Racism among Christians?
Once upon a time, two close friends and their families lived as neighbours in a quiet suburb in Selangor. Their only children were a boy and a girl respectively. As dotting parents, they showered their full measure of love upon their children. Naturally, the two kids spent a lot of time playing with each other.
As time went by, they grew up; they went to the same kindergarten, school and even tuition. Church meetings, youth conventions and care groups were also meeting places. They played at each others homes; everything from computer games to ‘masak-masak’. Eventually however, their friendship began blossoming into something else. Love had permeated their very being. Fun and laughter had deepened into care and concern. This went on unnoticed for a while, though their affection for each other was becoming impossible to hide.
He soon realised that they should inform their parents about this happy development. This also gained particular importance because she was about to enrol herself in a college degree program and he was accepted into a local university to pursue his tertiary education. They prayed about it and arranged for both the families to meet up. His parents agreed readily and even offered to host her family.
As they were seated around the dinner table, he plucked up his courage and told the quiet table of people that they loved each other and wanted to take their relationship a step further. Her father, who until now was listening intently, suddenly stood up and shouted loudly that it was impossible for them to be together because they are not of the same race. There are just too many differences in mindset and culture. It does not matter if they are in love with other but he would never agree to this relationship.
She broke into tears and began begging her dad to reconsider. As he moved forward to console her, her dad pushed him to the floor and stormed towards the door. At this point, his father grabbed a chair in retaliation for the attack upon his son.
A simple dinner between two close families to discuss the furtherance of the relationship between their children had descended into an ugly confrontation. What happened? Wasn’t the relationship just a manifestation of the close ties that the families had built over the years? Why is it that they can be best of friends but are not permitted to share their lives with each other in a more intimate manner? Isn’t the epitome of binding ties reflected in a lasting marriage?
This then leads me to my point. I have seen this happen in churches all over (without naming them). Multiracial relationships are still largely frowned upon. Is it ok if we practise this kind of discrimination as Christians? Is it alright to compartmentalise our Christian principles? We can help a stranger on the roadside but when a ‘stranger’ is about to become part of our family, we get uncomfortable. Shouldn’t culture and mindset be subsets of Christianity instead of the other way around?
posted by Desmond S.D. @ 11:05 AM
10 Comments:
welcome back!
interesting post. hmm...
:)
yeah man... WELCOME!!! :)
Bro, one can name many problems found in Christian communities worldwide even we look for them, from the man who was committing incest with his father’s wife in Corinth in the days of Paul, to high divorce rates in US and large numbers of Christian men addicted to porn – these problems are not caused by Christianity, but exist, despite Christianity’s ability to extinguish them. Thus normative to Christianity is a life that is transformed from slavery to sin and mentalities of sin (like racism) but, we sometimes don’t see this in the life of a genuine Christian for a few reasons;
1. the person who is being observed is in transition, thus, God is in the process of having His way and converting the person. I have heard of racist, humbled by the fact that when they were in trouble, the only people who came to their aide were of the race they hated. If you observed the prodigal son at the parties he had squandering his inheritance, you would have been shocked to find out Whose son he was, but come back again later, after he almost starved on pig food, and see the Father embrace him, and then you will see the great masterpiece of God in action.
2. the person being observed has embraced some sort of false doctrine that justifies their holding on to their sin. Let me give you an OT example of this, when Cain was approached by God, who very strategically asked of Abel’s whereabouts, he responded “Am I my brother’s keeper?”. This is diametrically opposed to God’s law that not only answers Cain, “yes” but goes further and says “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”. Now, one can’t tell if God had given this law in writing or oral tradition to the sons of Adam – but we can tell for sure that He has written it in our hearts. In fact, if you gave me some other interpretation of what that law is in Romans 1-3 that is written in our hearts, I will still prove to you through anthropology that humanity in their depleted-by-sin-but-not-extinguished Image of God (Imago Dei) still hold to the second commandment in a watered down form called the golden rule, which goes “don’t do to others what you would not want them to do to you”. The motivation of this rule has become self centered, that is, its driven by a fear of a law like karma, but that’s what happens when the first law, of loving God with our all, has been lost to a fallen race. (and by the way, this law too is visible, at best as theism and at worst as a fear of the gods or forces that rule the universe.)
3. the person being observed is really not an authentic believer. And this really is the dilemma of the unbeliever – what law or value is there to cause social, racial harmony? One could say, “for the sake of peace” – but what happens when you have become so powerful on the top of the food chain, that you really don’t have to worry about violence from the under dog? Well you could say, “because history teaches us that a revolution may come, and overthrow the ruling class” – but why not wipe out the threat (like Hitler’s final solution). I hope you see what I am getting at, I really don’t think there is a basis for morality apart from a religious or metaphysical foundation. Now some will argue that religion is a social construct, and that atheistic, naturalistic and secular constructs can achieve the same order – but the truth is, the burden of proof is on such people as this past century has had to its atheistic portfolio, the great blood and gore the history of mankind has ever seen. Now this is not to say, religious societies cant have chaos – but a closer inspection on such scenarios will reveal religion that has been perverted, twisted or hijacked by sinful men for their gain – like the terrorist that plague the world today and the inquisition of the past, that attempted to keep power in the clutches of the Roman Catholic church by force and wicked torturous inhumanity.
Hi jacksons,
Am not really too sure who you are but am really glad for the comments. In addition:
1)The person who is being observed is in transition, thus, God is in the process of having His way and converting the person. - I guess this is the best explanation that can be given to explain a Christian's justification of certain unChristian practices. It is indeed painful to watch and much more difficult to make them see the error of their ways simply because it's not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. How do we make them move out of the social culture,which they have been in for generations, into a totally Christian culture?
2)The person being observed has embraced some sort of false doctrine that justifies their holding on to their sin.- Fortunately,have not come across many Christians who are like this. However, trying to rationalise issues with this group is rather complicated too, especially when they also know the Word of God well enough to manipulate it. You would then seem to assume a holier-than-thou attitude.
3)The person being observed is really not an authentic believer.- I pray that this group would not conform into the false Christian mold of the other two.
I totally agree that morality can only have it's foundation in religion. However, only society can make that choice and it's up to us Christians to influence the society around us.
Been there done that. Though the circumstances were a little different... But the main concern was still racial differences and not religion. Should've seem my mum's face - it turned 3 shades darker and she started calling me horrible names like, cheap and b*tch... and my parents were like, "I don't care if he's a good person. I want this to stop."
What got me angry was the name calling. You don't judge people based appearances.
Oh well, we broke up and things turned out for the better, I suppose. Still, it's hard to accept the ugly side that I saw...
My dear desmond,
you have too.. just most absolutely have to put in paragraphs in your post man....hehe..
Interesting post, not the first of it's kind. But still nice to read it and actually ponder about it.
Laters ^_^
sometimes culture takes a little longer to change under the influence of scripture. i've seen the same thing happen too - and you'll be amazed at the rationale some christians offer to deny such relationships
is this the boring desmond that i know? if it's really you, you will know me :)
anyway, was on ling's blog when i saw this and it led me here....
deep thoughts eh? you do realise i am in deeper sh*t? the boss is indian + hindu, so that means it's different religion & different race?
I was a bit confused when I saw your post's date. I was like eh, er...2005?? Then I scrolled further down and finally understood. So yes, welcome back!
Very interesting post. What can I say but that they are hypocrites? Isn't love what God had preached about? Or any other religion for that matter? Why did it had to be this way - to turn something so wonderful into something filled with sadness and hatred.
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