Tuesday, 17 November 2009
-
Love Thy Neighbor: Racism and the Bible
A few nights ago I was watching a documentary about skinheads in America, and how much they hate other races but themselves. I have always been fascinated with things like this, and I watched this to also keep an idea of what went on around me and throughout the entire world. As I kept on watching this documentary, there was a part where they were interpreting the bible, making it seem like it was one way when it really wasn't. They felt like the bible wasn't for the Blacks, Hispanics, Asian's and even Jews. And there was a part where they took an Israelite flag spat on it, let it burn until there was nothing left, and did the Nazi salute afterward. What got me to this was that they called themselves people of God, but yet hate so much and do so much crime its unbelievable.
The Bible says love thy neighbor as thyself, but people can't seem to follow it correctly. They always have to hate someone because of their religious background or their cultural background. But God made us different and unique, and we have to accept that. We can't change what we believe in or our cultural backgrounds just because someone else doesn't like it. What someone else may not like maybe something someone else may love.
Most of the time people like that are big hypocrites. They hate Jews, but wasn't Jesus a Jew? How can they hate Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Jews, but claim to love the God whom they have never seen? How can they interpret the Bible calling out what is a sin, but they sin more than the average person, in my opinion? Love thy neighbor as thyself--that's not hard to do.
Have you experienced someone misinterpreting the Bible to coincide with his or her social beliefs? What can we as Christians do to lovingly correct those who might misinterpret the Bible?
-
recommend
- recs 1
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Related Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to revelife's Revelife Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in revelife's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
About the Author
-
- From: Sincerly
Stats: This Week All Time Posts: 0 1 Views: 0 801 Comments: 0 47 View all posts by Sincerly
Comments (47)
A lot of people consider themselves Christians and ignore parts of the Bible they don't like to hear. The best way to correct someone who misinterprets the Bible is to show them multiple verses that contradict their theory. If they refuse to listen, don't push and let it go. Hopefully they'll see the truth in the future. My mother in law thinks everyone is going to heaven because she doesn't think God would send anyone to hell. My husband and I tried to show her TONS of verses about God being a just God and saying there WILL be people condemned, but she just doesn't care. We just let it go.
RACIST, "CHRISTIAN" (I use that term loosely) PEOPLE OF EARTH:
Jesus Christ WAS NOT white. Let that sink in for a moment.
Now that that's over these people should shut the fuck up. Anyone who uses religion as a facade for their hateful, discriminatory ways is deemed a hypocrite in my book and should not be allowed to say they are a follower of said religion (in this case Christianity).
Love and truth can correct. I wrote a blog about this a while back. I also came across a story in which a black minister loved a man out of the KKK (story here).
I used to be a christian racist, it was called Kinism. They are still around and going but they are not doing too much. They are the smartest and best read christians you will ever meet. You can make a good case for racism with Ezra and Nehemiah.
I can guarantee you that anyone on this website would lose a debate against a Kinist. They have an answer for everything and they know there theology better then you guy's know how to brush your teeth. And that jesus jew thing they have a fantastic argument for that. I would love to see you folks debate a Kinist no offense but they would make anyone on this website look foolish.
http://kinism.net/
http://spiritwaterblood.com/what-is-kinism
Are we showing love when we, as christians, mistakenly misappropriate other cultures in manners that could be misconstrued as racist? What about when we "exoticize" another ethnicity? Are we showing love to our neighbors of the "exotic" ethnicity? NO. What about brothers and sisters in Christ that are that ethnicity? What do you think they feel when they see what we have done?
By misappropriating cultures and making ethnicities exotic, we make said culture and ethnicity the "other" and "separate" from us, allowing the opportunity to marginalize individuals who are of other cultures and ethnicities. This does not show love to our neighbors, but rather injures them. Loving our neighbors is so much more than just being a friend in a time of need to a stranger. Love requires so much more from us.
I know I am not void of prejudice, I realize new ones all the time. However I find it incredible that there are so many seemingly intelligent people who openly embrace something as archaic and primitive as routine, intentional racism.
@ChevalierSeingal@datingish -
I've perused those sites before, and although I do think upon close examination their arguments are chock full of flaws, I have to admit they do a good job making it seem flawless. They know their stuff.
Absolutely.
What can we as Christians do to lovingly correct those who might misinterpret the Bible?
Correct with love. No shoving, no pushing, no forcing; love. If they won't listen, you may have to wait for a while. Eventually, they may come around. Or maybe not. But, correct with love.
I've been forced to deal with this; a very foreign concept to me. I was raised in a mindset that ignored race and standing for quality of mind and heart.
In my ministry here in the South, I have found that racist divides are seemingly insurmountable. I have members who would (seriously) walk out if a black family came in.
I went "door knocking" (yeah, it's more acceptable down here) and knocked on a black families door; when I told them that I was a preacher and just trying to get the word out they got angry with me and told me not to be bothering the "black folk" because blacks and whites don't worship together.
I have yet to find a way around this other than simply not standing for it.
@deepestrecesses - That seems so weird to me because I'm a black person from the South, yet all of my friends are white. When I became a Christian, it never felt odd to me to worship with my brothers and sister of the faith who were of a different race.
What I have learned is that no matter what people think or how they might treat me, I have to show grace unlimited. Anger won't make people less racist, and as a Christian my goal is always show Christ.
First off, to say loving your neighbor isn't hard is a little flippant. After all, we're talking about showing real love for people, not just the absence of hate. Love gives everything it has to people its never met. I can't remember the last person I met who was voluntarily impoverished for the sake of others.
When I encounter racism I feel an odd mix of emotions. Bewilderment, fury, devastation, scorn...and a strong impulse to throw something. If it's someone claiming Christ, these are all just amplified to the ten thousandth place. The more I read the Bible the more I see love as the focus. The deep love of God for His creation and the love He wants us to offer to each other pours from every page.
@subSacred@xanga - Excellently worded! I agree completely. Recognizing our own prejudices (And their sinfulness) is the most important step to combatting racism.
@ChevalierSeingal@datingish - I fail to see how any argument using Christ's people to bolster a position for racism could be "fantastic." Just because one is smart or well read does not make them correct. As to their ability to make anyone appear foolish in a debate, that is of little consequence. The person able to win a debate or make their opponent appear foolish is not necessarily right. The only debate that matters is the one between you and God....in which there is fairly little debating.
As for how to correct such thinking, I am at a loss. Everyone believes what they want to believe, regardless of the evidence to the contrary. The Holy Spirit must convict each individual of their sin and the individual must acknowledge it before anything is to be done by another man or woman. I have no problem, however, doing what is necessary to stand between a racist and their prey. Just because I cannot stop their faulty thinking does not mean I won't try to stop it's effects.
@wings_01@xanga - yeah, that is basicaly how I feel. This is all very odd to me down here.
@subSacred@xanga - That's the only reason I give them respect is because they do there homework and use there brain. Me growing up in the charismatic religion I have major problems with people who don't use there brains because I have seen major damaging consequences because of it.
Personally I don't have to agree with them to respect them. And I completely understand them because the one guy who was my best friend lived in a neighborhood in Florida and the neighborhood he lived in the minorities moved in and by the time they got finished it was full of crime and drugs and his house had been busted into and his life in danger because of it.
Now it is real easy for us who have grown up in crime free neighborhoods to judge them for there "racism" but until we have lived life in a prison or jail (which I have) or a neighborhood such as this we are doing nothing but talking out of our asses and like it or not just like us they have the constitutional right to believe whatever they want without the thought police screaming down there backs.
Believe it or not whenever the racist groups come to town now for a meeting most of the time now the non racists are the ones who are resorting to violence. Figure that one out.
@theworldiswatchingyou@xanga - I am not christian so I could give a rat's ass about your self righteous pietism, safe it for some weak minded smuck who gives a crap.
As far as "how to correct such thinking" you believe in a talking walking snake (Gen 3) your all nut's! I could care less who is the nuttier one I was only giving my experience and providing information so save the billy graham bullshit for someone who cares.
And until you take yourself into the middle of Africa alone where they would not think twice of gang raping your ass these particular fake heroic words mean nothing to me: "doing what is necessary to stand between a racist and their prey"
@ChevalierSeingal@datingish - Now it is real easy for us who have grown up
in crime free neighborhoods to judge them for there "racism" but until
we have lived life in a prison or jail (which I have) or a neighborhood
such as this we are doing nothing but talking out of our asses
I have not lived in prison or jail, but I have spent the majority of my life in crime ridden neighborhoods. However, the neighborhoods I lived in were crime ridden long before I was born, so I suppose that might give me a different perspective on race and crime than someone having a good neighborhood go bad. I still find it difficult to see how intelligent people can argue that certain ethnicities alone automatically make things worse.
@subSacred@xanga - I understand where you are coming from absolutely. I will give any individual an opportunity for friendship regardless of color (one of my "girl" friends is a black drag queen) but as a white man with a brain there are certain neighborhoods I will not walk into without a gun and this guy: @gmx0@xanga - claims that "The great Equalizer is Jesus Christ" ,that all sounds peachy and fuzzy and get all our penises real hard but he was not one of those christian missionaries who was raped and brutally murdered in Africa when our "great Equalizer" operated his right to remain silent.
"There is no male or female,Jew or Greek...." Isnt that what the Bible says? I totally agree with that...Id like to ask an open question: Why do so many Christians support the nation of Israel? Did you know that they have system of aparthied in Israel?...That altho they say they are a democratic state the only ppl that have any freedom are the Ashkenasi(white-skinned) Jews? Do you think that you can get "brownie points" with God by waving an Israeli flag? I USED to be a Christian Zionist...But after reseaching the history of Israel and how it was formed in 1948,I came to the conclusion that as a matter of Christian conscience I can NO longer support what they are doing to the Palestinian ppl.I know Im going to get a TON of hate mail because Im anti-zionist(NOT anti-semite).
@ChevalierSeingal@datingish - I would have phrased it differently if I knew you weren't a Christian since I hold Christians to a higher standard and therefore speak more harshly to them. But the message stays the same which was only that making your opponent look foolish doesn't actually mean anything substantial.
I'm sorry I sounded self-righteous, I certainly don't think I'm any better than anyone else, as my own site will testify. It would also inform you that I will be making my first trip to South Africa (a place still very much torn apart by the effects of apartheid) in April. Not that traveling to Africa actually makes you any more of a defender than staying in your own country. Injustice and danger are everywhere, you just have to be willing to leave the comfort of your own sphere to find it.
Everyone believes something that someone else finds crazy. That hardly matters. The actions put forth because of those beliefs are what hurt or help people. It's the actions that people judge.
@Xmedic90@xanga - I think a lot of it falls to the belief that the Jews must have control of the temple mount in order for Jesus to return and Christians tend to believe that it is therefore their job to help God out in securing the temple. *shrugs* I support them as a people, just as i support all people groups, but I don't get involved in the land or governmental disputes.
I don't agree with the people who think Israel can do nothing wrong (even God disagrees, and says so all throughout the Bible) but I don't think being anti-Jew is a Biblical position either.
@theworldiswatchingyou@xanga - No problem I am a very forgiving apostate. And a very sexy one as well!
@theworldiswatchingyou@xanga - By the way, what's the difference between Africa and Harlem??? Why waste the gas???
@Xmedic90@xanga - "There is no male or female,Jew or Greek...." Isnt that what the Bible says? Yes that's why there is no such thing as gay marriage!
Read the 2nd racist link I provided. In every pile of crap you will find a kernel of corn.
@ChevalierSeingal@datingish - The obvious difference is that there are different people. Helping those in Harlem doesn't benefit those in South Africa. Those in Harlem should help those in Harlem, those in South Africa help those in South Africa, just as I help those in my city. Some Christians in South Africa have specifically requested some of my church family join them to assist in a number of projects so we are going. I personally have joined my family in the journey because I feel it is part of the purpose or destiny God has for my life. If someone in Harlem were to request my help I would consider joining them as I considered joining my extended family in South Africa.
To me, it is better to "waste the gas" on this trip than on a vacation. I am not substituting helping Africa in place helping others, I am substituting helping Africa in place spoiling myself with a week at the beach sipping Mojitos and buying a new wardrobe. It's not a waste.
It's fairly simple to me, but definitely a frequently asked question.
@theworldiswatchingyou@xanga - Your churches idea, that's exactly what I thought. Plus the fact that it sounds more "self sacrificing" when you travel to Africa where the skeptics cannot measure and criticize the results. Harlem is much too hard to "break through" since they are use to pimps and there manipulation tactics.
@ChevalierSeingal@datingish - Uhhhh, you're making this trip to be a lot more than it is. It's not like I'm competing for a prize, why would the skeptics (and skeptics of what? that I'm actually going?) even care how I'm spending my time? No one follows me to measure the results when I go home to visit my parents.
And it's not exactly self-sacrificing....I want to go.
The people in South Africa have been inviting us every year for five years or so now. It wasn't my churches idea, unless you're counting all Christians as part of one church, which I guess we kind of are...but if you look at it that way it matters even less that one family member asked another for help. If they're the ones asking for help, wouldn't they "measure the results" themselves?
"break through"? Break through what? What on earth are we talking about? o.0