40 Comments
  1. There’s something going on during this time that I find disturbing.

    It’s the idea that everyone should be treated the same, that everyone should have the same rights.

    That may sound good, but to be complete we must understand that there is right and wrong, good and bad, light and darkness, day and night.

  2. My statement above was an expression of our times.
    When I made it I wasn’t thinking about racial tensions. I misread racial as “radical”. My mistake.

    I wonder if it’s acceptable for a man of caucasian
    decent, to ascribe to a man who has only a part of his ancestry connected to caucasians, the faults he sees in the man.

    I suppose that might upset a few people of caucasian decent.

    Maybe any real faults are more connected to something in the spiritual realm than anything in the physical realm.

  3. There’s a need to consider the facts about a thing rather than look at a person’s color, history, education, or whatever else is different
    from us.

    When accusations arise, let’s realize the accusation and ask the accuser to make their case.

    For example, let’s look at the accusation, “You are tall.” A man is accused of being tall. Let’s look at the person’s height and see if he is tall.
    Let’s use facts.

    Some things are not so easy to “prove” but it seems to me that if God would have one to see the fault of his brother, it’s evident and can be quite clearly backed up with facts when it is clearly seen.

    Some things are not so clearly seen and then we either decide to talk through some things or simply let it alone until such a time as it becomes clear to us. Sometimes something may not be clear to us and it’s not something God wants us to deal with.

    What we don’t want to accept is false accusation.
    A false accuser needs repentance. We need to leave the repenting up to the sinner. We can’t do it for him, but we can show something by example of what repentance might look like. He may see us repent and know by that what it looks like.

    But let’s not repent of something we didn’t do, or repent of doing a good thing, lest we be found going the wrong way.

    Once a sin is repented of, the thing can not legaly be used to cause grief or to put condemnation on the man. God watches over these things. Let’s remember he is watching. Heaven rejoices over one who repents. They have protection of God for doing so.

    If someone is moving against a sin, and they are doing so, of God, being led by the Spirit of God, we should see a sword.

    How powerful are right words at the proper time.
    (Job 6:25) If we receive right words there is a blessing. If we don’t there will be the loss of some reward and may be the cause of more suffering.

    Receiving right words won’t always be comfortable,
    but right words are always good because that which is right is good and will bring some kind of healing or benefit.

    We need to come to the cross when we are being called to do so.

    We have to live the gospel. It seems to me that some people don’t have a sword because they did not come to the cross when they needed to.

  4. I think what makes a man or woman great in the political arena is their moral stature. I’m thinking of inspiring moral giants of the last one hundred years, some of whom have also been nonwhite.

    Nowadays, “morality” itself has been divorced from the Holy Scriptures in the eyes of many — and homosexuality is seen as a cause celebre — gays are often seen as a persecuted minority, etc. This is why the gay agenda is gaining ground — it appears as if they’ve hijacked the “moral high ground” in the eyes of many, and this is partly because of this shift away from the Bible as the standard bearer of moral values. But with “gay clergy,” which should be considered an oxymoron, they (gay strategists) are making inroads into theology as well. It was one thing to consider something prevalent but yet immoral. Now the line is being erased and in the minds of some, homosexuality is no longer immoral. I’ve even read assertions of it as being morally superior!

    President Obama may be lauded as progressive by some for his position re: the gay agenda, and his popularity may increase as (more and more) gayness becomes an accepted state in America, but this could certainly turn for him in posterity if there is ever a real moral reawakening in this country. I just think the great future divide will not be over race at all but over how we define morality. People may have to become sickened by the ensuing decadence before that awakening really becomes obvious though…

  5. LaShonda suggested that the tea partiers should “find out more information” before shouting (presumably) racially motivated comments; that they should be more discerning rather than simply “listening to their neighbors” because these things will be on shown on TV.

    LaShonda went on to confess that she didn’t know much about the tea parties, but what she’s seen it’s “all negative/all bad.”

    With regard to issues of race, I’m unaware of any “effigy burning” or negative outburst at any Tea Party event.

    I would like to respectfully suggest that perhaps LaShonda should “find out more information” about the Tea Party movement (What principles do they stand for, what are their objectives) prior to making slanderous accusations.

  6. I should add that I am in NO way offended by LaShonda and nor am I intending to be offensive.

    I feel that the biggest problem between the black and white race is one of lack of forgiveness. Unless we decide to mutually forgive one another for our past mistakes, there will be a continued air of suspicion that provokes us to prejudge individuals or groups – as I believe has been demonstrated by LaShonda’s comments.

    I feel that she’s suspicious of white people and their intentions, so when she hears a spurious report that confirms her suspicions she reacts without performing due diligence.

    My opinion…

  7. The mind tends to see and hear what it “wants” to see and hear.

    This, I think, applies to people who cry “racism” simply because one, ostensibly at least, disagrees wtih Obama. The same also applies, I think, with those eager to accuse others of antisemitism just because one disagrees with someone who happens to be of Jewish origin.

    It has nothing to do with race. It has nothing to do with antisemitism. It’s all about the ISSUES. But they perceive things differently, partly because they “want” to perceive things that way.

  8. Dr. Brown,

    I see that you have unabled me to further comment on August 6. Is there a reason for this?

  9. There are two standards in this country now days. White folks are held to a higher standard on the race issue than blacks. Until we all come under one standard the race issue will remain.

  10. Please do not get race and right and and wrong mixed up.
    With some of the issues being discussed. We are not coming against race, but against socialist beliefs and evil intentions. We are looking at people who are coming against our Christian / Judao principles and way of worship and the underling foundation of this Country. We are slowly being consumed and darkness is setting in. Our rights and beliefs are being consumed in this darkness and our God is being outlawed. WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND SAY NO>

  11. I think part of the problem is that some individuals are looking for faults, instead of forgiving. We can be looking at people with the eyes of Yehoshua/Jesus, and loving them. Sometimes the issue of racism is strictly about individuals that just want to be against certain people groups. For example if someone was hurt physically by whites, blacks, and Latinos, some people might forgive the white people that did it, but not others, some people might be angry at white people, and others might forgive blacks, or be angry at blacks, some might forgive Latinos, and some be angry at Latinos. My thought is forgive everyone, and strive to have a feeling of love, in other words desire to bless people, instead of desiring to hurt people. Often times racism is based on desiring to hurt other people, because they are different in color. We can chose to forget those things that are behind, and have an affection for the people.

  12. OK Dr. Brown – just in case you haven’t read my question above, I’m repeating it here:

    I see that you have disabled me to further comment on August 6. Is there a reason for this?

    Or are you in favor of the Gentiles NOT being grafted into the good olive tree?

    Faith without works is dead. Through faith Abraham obeyed Yahowah and circumcised his son Isaak on the 8th day. If we are indeed Abraham’s Seed and heirs according to the promise, like Paul says it in Galatians 3:29, then we ought to do the same.

    Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians in order to prevent them from submitting to rabbinical authority that did not recognize Yahshua as Messiah and from getting circumcised as a means of salvation. Paul NEVER was preaching against circumcision for grafted in believers as Constantine made us believe.

    Maybe here too there is still to work through some racial tensions in the body of Messiah?

    Remember the elder son’s raction when the prodigal son returned home to abide by his father’s laws.

  13. Luke 3:8

    “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham FROM THESE STONES!”

    So guess what – even STONES can be Jewish if Yahowah wills it so!

    Malachi 4:4

    “Remember the Torah of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 4:6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

  14. Regarding the whole race issue I love a line from the old movie “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” spoken by Sidney Poitier. In this movie of the 1960’s he wants to marry a white women and the parents and the couple have come together to discuss the issue. The father’s of the couple are against the mixed marriage. Sidney’s character is discussing with his dad who is telling Sidney of his opposition to the marriage to which Sidney replies, “Dad you are my father and I love you but you think of yourself as a black man and I think of my self as just a man.” We need to stop looking at people in terms of colour and race and see ourselves as simply people.

  15. Erika, It seems you give Constantine too much present day relevance, which is moot compared to those committed from the inside out to the real confession and realized adoption of walking with Christ. God looks at the heart, not so much the cultural trappings of certain persuasions of understanding limited to outward conformity. Consider too how one’s own loyaties work, can be swiftly realigned, and can lead anyone astray. What are the scriptural based principles acting as countermeasures to such negative assumptions you assert as extant?

  16. Erika,

    You Wrote:
    “I see that you have disabled me to further comment on August 6. Is there a reason for this?”

    You probably posted a link form a website that is blocked by Dr. Brown. This has happened to me when I try to post a link to a website called eliyah dot com. If I had posted the above web address in the normal manner you would not be reading this as it would be blocked.

    Shalom

  17. No Bo, seriously, I’m not even able to write a comment in the box like I’m doing here. Not a single letter appears when I try to type.

  18. Erika, I had that problem for three weeks on posting on this site; it proved to be an uplink server problem, not this site. It proved to be frustrating, and was overcome when my IP changed the fluid provider access address, which changes over time (in as little as a few hours, and as much as a few months). Call your IP and sort it out with them.

  19. Then a new problem thereafter was days and days “awaiting moderation”. I guess then that went away when some site overseer decided I was safe, who knows what it was? Sometimes, if I write too quickly, I appreciate God’s seeming oversight for rewriting, rethinking, reediting.

  20. Erika,

    Please just email the admin of the site for your complaints. Its not necessary to post something thats not related to the topic.

  21. Much healing in regards to race relations can be bridged when Christians begin to judge with righteous standards, as opposed to judging according to the flesh.

    I’ve personally had to correct an individual, working for a well known Christian law firm fighting for our rights, in attempting to pass along that President Obama is a Muslim. As a supporter of this national law firm, I had to cancel my contributions because of the people working for his organization. There are many within the body of Christ that are fueling divisive rhetoric which, when investigated, has no basis for truth.

    It has been from my understanding that many white Christians believe that black Christians are overly sensitive regarding President Obama; but in actuallity, it has been through my experiences that many within the white community have had more difficulity in embracing a black president, which forces the race issue to be a front line topic.

    To bridge the gap of race relations within our “Christian” America, our candidates should present an “inclusive” message to all of America. Let’s face it, no politician wants to appeal to the black community when he/she focuses on reaching out to an excusive “hocky moms” audience.

    With regards to the political issues, we must deal with them on that basis alone, and then maybe we can find that common ground where we can have open dialogue which may prove to be productive.

    Shalom,
    Brian

  22. I question whether or not our President will become transcendentl toward a Christlike outlook from what was obviously a cultural bias of his religious affiliation prior to running for the high office (without significant intercessory prayer). I am encouraged that Thos. Jefferson became a believer in his final years, but, apparently, primarily due to personal losses, struggles, and the isolation of age softening the intellect and deist heart which was popular of leaders in his own day.

    As for a racist outlook, alliances and affiliations based on early ideology were certainly, culturally biased, but it is unclear that that equates with racism. The ideology persists, with his recent remark on the Islamic center near the 9-11 site being about freedom of religion. This particular outlook is most telling of his kind of Christianity void of the eschatology of Christ.

    Making all equal was never the intention of our teacher, but changing the heart to stand for certain matters, and to yield on certain issues, where applicable to the person, character, and
    Values of our appointed Messiah-King. In an Age of increasing relativism, when all becomes relative and supposedly about equality, few distinctives will be discernable by most. Our faith then must not be in the persuasions of men, be they conservative or liberal, but in the heart of our Lord, and its Ways and Means to achieve Godliness.

    Too often conservatives have equated religion with upholding property rights for marketplace development criteria,erring toward greed; and liberals have equated religion with agendas for ignoring what has been called sinful behavior over eons of human history, erring toward permissiveness. Neither position, without allegiance to the living Lord, offers much to the purposes of the King and Kingdom. The King and Kingdom request submission to the very heart of God, first where equality with God is not something to be grasped by conservativism or liberalism, but, ultimately by selfless service, giving of one’s own ability and substance, and without thoughts of I, me, mine.

    How can our loyalties then work with the most excellent way of our Lord, to transcend the trappings of merely outward religious trappings, and to lay down our lives for the Way, heart, and values of our Lord? Where does immersion in the Word come into play, where does standing in the face of adversity enter the mix, and how is this bolstered by one’s prayer closet reality, and one’s community alliances in the manner of mutual edification and regard?

  23. In short, whether it is discerning of us, or of a President, where is the King acknowledged as King, and us as servants for his sake, not the manner of any personal agenda (no matter if conservative or liberal) and consequence? Discernment must be based on who Jesus is, not on what our flesh wants, as to equalizing a playing field for the flesh–regardless of what it values as important.

  24. What I really see as “racially divisive” is to try and give President Obama a Teflon coating because he’s part black.

    Treating a black person so delicately that one must wear rose-colored glasses and kid gloves around them is to me a very offensive stance. It is saying: You cannot be held to the same standards as any other person because you fall beneath them. You must be granted special consideration because you are “less”. I find it disabling, but surely that is not the intention behind those doing it. No, liberal-minded people walking on eggshells mean absolutely no harm — but how harmful is it to imply that someone isn’t strong enough to withstand the criticism that fairly goes with the job?

    As the expression goes, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” The political arena is tough. Every time someone criticises the President on his policies, someone shouts, “Racism!” What a loaded term! Slathering on the Teflon is ultimately unkind, ultimately insulting. It implies that he needs the extra protection because his policies, statements, and actions are too weak to bear up to scrutiny and honest criticism.

    Do you want to be fair to President Obama? Burn the “race card”.

  25. Ruth,

    I personally have not experienced any black Christians wanting to give the president a “teflon coating” simply because he is black. The “real” issue has been that many white opponents have presented enflaming race motivated slogans, comments, and caricatures that simply have no place in our society. Those who have published pictures of the White House sitting in a watermelon patch, or a picture of a monkey wearing an Obama hat, are what fuels the flames of racial division in this country.

    What is needed are for many of us to began to listen, research, and perform due diligence on facts about our president, before we make statements that simply should not be made. No Christian should be advancing false information and rumors such as him not being an American citizen, or that he is a Muslim – until they have examined these things for themselves.

    Moreover, President Obama is not “part black” as you have so stated. He is black by virtue of his skin color. It would be accurate to recognize and distinguish that he is part African-American, as referring to this ethnicity.

    Let us continue to work in advancing clear dialogue, and thus recognizing that black people are delighted to see one of their own race holding the highest office in the Land. Roman Catholics all over America were proud to see John F. Kennedy stand as president and were naturally sensitive towards protecting him because of who he represented. I would guarantee you that many Hispanics, Jews and Muslims would feel the same way if “one of their own” became the president. This should be understood by recognizing the principle of identification.

    Many black Christians that I know welcome open dialogue regarding president and his policies; however, I have not seen any difference with those who defend Obama, as I do with those who have refused to recognize and admit the errors and misstatements from former President, George W. Bush, or political candidate Sarah Palin.

    The fact of the matter is that many are more political party affiliated then we are to our Christian confession. If we would be honest, then we would admit that no political party has the answer to America’s problems, and each one is corrupt and has played a part to our gradual decline in one way or another. Whether we call out the liberal abortion views of President Obama, or openly acknowledge the poor judgment of former President, George W. Bush, of rushing our troops into an unjust war in Iraq – what we need to do above all is pray for who G-d has put into place and judge each political leader with fair and equal weights and measures.

    Shalom
    Brian

  26. Brian, Perhaps, but the defendable position of believers is to based on what Yeshua called the “weightier matters” of the practices of the principles behind the law, as justice, mercy, kindness, etc.–not so much on how our loyalties are misguided toward what is readily corrupted. This involves our nonlean hearts preferences. There is no question that excesses of insistance on liberal or conservative philosophy blindly pursuing their ways toward such ends have led to a culture of permissiveness and greed unparalleled in US history. These both broke our continuity of mutual care, and relevant value of having viable currency for common sense intentions. We have crossed a boundary which God will no longer permit to be blessed. A read of any major prophet of old is a sure warning to us.

    Anyone here can benefit from the thought through attentive repentance toward our faulty assumptions by looking under the Voice of Revolution magazine section, then selecting the author, Michael Brown, then searching for his Jeremiah summary. It no longer suffices to embrace politics as usual because of the deceitfulness of sin.

  27. Morality is what is important in Christianity, NOT skin color.

    No genetic composition resulting in certain pigmentation is the marker of this. God has called all nations (the entire human race) to follow Him, and those external superficialities which are so important in racist mentalities simply carry no weight as regards entrance in His kingdom.

    Liberal whites are the ones more likely (at least in my experience) to hold up the race card and cry “foul” if any one dares to criticize President Obama’s positions. At least some Conservative blacks have had to grapple with the charge of “not being black enough” if they didn’t support those positions in the voting booth. Where is the fairness here?

    Is it more fair to black people to call them African-American? Does the addition of six more syllables to the label matter? Should we then call whites by the labels of Irish-American, German-American, Scottish-American, etc.? Does this help? Or does this continue the focus on externalities?

    As regards blacks electing “one of their own,” this is ludicrous. Blacks can no more be melded into one body as can any other nationality or ethnic group. They are as individual as any other group. Did George Bush speak for all whites? Then why do we make a black man the voice of all black people? When will this stop?

    Morality knows no color barrier. Virtue exists in the heart of a person if he or she is obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Period. You do not get a “free pass” into heaven based on your body’s skin color. It’s time, if we are really “over it” to stop defining each other solely in terms of race.

    I didn’t agree with Obama’s treatment of Prime Minister Netanyahu. When I voted for him, this was not what I expected. Like many, I made some assumptions about his character. I now regret that decision. Like many, I wanted to feel America had gone beyond race. But perhaps I proved myself “not yet beyond it” because I should have looked more clearly at the future-President’s positions on matters close to my heart. That’s a lesson I will not forget. And I don’t think I’m the only one.

  28. Jabez,
    Point well taken. I stand in agreement with you. Thank you.

    Ruth,
    Your former posting alluded to people wanting to give President Obama a “teflon coating,” or free pass because he is black, and that is what I had addressed. I also noted how important it is to make sure that we judge him, as we would any other person, with facts and evidence. I then attempted to clarify for you that it is quite inaccurate to label someone has “half black” as you so stated.

    You then stated, ” Is it more fair to black people to call them African-American? Does the addition of six more syllables to the label matter? Should we then call whites by the labels of Irish-American, German-American, Scottish-American, etc.? Does this help? Or does this continue the focus on externalities?”

    It has been Dr. Brown’s attempt to have people in the body of Christ to work to understand one another in light of our differences. I only set out to shed light on the difference that ethnicity spans broader than race. As to your above question, regarding how one should address white people, I think what is important to understand is that every white person that I know proudly speaks of their ethnic background , and can name those among their blood line that have come to America from their home land. Hence, I often hear people talk of their Irish, Italian, German or Jewish descent. Black people who have come though the ancestry of slaves cannot trace their roots back to their nation, so “thinking heads” have introduced the term, African-American, thus identifying themselves as close as possible to their heritage.

    You then said, ” As regards blacks electing “one of their own,” this is ludicrous.”

    Who said that??? You are honestly missing my point altogether. I only hoped that you would understand that people are proud to see someone of their race, ethnicity or religious background achieve to success. I didn’t say that it was right or wrong, I simply hoped that you would be able to understand that it is a very real point to consider.

    My postings have only been written to help to bridge the lines of communication so that we who are identified with Yeshua will judge with righteous judgment. We all have our own personal reasons and convictions as to why we choose who we want to be in office, and that should be respected by all. I pray that the love of G-d that has been shed in our hearts will prove to be greater than any barrier that man would try to put up to divide.

    Shalom,
    Brian

  29. I’ve no doubt you meant well in all your statements, Brian.

    Much has been made of President Obama being black, but of course, he is half-white, half-black. I don’t see how that is “inaccurate”. I don’t see how it could be offensive, either. Care to explain? When people speak of being half-Irish, half-German, is this considered offensive? Why then it is inaccurate and (implied) offensive in Pres. Obama’s case? If the President were black on his father’s side and Lakota Sioux on his mother’s side, what category would you assign him then?

    We have had different experiences, apparently, and naturally, in regards to the whole “Teflon” issue. I find no need to retract anything I’ve written.

    And of course, we all want harmony. I believe that it is only when we lose our obsessiveness over “race” that we will find our common ground. We can look at all the ways in which we are different and only find things to divide us, or we can see that we are brothers and sisters in God, with the same moral standards applied to all, and this can unite us.

  30. You well said that much has been made of President Obama being black; however, don’t you find it very interesting that race has never been a forefront issue over a standing president in the past? I’d say that the reason is because he has always been white, and no one really had much to say in its regard. Now that we have a black president, race seems to be a great issue, and it is not because the black community has a problem with it. I’ve been quite amazed at how the media has exploited this issue.

    I do want to clarify that your identification of the president as being half-black is in no way offensive to me at all. In point of fact, I have not been offended at anything that has been stated. I have simply wanted to help bridge the gap in understanding the proper usage towards his ethnic and racial make-up.

    You said, ” When people speak of being half-Irish, half-German, is this considered offensive? Why then it is inaccurate and (implied) offensive in Pres. Obama’s case? If the President were black on his father’s side and Lakota Sioux on his mother’s side, what category would you assign him then? ”

    Your above statement is exactly what I am hoping to clarify. You described the president’s mother’s side as Lakota Sioux, and his father’s side as simply “black.” Black is a color – as in color of skin – and Lakota Sioux speaks of an entire ethnic background, in connection to a tribe. When people speak of being half-Irish, or half-German, that is again being ascribed to an ethnic heritage; yet, when you describe one as being black in comparison, that is ascribed simply to the color of one’s skin, and this is a big difference.

    Shalom,
    Brian

  31. Okay — I see your point, Brian. If one could say his father is Kenyan as opposed to simply “black” or more particularly, if one could cite the original tribal heritage, this would be more even-handed. Attempts have been made to specify exactly where his genetic roots obtain, but these are treated somewhat sensationalistically in the press, and not with the dignity one should expect for a U.S. President.

    I can see where ancestry could be hard to trace and pin down, especially if records were not kept, as can happen with any family line, especially if there are traumatic interruptions, such as through warfare (or the slave-trade.)

    And in fact, the “press” has become much more sensationalized on the whole and journalistic integrity on television more rare than I remember. I didn’t watch television for a number of years, preferring the print media, but when I did turn it on again, I’ve got to say that demagoguery seems to have replaced journalism there, on both the “Left” and “Right.” When former sportscasters can morph into newsmen who tell us, for example, that the proposed mosque in New York is not really a mosque at all (Keith Olbermann) apparently without even researching what is a mosque (and yes, they can have hospitals, community centers, and even tombs attached to them historically and still be considered a mosque) it’s no wonder inflammation is replacing information.

    As far as how the body of Christ can deal with all of this, I believe we’d best remember that morality knows no skin color, and how a candidate stands on these issues should ideally inform our consent (and give structure to future dialogue).

  32. One thing I don’t get is the whole ‘half-black’ thing. Ever since he became President all these (white)people started getting upset at him being labeled as ‘black’ or the first African-American President and wanted him to be called bi-racial. Now, as a multi-racial person, I totally agree that I would have been estatic if he would have run and campaigned as mixed race or multi-racial, but he didn’t. And I understand why, he grew up in a different time when it didn’t matter that your mother was white and her parents raised you, you were considered black and a lot of that still applies today. Which is why I get pretty upset when I hear everyone trying to make him ‘half-white,’ as if they can take away from his being African-American in looks, identity, cultural worldview, etc. These folks called in to radio shows such as AFR all last year with these deep southern accents that were barely understandable saying things like ‘I just want to point out he’s not black, he’s half white,’ and making crude comments as if they were going to take away his racial and ethnic identity from him.

    Yet as a multi-racial/southern man (mother’s mostly white with some Creole and Spanish heritage and father’s mostly Native American and Sephardic Jewish) nobody ever objected to me (and I look whiter than most white folks) dating their daughter cause I was ‘mixed, or half-white. Nobody said they don’t like me cause I’m part non-white or ‘part Jew!’ Racists and even some people who embrace a evangelical faith who have racist undertones object to me being non-white in their eyes (and that includes my Jewish heritage), not multi-racial, but non-white (and as I pointed out-I pretty much look white, so I’m guessing Obama ain’t got much sympathy in their eyes coming his way-f.y.i. I’m not an Obama supporter and I did not vote for him!).

    I’m just confused why all these people, well-meaning white evangelicals, have begun to call out those they don’t like who are technically mixed as ‘half-white,’ or ‘half-black,’ like all the sudden they get to change the game on us (and they know that it insults a lot of people yet they do it anyway, not anymore in ignorance, but because they now it causes feelings of anger). If you wanted to do that 24 years ago before I was born, then maybe that’d be fine, but I’ve done lived through my share of racial comments, jokes, and the like, so I’m pretty much not changing my identity now. It’s shows a lack of understanding at how racial identity has been defined in this nation and I know many of the people who say these things would object to mixed race people dating their children not cause they are ‘mixed,’ but because they don’t view them as white. They say ‘don’t bring him that black boy/girl’ and do you think their kids go ‘oh well she must be okay with me dating Troy cause he’s only 50% black.’ And that’s why a lot of mixed race and muli-racial people get angry when people try to turn the table on us (and in a sense play us a race card) years after forcing us to find an identity within a particular segment, then they don’t want us to get credit if we achieve something, like being half-white made it easier for us (when most of the time we were hated by all sides of heritage-we we’re just forced by WASPs to the side they wanted us to be on).

    As for the reference to ‘Guess Whose Coming to Dinner,’ that’s one of my favorite films, and that line really touches my heart. My father seems himself as a man, he knows he is Sephardic and he knows he’s American Indian, and he’s lived his life seeing himself as simply a man, but unfortunately I feel to do that he has to blind himself to the racial side of a lot of his white friends who make comments that are pretty much racist, whether or not it’s worth it, that’s for each man or woman or child to determine. Luckily for me, most people where I live have never met a Native American, so I tend not to hear Indian jokes, but I do have to decide where to draw the line when it comes to anti-Semitic jokes. A lot of people racially, as I pointed out above, are hypocritical. Like some say they don’t like Jews, but they like me and my father (and we celebrate Hanukkah, Pesach, and I go to services on Yom Kippur so I don’t know how I qualify as different from other Jews). Or one thing I’ve noticed in the last ten years or so is that most people who are evangelicals are sympathetic either to racial minorities and not to Jews (usually Left-leaning Christians) or they say they love Jews and Israel (right-leaning) but they don’t like racial minorities in the United States. 20%, 1 in 5, Jews are Jews of Color (non-white or mixed) and the number is rising, so it will be interesting to see how this affects this seemingly divisive trend in the next twenty or so years.

    Well I think I’ve written too much as it is, so I’ll just say that as always, and especially as believers, we should try to see the other side(especially when it’s the differing opinion of a believer)and it’s interesting to see the responses on this thread.

    Shalom

  33. “…inflammation is replacing information,” as Ruth cited as a cultural phenomena. With this in mind, knowing what has the culture’s attention, in fact, has the culture’s heartbeat, what to do in believers’ shoes?

  34. Hi Christopher – just wanted to take time to tell you I hear your pain.

    As a multiracial person, I have known the sting of being judged inferior before I have even opened my mouth. In the spectrum of possible human skin-tones, mine falls in the medium range. In my fifty-one years, I’ve learned that there are largely two bars by which the world judges people: wealth and color, with wealth being seen as the most impressive criterium and color a close second. Of course, it’s all upside down, with the one being served rated at the top and the one serving rated at the bottom — quite the opposite of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, as our Lord informed his disciples in Luke 22:24-30. In Luke 16:15, we can read more about God’s view of these lovers of wealth: “…You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”

    As Greg pointed out earlier, there is a need for forgiveness when we are slighted in the world’s estimation, and we have the light of Jesus’ [Yeshua’s] example of that. He knew what it felt like to be rejected on several levels, yet some of his dying thoughts were on the theme of forgiveness!

    Forgiveness is one of the most powerful ideas on earth. It pleases God; and it heals the individual from wounds that would otherwise continue to seep, freeing us from the past for the present and the future. No matter how we are judged by the world’s obscene standards, we know it is even now growing old and passing away, but His words, words of Life, endure forever.

    So let us keep forgiving and taking care not to judge according to the world, treating each other as members of one human race and family, with one common parentage, and one true hope: our life in Him.

  35. Thank you Ruth I agree completely. Forgiveness is an issue that I think has yet to be given on either side. Perhaps all of us are waiting too long for signs of repentance from the ‘other side,’ and need to do our part and seek forgiveness and then we can be united as believers. I will say I hate returning to this issue over and over again in life (among evangelicals), I just wish we could all drop it as believers, not in the kingdom of darkness, but for those of us in the Kingdom of Light who are sons and daughters of the Creator, reborn and made into the image of the Creator and therefore reflecting His Image as well as resembling one another when we look with spiritual eyes.

    Shalom

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