Announcement

Collapse

Biblical Ethics 301 Guidelines

This forum is for Christians to discuss ethical issues within Christianity. Non-theists, non-christians, and unorthodox Christians should not post here without first getting permission from the area's moderators.

If you have a question about what's OK and what's not OK, please contact the moderators.


Forum Rules: Here
See more
See less

My eyes have been opened the last few weeks.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • My eyes have been opened the last few weeks.

    I work in a customer service role with predominantly black co-workers. I am the only Caucasian person on my team of 15 people or so. We have a team chat we use to collaborate and just in the last few weeks, my eyes have been opened by what some of my co-workers have shared.

    One co-worker in particular has probably been the victim of 4-5 racial attacks in the last month or so. She's repeatedly been called a "nigger", been requested to have a non-black person help her, and others. I've tried escalating the issue to get these customers reported, but nothing really ever gets done. Another of my co-workers had a customer call in two days ago, to be told "I'm glad they shot that nigger in Wisconsin." A third co-worker of mine, a very kind Christian lady, had a lady call in yesterday. In the background, her husband said, "That sounds like a black lady." He then started chanting "Black lives don't matter!" repeatedly.

    With my nondescript Midwest accent, nobody thinks that I'm black, so knowing I'm most likely white, I do have a few people who feel comfortable casually making racial comments to me. Here's the thing - I've been working here awhile and this hasn't become an issue until the last few weeks.

    My mind has been changed from thinking that as a society, we have largely moved past racism. This has been more than an isolated incident; this is an everyday thing and it's genuinely hurting my co-workers. Another eye-opener was shared last week by the Christian sociologist George Yancey, a black man. He shared a screenshot from the former PCA theologian Anthony Bradley, who was the target of an online troll who for years shared "discernment" posts about that "nigger" who he claimed was biblically unfit to lead the denomination. This man was citing scripture but quoting cartoonish racial stereotypes. I have no idea how serious he was. Either way, the PCA denomination did nothing but eventually ask him to make a post where he made clear that the PCA was not racist. Bradley refused, and was eventually pushed out of evangelical circles. He is now an unapologetic liberal theologian.

    Yancey's point was that Bradley readily admitted that the denomination not caring was what radicalized him, and Yancey admitted that seeing similar behavior tempts him to become radicalized as well. I nearly cried when I heard that the PCA denomination simply did not care about this.

    I now know that we have been too quick to dismiss the idea that racism is a relic of all but a few people, and I hear the hurt from people I know every day. What alternatives do we have other than, say, joining BLM? The idea that there is nothing concrete we can or should do no longer seems plausible to me.
    "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

  • #2
    Maybe I live in a bubble in that sense, because I live in a community where, sure there is racism, but there is also a genuine effort on the part of the community to cross those lines.

    Particularly, I'm talking about our local faith-based charity, run by a black man (who is, in a sense, "my boss") with several CEO type white people working under him.

    There has LONG been an emphasis on "we don't just want you to send us a check - we want you to give us your time" kind of thing. In fact, we have declined a number of "gifts" from people we thought were giving for the wrong reason.

    I think this whole "divided nation" thing has stirred up wounds and hurts, and the 24/7 news coverage of ANYTHING having to do with race keeps it in the foreground.

    Still thinking...
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
      Maybe I live in a bubble in that sense, because I live in a community where, sure there is racism, but there is also a genuine effort on the part of the community to cross those lines.

      Particularly, I'm talking about our local faith-based charity, run by a black man (who is, in a sense, "my boss") with several CEO type white people working under him.

      There has LONG been an emphasis on "we don't just want you to send us a check - we want you to give us your time" kind of thing. In fact, we have declined a number of "gifts" from people we thought were giving for the wrong reason.

      I think this whole "divided nation" thing has stirred up wounds and hurts, and the 24/7 news coverage of ANYTHING having to do with race keeps it in the foreground.

      Still thinking...
      We get calls from around the country so don't have a luxury of surrounding ourselves in our communities. One interesting thing I've noticed is that the "worst" calls are generally not from the South.
      "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
        We get calls from around the country so don't have a luxury of surrounding ourselves in our communities. One interesting thing I've noticed is that the "worst" calls are generally not from the South.
        As you've seen me say a number of times -- what we need is a good honest-to-God Holy Ghost revival.

        Actually, I think that's what makes a difference where I live -- the ministers have made the effort to lead, and to be seen "united" regardless of color.
        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

        Comment


        • #5
          I was surprised by folks here at tweb who showed anti-Southern-white sentiments -- as sort of a reinstatement of the North-South divide. So, it is interesting (and not quite surprising) that the "worst" calls are not from the South.

          The quarantines and the burning of cities seems to be the background for creating these negative sentiments. The contribution of the quarantines would be the negative psychological effects of isolation and of fear.

          I think CPs cooperative efforts are the best option. It was interesting that a church in an LA community wanted to help the neighborhood. It was not food that the people sought help with but rather was about getting jobs. So, often the "patch" we might try (from our own modes of thought) are not the best ways of resolving issues.

          I pray the best for your co-workers -- that these negative callers would decrease and that the coworkers can be strengthened against these bad callers.

          Comment


          • #6
            I think all of the recent incidents and protests and riots and the whole liberal "white privilege" "critical race theory" idea is making people act more racist. People are getting mad at black people screaming their lives matter while burning and looting. And the black people are mad at the white people who are carrying around confederate flags and protecting confederate statues and so on.

            It seems to be stirring up racism rather than quelling it.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by mikewhitney View Post
              I was surprised by folks here at tweb who showed anti-Southern-white sentiments -- as sort of a reinstatement of the North-South divide. So, it is interesting (and not quite surprising) that the "worst" calls are not from the South.

              The quarantines and the burning of cities seems to be the background for creating these negative sentiments. The contribution of the quarantines would be the negative psychological effects of isolation and of fear.

              I think CPs cooperative efforts are the best option. It was interesting that a church in an LA community wanted to help the neighborhood. It was not food that the people sought help with but rather was about getting jobs. So, often the "patch" we might try (from our own modes of thought) are not the best ways of resolving issues.

              I pray the best for your co-workers -- that these negative callers would decrease and that the coworkers can be strengthened against these bad callers.
              So, yeah, part of the problem is that, often, we assume that the need is X, when the need is actually Y or Z.

              It's good to get feedback and offer what is NEEDED rather than what we want to provide.

              Our Jobs for Life program has been very successful, as well as our Car Clinic. We've had to forego the car clinic because of Covid, but it's about to come back.

              But, yeah, many times the people we help just need help getting started, or started again -- then they're willing and ready to take life on for themselves.
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                I think all of the recent incidents and protests and riots and the whole liberal "white privilege" "critical race theory" idea is making people act more racist. People are getting mad at black people screaming their lives matter while burning and looting. And the black people are mad at the white people who are carrying around confederate flags and protecting confederate statues and so on.

                It seems to be stirring up racism rather than quelling it.
                And the media fans the flames because -
                A) it's good for ratings
                2) OMB
                The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I would prefer this thread be about what we can actually do as Christians, not Trump. I intentionally started it outside Civics.
                  "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I shouldn't be shocked(fallen world and all), but it still somehow surprises me that people could be so hateful and evil to each other. Maybe because I never want to treat a fellow human being like that? Those jerks deserve a lecture! Hopefully, they come to know Jesus first.
                    If it weren't for the Resurrection of Jesus, we'd all be in DEEP TROUBLE!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                      I would prefer this thread be about what we can actually do as Christians, not Trump. I intentionally started it outside Civics.


                      My apologies. I, personally, AM doing what I can, but I don't think you can deny that part of the problem is the flames being fanned by the media with regards to....

                      I'll see myself out.
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        What we can do as Christians?

                        1. Not be racist ourselves. All people are the same in Christ.
                        2. Spread the gospel. The more people who become Christians, the less racism there should be, if we all follow #1
                        3. Defend people we see who are being subjected to it.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                          I work in a customer service role with predominantly black co-workers. I am the only Caucasian person on my team of 15 people or so. We have a team chat we use to collaborate and just in the last few weeks, my eyes have been opened by what some of my co-workers have shared.

                          One co-worker in particular has probably been the victim of 4-5 racial attacks in the last month or so. She's repeatedly been called a "nigger", been requested to have a non-black person help her, and others. I've tried escalating the issue to get these customers reported, but nothing really ever gets done. Another of my co-workers had a customer call in two days ago, to be told "I'm glad they shot that nigger in Wisconsin." A third co-worker of mine, a very kind Christian lady, had a lady call in yesterday. In the background, her husband said, "That sounds like a black lady." He then started chanting "Black lives don't matter!" repeatedly.

                          With my nondescript Midwest accent, nobody thinks that I'm black, so knowing I'm most likely white, I do have a few people who feel comfortable casually making racial comments to me. Here's the thing - I've been working here awhile and this hasn't become an issue until the last few weeks.

                          My mind has been changed from thinking that as a society, we have largely moved past racism. This has been more than an isolated incident; this is an everyday thing and it's genuinely hurting my co-workers. Another eye-opener was shared last week by the Christian sociologist George Yancey, a black man. He shared a screenshot from the former PCA theologian Anthony Bradley, who was the target of an online troll who for years shared "discernment" posts about that "nigger" who he claimed was biblically unfit to lead the denomination. This man was citing scripture but quoting cartoonish racial stereotypes. I have no idea how serious he was. Either way, the PCA denomination did nothing but eventually ask him to make a post where he made clear that the PCA was not racist. Bradley refused, and was eventually pushed out of evangelical circles. He is now an unapologetic liberal theologian.

                          Yancey's point was that Bradley readily admitted that the denomination not caring was what radicalized him, and Yancey admitted that seeing similar behavior tempts him to become radicalized as well. I nearly cried when I heard that the PCA denomination simply did not care about this.

                          I now know that we have been too quick to dismiss the idea that racism is a relic of all but a few people, and I hear the hurt from people I know every day. What alternatives do we have other than, say, joining BLM? The idea that there is nothing concrete we can or should do no longer seems plausible to me.
                          There was always still some actual racist sentiment, but what has happened recently with the BLM movement has literally been pushing people towards being racist when they otherwise wouldn't be. With the George Floyd incident a huge upswing in anti-white sentiment happened, and now things are starting to swing the other way. It doesn't help that people with political power have redefined racism in such a way that no matter what you do as a majority you are racist, and not matter what you do as a minority you aren't.

                          The only thing we can do is point out both of these things are wrong, and hope that message doesn't fall on deaf ears.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                            What we can do as Christians?

                            1. Not be racist ourselves. All people are the same in Christ.
                            2. Spread the gospel. The more people who become Christians, the less racism there should be, if we all follow #1
                            3. Defend people we see who are being subjected to it.
                            I think #3 is what didn't happen in the case of the PCA incident.
                            "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                              I think all of the recent incidents and protests and riots and the whole liberal "white privilege" "critical race theory" idea is making people act more racist. People are getting mad at black people screaming their lives matter while burning and looting. And the black people are mad at the white people who are carrying around confederate flags and protecting confederate statues and so on.

                              It seems to be stirring up racism rather than quelling it.
                              Unfortunately a number of those on the left now believe that being hateful, violent and racist themselves which results in anger that often includes racist hate, somehow justifies their initial (and continued) hateful, violent and racist behavior

                              I'm always still in trouble again

                              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                              Comment

                              widgetinstance 221 (Related Threads) skipped due to lack of content & hide_module_if_empty option.
                              Working...
                              X