What is the proper Christian response to privilege?

RDKirk said:

No.

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I guess Henrik Mouritsen is wrong then.

Christians should not be concerning themselves with the privilege game. We all are privileged in one way or another, and disadvantaged in other ways. A white man can grow up in an abusive home, while a black woman may grow up in a good family. We treat people as individuals, and we treat them fairly, even if life isn't always fair.

All privileges and disadvantages will one day pass away; Christians must look beyond these things and actually see people as people, not black or white, rich or poor. A lot of our society's obsession with privilege is due to the fact that people are discovering that materialistic things aren't making them happy, and we become jealous of what others have. Christians need to stay far away from this.

Speaking as a white Christian male...

'Privilege' seems to me a secular liberal construct to explain inequality. Sin isn't the problem, rather the apparent or real disparity between races, sexes and ideological groups is propitiated by those in power, ie the dominant class. What matters to those who identify with this movement is not the ability to be free, but that there is not equality in outcome for all. At this moment in the west no one can deny people are generally free to do whatever they want, if they have the effort, smarts and willpower they can be quite successful. Yet because there is disparity it must be due to external factors which keeps certain minorities down, be it racism, sexism and just being a plain old bigot.

Christianity accepts there is inequality but the main difference seems to be in Christianity instead of blaming others for your situation, the Christian first and foremost blames themselves. We should, if we are being faith, self-critique, realise our flaws and seek to improve. I don't think this means the exclusion of activism, abolitionism was a good cause where passive acceptance would implicate our moral foundations. Christianity does not embrace this idea that equality of outcome is ultimately necessary. If we look at the lives of the greatest saints, they lived poor and ascetic lives, they instructed people (on account of Jesus' parable) to look inward and start with themselves before trying to change the whole world. To quote Saint Seraphim, "acquire a spirit of peace and a thousand around you will be saved."

Those who follow this idea of privileged do not seem content, they are not peaceful, they are often angry and loud, shouting down those who do not conform to their world view. I have no sympathy for this idea, it is contrary to every notion of actual Christian equality in that it demands far more of the believer than anything Christianity demands. There are certain people who suggest we who are not fat enjoy something called "thin privilege," as if the weight of a person was not something they are ultimately responsible for. The idea of male privilege, that men get everything they want because they are men is absurd on the face of it.

Christie insb said:

I agree about privilege being tied to wealth but I hear stories of even well-off blacks being pulled over for driving while black. I am a white woman who drives a 15 year-old car and I almost never have had problems with the cops. Then the cop gets scared for some unknown reason and shoots the person. This still horrifies me and it wouldn't take many examples for me to never let my husband or son out of the house if we were black.

As far as privilege is concerned, I think of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus was a beggar in front of a wealthy man's gate. When they died the situation changed dramatically. I don't think it's wrong to have money but we need to handle it well and remember everything we own is God's. Now don't I sound self-righteous? I should have four fingers pointing back at me because we might not think about it but by global standards we are very privileged financially. Also when God blames the wrath to Sodom and Gomorrah on wealthy overweight women who didn't share their wealth my toes start to curl.

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This is not what I would call privilege as such, rather it is the reality of time availability and astute use of prejudice in the Police force.
A person driving a nondescript bomb, especially a person of a particular cultural profile is almost always going to be a waste of time to pull over. One look tells you that they are ridiculously honest, hard working and law abiding to the point that they can't even afford a decent car, they're probably not even speeding and if they have got money they probably give it all away to help somebody else.
On the other hand another cultural group that is known to have grandiose ideas about what being rich looks like have a comparatively high proportion of people who will do anything going to get the riches and then blow it in the most ostentatious manner possible. As an Officer of the law I would be a whole lot more likely to get lucky if I pulled one of these over.

Well from my perspective, as a Christian, if I were to see someone who has more material and financial success than myself, I would not admire them for it. They aren't taking those things with them when they pass through the gates (whichever gates they should pass through). If a man inherits his father's estate and his riches, it was not his decision to acquire these things of himself. So in that particular case it wouldn't be "his fault" as it were. It was a privilege in this case because he did not work for this gain, but out of his father's will it was given to him. It is all on what he does with it and in my opinion that's what matters. However I would say the same for anyone in a position of "privilege" regardless of what position it is. It would be vain and unwise to envy or to hate anyone for it. Men are born into different lives here on Earth. It is all what we do with it that counts. In regards to money, Jesus made it clear how far that might make a man think he's getting in this world and he also stated that it had no value in the hereafter, therefore it has little to no value here. The biggest reason to avoid admiring those with a better place in this life is the fact that it often makes them ugly and unpleasant people. Those people will be found unprofitable by God. They often take pride in their gain and have a greed that seems to never be satisfied. The poor are more blessed than them. And privilege in regard to skin tone? Naturally all men are alike regardless of how light or dark they are. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. God pays attention to the heart and the actions of a man. Not whether he's ugly or beautiful, white, black or mexican. I guess to summarize, privilege is a ridiculous buzzword used as a divisive tool to cause bitterness and envy between men. A tool used to stir up strife. If we look at the world through Christian eyes, none of this junk matters. Skin color, riches, whether you wear Nike or Airspeeds. Whether your families idea of "going out" means putting on a suit and tie and dining on imported cuisine, or stopping at the nearby Burger King in your best Hanes tee and a pair of clean Wrangler jeans. These things are nonsensical to a wise and upright heart. We do the best we can with what we have. Remember what Jesus said of the widow that cast in the only two coins to her name as an offering.
"And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had." Luke 21:1-4
So again I reiterate, what matters is how you use your money or "privilige" and where your heart is when doing it. This life is hard on most people. So with your time here, do everything you can to make it a little easier on those that are less fortunate, rather than wasting your time concerning yourself with what another has easy that you may have harder. After all, YOUR life may be privileged compared to the man sleeping on a park bench with nothing but a newspaper to sleep with and not a bite to eat. Perhaps you were privileged enough to have a family that cares about you and would do anything to prevent you from having it hard like this poor man. Truth is, we don't know if he was always a delinquent or if maybe he never had any help. As the case with most privilege, it comes with help (and yes sometimes bias and prejudice). But all of that ought to be ignored in order to see the big picture. I think that's what Jesus and God would want, right? The things, places and people in this life pass away with their privilege. But a man who walks with God shall never pass away. And there is great riches in that wisdom and in that knowledge.
Idk. That's my take on a Christian perspective for privilege.

The sad thing is that try as we may we are always judging people, by what for example they wear, the state of the clothes they have on, what car they drive, and so on, and that judgement affects how you treat them. In my view, privilege is not an institutional thing, it is the net sum and outcome of the collective action of all of us stemming from how we judge each other. We are all guilty.

I dont think you can discuss privilege without linking it to discrimination. In the past there has been discrimination against blacks, women, etc which is turn means white males had privileges over them. But that is far less the case now.

I am a white middle age make and have a number of times been the victim of discrimination in favour of women. It is apparently positive discrimination for them, but at the end of the day I was discriminated against for being a white male. I have had 3 times at work that I went for promotions and the job was given to a woman instead because there was extra paperwork that had to be done to prove you werent discriminating if the job was given to a man. The managers also had pressure put on them to give the more senior jobs to women and told me later as I was friends with them it just wasnt worth the extra work to give me the job even though they thought I was the best person for the job. All three times it worked out badly with the women employed as well who caused problems in the department and ultimately had to move on.

So privilege does still exist in modern society but is changing. Now you have the liberal left pushing their agenda so hard that the people who were privileged in the past are now being discriminated against.

I do see this as being unbiblical as the bible clearly shows that men and women are created differently with different roles and the liberal left with their agenda are trying to undermine those roles and force biblical views to be unacceptable in modern society.

That leads me on to ask what sin is being promoted within the banner of liberal left attack on privilege and discrimination, removing the gender roles of the bible, homosexuality, trans gender, removing marriage, adultery, fornication, greed, pride and many other things are pushed as having to be not only accepted but also celebrated. The biblical view imo is that all are created equal and should be treated in love. I just read this morning that you should enjoy your work in Ecclesiastes 3. There are many people in the Bible who enjoyed the fruits of their wealth and privilege including Abraham, David, Solomon and even Job. I dont see enjoying wealth and privilege as unbiblical but it should be used righteously including providing for those in need etc.

powersforgood said:

The concept of privilege is becoming more and more commonly deployed in modern political discourse. It is often used in discussions of race (white privilege), gender issues (male privilege), and sexuality issues (straight privilege). For this discussion, I am less interested in those specific instances of privilege and more interested in a general discussion of privilege from a Christian perspective.

To which I ask, what is the proper Christian response to privilege?

Some questions to spark discussion:
Do privilege exist? If it does, how does the Bible discuss privilege? Is privilege inherently good, bad, or neutral? How should a Christian support or oppose privilege? How should a Christian think about privilege? Is there a different between micro-level and macro-level privileges?

I am looking to sharpen my own thinking in this area, particularly from a theological perspective. I am inclined that privilege exists, but I also find the manner in which it is sometimes weaponized to be unfaithful to the Christian witness. Hence, I would like for my brothers and sisters to help us all engage in a deeper discussion on the issue.

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The idea of privilege perhaps stems most closely from the (Socialist?) idea of the "noble savage", that the first nation, non-white people where not corrupted until colonising (white) people interacted with them and took advantage of their simple and innocent naivete.
The consequent success of white colonisers is then attributed largely to a cultural bias that "privileges" people of certain culture over others who still belong to the swindled and dominated cultures suffer, not because of any personal failure but because they are forced to play cultural Monopoly on a Snakes and Ladders board.
In terms of Christ the underlying principle of privilege is untrue. For all men have sinned and fall short, and all are justified freely by the grace that comes through Christ Jesus.
But in terms of social justice, well I guess there has to be a strong element of truth in the way that European colonisers viewed the people of the countries they colonised (not to mention enslaved) as resources to be exploited rather than as people created in the image of God.
So the question is whether my children should pay for sins of their relatively unrelated ancestors?
Should my hard working son be penalized for privilege against some person who sees the advantage to be gained in the whole "poor me my grandaddy got swindled" game, but who is not prepared to put in the hard yards for the good of the community, the business and nation surrounding him? I think not.

powersforgood said:

To which I ask, what is the proper Christian response to privilege?

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Not to be despised, but, as with all of God's gifts, to be accepted graciously and used for the advancement of the Kingdom.

powersforgood said:

The concept of privilege is becoming more and more commonly deployed in modern political discourse. It is often used in discussions of race (white privilege), gender issues (male privilege), and sexuality issues (straight privilege). For this discussion, I am less interested in those specific instances of privilege and more interested in a general discussion of privilege from a Christian perspective.

To which I ask, what is the proper Christian response to privilege?

Some questions to spark discussion:
Do privilege exist? If it does, how does the Bible discuss privilege? Is privilege inherently good, bad, or neutral? How should a Christian support or oppose privilege? How should a Christian think about privilege? Is there a different between micro-level and macro-level privileges?

I am looking to sharpen my own thinking in this area, particularly from a theological perspective. I am inclined that privilege exists, but I also find the manner in which it is sometimes weaponized to be unfaithful to the Christian witness. Hence, I would like for my brothers and sisters to help us all engage in a deeper discussion on the issue.

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Speaking from a place what I hope is compassion and humility, I'd say that a Christian should always be thinking of how they can serve those who are suffering in any way.

Privilege as defined by the current social activist environment is not something one can help but something that makes it so that the privileged individual does not even have to think about or experience some of the injustices and sufferings of those who are underprivileged.

So, as a Christian who is called to serve our fellow man, I would say that one should lay aside any anger response to the word/label "privileged", as it is not labeling you as an oppressor but rather someone who doesn't have to experience a certain type of oppression, and think about what you can do to help those who are not so fortunate as yourself by no fault of their own.

powersforgood said:

The concept of privilege is becoming more and more commonly deployed in modern political discourse. It is often used in discussions of race (white privilege), gender issues (male privilege), and sexuality issues (straight privilege). For this discussion, I am less interested in those specific instances of privilege and more interested in a general discussion of privilege from a Christian perspective.

To which I ask, what is the proper Christian response to privilege?

Some questions to spark discussion:
Do privilege exist? If it does, how does the Bible discuss privilege? Is privilege inherently good, bad, or neutral? How should a Christian support or oppose privilege? How should a Christian think about privilege? Is there a different between micro-level and macro-level privileges?

I am looking to sharpen my own thinking in this area, particularly from a theological perspective. I am inclined that privilege exists, but I also find the manner in which it is sometimes weaponized to be unfaithful to the Christian witness. Hence, I would like for my brothers and sisters to help us all engage in a deeper discussion on the issue.

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How do you define privilege? If you define it as having an advantage over someone due to socioeconomic status, everyone is more privileged than someone else in the world. It all depends on whom you are comparing yourself to. The majority of Americans are very "privileged" than someone who lives in the slums of Calcutta, for example. You can always find someone who is worse off than you and you will always find someone who is better off than you. All depends on your reference point.

But commonly in Western culture, "privilege" is a meaningless term used to vilify an opposing viewpoint rather than examine the real issue, which is the inherent sinfulness of man.

For the Christian, privilege may mean being blessed with wealth by God. For that, the Christian should have very great thankfulness to God. But with that also comes some level of responsibility to help others in need, out of the love of their heart, but not out some man-made obligation or guilt trip. Being wealthy is not sinful, unless, unless, that wealth has become an idol.

Do "whites" have more "privilege"? Again, depends on your reference point. But that does not mean you have to feel guilty for being "white", as it is not a sin to be "white". It is also not a sin to be a man or a woman. It is not a sin to be a heterosexual, because that is how God design all humans.

However, it is a sin to be homosexual, because God has defined it to be sin. Why should God grant privileges or blessing to those who are in willful rebellion to Him? Should liars have blessings and privileges? Should thieves have blessings and privileges? Should adulterers? Should idolators? etc.

God does not bless those who are in willful sin against Him. Using the term "privilege" as an evil thing is often simply a means to justify and celebrate sin on the part of one who claims abuse of "privilege".

Radagast said:

I guess Henrik Mouritsen is wrong then.

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Your characterization of what he wrote is wrong.

If we enjoy any privileges we are to share until it hurts, with those saints among us falling on hard times.

I find myself with exactly what we need at exactly the time required. When others are in need, I find what they need and provide for them. This increases my trust in The Lord. Always, all my life, things have been provided to me in this manner. If something is needed. It appears, like a Ram in the bush.

Forgive me...

Privilege comes from 2 sources...position and money. That's it.

Money buys you privilege, and that is obvious. The other source of privilege comes from your status. For example, the President of the USA, regardless of gender or skin color, is more privileged than any of us on this forum.

Barak Obama, a black man, is infinitely more privileged than I am (a white man).

Bill Gates, a white man, is more privileged than 99.99999999999% of every human who ever existed due to his massive wealth.

Oprah, a black woman is more privileged than 99.9999999999999999% of every human who ever existed for the same reason as Bill Gates

When a minority says to me "you don't understand because of your white privilege", I simply respond with "Ah yes, 'white privilege', the privilege of being told i can't understand something, by a person who looks at nothing but my skin color"

RDKirk said:

Your characterization of what he wrote is wrong.

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No, I'm pretty sure I understood the book. Especially Chapter 2, where he discusses how freedmen (with a few exceptions) became citizens.

But I don't think it's worth debating.

powersforgood said:

The concept of privilege is becoming more and more commonly deployed in modern political discourse. It is often used in discussions of race (white privilege), gender issues (male privilege), and sexuality issues (straight privilege). For this discussion, I am less interested in those specific instances of privilege and more interested in a general discussion of privilege from a Christian perspective.

To which I ask, what is the proper Christian response to privilege?

Some questions to spark discussion:
Do privilege exist? If it does, how does the Bible discuss privilege? Is privilege inherently good, bad, or neutral? How should a Christian support or oppose privilege? How should a Christian think about privilege? Is there a different between micro-level and macro-level privileges?

I am looking to sharpen my own thinking in this area, particularly from a theological perspective. I am inclined that privilege exists, but I also find the manner in which it is sometimes weaponized to be unfaithful to the Christian witness. Hence, I would like for my brothers and sisters to help us all engage in a deeper discussion on the issue.

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Without knowing and pointing to specific instances of privilege, how would you even know that you have privilege? Revelation 3:17

When it comes to the concept of privilege being promoted in western society, numerous political commentators have identified what it is. People like Ben Shapiro and Jordan B. Peterson adequately explain that it's a modern day Marxist rehash of the class struggle for our times. But when it comes to Christian privilege, all that on either side should be thrown away. Christians should see that sin does not discriminate. It doesn't care what class, what racial background, what sexual attraction you have, it has no preference on whether you're rich or poor Romans 3:23.

The way I see it, there is no social privilege nor lack thereof that makes a Christian immune from falling short and failing. Remember Jesus' parables, the ten virgins Matthew 25:1, two men in the field Matthew 24:40, did we not prophecy in your name Matthew 7:22-23. Basically the topic of privilege in and of itself won't determine the outcome of your life, it can be more or less a thing of being so heavenly and politically minded that you become of no earthly good too.

Paul used his status as a means to preach the gospel, he provoked people's prejudices and divided them against each other and preached the gospel some more. I get the sense that we do not actually belong to either party in a conflict unless it gives us a chance to proclaim the gospel by basis of our body characteristics or social status.
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I'd also recommend to research everything you are told no matter how absurd it sounds, so as to provide a response that is appropriate.

powersforgood said:

The concept of privilege is becoming more and more commonly deployed in modern political discourse. It is often used in discussions of race (white privilege), gender issues (male privilege), and sexuality issues (straight privilege). For this discussion, I am less interested in those specific instances of privilege and more interested in a general discussion of privilege from a Christian perspective.

To which I ask, what is the proper Christian response to privilege?

Some questions to spark discussion:
Do privilege exist? If it does, how does the Bible discuss privilege? Is privilege inherently good, bad, or neutral? How should a Christian support or oppose privilege? How should a Christian think about privilege? Is there a different between micro-level and macro-level privileges?

I am looking to sharpen my own thinking in this area, particularly from a theological perspective. I am inclined that privilege exists, but I also find the manner in which it is sometimes weaponized to be unfaithful to the Christian witness. Hence, I would like for my brothers and sisters to help us all engage in a deeper discussion on the issue.

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What do you mean by "privilege"? Simply being wealthy is not a privilege. Many have earned their wealth through hard work. I would consider giving handicap parking to people capable of walking an abuse of privilege, whereas a person in a wheel chair is being given a courtesy.

And, of course, the question remains, how should we as Christians view privilege? As pointed out earlier, we should not show favoritism to wealthy people who come to church. But we should be courteous to the handicap in a wheel chair. Then the question remains, how should we receive privilege? If we are able to walk but have a legal qualification for handicap parking, should we take it? I don't think so. But if we are Christians in a wheel chair, then there is nothing wrong with using the handicap privilege.

Privilege refers to a select group of people being more likely to be stopped by the police, more likely to be arrested, more likely to not be able to pay bail and remain in jail even if there are no valid charges. Those with Privilege do not experience this so they're blind to the phenomena.

Michael Collum said:

Privilege refers to a select group of people being more likely to be stopped by the police, more likely to be arrested, more likely to not be able to pay bail and remain in jail even if there are no valid charges. Those with Privilege do not experience this so they're blind to the phenomena.

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Are you referring to the select group of peoples i referred to in post #8?