White Supremacy Shaped American Christianity, Researcher Says

Total EQUALITY between American citizens -- without regard to race, cultural background, or, RELIGION -- is something I raised hell and marched in the street for back when I was young (in a VERY different world)... I'm still that same guy, but the world we live in is not.

But without trying to be coy, I am distrustful of what the Left means with words like "disenfranchisement". I'm trying to stay on topic, but it's going to be hard. I'll veer away from the topic of 'White Supremacy shaping Christianity' to say that, straight-up, all ex-convicts -- black or white -- should be treated by the relevant government (federal, local) in the same way. In cases where 'ex-con white-guy' gets to vote and 'ex-con black-guy' does not, the inequality should be pounced on at once -- and usually is by any one of several 'advocacy' groups, like the ACLU.... If they don't, then maybe that is a question that needs to be put squarely before the 'advocacy groups'!

Anyway, back now on topic, may I assume that we can possibly agree, then, that Christianity, per se, does not advocate "White Supremacy"? Indeed, there is absolutely NOTHING in the teachings of the Christ of God, Jesus, or any of the Disciples or Apostles that promotes "White Supremacy". I don't quarrel with your self-professed atheism concerning this, Te, and I don't suggest that the conduct of various denominations that call themselves "Christians" are correct in all aspects of Christian philosophy. The vast gulf between what Southern Baptists believe and what the Roman Catholic Church believes illustrates what I mean... it is quite obvious.

Frankly, there is much more palpable, tangible evidence to support a theory that Hinduism supports the blatantly discriminatory Caste System!

Nevertheless, for anyone to characterize Christianity as being a religion that inculcates its adherents with a belief in "White Supremacy" -- based on nothing but the author's personal opinion, subjective interpretations, and speculative conjectures -- is wrong....

 

YOU never mention victims- and There IS NO WAY to restore justice to victims. You seem comfortable living with that, however. Find a way to fix that, show us how it is racially biased, and you have an issue worth discussion.

 

So basically going out if your way to be kind to someone of a different race is the new racism?

 

Perhaps people like Pence don't realize they are pretending...they've convinced themselves whatever they do is God's will....
therefore they can never be wrong. They don't have to take responsibility...all they have to do is hold up a Bible.
Am curious what will be required to wake them up from their delusions....
Me thinks it will literally take "an Act of God"

 

Unfortunately, for some it is.

To acknowledge the difference, according to some, is racism. Not that it's better or worse, just that it's different. Such is the problem when people redefine words, then claim you are guilty because you use the definition that actually exists.

Going out of one's way specifically because of someone's race, can be a little off-putting. Going out of one's way because the situation warrants it, regardless of race, would be the better action.

 

Glad we agree that there are CURRENT injustices regarding voting rights for black ex-felons that MUST be remediated.

Secondly no one is making any claims about what is written in the Christian Bible regarding white supremacy.

The well informed and highly QUALIFIED author makes the clear DISTINCTION that he is referring ONLY to how Christianity has EVOLVED here in America from the time when it CONDONED slavery given that there are numerous bible passages where SLAVES are told to OBEY their masters. It was those passages that FORMED the basis of the white supremacy that EXISTS in modern white Christianity here in America,

And no, it NOT only the author's OPINION since he conducted in depth RESEARCH into the issue and it is the RESULTS of that research that establish beyond any doubt that there are strong white supremacy BELIEFS among white Christians here in America.

Your point that there is a stark difference between the denominations is refuted in the OP.

Yes, it is more INTENSE among Evangelicals but it exists across the spectrum of all denominations.

 

I'm afraid I don't have a huge amount to add. Compared to many other people on this forum, I am not particularly well versed in race relations as they manifest in the US or "American Christianity". I'm also not exactly sure what I am to comment on.

It is not surprising that people's view are influenced by their interests and ideas in other areas. This will be true in American Christianity just as it is in other places. We also have the ability to influence it, and we should, even though we need to be aware of what other ideas are out there.

 

I, too, have never been able to perfectly reconcile SLAVERY with the teachings of any religion which is headed by a loving God. I have also balked at some interpretations associated with 'rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's'... especially during that lovely time we knew as the "Vietnam Era".... Certainly, two thousand years ago, slavery was UBIQUITOUS -- probably throughout at least 90% of all human societies. And, it certainly was practiced by even such enlightened, erudite (and very Christian) nations as Great Britain and France up to about the mid-19th-century, as I have already pointed out....

It all gets rolled up in that ancient conundrum of "How could a loving God do that? (fill in the blank), or, "How could a loving God allow that to happen (fill in the next blank)? Although I never was an atheist, I spent a number of years being an agnostic, a pantheist, and a 'kind-of', 'sort-of' Buddhist/Hindu. But, enough of my personal wanderings.

Slavery, however completely and utterly WRONG it is, however, is not the same as the currently-promoted concept of "White Supremacy"! And, nowhere in the Holy Bible is there any teaching whatsoever that supports the hypothesis of "White Supremacy" at all.

Now, I think I more-or-less managed to stay on topic, and, proved that anyone promoting the idea that "White Supremacy" is advocated anywhere in Bible-based Christianity is completely WRONG. Oh... my 'proof'...? Read the Holy Bible, from cover to cover! You won't find anything related to "White Supremacy" advocated in it ANYWHERE.

 

Actually going out if your way to be kind to everyone is the ideal. Seems to me that a principle or superintendent who had never dealt with a black kid before would be remiss in his duties to not take a little extra time and show a little extra kindness to the new kid on the block until he better understands the needs he's dealing with both educational and personal.

 

No, it was closer to the opposite of that.

 

No. It was more like, I'm doing you a favor here, be grateful. Sort of similar to the attitude some folks have in regards to pets.

This sort of attitude belies a very ignorant form of racism which is seated in the belief that blacks are inferior to whites, very much in line with the overt threads I see on here trying to justify racism through statistics, THAT is the new racism.

 

I would say this applies to a subset of Christians, especially the ones that thought they had a God given right to own slaves

 

and it's a middle eastern religion.... so there is that

Jesus's name wasn't even Jesus, that is the English sounding name given to him later

 

agree that when people help someone, they should not advertise that this person needed my help, just help the person and not embarrasses them to give oneself credit for being a good person

I am all for helping people, just don't point them out as needing help to everyone just to make oneself feel better.....

 

All very true.

It spread from the MIddle East, to Europe, and around the world. Lots of people seemed to enjoy his message....and lots of people over the centuries have abused his message.

Same for a lot of faiths.

 

You may be closer than anyone else in finally delving down to the very core of this issue... even though the last slave-owning White person probably died approximately a hundred years ago. The last American negro slave died in 1937....

 

Now I’m more confused. He expected more from Stanley? And pushed him to succeed?

 

Read the thread.

 

I’m reading and participating in the thread. That’s why I’m trying to get a little more insight into what backhanded charity means to you. When you said this you described exactly how the Democratic Party treats minorities.

I’m kind of surprised to see admission the Democratic Party acts like Stanley’s pastor, so I’m giving you the opportunity to clarify or retract the Freudian slip.

 

Well the easy answer is to not live near evangelicals or move to their community. They won't miss your presence and you certainly won't miss theirs.

 

Wow, you know how to twist words like a true master baiter.

What part of post #61 did you not understand?

 

I understand post #61 perfectly. The Democratic Party has been treating minorities like that for decades. And I agree, it’s a terrible form of racism.

 

It seems highly illogical to infer anything about the Democratic Party from the experience I shared in support of the OP article. If it feeds your ego to believe such nonsense, so be it, since this is not a topic of any concern to you and all you wish to do is trade endless partisan jabs.

 

I’m just pointing out an observation about how a party treats minorities This is a forum for discussion of politics last I checked. You started the partisanship here, long before I mentioned a party.

It’s interesting all you have to offer is diversions. Since you can’t defend the poor treatment of minorities by the D. Party, but can castigate conservatives, you’ve conceded my point.

This topic is of concern to me. I grew up in a very Christian oriented atmosphere and experienced the opposite of your experience and the OP. But the predominant denomination was the most racially and ethnically diverse religious group in the US. I think the OP paints (or whitewashes) with too broad a brush.

 

We are in agreement on that point.

What we are looking for are SOLUTIONS that will ENSURE that JUSTICE is fair and equitable for ALL races in the future.

We agreed upon voting rights.

What is your position on prison terms? At the present time blacks serve longer terms than whites for the exact same types of crimes. Should we allow that INJUSTICE to continue?