In the eyes of the lord all Christians and people of different races are the same because they are created in his own image, so he will consider them as he does himself.
Racism is now a mild thorn in the foot on the Christian church. But despite it being in place nowadays it has not always been like that. Despite Christians being taught these lessons there has been misfortunes in the past. For examples the mistakes of the missionary’s sent from Western Europe to areas of Africa and Asia. These people were there to convert the native people of the land to Christianity. These missionaries began to exert their power on the people of the land because they thought they were superior to them. They began to change aspects of these peoples daily lives to that of a more western culture, this is seen as racism because of the bad intentions of the whites thinking that they were superior to the black and Asian people.
Despite mistakes in the past the church has become a relatively racism free place, were the belief of god is re-forced with anti-racism teachings. Many Black people are a place in their church with their belief being Christian and in many cases are more attentive to the religion than the white population.
But despite the many teachings in the bible racism will sadly remain in modern-day society for the foreseeable future.
GCSE R.E Coursework
Racism Part 2
How might Christians react to racism?
With racism being a common scene is modern day society many have fought against it, some taking their beliefs to the extremes and others using forms of peaceful protest. One of the most well known Christian protestor against racial prejudice (and was a subject of racism himself), Martin Luther King. I have researched the life and work of Martin Luther King along with another anti-racism protestor Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He was originally born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin.
Living in Atlanta was tough for a black family because of it being a racist area of America. Martin was frequently left out because all the other youth were white – so he was unable to play with them. Despite The Luther family being well educated and middle class they were still frequently on the receiving end of lynch mob attacks.
The family were heavily involved with the local Ebenezer Baptist Church and attended regularly as preachers.
During his school career Martin attended schools which were only for black children, as a result of this he believed in equality for blacks and whites from a very young age. He intended to let his feelings known to the world. Martin received a B.A degree from the distinguished (segregated) Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Still carrying on his religious beliefs, Martin was given the pastoral of the Dexter Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama after his marriage to Coretta Scott. By this time he was already involved with antiracist groups and was a member of the National Association for the Advancement Of coloured people. Martin’s fist Blacks-rights non-violent protest was a bus boycott. This journey lasted 382 days. During the time on the boycott martin was attacked and arrested many times. Despite being subject of these attacks he emerged from the boycott as one of the most respected Black leaders In America. His popularity grew and grew and Martin became a household name. During an eleven year period (1957-1968) he travelled around the world and spoke the general public about his feelings. His words were widely accepted with the exceptions a few racist groups. Martin was thought to have modelled himself on Ghandi, whom he felt the teachings of Gandhi were similar to those of his own and they shared the same thoughts on equality.
It seemed that peaceful protest was the way forward. In these years martin wrote copious articles on his beliefs and also wrote five books. Despite to believe in peaceful protest he was arrested several times.
During this time Martin travelled to Washington Dc where he led a peaceful protest march and delivered his most famous speech.
“I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
This speech was to become one of the most well known in history.
At aged 35 he was awarded the Nobel peace prize. He was the youngest ever to receive the award and the prize money was given to further his dream with the civil rights movement.
Many people all over the world now had a representative that was loved by human rights supporters over the world. Martin Luther King was a modern day hero.
At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968, a shot rang out. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who had been standing on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, now lay sprawled on the balcony's floor. A gaping wound covered a large portion of his jaw and neck. A great man who had spent thirteen years of his life dedicating himself to nonviolent protest had been felled by a sniper's bullet.
Violence and controversy followed. In outrage of the murder, many blacks took to the streets across the country in a massive wave of riots. The FBI investigated the crime, but many believed them partially of fully responsible for the assassination. A man was arrested, but many people, including some of Martin Luther King Jr.'s own family, believe he was innocent.
When Martin Luther King emerged as the leader of the in 1955, he began a long tenure as the spokesperson for nonviolent protest in the Civil Rights Movement. As a Baptist minister, he was a moral leader to the community. Plus, he was charismatic and had a powerful way of speaking. He was also a man of vision and determination. He never stopped dreaming of what could be.
Archbishop Trevor Huddleston has been interested in human rights since a young age. Born in 1913 his father was a member of the Indian navy, Where they lived they were often approached by poor black immigrants or the homeless. Huddleston’s father often ignored these people while a young Huddleston always looked on and thought it was wrong. Once his father retired Huddleston went to a very strict Christian Boarding school where religion was a big part of everyday life. Because it was a church school, religion was very dominant.
After making his way up through the school hierarchy and attending oxford Huddleston began to become interested in politics.
Bishop Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, Transvaal. His father was a teacher, and he himself was educated at Johannesburg Bantu High School. The young Tutu is raised in an atmosphere of tolerance and sympathy where, he later says, "I never learnt to hate". When Tutu is 12 his family moves to Johannesburg. Although he had planned to become a physician, his parents could not afford to send him to medical school. Tutu's father was a teacher, he himself trained as a teacher at Pretoria Bantu Normal College, and graduated from the University of South Africa in 1954.
The government of South Africa did not extend the rights of citizenship to black South Africans. The National Party had risen to power on the promise of instituting a system of apartheid -- complete separation of the races. All South Africans were legally assigned to an official racial group; each races was restricted to separate living areas and separate public facilities. Only white South Africans were permitted to vote in national elections. Black South Africans were only represented in the local governments of remote "tribal homelands." Interracial marriage was forbidden; blacks were legally barred from certain jobs and prohibited from forming labor unions. Passports were required for travel within the country; critics of the system could be banned from speaking in public and subjected to house arrest.
When the government ordained a deliberately inferior system of education for black students, Desmond Tutu refused to cooperate. He could no longer work as a teacher, but he was determined to do something to improve the life of his disenfranchised people. On the advice of his bishop, he began to study for the Anglican priesthood. Tutu was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church in 1960. At the same time, the South African government began a program of forced relocation of black Africans and Asians from newly designated "white" areas. Millions were deported to the "homelands," and only permitted to return as "guest workers."
From 1962 to 1966 Desmond tutu lived in England, during this time he was awarded his masters degree in theology. For the next five years he continued to teach theology in South Africa, only returning to England to become an assistant director of the world council of churches in London.
In 1975 he became the first black African to serve as Dean of St. Mary's Cathedral in Johannesburg. From 1976 to 1978 he was Bishop of Lesotho. In 1978 he became the first black General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches.
Now the position gave Bishop Tutu a time where he could teach about the apartheid system which was denounced as “evil and unchristian. He began to ask for equal rights for all the population of South Africa and a system of common education. The passport laws were demanded to be ended along with the system of relocation.
The South African government took away his passport to prevent him traveling and speaking aboard. This brought the attention of the world onto the Government. The international public created an outcry and the government was forced to return and restore his passport.
In 1984 along with the likes of Martin Luther King Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace,
"Not only as a gesture of support to him and to the South African Council of Churches of which he is leader, but also to all individuals and groups in South Africa who, with their concern for human dignity, fraternity and democracy, incite the admiration of the world."
2 years later after the case involving the Government Desmond Tutu was elected the Archbishop of Cape town. No other black person before him had served in the position, which placed him at the head of the South African Anglican church.
Another major first arrived in 1990 when after almost 27 years in prison Nelson Mandela was released. Then the following year the government began to take away the racially discriminatory laws.
Despite there being such admirable heroes fighting for the human rights of races susceptible to prejudice, there are other anti-racist activists who think that violence is a better and quicker way. But these protests often end with the protestors being arrested due to damage being caused to property or human bodies.
The teaching on racism in Christianity is fairly obvious, racism is wrong and no Christian should perform racist acts no matter how much you dislike the person or their race/religion.
Despite this teaching there are a few branches of Christianity that perform racist’s acts.
One of these in the Ku Klux Klan.
From looking at the website first impressions are not good. The main idea of the Klan is that whites are supreme and that we should not tolerate anyone who is not white. The main race that is targeted is Blacks. One of the motto’s that is depicted all over the website is “white pride world wide”.
Lynch parties were sent out to find black people with one objective, torture and death. The Klu Klux Klan began to make up reasons to persecute blacks. Many were based around sexual tendencies such as the aids crisis in Africa which was spreading to other parts of the world. Saying that “AIDS is a RACIAL Disease!”. Another reason that was (and still is) used often is that when a black man saw a white woman he automatically felt the need to rape her, because of her white clean looks and purity. They say their actions are justifiable and can be seen from parts of the bible. For example here is a quote from the website which depicts why there should be white only communities;
“”Proclaiming a Message of hope and deliverance for White Christian America!
“If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; Then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sins, and will heal their land ii chronicles 7:14”””
Despite feeling that racist acts and ways are wrong, many Christians do not actively protest. There are other things which can benefit. For example signing anti-racist petitions and joining groups such as amnesty international can be helpful to people who have had their human rights violated.
But however many people protest and despite the best efforts of many people in the world there will always be an underlying line of racism. It is sadly unlikely that there will be total equality of the different races in the world.
GCSE R.E Coursework
Racism Part 3
“Violence Is an appropriate response to racism” do you agree?
Despite being against violence personally I find that racist comments and judgments very negative and always feel a slight feeling of anger and violent thoughts against the person who has made these comments.
Not being a subject or racial prejudice myself, I have not encountered being singled out because of my race. But despite this I have seen racial attacks of people one of which was my friend.
Since the days of slavery modern day society has come on leaps and bounds in our response and dealing of other races, we still can see that there are still racial taunts and comments being made to people all over the world on a daily basis.
People, whatever race they are have to choice to decide where they live. They deserve to feel comfortable in their home even if it is not where the majority of their race lives. No one has the right to speak badly about another human because of the colour of their skin.
The saying 'two wrongs don't make a right' is a very appropriate saying to use in the issue of racism because racism towards people is wrong and so is violence. When you put violence and racism next to one another it does not make the situation right. In fact, it will make the situation worse because it will cause resentment between the racist and the victim.
But despite knowing this it can be hard to remember, if you imagine yourself in a situation where your friend is being violently bullied because of their race, you would not just stand back and watch and see your friend put up with horrible taunts. I believe that in this situation the watcher should offer their help to the person being taunted or if the situation has got worse than name calling (i.e. if violence is involved and the person is being attacked) then the watcher should take an active role and do whatever they can to help their friend.
Every person in modern day society has a responsibility to protect others from violence.
There is a quote in the bible, Matthew 5 38-39 where Jesus speaks about revenge. "You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But now I tell you do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too."
What this means is, if someone hurts once, do not respond in a violent manner, turn the other cheek and let them do it again. It shows that Jesus was against violence.
But who in modern day society would turn the other cheek if their own friend was being beaten on the street by racist thugs? Many people feel they need violence to show them racism is unfair. Racism is something very personal to people as it shows what they believe in
From my own personal views I feel that in this situation the use of violence is justifiable.
But in the general public the idea of violence is not acceptable, no matter how extreme the case of racism may be. We have seen from previous examples in history of ethnic cleansing (such as those in the Holocaust) but using violence as a response can make the situation worse as said previously. Racism can bring about feelings of anger thus resulting in violence, which is in violation of Jesus’ teachings.
The bible is where Christians base their beliefs and where they draw their conclusions to certain situations in life and how to deal with them. The bible has been written by the disciples Jesus and Jesus was the son of God, so every Christian must live their life according to the teachings of the bible. The bible teaches that everyone must Love thy neighbour, and that the only time to use violence is during times of war.
Violence does not solve anything, and even though racism is wrong, violence is just as wrong. Gandhi and Martin Luther King are people in the past who have achieved a lot to cancel out racism without turning to violence. Although it took them longer to achieve it, in the end less people were hurt so violence does not pay off.
