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The Christian and Racism. What Does the Bible Say?. Racism in the World Today. A person can be racist and be white (KKK, Neo-Nazis) or black (Black Panthers) A person can be racist without being a member of a racist organization
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The Christian and Racism What Does the Bible Say?
Racism in the World Today • A person can be racist and be white (KKK, Neo-Nazis) or black (Black Panthers) • A person can be racist without being a member of a racist organization • A Christian can have racist attitudes (see articles by some preachers in the Gospel Guardian in the 1960’s)
Racism in the World Today • Racism is not… • When a police officer of one color makes an arrest of someone of another color • When an employer of one color hires someone of the same color based solely on qualifications • When a Christian says that a non-Christian (Muslim) must convert in order to be saved, or that a homosexual must repent in order to be saved
Definition of Racism Racism = A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary) Racism = the belief that one race is superior to another; one race is more pure than another
Causes of Racism • Ignorance and fear (Gen. 4:15? 9:25? 10:32? 11:1-9? black people are cursed? theory of evolution?) • Pride and prejudiced (Prov. 16:18; Gal. 6:3; Phil. 2:2-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-4) • Hatred (“hate crimes”; Mt. 5:43-45; Gal. 5:19-20; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; Tit. 3:3; 1 Jn. 2:9-11; 4:20-21)
Results of Racism • Segregation, discrimination, slavery, violence (“equal but separate”? Jn. 4:4,9; 8:48; 18:28; Gal. 2:11-16; Acts 10:28; 11:3; Jas. 2:1-9; 1950-60’s segregation) • Stereotyping (Jn. 1:46) • No inter-marriage (racial or religious grounds? Deut. 7:3? [see 21:10-13] Josh. 23:12? Ezra 9:12; 10:10-11? Neh. 13:23-27? Num. 12:1? Mt. 1:5?) • Genocide (Ex. 1:15-17; Esther 3:6; Jewish holocaust; South African apartheid; ethnic cleansing in Crotia)
Prevention of Racism • All people in the world (1) come from one original couple and (2) are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:20; Acts 17:26-28; Jas. 3:9) • God is no respecter of persons (Deut. 10:17-19; 2 Chron. 19:7; Acts 10:34-35; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17) • God saves all people the same way (Lk. 13:29; Jn. 3:16; Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Tit. 2:11; Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 14:6)
Prevention of Racism • God is concerned about the inward man, not the outward (skin color) of man (1 Sam. 16:7; Mk. 7:20-23; Rom. 2:28-29) • Love and good deeds for all people regardless of racial background (Deut. 10:19; Mt. 22:39; Rom. 13:9-10; Jas. 2:10) • True unity and equality regardless of racial background (Eph. 2:16)
The Christian and Racism • Racism (in and out of the Lord’s church) will be solved by transforming one’s mind to the will of God, by not civil policies alone, forced integration, etc. • God will not judge us on the color of our skin, but on the content of our character (Rom. 2:6-11)