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RACISM AND THE BODY OF
CHRIST
About a decade ago, I received Jesus Christ
into my heart. I will never forget the first church service I
attended as a born-again Christian. It was at Victory Christian
Center, a non-denominational church located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
During a Sunday morning service, the Pastor called out the name of
various nations from all over the world. People came forth of all
colors and backgrounds, wearing native costumes endemic of their
cultures. It was truly an awesome sight, for I love being around all
nationalities.
I will never forget that
service. A young man performed an Indian ceremonial dance in honor
to the Lord, dressed in traditional Native American clothing and
headdress. It was fascinating to watch. I, myself came from a
mixture of "Black", Cherokee, and French ancestry. I thought to
myself, "this is genuine respect for all people regardless of color…
this Christian stuff is real! People really can come together and
love one another." It is real-- yet people are not perfect,
although we have His perfect Spirit dwelling in us. Later, the
Pastor had an altar call for people struggling with racism and
prejudicism. Many people came forward. Those coming forth
recognized they had a problem racial in nature, and did not run from
it. They wanted to please God rather than keep the bad attitudes and
rationalizations they once embraced. These were the ones who
comprehended, that maybe, prejudice is unpleasing to God.
Certainly, even more remained seated, content and
smug their prejudicial beliefs represented
"truths".
I John 1:9
NIV9
9 Anyone who claims to be in the
light but hates his brother is still in the
darkness.
10 Whoever
loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to
make him stumble.
11 But
whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the
darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness
has blinded him.
However, during this past decade, I have encountered many
types of people and I have learned a rather disheartening
fact…born-again Christians reflect the world when it comes to
racial prejudice in their hearts. It was a rude awakening to me. In
the past, I was accustomed to seeing it and experiencing it in
the world; living in darkness and myself, being a child of darkness.
Going by my experience, many Christians are no less racist than the
world, nor or we any more racist than the world. There are a few
differences, however…Christians hide it better (with the love of the
Lord, of course), and they present "prettier" rationalizations. Are
these rationalizations really based on the kind of love God has
commanded us to demonstrate and feel towards each
other?
To most people I "look" Italian
or Indian. In fact, I am Black, Cherokee Indian, and French. I
however, consider myself a Christian before I consider myself
"anything". I have experienced racism from both whites and
blacks. Blacks at times have accused me of being "high yellow"
or "Uncle Tom"---people who had no clue about me
personally. Because of my complexion, most people cannot tell I
am a "black" person. Often, people "forget" I am black. I
remember one day a white Christian co-worker loudly told
other Christian co-workers around me how she could "no longer go to
a certain gas station for all the "niggers" hanging out there". I
was stunned. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard white
people say "nigger" around me, unaware of my race.
Some will protest here, and say 'we
call ourselves "nigger"! That is a blanket assertion
placed on entire race--many black people hate the word like
I do, and we do not use it among ourselves. I also find, when
you bring these things up to Christians who claim not to be
racist---the same ones which say they hate racism; they immediately
accuse you of "complaining" and "stirring up racial tensions". "Why
do you people always complain…forgive", they say. Have they forgiven
or do they retain lies and stereotypes about people who look
different, speak different,… than they? But the fact is, divisions
have existed long before this article. These racial
divisions already exist, and some people are leaving
Christianity, tired of the hypocrisy.
Martin Luther King forgave. Thank God for him. He wanted to
see unity among Christians and non-Christians. We should forgive, we
are commanded to. But forgiveness and fighting for a good cause are
two separate issues. Ultimately, when standing up for any cause, if
you align yourself to the Word of God as your foundation to the
battle, you are ok with God if you are in obedience to Him. There
are times to take a stand, and then, there may be times, when He
commands silence or inaction.
These
disparities between particularly white and black Christians have
often been misused by people to continue to condemn members of other
races. For example, I have heard very spiritual white people say,
"my neighborhood has really gone down, so many blacks (or Hispanics)
have moved in". "Crime rate going up, black folk
moving in"...Yes, at times groups get offended at
racist comments (such as by Imus); but they should forgive. What
remains remarkable, is the disdain exhibited towards those who
take a stand against racially offensive remarks. Whether this
is insensitivity towards others, are just in agreement with such
comments is almost irrelevant. How often
have you heard of these two great commandments?
MATTHEW 22:37-39
KJV
37 Jesus said unto him,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and
great commandment.
39 And the second is
like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.
Racist Christians
routinely chatter this among themselves in demonstrating their
spiritual prowess, and some of these are the same ones who if they
were honest with themselves, have deep-seated racial prejudice in
their hearts. It almost always come out in conversations or their
deeds; whether its disdain and insensitivity towards another’s group
suffering, "them kind" moving into their neighborhood, ugly
stereotypes, and opposition to interracial marriages (which the Lord
even defended Moses of…and instead God was focused on the
bad-mouthing of His servant by Miriam and
Aaron).
Numbers 12:1-10
NKJV1 1 Then Miriam and
Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had
married; for he had married an Ethiopian
woman.
2 So they said, "Has the
Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us
also?" And the Lord heard it.
3 (Now the man Moses was
very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the
earth.)
4 Suddenly the Lord said
to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tabernacle
of meeting!" So the three came out.
5 Then the Lord came
down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle,
and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went
forward.
6 Then He said, "Hear
now My words: "If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make
Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.
7 Not so with My servant
Moses; He is faithful in all My house.
8 I speak with him face
to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form
of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My
servant Moses?"
9 So the anger of the
Lord was aroused against them, and He
departed.
10 And when the cloud
departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous,
as white as snow. Then
Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.
Racism and prejudicism are
insidious, and often it is subtle as opposed to being
overt. Christians can portray themselves as friends with people
other races, but inwardly have strong racial prejudice in their
hearts. How does one know it’s strong? We can ask ourselves, would I
act differently if this person was white, or black, green or
blue…would I do "Y" as opposed to "Z". Do I have unique
rationalizations to inhibit interaction between particularly races?
Do you hate when people of another race move in your
neighborhood? Many people protest two people marrying outside their
particular race. Such protesters immediately point to the
non-existing children. That’s the more prevalent reasoning, and
it sounds and looks good. These same people who
say such marriages create social problems often say racism in
society is hardly a problem any more. Then why protest in behalf of
the non-existing children if racism no longer exists? Or perhaps,
Jane Doe, you are marrying "beneath" yourself by marrying this black
man? Are these bi-racial children any more persecuted than being a
Christian and targeted for righteousness sake? Funny, we are
expected to endure that, which is generally the most intense
persecution of all forms of persecution. Even Jesus said according
to Matthew 10:35 "For I am come to
set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against
her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law." Persecution can come from our
own family members.
Matthew 5:10 Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
John 15:18
If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me before it hated
you.
John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater
than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute
you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours
also.
1Corinthians 4:12 And labor,
working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we suffer it:
2Corinthians 4:9 Persecuted,
but not forsaken; cast down, but not
destroyed;
Recently, my sister
was emailed a very insensitive article from a white Christian
co-worker, implying blacks took advantage of Hurricane Katrina.
That’s laughable, considering how many died during the catastrophe,
were displaced, left jobless, and homeless. How insensitive to those
who have suffered great loss! As with any disaster, there are some
unscrupulous people out there who will take advantage, but by far,
this is a minor number compared to those who suffered in the
flooding.
Do you roll your eyes when a
black person speaks of the socioeconomic effects slavery has had on
generations? Then question yourself, do you roll your eyes when Jews
discuss the effects of the Holocaust on them as a people? Native
Americans in the United States came close to being wiped out, and
even to this day, many are isolated amongst other community members.
Could it be that one can remember these things because of its
serious impact upon them, and yet, also forgive those who initiated
such things?
Here’s the long and the
short of it. It's time for the Body of Christ to start dealing
with racism. I will never forget watching a white woman, with a
prophetic calling on a Christian television show. She was very
elderly, the type of person who refused to perform for anyone, even
when asked for " a prophetic word ". If she doesn’t have "a word",
she doesn’t make one up just to look prophetically cute. She stated
a major reason the Lord has not returned is because the Church has
not dealt with the racism in it. *I dont know if that is the case, but to many Christians that sounds
strange, it sounds unlikely; but they fail to see racial
prejudice as a form of hatred. People have watered this issue
down, diluted it, and dressed it up to look presentable to
themselves. Even more so, those which harbor negative thoughts
toward those of another race.
God
forgives and we should forgive those who are prejudiced towards us,
no matter what race we are. Any race can be subjected to hatred and
a lot of times, hatred emanates from fear. Too often, Christians try
to justify prejudice, and twist The Word to accommodate themselves,
so they will not have to deal with this type of darkness in their
hearts. We don’t like to think of racism and prejudicism as being
rooted in hatred, because people have window-dressed their bigotry.
The Lord can grant us vision and grace to overcome any area of
temptation and weakness in our lives. If you are reading this and
have disdain towards a racial group, call out to Him to grant you
His grace to overcome prejudice and racism. He is so much greater
than any stronghold or reasoning.
Matthew
15:19 For out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false witness, blasphemies...
Galatians 5-19-21
KJV19
19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies,
21 Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of
God
Zechariah 8:17 And let
none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and
love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the
LORD.
1 JOHN
3-13-15
13 Marvel
not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life,
because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth
in death.
15
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in
him.
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