What's wrong with racism?

[2PhiloVoid]

Even then just saying that you disaprove of or criticize a particular race isn't racism. Just pointing out their shortfalls hardly constitutes abuse.

Racism is basically those people who actually abuse people because of their race.

...it can also be those who neglect people because of their race.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Even then just saying that you disaprove of or criticize a particular race isn't racism.

Actually, that's exactly what racism is...and it doesn't have to be disapproval or criticism. If you're making a blanket statement about all people of a particular skin color...that's racism.

 

[SBC]

There are probably people of all races, I do and do not like.....but then I don't know all people of all races, so I can't say for sure.

Best we love all people and not worry so much about who we do and do not like.

God Bless,
SBC

 

[JGG]

What leads you to believe that color of skin determines how smart we are?

Both are determined by genetics.

 

[expos4ever]

Why is racism bad? Different people are different (duh). Is it wrong to point that out?

Let me begin by granting that I would not be at all surprised if it were the case that there are real, measurable differences between races, even after all other confounding variables were filtered out. I would be surprised if the differences were significant, but I would not be surprised if there were some differences.

Even if there are such differences, it is unwise and downright dangerous to draw attention to them. And I would have thought the reason for this was obvious - we humans clearly have a deeply-ingrained tribal "us" vs "them" mentality woven into our very DNA. In short, we tend to see "the other" as a menacing threat that needs to be dealt with. This proclivity was no doubt generated by millions of years of evolution.

But it certainly does not serve us well in the 21st century. And it is one of those things we need to rise above.

 

[expos4ever]

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. -- Galatians 3

I agree. While racism is arguably stamped into our brains at birth, it is precisely the kind of thing that should be left behind as we enter into the "new creation" mindset of the disciple of Jesus.

Most Christians think Paul was primarily interested in telling us how we can be "saved" and go to heaven when we die. Not so, I suggest. I believe a dispassionate analysis of scripture will show that he was at least interested in promoting unity in the church.

And racism clearly has no place in that vision.

 

[SBC]

I agree. While racism is arguably stamped into our brains at birth, it is precisely the kind of thing that should be left behind as we enter into the "new creation" mindset of the disciple of Jesus.

Most Christians think Paul was primarily interested in telling us how we can be "saved" and go to heaven when we die. Not so, I suggest. I believe a dispassionate analysis of scripture will show that he was at least interested in promoting unity in the church.

And racism clearly has no place in that vision.

Would you agree Jesus came to divide?

God Bless,
SBC

 

[expos4ever]

Would you agree Jesus came to divide?

God Bless,
SBC

Not in the sense of setting race against race. And neither does the author of Ephesians:

In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He [h]lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His [k]kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

The message of Christ as a unifying force across all humanity is all over the New Testament, if not the Old as well.

Now, I suspect you are going to bring up the "I came to bring a sword" statement from Jesus where He basically says that He (Jesus) will cause division among people. Fair enough, He did say that. But in the broader overall context of Scripture, this is a footnote - He is simply saying that when people become His followers, this will cause tension with family and friends. Well, that is not surprising. But it is hardly an argument that Jesus intends to sew division among peoples. Quite the opposite.

 

[SBC]

Not in the sense of setting race against race. And neither does the author of Ephesians:

In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He [h]lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His [k]kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

The message of Christ as a unifying force across all humanity is all over the New Testament, if not the Old as well.

Now, I suspect you are going to bring up the "I came to bring a sword" statement from Jesus where He basically says that He (Jesus) will cause division among people. Fair enough, He did say that. But in the broader overall context of Scripture, this is a footnote - He is simply saying that when people become His followers, this will cause tension with family and friends. Well, that is not surprising.

But it is hardly an argument that Jesus intends to sew division among peoples. Quite the opposite.

Luke 12:51
Suppose ye I have come to give peace on earth?
I tell you Nay; but rather DIVISION.

John 7:43
So there was a DIVISION among the people because of him.

The DIVISION IS:
Matt 12:30
He that is NOT WITH ME, is AGAINST ME.

Those WITH IS:
Rom 12:1
...ye (who) present your bodies a "living sacrifice", holy, acceptable UNTO God...

The LIFE of a mans body IS his blood.

God Bless,
SBC

 

[expos4ever]

Luke 12:51
Suppose ye I have come to give peace on earth?
I tell you Nay; but rather DIVISION.

John 7:43
So there was a DIVISION among the people because of him.

The DIVISION IS:
Matt 12:30
He that is NOT WITH ME, is AGAINST ME.

Those WITH IS:
Rom 12:1
...ye (who) present your bodies a "living sacrifice", holy, acceptable UNTO God...

The LIFE of a mans body IS his blood.

God Bless,
SBC

First of all, you are not addressing my argument - you are simply posting statements that I have acknowledged Jesus made. Obviously Jesus is divisive in the sense that those who reject him will be at odds with those who accept him.

But - and this is the part you have not addressed - this does not undermine the obvious Biblical truth that Jesus is seeking a world where all humans, of all colours, are united as brothers and sisters in a single family where racist sentiment clearly has no place.

Let me ask you a direct question: Are you suggesting that Jesus intends to promote, or otherwise would be happy with, racism?

 

[bhsmte]

But it's more than just skin. It's ethnicity and culture. What if one race, skin, and culture really is better than all the rest?

Better how? Based on what criteria?

 

[Chesterton]

This thread is doomed from the start, unless everyone agrees on clear definitions of "race" and "racism".

 

[Ana the Ist]

Better how? Based on what criteria?

To be fair...we often rate societies (not cultures) across a group of fairly objective standards which we call a "standard of living" overall. Things that include education, healthcare, personal freedoms, etc.

Even if we were to pick more tangible things, like infant mortality rates, literacy rates, average lifespans...I don't think it would be wrong to say that certain societies are more successful than others in this respect. If we were to then examine the "cultures" of those societies...again, it wouldn't be wrong or inaccurate to say that "western culture" or the cultures of western europeans are those which give individuals a better life.

This doesn't really have anything to do with race though...it has far more to do with Aristotle.

 

[RDKirk]

First of all, you are not addressing my argument - you are simply posting statements that I have acknowledged Jesus made. Obviously Jesus is divisive in the sense that those who reject him will be at odds with those who accept him.

But - and this is the part you have not addressed - this does not undermine the obvious Biblical truth that Jesus is seeking a world where all humans, of all colours, are united as brothers and sisters in a single family where racist sentiment clearly has no place.

Let me ask you a direct question: Are you suggesting that Jesus intends to promote, or otherwise would be happy with, racism?

To God’s elect, aliens dispersed throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood....
....
...you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. -- 1 Peter 1, 2

People who have been in the military or on a sports team should recognize this.

This is the Lord's "team speech."

 

[carrwinn]

Do you profess to be Christian? Jesus said a Christian would be known by their fruits.
He said "all will know you are MY disciples if you have love among yourselves."(John 13:34,35)
True Christians are to follow Christ and be Christlike. While Pharisees and Saducees treated people even of their own ethnicity with disdain and scorn, Jesus was kind nondiscriminating and drawn to humble teachable ones rich poor and for example Samaritan.
True Christians are known by their good fruits. The Bible molds a Christian and must continue to do so. Bible reminders are powerful protections against hate filled thoughts and reasonings which imminate from Satan the father of the lie.(Genesis 3,Revelation 12;Matthew 4)
Jesus warns where people with racist philosophies and thinking will go vs those who seek to follow Light and truth.(Matthew 7)
Fomenting hate is a clear sign of the last days that we are now living in.(2Timothy 3:1-6)
The preaching and teaching work Jesus prophesied about which is being accomplished now serves to draw honesthearted ones to God who yearn for the promises of peace and unity bereft of war racism and fighting.(Matthew 6:9,10:Matthew 24:14;28:19,20)
True worshippers love and act in love primarily by declaring the message of hope established by Christ.

Why is racism bad? Different people are different (duh). Is it wrong to point that out?

 

[dreadnought]

Both are determined by genetics.

But that doesn't answer my question.

 

[JGG]

But that doesn't answer my question.

Obviously it does.

 

[dreadnought]

Obviously it does.

If I remember correctly, you indicated some races are inferior to others. Could you tell me which?

 

[Sketcher]

For Christians, anyway: http://marvinlwilliams.com/4-biblical-reasons-why-racism-is-irrational/

 

[DogmaHunter]

Why is racism bad? Different people are different (duh). Is it wrong to point that out?

Racism is not the acknowledgement that black people are black and not white.
Racism is the idea that black people are "inferior" because they are black.

It's a bit worrying, to be honest, that this needs to be pointed out to you.