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
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