The issue of racism

 

 Racism is indeed a sin that impacts every area of society.  I only have a bird's eye view of racism from an American's point of view in a secular sense.  Racism whether subtle or open and blatant, is insidious and just plain wrong.  I used to be obsessed with the issue of race and I have come to realize that this obsession with race and racism has added nothing to my life.  It has taken away from it.  It has caused undue stress.

It is so sad that racism exists.  Why can't we all just get along?  I remember when Rodney King asked this very same question.  It may have been worded differently, however.  The point is the same.  Why can't people get along?  Why are there so many agendas?  Why is there racial supremacy when all humans belong to one race?  Why are we so divided along racial lines?  What is race?

There are so many questions that I would like to ask, but racism is spiritual?  Jew or Greek, we as believers are one with Christ.  One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.  Jesus died for Jew and Gentile, black, white, and Asian.  I noticed that the Word of God had differing views of how humans are classified.  We were nations and tongues and peoples, not just black people, white people, Caucasoid, Negroid, etc.  The people didn't think in 500 year old pseudo-scientific terms.  They didn't have the same concept of race that we have today.

Racism is about as old as humanity itself.  The problem or rather sin or racism will always remain as long as there are racists.  God is only One who will judge the racist.  Anyone regardless or skin tone or nationality can be a racist.  I have learned that first hand.  I have witnessed and dealt with racism all my life and looking back I found out that I no longer have that issue with different cultures.  I did however become obsessed with race or tried to deny it or form my own opinion about it.

I wasn't sure if I should agree or disagree that black people such as myself could be racist because racism is about power.  You see black people don't have much of the political and financial power in the United States so we don't have the power to discriminate against someone because or race or nationality.  A black person can be bigoted, but not racist.

I now believe that this is not the case.  Anyone can be a bigot, but only certain people can be racist?  Not true.  Anyone can be racist, bigoted, or prejudiced.  No one is immune, any more immune that one who has to answer to God for every thought, every word, and every deed they committed under the sun.  I am not immune from this.  We live in a world that lacks compassion and love and racism is devoid of love and compassion from a fellow man.  Where in the Bible does it say that racism, prejudice, and bigotry are okay?  No where.  Why are there segregated churches?  Why do people of differing racial and ethnic backgrounds go to separate churches supposedly on the Sabbath, where it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath?  No where does the Bible say that that is okay.

I was a racist who had her share of prejudiced and bigoted views based on being supposedly well learned.  I would spend or rather waste time ruminating and asking questions about race, color, and racism.  Instead of getting to know people and look at their hearts, I looked at their colors and that is wrong.  No association should be made about a person based on their skin tone, race, or ethnic or national background.  No one has the right to generalize entire groups of people because we don't know everyone in that group.  I have since repented of my sins and have been forgiven.  I have come to realize that as a forgiven person, I have no room to judge anyone else.  I prejudged people based on their racial background and have formed opinions based on their racial background.  My mind and my eyes were closed to the world because of my ignorance and my being sheltered.  I was a sinner in need of a Savior.  I was wrong and I was not proud of my views.  Hidden views about race can be just as dangerous as those that are not so hidden.  I often question myself and the world as large about race, because I hated that it existed, but no amount of question will change anything either. 

What can end racism?  Racism is a sin that each and every individual needs to repent of, regardless of political affiliation, ancestry, skin tone, or ethnicity.  Whatever race we identify as, we are all God's creation but the Holy Spirit of God convicts unbelievers of our sins.  We are to repent and live and love and serve God.  I am not a Bible scholar, but I do know that the Lord is the only One who saves.  All of us are ignorant about something, but we don't have to remain ignorant.  There is no excuse for that.