Just wanted to say, I can tell from your writing that you and I disagree on much in politics. Regardless, I read and appreciate your point of view and experience, as it is different from my own, which is what makes it valuable.
One suggestion I have, as clearly a white guy with the whitest name ever. I appreciate that you almost certainly have experienced racism directly, witnessed its byproducts both in a micro and macro scale. That is clear. However, I would encourage you to consider that white people are not the origin of racism. Your remarks on the last couple of articles frame all such evil as white in origin. I would respectfully disagree.
One time I was sitting in my back yard when some "evangelists" of another middle eastern doctrine came to visit my lovely Muslim neighbours. They sat in the back yard. I overheard these men tell my neighbours "Islam is not for these white nor black ×××keys." My neighbours quickly ejected them from their homes.
I also know a pastor from Guyana who told me many stories of how hard life is being mixed race in a country almost exclusively sub-Saharan African and East Indian.
Racism is one of the most inclusive forms of hate. It affects everyone, and its a human problem, not a white problem. At least that's my perspective.
To the main point of the article, I agree that the Church needs all of itself, from all walks. I also think we need to break the medieval format of one guy being hero worshipped and reading out of a book for an hour we all already own. We're no longer illiterate or unable to get a copy, so maybe we can stop (and this is where I'll agree on race, given that the west was predominantly white and this was a western phenomenon) the white guy from exploiting that he's the top cheese with top authority over the holy book to accomplish his misdeeds.
Thanks for reading, engaging and sharing your thoughts! I appreciate your willingness and openness to be challenged by hearing different perspectives of brothers & sisters in Christ.
Just to clarify - I do not think all evil and racism originates with the white man. I can see how my overt focus on white supremacy (given my background as someone raised in a recently colonized country now living & serving in a context where white supremacy caused transatlantic slavery, colonization, segregation & genocide) may make it seem that way but I don’t believe I’ve explicitly said that because I don’t really believe that to be true.
While white supremacy is certainly a dominant form of racism in our world today (and certainly in my readers’ contexts), it is certainly not the only form and origin of racism. As for evil, I think evil can be traced all the way back to the Fall in Genesis 3. But the Good News is that Genesis 3 also promises a Saviour who will crush the head of all injustice & oppression - beginning with his death & resurrection and completed by his return when everything will be made new.
Thanks for giving me a chance to clarify and appreciate you reading and humbly engaging brother.
PS: I used to be a conservative Republican political consultant in Georgia so I have the highest empathy for my politically conservative brothers & sisters. Pursuing justice with Jesus and engaging with people on the margins shattered that for me over the past many years so I don’t hold to political categories for myself anymore. I just try to be faithful in pursuing Jesus and his just kingdom - regardless of which political side I end up agreeing with.
Thanks for engaging on this. Agree wholeheartedly, yes, in recent history the white west perpetrated a nearly global evil and I don't mean to minimize that.
Also, completely understand what you mean about Republican conservative. I describe myself as conservative, but after browsing Parlor back in 2021, I decided to further clarify "Canadian conservative, which is more like a Democrat than a Republican!" 🤣
Hahaha yes - Canadian conservatism (despite its recent rightward shifts) has been a breath of fresh air coming from the US and reminds me of the Bush-era Compassionate Conservatism that is nowhere to be found in the US Republican Party of today. And I say that as someone who genuinely tried to push for that from within as an up & coming party leader.
Just wanted to say, I can tell from your writing that you and I disagree on much in politics. Regardless, I read and appreciate your point of view and experience, as it is different from my own, which is what makes it valuable.
One suggestion I have, as clearly a white guy with the whitest name ever. I appreciate that you almost certainly have experienced racism directly, witnessed its byproducts both in a micro and macro scale. That is clear. However, I would encourage you to consider that white people are not the origin of racism. Your remarks on the last couple of articles frame all such evil as white in origin. I would respectfully disagree.
One time I was sitting in my back yard when some "evangelists" of another middle eastern doctrine came to visit my lovely Muslim neighbours. They sat in the back yard. I overheard these men tell my neighbours "Islam is not for these white nor black ×××keys." My neighbours quickly ejected them from their homes.
I also know a pastor from Guyana who told me many stories of how hard life is being mixed race in a country almost exclusively sub-Saharan African and East Indian.
Racism is one of the most inclusive forms of hate. It affects everyone, and its a human problem, not a white problem. At least that's my perspective.
To the main point of the article, I agree that the Church needs all of itself, from all walks. I also think we need to break the medieval format of one guy being hero worshipped and reading out of a book for an hour we all already own. We're no longer illiterate or unable to get a copy, so maybe we can stop (and this is where I'll agree on race, given that the west was predominantly white and this was a western phenomenon) the white guy from exploiting that he's the top cheese with top authority over the holy book to accomplish his misdeeds.
Sorry for the novel. God bless.
Hey Jesse -
Thanks for reading, engaging and sharing your thoughts! I appreciate your willingness and openness to be challenged by hearing different perspectives of brothers & sisters in Christ.
Just to clarify - I do not think all evil and racism originates with the white man. I can see how my overt focus on white supremacy (given my background as someone raised in a recently colonized country now living & serving in a context where white supremacy caused transatlantic slavery, colonization, segregation & genocide) may make it seem that way but I don’t believe I’ve explicitly said that because I don’t really believe that to be true.
While white supremacy is certainly a dominant form of racism in our world today (and certainly in my readers’ contexts), it is certainly not the only form and origin of racism. As for evil, I think evil can be traced all the way back to the Fall in Genesis 3. But the Good News is that Genesis 3 also promises a Saviour who will crush the head of all injustice & oppression - beginning with his death & resurrection and completed by his return when everything will be made new.
Thanks for giving me a chance to clarify and appreciate you reading and humbly engaging brother.
PS: I used to be a conservative Republican political consultant in Georgia so I have the highest empathy for my politically conservative brothers & sisters. Pursuing justice with Jesus and engaging with people on the margins shattered that for me over the past many years so I don’t hold to political categories for myself anymore. I just try to be faithful in pursuing Jesus and his just kingdom - regardless of which political side I end up agreeing with.
Thanks for engaging on this. Agree wholeheartedly, yes, in recent history the white west perpetrated a nearly global evil and I don't mean to minimize that.
Also, completely understand what you mean about Republican conservative. I describe myself as conservative, but after browsing Parlor back in 2021, I decided to further clarify "Canadian conservative, which is more like a Democrat than a Republican!" 🤣
Hahaha yes - Canadian conservatism (despite its recent rightward shifts) has been a breath of fresh air coming from the US and reminds me of the Bush-era Compassionate Conservatism that is nowhere to be found in the US Republican Party of today. And I say that as someone who genuinely tried to push for that from within as an up & coming party leader.