Racism in some churches? What would you do?

[Lik3]

I have told you a scenario about going to a church where I was the only black person present. The congregants were nice people. What if they weren't nice people just because of the color of my skin? Anyways, if a family who is not black (could be any race or color, not just one or the other) were to invite me to their church, but in their church, there is no diversity, I find out while there that I was not welcome. Needless to say, it would be hurtful and anger inducing.

I believe that if someone was not welcoming to a church because of one's skin color, I would not go back. I learned from then on just because someone says is a Christian doesn't mean they are in my humble opinion. Say this has happened to you. What would you do?

I watched this episode of one of my favorite tv shows and the lead pastor finally had the church accept black people into the congregation. Regardless of your race, black, white, or Asian, would you go to a church that previously did not welcome you? I thought that whether one is black, white, Chinese, Arab, or Native American, we are all one in Christ.

I can't and won't speak for other nations or other churches, but why does it seem that there is there so much racism, bigotry, and division in some churches at least? I also read somewhere that a young girl of one race invited her friend, but some in the young girl's church didn't like that, so the young girl's family and the friend were put out. Shameful that it happened like that. Does this happen often in some churches more so than others? Is Sunday REALLY the most segregated day of the week, at least in some churches as far as African Americans and European Americans or is that an exaggeration of the truth too? Please, help me to answer my naive questions.

 

[Albion]

I believe that if someone was not welcoming to a church because of one's skin color, I would not go back. I learned from then on just because someone says is a Christian doesn't mean they are in my humble opinion. Say this has happened to you. What would you do?

I expect that I'd find another congregation. Most of the time, there's one close enough that belongs to the same religious denomination (Baptist, Methodist, etc.) so there wouldn't be any concern about having to compromise any doctrines.

Is Sunday REALLY the most segregated day of the week, at least in some churches as far as African Americans and European Americans or is that an exaggeration of the truth too? Please, help me to answer my naive questions.

From what I have observed, this saying is probably correct.

In my city and others I've known, the suburban churches are almost all white, the black churches across town are almost totally black, and the Asian churches are almost totally Asian, even down to the particular nationality involved. A few might be considered integrated, but the truth is that it's tokenism. The minority members are very few.

On the other hand, the reasons are not as clearcut as people assume. Many churchgoers really want a church that's near their home, preferably in the neighborhood. Housing patterns that are still mainly segregated naturally will contribute to churches being overwhelmingly of one race or another. In addition, culture plays a part. Some racial groups feel more comfortable with a certain kind of worship while others incline towards a different one. Once again, therefore, people want to worship where they feel at home. And there's always the matter of which denomination you were brought up in. If most African Americans are Baptists or Pentecostals, most are likely to feel they're in foreign territory while present for a Catholic Mass, irrespective of all the racial considerations.

 

[Dave-W]

My mom and step dad met in a COGIC. That was in 1965. Once they got engaged, we were asked to leave as we were the only whites in an all black congregation.

Would I go back to all African-American churches? Sure. BTDT.

I think every congregation I have been a regular part of since graduating high school has been fairly diverse racially and ethnically.

 

[gadar perets]

I would not go back, but I would write a letter to the congregation letting them know why using Scripture. If they repent and invite me back, I would go. There is no place for favoritism or racism in the Body of Messiah.

 

[Rescued One]

I have told you a scenario about going to a church where I was the only black person present. The congregants were nice people. What if they weren't nice people just because of the color of my skin? Anyways, if a family who is not black (could be any race or color, not just one or the other) were to invite me to their church, but in their church, there is no diversity, I find out while there that I was not welcome. Needless to say, it would be hurtful and anger inducing.

I believe that if someone was not welcoming to a church because of one's skin color, I would not go back. I learned from then on just because someone says is a Christian doesn't mean they are in my humble opinion. Say this has happened to you. What would you do?

I watched this episode of one of my favorite tv shows and the lead pastor finally had the church accept black people into the congregation. Regardless of your race, black, white, or Asian, would you go to a church that previously did not welcome you? I thought that whether one is black, white, Chinese, Arab, or Native American, we are all one in Christ.

I can't and won't speak for other nations or other churches, but why does it seem that there is there so much racism, bigotry, and division in some churches at least? I also read somewhere that a young girl of one race invited her friend, but some in the young girl's church didn't like that, so the young girl's family and the friend were put out. Shameful that it happened like that. Does this happen often in some churches more so than others? Is Sunday REALLY the most segregated day of the week, at least in some churches as far as African Americans and European Americans or is that an exaggeration of the truth too? Please, help me to answer my naive questions.

I'm white and I'd stop going to that church in a heartbeat! I despise racism.

 

[majj27]

I would:

1) Leave the church.
2) Make sure it was known WHY I was leaving the church.
3) Not be coy if asked about the church in the future as to my thoughts on their racism.

There's too much rotten nonsense in the world as it is. I refuse to allow racism to go unchallenged, ESPECIALLY in a place of worship.

 

[Rubiks]

If I was black and found myself in an unwelcoming white church I would first be careful not to jump to accusations of racism, then I would get up and leave if it does turn out to be a racist "church."

 

[stevenfrancis]

All I can address is Catholic Church. Every Catholic Parish I have been to has been quite diverse, and I have never detected racism among the folks or the Priest. If I ever did encounter it with a Priest, I suppose I'd report it to the Bishop, and if the Bishop was a racist, then I suppose I'd take it to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. If they were all racist, (we're getting pretty far out here), then I suppose it would have to go to the Pope. Anyway.....just another reason the Holy Spirit led me to the universal Church founded by Jesus. It's not that we don't have our own problems. We have had, and do. But racism is certainly not one of them.

 

[Christie insb]

I have told you a scenario about going to a church where I was the only black person present. The congregants were nice people. What if they weren't nice people just because of the color of my skin? Anyways, if a family who is not black (could be any race or color, not just one or the other) were to invite me to their church, but in their church, there is no diversity, I find out while there that I was not welcome. Needless to say, it would be hurtful and anger inducing.

I believe that if someone was not welcoming to a church because of one's skin color, I would not go back. I learned from then on just because someone says is a Christian doesn't mean they are in my humble opinion. Say this has happened to you. What would you do?

I watched this episode of one of my favorite tv shows and the lead pastor finally had the church accept black people into the congregation. Regardless of your race, black, white, or Asian, would you go to a church that previously did not welcome you? I thought that whether one is black, white, Chinese, Arab, or Native American, we are all one in Christ.

I can't and won't speak for other nations or other churches, but why does it seem that there is there so much racism, bigotry, and division in some churches at least? I also read somewhere that a young girl of one race invited her friend, but some in the young girl's church didn't like that, so the young girl's family and the friend were put out. Shameful that it happened like that. Does this happen often in some churches more so than others? Is Sunday REALLY the most segregated day of the week, at least in some churches as far as African Americans and European Americans or is that an exaggeration of the truth too? Please, help me to answer my naive questions.

I used to go to a church that was pretty white - - in a pretty white town. Several of the families had adopted children of color, from China, Ethiopia, Haiti, and one child from the American South. There was also an Ethiopian family and for a short time, a Sudanese man and his little boy. When they published pictures of the kids, it seemed to me that the internationally adopted kids were featured prominently. They all were very beautiful, photogenic kids, but all kids are beautiful, and I kind of felt it misrepresented our church.

 

[Sketcher]

I believe that if someone was not welcoming to a church because of one's skin color, I would not go back. I learned from then on just because someone says is a Christian doesn't mean they are in my humble opinion. Say this has happened to you. What would you do?

I'd probably not go back.

I watched this episode of one of my favorite tv shows and the lead pastor finally had the church accept black people into the congregation. Regardless of your race, black, white, or Asian, would you go to a church that previously did not welcome you? I thought that whether one is black, white, Chinese, Arab, or Native American, we are all one in Christ.

I'd be shy about returning. The pastor would be showing repentance, but he's supposed to be at the forefront of repentance anyway, since he is teaching and leading the church. What about the people that had that same sin but aren't there yet? And are the specific people who were not welcoming to me still there? Had they reached out to me and apologized?

I can't and won't speak for other nations or other churches, but why does it seem that there is there so much racism, bigotry, and division in some churches at least? I also read somewhere that a young girl of one race invited her friend, but some in the young girl's church didn't like that, so the young girl's family and the friend were put out. Shameful that it happened like that. Does this happen often in some churches more so than others?

I can't really speak to that, because I believe my church is better than that. We have racially diverse leadership, and with that comes a more racially diverse church.

Is Sunday REALLY the most segregated day of the week, at least in some churches as far as African Americans and European Americans or is that an exaggeration of the truth too? Please, help me to answer my naive questions.

I think it is still de facto segregated. There are reasons for this, including but not limited to:

• Churches minister to communities, many of which cluster around those of their own race.
• Racial integration has not been a priority. That's not all bad, the Gospel has to be the highest priority. But that also means that churches which served particular communities developed their own subcultures, and the church subculture that you grew up in or got saved in will generally be what you expect out of church. Worship and preaching and so forth are done in certain styles, and those styles that people experience as children or new Christians can become their preferences as adults when church shopping. The differences between these subcultures and styles can be just enough to make people uncomfortable.
• White Americans and black Americans have a tendency to see events through different lenses. This can make discussing those events contentious. The death of Mohammed Ali and the policies of Presidents Obama and Trump, and the seeming wave of police shootings made this apparent in my church. People got mad talking about this stuff. This shows that there is still hard work yet to be done, but it must be done. People of different backgrounds need to bear with one another and listen to one another and love on one another and pray with one another. These can overcome that division. If people choose to leave and go to a church that is more white or black instead, that's being part of the problem.
• Related to the above point, voting patterns differ among racial groups, and that is reflected in churches that primarily serve those groups. Being that one person who is on the other side of the political spectrum in an environment where strong beliefs about right and wrong are encouraged to be shared is less than comfortable. Racial separation can be a secondary consequence of that.

 

[Sketcher]

All I can address is Catholic Church. Every Catholic Parish I have been to has been quite diverse, and I have never detected racism among the folks or the Priest. If I ever did encounter it with a Priest, I suppose I'd report it to the Bishop, and if the Bishop was a racist, then I suppose I'd take it to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. If they were all racist, (we're getting pretty far out here), then I suppose it would have to go to the Pope. Anyway.....just another reason the Holy Spirit led me to the universal Church founded by Jesus. It's not that we don't have our own problems. We have had, and do. But racism is certainly not one of them.

Notre Dame wasn't always integrated, and when it did become integrated, it was not well-received by all Catholics.