I also think the new hip-hop and rap music has a lot to do with girls wanting a "thug," "bad boy," who doesn’t work and don't want to bring anything to the table, as I think you said. It's not his fault; it's the choice of the girls that settle for this.

Bishop Speaks

Simply low self-esteem

Bishop:

 As a grandmother 89 years young, I want to personally thank you for all the work you've done for the different Communities in East Cleveland and the City of Cleveland. I also want to thank you for your Bishop Speaks columns that I've been reading for years. Before my husband passed two years ago, he'd walk to the corner gas station to get the Call Post just to read “Bishop Speaks.” We'd laugh so hard as you've always and continue to tell it like it is.

Now after reading your recent columns entitled, "Simply low self-esteem," I had to write you and hope you get this e-mail. My grand daughter, twenty-one years old, moved in with me because her mother and her were not getting along. I was shocked at what I saw my granddaughter, who is beautiful and smart, doing. She let me meet her twenty-year-old boyfriend and I could not even believe that she would even settle for this individual, who came to see her on his bike. I learned he didn't complete high school, is on probation for selling drugs, he does not have a job and from him visiting my granddaughter so much, which I'm going to put a stop to, he's not even looking for work. I also pulled him up on facebook and see he's spending the night at different females home as well, and my granddaughter knows this.

After I sat down with her, made her read your articles on low self-esteem and asked her a few questions, I felt like I was on another planet. She said she had a great deal of respect for herself and that you, her mother and me need to understand that times have changed when it comes to dating and everybody gets out of it what they want.

Bishop, after we talked and I told her that her boyfriend cannot spend all day here at my place, she moved out and the boyfriend and her are staying at one of her friends apartments.

Bishop, times have changed and I don't understand it at all. My daughter, her mother, never set this example for her daughter and always kept a job. She never had a man stay over night, besides her husband, the father of her only child, killed in a car accident.

I really believe that any girl that takes care of a grown man has low self-esteem and no respect for self and believe me, these males will never respect them, as they will only move on to another girl when it get's old.

Bishop:

I'm a Twenty One-year old female with a job, my own apartment, my own car and also in school. I have guys after me all the time, even at the church I attend, but my pastor, like yourself,  always talks about don't settle for less but always the best. I don't want to have children until I get married and I know I want to marry a man that will be there to protect me, as well as provide for me and his family and as his wife. I will have no problem being the "help mate," meaning there to "catch him," if he needs me. I learned this also in Bible class.

I also think the new hip-hop and rap music has a lot to do with girls wanting a "thug," "bad boy," who doesn’t work and don't want to bring anything to the table, as I think you said. It's not his fault; it's the choice of the girls that settle for this.

Thanks bishop and continue to keep it real.

Bishop Moultry:

I'm eighteen years old and after my mother "MADE" me read your article on "Simply low self-esteem.” I wanted to e-mail you and tell you what I told her when she asked me, "Why I always settle for losers instead of winners?" I asked her and I'm asking you, "why you and her got to be judging people?" Just because a girl picks a guy who doesn’t want anything in life is no reason to judge him and that does not mean he's a loser. Not wanting anything in life don't make you a loser, it just makes you a person who don't want anything in life. You say you always keeping it real, so now you know what keeping it real really is.

You can e-mail the Bishop at bishopspeaks@aol.com" title="blocked::mailto:bishopspeaks@aol.com">bishopspeaks@aol.com. Write him at 969 E. 140th St. Cleveland, Ohio 44110 or also check him out on Facebook under Bishop Prince J. Moultry. You can call the church (216) 761-7100 or look up the church website at www.intouchforchrist.com. Join the Bishop for 11 a.m. Praise Service each Sunday at the above address off 140th St. Clair.