Lord Jesus Christ (Ruh Allah Issa/Bhagwan Yeshu Masih) urged his followers: "Love each other as I have loved you (John 15:12)," and also "Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 19:19)." Jesus also advised the people to follow the Golden Rule. He said, "In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12)."
Written by: Jeffrey Ram, Toronto, Canada, August 25, 2020
Racism is prejudice, discrimination, hate, and violence based on the color of people's skin. The recent "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations all across the world with overwhelming participation by whites, especially young people, proved that the majority of white people consider racism inhumane and reprehensible. The Bible teaches us equality. "God created man in his own image (Genesis1:27)." God's image cannot be superior for some humans and inferior for others based on their skin color. Racism is not a skin problem, but it is a sin problem because racism is against Christian values.
Apostle Paul preached equality among Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free, male and female (Galatians 3:28; Romans 10:12; Colossians 3:11). Apostle Peter also emphasized the equality of Jews and gentiles when he said," God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean (Acts 10:28)." Apostle John preached, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16)." Lord Jesus Christ (Ruh Allah Issa/Bhagwan Yeshu Masih) urged his followers: "Love each other as I have loved you (John 15:12)." and also, "Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 19:19)." Jesus also urged people to follow the Golden Rule. He said, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12)."
There is no limit to racial prejudice and hatred. The self-styled superior white racists also practice racism against other white Europeans. In Europe, some western and northern Europeans believe that the east and south Europeans are racially inferior. In Canada, only the English and French are races, and all others, including the Europeans, are ethnics. Some Europeans think that visible minorities are inferior to them, and even some members of the visible minority groups consider themselves superior to other visible minority groups. Although all visible minorities are victims of racism, Blacks and Indigenous people suffer the most intense hate and brutal violence.
The Black and other visible minority victims of racism need hope. Many artists have shared their feelings. Michael Jackson echoed the sentiments of many: "All I want to say is that, They don't really care about us." Aretha Franklin also shared the same experience: “Nobody, Nobody cares, Nobody cares.” Public Enemy screamed and shouted: “We got to fight the powers that be, Lemme hear you say, Fight the power, lemme hear you say, Fight the power.” K'naan responded: “When I get older, I will be stronger, they'll call me freedom, just like a wavin flag.” Bob Marley and The Wailers encouraged the victims not to give up: "Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights! Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!" Tye Tribbett encouraged by crooning: "Trust when I say that, We gon' be alright, we gon' be alright." Kirk Franklin and The Family also offered hope: "There's gonna be a brighter day, All your troubles will pass away A revolution's comin', yes its comin' comin." Sound of Blackness was also hopeful: "Hold On ( A Change is Comin')." Sam Cooke also expressed hope: "It's been a long, a long time coming, But I know a change's gonna come, oh, yes, it will."
However, it is not easy to bring about change. We need a plan of action. We should follow the advice of experience. Kamala Harris rightly said, "There is no vaccine for racism. We've gotta do the work." Reverend William Barber emphasized the need for coalitions: "When hands that once picked cotton have joined together with white hands and Native hands, brown hands and Asian hands, we have been able to fundamentally reconstruct this democracy. Slavery was abolished. Women did gain the right to vote. Labor did win a 40-hour work week and a minimum wage. The civil rights movement in the face of lynching and shooting did expand voting rights to African Americans." President Obama guided, "if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn't between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform." Stacey Abrams, author of "Our Time is Now," urged: "Vote. Vote like your life depends on it, because as we see it every day, it really does."
As Christians, it is our sacred duty to practice love, equality, and justice, and promote social harmony. We should mobilize, organize, and support anti-racist campaigns and protests. Being a Christian means Being an Anti-racist. Christian values and racism cannot co-exist.
Blessing: May God Bless You, Your Family and Friends, and Make You A Blessing to Others.
(Reform Advocate's World Christians blog appears on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month)
Links/Tags:
https://obama.medium.com/how-to-make-this-moment-the-turning-point-for-real-change-9fa209806067
https://www.obama.org/anguish-and-action/
Oprah’s Where Do We Go From Here: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09ysfL2SlHo;
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jy6LpivqIM
Title blog picture: Creator: Jacquelyn Martin | Credit: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
United Against Hate picture: East Enders
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