Racism is a special kind of stupid.
Hatred based on skin color.
Hard to imagine anything less rational.
My question for today is:
What are you doing to end racism?
Shaking your fist in rage?
Posting angry words in social media?
Sadly lamenting that ‘people can’t get along’?
Breaking windows and setting stuff on fire?
…have you noticed…
…it’s not working?
Not even a little bit.
Maybe the problem is not what you’re doing.
Maybe the problem is what you’re thinking.
Perhaps a better question is:
WHY…do you want to end racism?
Because racism is against the law?
Not wearing a seatbelt is against the law too.
You’re not marching on Washington when people don’t buckle-up.
You’re not bothered because racists are breaking the law.
Because racism wasn’t ALWAYS illegal.
Not long ago, racist laws dictated mandatory public behavior.
And people knew that being ‘legal’, doesn’t make something ‘right’.
That’s the reason those racist laws were abolished.
Racism is wrong…even when it’s legal.
But you know that already.
Is it because you find racism disgusting?
Not good enough.
Chewing tobacco is disgusting too.
So are untrimmed toenails.
We can’t eliminate things on that basis alone.
Personal preference is arbitrary.
Racism won’t end because you find it personally offensive.
Your opinions aren’t that important.
But God’s opinions are another matter entirely.
Christianity is a complete toolkit for ending bigotry, injustice, and racism.
When the message of the New Testament saturates people…
…they become different people.
No message transforms hearts like the message of Christ.
Christ demonstrated how to behave in the face of bigotry.
Christianity is the only hope for ending racism.
“Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:23)
26 Responses
Reblogged this on do not err and commented:
This is an excellent post on how to fix racism. Sorry that sentence is wrong let me try again, This is an excellent post on THE ONLY WAY to fix racism.
There is only one problem with it but I do not want to give the ending before you even start reading it. Let me just say that I have changed a quote. My sincere apology to John Branyan for changing what he has quoted.
However I will have to first post this to change the quote so for you who just read the email, you will have to go to my blog to get it.
Also I got this through a post on SAILORDALE’S blog
https://sailordale.wordpress.com/2016/09/27/the-only-way-to-end-racism/
You changed my quote?!!
We shall discuss this serious offense at the next meeting of ‘The Council’.
I’m doing a show at Cup O’ Joy on April 7th. You ought to come say hello.
John, I don’t want to Spam your blog, but this is important…
My name is C. Erskine Brown, and I would like to share the most horrifying story you will ever read about modern day racism.
Consistently garnering five stars, A Cry Among Men – The Novel, is being touted as one of the “Best reads of 2016,”… “brilliantly written fiction adroitly framed around the events of today.”
Since its debut, A Cry Among Men has captivated and deeply impacted readers. As a passionate, deep thinker on the subject of racism, I strongly encourage you to read it. Our country must raise the level of discourse on a problem that so many are wide-eyed and vocal about while others have chosen to turn a blind eye.
Thank you,
CB
http://www.amazon.com/author/cerskinebrown
Interesting. And yet, more racism has been practiced and institutionalized either in the name of your religion and your god or by using the bible as justification.
If the character Jesus of Nazareth were to wander into certain cities or towns in the states even today he would be the subject of vicious racism – from Christians. Of that I guarantee.
So, no , John Christianity is not the only hope as its proponents and its doctrine is evidence of just how vile it truly is.
Nonsense.
Thanks for the comment.
Nonsense?
Martin Luther?
Jurisdiction?
Manuel Noriega?
You’ll have to do better that that John.
Apartheid, for example, was fully justified using the bible.
If you are going to make a post stating Christianity is the only way to end racism then you must first explain why Christianity was used to justify it.
That is the honest way to start.
Ark–you’re being trolled. He’s not interested in having a conversation with you on an old post–and he’s CERTAINLY not interested in hearing you repeat stuff you’ve heard other Atheists say.
Just catching you up. 🙂
Ah,I see. So he is simply being a Dickhead, then? Par for the course for your old man, it seems?
Is he pissed off because I don’t think he’s funny or embarrassed that he writes such stupid posts?
Convocation?
Estelle Getty?
At what point does the person calling everyone a “dickhead” stop and take inventory?
Seriously, Ark: people aren’t dickheads just for not wanting to deal with you. You’re pretty exhausting.
We’ve had the policy not to debate on old posts forever, and I’ve told you that before. But, if you want to believe that he’s “embarrassed” or otherwise upset, go for it. I can’t stop you.
I was not necessarily expecting a debate.
The post was listed under similar and I followed it and had a read.
That is why we write posts is it not? For people to read?
If your old man doesn’t want to engage, good for him.
I’m certainly not crying in my tea, for the gods’sake.
🙂
The post is here because we don’t delete posts. (That would be KIA.)
But, you didn’t just “have a read.” You also made a comment.
Comments are made because you want someone to read them and respond, right?
Good. I’m glad you’re not upset about the whole thing.
In the future, feel free to post comments full of claims you can’t back up on any old posts you wish. Also, feel free to believe you aren’t getting a thoughtful, respectful reply because we don’t have answers. Or because we’re embarrassed. Or whatever.
JB–for the gods’ sake, don’t even troll him. Ignore future comments on old posts all together! 🙂
Intentions?
Merv Griffin?
(*sigh)
Helpful?
Antidisestablishmentarianism?
I know I made a comment. So what?
There is no mandate that says.
”Oh, shit, there is a WordPress Rule one has to respond to all comments.”
Stop being so bloody sensitive and petty.
I could really care less if you or your dad responds or not.
I don’t always respond to every comment. Sometimes I just click ”like” to acknowledge I have read it.
Reblogged this on sailordale and commented:
Darwin is a Founding Father of Racism!
Just look at the FULL title of his book “The Origin of Species”
You may have to do a little digging, because it is VERY non- PC!
Why do I hate racism? That’s easy
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
What gives me the right to hate that?
Nothing
Racist isn’t the same as racial. Our first challenge is delineating between the two. It’s sort of like the line between having sex and being pregnant. One is certainly not the same as the other but they are most assuredly related. I think much of what is deemed hate, racist, or injustice is merely a misrepresentation of the truth stoked by emotional immaturity causing overreactions which seem to always end badly. Police shooting someone who is holding a gun and disobeying police commands isn’t racist because the cop is white and the dead guy is black. The reaction however seems to be all about race and too many are falling for the ruse and going along with the power play manipulation. Comments that appear to label groups as racist or individuals as racist are often made by individuals who themselves see everything through a victim oriented racial filter. How that happens is the first question to address. It stems from government run/funded education, media, entertainment and backed by our politicians. Why now when POC have more freedoms, more success, more prestige, more power, more money, more stuff than at any other time in our nation’s history?
Great comment, Stephen.
By way of anecdote, a few weeks ago, I was reading the tweets under the hashtag “say their name”–which is a Black Lives Matter creation designed to spread the news whenever a racial minority gets shot by police. Anyway, while I was reading, a new name popped up. People were repeating names like “Philando Castile” and “Michael Brown,” plus this new lady I hadn’t read about yet, with the hashtag #SayTheirNames. It turns out, the lady was a mother of three who had been shot by police standing on her own front porch. (And her family claimed she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.)
Well, the name trended for about 30 minutes, until it was discovered that one of the news outlets had misreported her as an Hispanic.
She was actually white.
And, immediately after the correction, everyone forgot who she was.
…That’s just about everything I need to know about the group-think responsible for popularizing these stories.
John,
I agree. Changed hearts through Christ truly is the only answer.
Today, racism is a fraction of what it was years ago, but our government is stoking fires and stirring up pots of trouble. It has not been a daily issue for many years, but now “racist” is an argument-ending word people throw at you when they disagree with you, but have no facts to dispute what you say. No right thinking person wants to be thought of as a racist.
So they will make more laws, like “hate crimes” and “thought crimes”, taking away freedoms until this nation looks like a live action roleplay of Orwell’s 1984. Freedom to worship and preach Christ will one day be illegal for its perceived threat against government and it’s ever-growing power.
The Lord can’t return soon enough.
Dave
Revelation 22:20 (ESV) – He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
That would be more persuasive if I wasn’t seeing Christians post racist comments like they were getting paid for it
Example?
I would argue that in order to be “Christ like”, one would have to be like Christ, and posting racist comments is not something Jesus did or would do today. So I would chalk up all of the non Christ like activity from would be Christians as a misrepresentation of his message.