As a Christian you are always taught to respect other people and not to differentiate between races. You are also taught to treat everyone else as a brother and an equal so Racism should be one of the most important issues that they avoid yet it was the Christian peoples who first used the Slave trade and though up the racist comments.
This is quite a difficult concept to understand but racism is all around us and probably always will be in some form or another. In a discussion about racism people may refer to the “miracles” performed by Jesus and how he helped anyone that came before him with a problem. He did not reject anyone on the basis of his or her skin colour or ethnic background. There is also no written proof of Jesus being of white skin colour so he may well have been black or brown.
If this statement is case then the Klu Klux Klan would certainly be crushed and one of the biggest racist problems at the moment would disappear. In Genesis 1:26 it is mentioned “All human beings are made in the image of God as the summit of all creation.” This clearly shows no division of race and tells us to treat each other as equals. Some may claim that it only implies this statement but another direct quote from the bible is that “All people are equal before God” and another proving quote is “The Kingdom of God knows no prejudice and no discrimination. This phrase is used a lot by the Baptist community.
We welcome the multi-racial nature of society in Britain.” This shows a lot of people translating these bible quotes to mean that we should not be racist.
Paul proclaims in Galatians 3:27 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Jesus Christ.”
In the New Testament Jesus’ command to “love your neighbour as yourself” is always taught to Christians and travels across all racial and social boundaries.
In a discussion about racism all the teachings of Martin Luther King would most definitely be mentioned for he was a “Christian against Racism”. He believed in equal rights for both Black and White people. We are all taught this as young so I do not understand why the Klu Klux Klan change their beliefs completely and still call themselves Christians. Martin Luther King was Black and was heavily opposed to racism and its influence on society at the time. He led many processions and sit inn’s until Black and other ethnic minorities were accepted as equals in society. This is a very influential teaching as it shows that if you believe in a cause that much, then it is possible to make it true. This was his dream and it came true for him in the end until he was assassinated in Washington.
How might Christians respond to Racism?
The actions of Christians such as Martin Luther King and Desmond Tutu that have led to great changes in the world perceived racism. It is their actions that have meant laws, that otherwise would never have been dreamt of, have been implemented. These people and many others like them fought united side by side for the rights of Blacks and other ethnic minorities in a great attempt to win their freedom.
Of course there were not only good responses to racism (this is “good” in my own opinion) as many have based their entire beliefs around supporting it. I am speaking mostly of the Klu Klux Klan who claim to be a Christian society and who are very much against the other race inhabiting their country and being accepted into society at all.
Martin Luther King is a very good example of a strong and determined response to racism. His strong beliefs led to his assassination and an entire new way of thinking in the world today. Most people, if a survey were taken would know some of what Martin stood for and what happened to him.
Martin King’s life of protesting started when he organized the bus boycott of 1955. He was arrested at least 4 times and had many attempts on his life, one finally paying off on April 4th in Memphis, Tennessee, 1968. King constantly kept up a non-violence regime and this was one of the main ways that he gained respect. People admired him for taking so much abuse in his stride without even a single punch thrown. Kings main asset was that he was very determined and very persistent. He was a Christian against racism and made very move to show his feelings.
Possibly his most famous moment was the “I have a dream…” speech that gained him a lot of support leading to 1 in 4 people of the Washington march being white!
This is one Christian’s response to racism. It is passionate and is a very strong belief. Racism inspired him to speak out and take action against the mistreatment of other races and violence in general.
A quite opposite response to racism is that of the Klu Klux Klan. They are a religious cult that detests any other race apart from their own. They have many gatherings that involve burning of flags and rallying against the black communities of their country. They believe that this is their country and should stay that way without immigrants causing overpopulation in many cases. They believe that the blacks should not have the same rights as them because it is not their own country and so should not be allowed the same opportunities as the whites whose country it actually is. They have a very firm belief that their race is superior to others and so the other races should look up to them and give them ultimate respect.
Even in this day and age it is never long before we hear reports of racism on the news or in our own communities. This goes to show that there are still a great many supporters of racism and superior races.
However we do not know so much about those who support these racial groups because it actually banned, but most of the world be opposed to it so people would rather tend not to show their faces if possible. These Christians have made their feelings and beliefs known not only to their kind and immediate religious sect, but have let the world know their point of view in the hope of ending the discrimination. The two sides of racism is a very clear example of people holding the most different of opinions and it shows how differently people can think. Mainly it brings out individuality and a unity amongst all those that wish to support the movement.
Is Violence an appropriate answer to Racism?
Violence is generally the most common answer to arguments because it is the easiest and first thought that enters your head in a tense situation.
It is the first thing you think of so at the time the most sensible option to take as it can get you very quickly out of a very awkward situation. Violence as a reaction is instinctive because of aggression building up (stress) that results in anger, which is very hard to stop.
There are many ways to stop racist attacks and these should be used whenever possible. Martin Luther King and all of his followers deliberately used non-violent methods in order to prove they were equal and decent enough people. Black people are readily accepted into western society in this day and age.
With regard to actual physical violence, not even those completely against people of different races use violence to get their point across. Instead they just have large meetings and events discriminating against that race and burning some of their cultures sacred artefacts and flags. It’s their way of having fun and showing what they are against. In particular I am referring to the Klu Klux Klan.
Violence as a solution to racism is also the wrong idea because it does not actually get you anywhere. Having a fight with someone because they have racially insulted you will not really make them any less racist towards you.
Violence usually causes more racial tension rather than the problem being solved. Those people who really dislike other races or who have a problem with them sharing the same country should also refrain from using violence to discriminate against others. We cannot change their beliefs but they should be withheld to within reason.
I believe that none of the situations were ever resolved whereas many of the non-violence situations were resolved and the racial tension has all but completely died in these areas. This is quite good proof that violence really is not an appropriate to racism. Violence does more harm than good yet it is still one of the most common responses to racism because it is the most simple and it is anger influenced.
Violence is wrong!
