Racism is sin! | |
Racism is sin! We were “all” created by God for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11 KJV). We were created to live with God eternally; we were created to be in community with one another. I’m often asked, “Why does it seem every issue today boils down to race?” It seems that the issue of racism is one which intersects all aspects of our being. Issues of privilege and advantage, inclusion and exclusion impact our relationships with each other and to the goods, services and opportunities of society. Our present racial/ethnic group relationships are informed by our histories and shaped by the realities of living in a racialized society. As people of faith, we are called to recognize racism’s impact on our relationships with each other and with God. The resource entitled, Transformative Justice: Being Church and Overcoming Racism, acknowledges racism as a sin and states the following: 1). denies the very source of humanity, the image of God in humankind; 2). destroys God’s likeness in every person and thus repudiates creation and its goodness; 3). assumes that human beings are not equal before God and are not part of God’s family; 4). is contrary to biblical teaching; 5). denies basic justice and human dignity; 6). is a blatant denial of the Christian faith; 7). is incompatible with the Gospel; 8). is a flagrant violation of human rights; 9). separates us from God and from other human beings; 10). makes us blind to the reality of people’s suffering and 11). perpetuates racist attitudes, practices and institutional racism. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. A prayer suggestion: Dear God, Creator of the universe and all that inhabit it, we come as your Church, and as individuals, in humble submission to Your Word and Your Way. God, you who are Alpha and Omega, The Almighty Judge and The Forgiver of All Sins, we come with bowed heads and contrite hearts on behalf of generations past, present and those yet unborn. We now ask that you forgive us and create in us a new spirit. Bind our hearts and send forth the healing power that You and You alone can give to us and this sin sick world. Bring us into reconciliation with one another and restore us to thy path. Amen. Suggested covenant: O God, as people of faith, we covenant with you, with one another and our churches to: * become better informed about people of other races and cultures, that we may overcome the fears and misconceptions that exist; * consider how issues of racial prejudice and privilege affect each person with whom we come in contact; * discover and acknowledge practices and structures that are racist in our churches and communities; * work to erase the sins of racism and injustice where they exist in our churches and communities and * prayerfully heed Your call to embrace people of all colors, faiths, economic and social backgrounds as our brothers and sisters; we are all God’s children. (Something to remember is God doesn’t make mistakes). My suggestion to all that read this: Get a heritage DNA Test done on yourself; it will be very revealing. They are inexpensive and easy to do right at home. I did one recently and learned something about myself I didn’t know. I have an ancestor from long ago from what we call the Middle East today; you can’t tell that by just looking at me today. Food for thought: When one person treats another person bad because they look different, they may not realize it that they might be hurting a blood relative. We judge people today based on skin color, hair type, eye shape, etc. A humans race cannot be reliably determined by any of those traits mentioned in the previous sentence. DNA is the better way to learn more about yourself and others; try it. Another thought: Anyone, regardless of what they look like can make a bad decision to commit a racist act. Some believe only certain folks of a certain color can act bad. Humans have been treating other humans bad for as long as humans have been on this earth; no one can deny this. | |
Target State: All States Target City : All Cities Last Update : Oct 07, 2024 8:33 AM Number of Views: 48 | Item Owner : Rick Davis Contact Email: Contact Phone: (None) |
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