Aren’t you dancing around the issue of racism?
Question:
You surely did a huge dance around the "racism" issue. [See "The Broadening Definition of Racism."] Since you condemned all of the other sins in other articles, why didn't you condemn racism as a sin as well? Instead, you linked a religious body's (the United Church of Christ's) condoning of homosexuality to the "racism" issue. The subject of the article is "Racism", yet racism and its ugly sin are not dealt with. This is the usual way racism is dealt with in the church of Christ.
By the way, I am a church of Christ minister and have been preaching in the church of Christ for 34 years. I hold my brothers' feet to the fire on racism but like you, they skate around the issue.
On your site there are numerous articles: e.g. one on Pornography. In that article, you define and deal with the evils of pornography. You did the same in dealing with the sin of homosexuality. However, when it came to racism, you quickly drifted into homosexuality and condemned the United Church of Christ for condoning the same (homosexuality).
That clearly shows that your site, your congregation, the one that posted the articles or anyone affiliated with the La Vista Church of Christ does not have any intention of condemning the evils of racism; if you did, you would have condemned it.
Again, I have been a preacher in the church of Christ for 34 years and I have heard one preacher speak against racism from the pulpit. I made a pact within myself that if any preacher, ever, preaches against racism in my presence, I would give him $100. I have heard thousands of sermons; one that vaguely mentioned racism. I gave that one preacher $100. one, in 34 years!!!
The La Vista Church of Christ or no other church of Christ in America or anywhere in the world is going to preach against racism; again, it is further evidenced in your skating around racism on your web site.
If you reply to me, write as much as you like but please, if you can, include this statement: "Racism is a sin and those that practice racism will be lost."
Your article on "Prejudice" is no better than the so-called "racism" article. Both of them skate around a very serious, yet very prevalent sin.
If you are going to write about racism and prejudice, do so with the same fervor that you do when you write against homosexuality and pornography. Condemn them outright! Don't skate around the issues.
You attack homosexuality and pornography head-on, as you should. You skate around racism which shows that you are not really against it. You know that if you attack racism, you will be stepping on the feet on many within your congregation. Homosexuality and pornography are safer to attack; more racists are against homosexuality and pornography than they are against racism.
Answer:
I find it ironic that you condemn both myself and the congregation for not taking a stand against racism based on what has not been published. It seems to be that someone is pre-judging the situation without seeking facts.
First, the article, "The Broadening Definition of Racism" was written in response to a newspaper article. In that article, a member of the United Church of Christ stated that discrimination against homosexuality was a form of racism. The problem is that homosexuality is not a race by any definition. For that matter discrimination against men or women would not be racism either because being male or female is not a race. Obviously, what has happened is that great strides were made in passing laws against racism and everyone is hoping to attach their particular issue under these laws by broadening what is considered racism. The answer to the question "Is homosexuality a race?" demonstrates that homosexuality cannot be a race. The fact that the focus of the article and the way it was written is not the way you would have written it doesn't change the point I was addressing.
Second, the sermon "Prejudice: Jumping to Conclusion" was written in to address a root cause of several problems, including racism. In that lesson (point I.B.4.a) I stated that racism was "wrong because it lumps all people of a particular skin tone into one group." The fact that you would have placed greater emphasis on racism doesn't change the point that I was targeting.
There is another sermon "They're Out to Get You!" that addresses another fundamental point about why racism is sinful - the encouragement of fear to create hatred between groups of people. Examples of racist remarks are used, though racism is not directly mentioned. Yes, I know you would have made it plainer, but I prefer to attack problems at the roots instead of at the leaves.
Third, you missed the answer to the question "Is racism a sin?" In that short piece, I point out that the concept of race is really a man-made division of mankind. The Bible speaks of nationalities and languages, but it doesn't speak of race. "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:26). We are all descendants of Adam and Eve. (The answer to the question: "Are we all descendants of Adam and Eve and all related?" also addresses this point.) Racism is the concept that one race (artificially designated) is superior to another. The Bible teaches that we are all equal. Thus racism, founded upon a false premise, seeking to claim that one group is superior to another because of genetics is contrary to the teachings of God.
It doesn't matter what the skin color or facial features any of our ancestors had because to God we are all one. "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him" (Acts 10:35). We are all offered the same hope of salvation. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). This was the promise of the new covenant, the people from every nation would flow into the kingdom of Christ. "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him" (Daniel 7:14). The gospel is preached "to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people" (Revelation 14:6). John's vision of heaven was one of "a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands" (Revelation 7:9).
The gospel is to be taught all. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). No one is to be excluded. For one nationality to place itself above any other would be sinful. As God is no respecter of people, neither can be His people. Rather than seeking to divide, we must seek to fulfill Christ's dream of becoming one. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (John 17:20-21).
Fourth, the website is only a small collection of the material I have in my home and office. I've been preaching for over thirty years at the time of this writing. I have literally walls of books both at home and in my office. I have two large four-drawer filing cabinets filled with material. Yes, the website at this moment in time has over 2,750 pages of information, but I've only been at this for four years and I've barely started! For shame that a gospel preacher would jump to conclusions based on a lack of evidence!
Finally, I find the whole accusation amusing because you don't know the demographics of the church in La Vista.
