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
John 20:12-15 - And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?
Acts 1:10 - And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel

Revelation 3:4 - Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Revelation 3:5 -He that overcometh, the

same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 3:18 - I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint ine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Revelation 4:4 - And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Revelation 6:11-12 - And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became BLACK as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Revelation 7:9 - After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Revelation 7:13-14 - And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Because of their nefarious intentions, the KKK have maligned White Robes for all of us God Fearing People and Bobby Ray, "the Big Mouth" columnist perpetuates this treachery!

Bobby Ray Sanders' column needs to be put through the washing machine's soak cycle with extra strength "Clorox" and several dashes of "Shout" as a chaser. Hopefully his newspaper column will be ready for prime time on Judgment Day and he'll be forgiven for maligning "White Robes" and for inflammatory race-bating statement that defames the President Bush's lists of Constructionist Federal Judges! Lets hope that Bobby Ray gets to debut before the Throne of the Almighty in his Lily white TOGA without a mask, for like all of us, he will no longer be ashamed after being washed in the Blood of the Glorious Lamb of God!

Francis X. Yubero, M.D.

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