American Christianity�s White-Supremacy Problem

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Okay, maybe you didn't directly, but the article you cited and commented on certainly did, and then you implied that anybody who disputes the claims is not sincerely concerned about the words of Jesus Christ being corrupted.

Citations are required to substantiate your allegation.

And now you do it again, insisting that the book "is discussing underlying attitudes of superiority and white supremacy that were and still are held by many white American Christians".

The book is written by an academic who specialises in religion, culture, and politics and examines the history of white American Christianity and the way Christianity has been used to maintain white supremacy over blacks.

It's a sweeping accusation that no individual can defend himself against, because if we deny it, then, as the theory goes, that just proves we're just part of the problem.

It's not personal MM. Nor is it about anyone defending themselves.

The book points out that two centuries of American white Christian supremacy has left a lasting impression and many white Christian Americans today still hold prejudices towards black Americans, other minorities [including racial minorities] that echo those earlier prejudices held by white Christian America [WCA]. Many white Christian Americans are anxious about the way the country is going and hark back to a period of American history when white Protestantism was the undisputed cultural power.

Present day America is no longer that country. The proportion of white Christians in the country, while still comprising the largest single group, had slipped in 2014 to below a majority and was down to 47%. Today it is no doubt even lower. Furthermore, if members of that percentage are restricted to only include the descendants of WCA, i.e. white mainstream Protestants and white evangelical Protestants then the percentage would be even further.

Clearly some, if not many members of present day WCA, find that alarming, particularly when religiously unaffiliated Americans is a group that is rapidly growing.

[Ronson]

I have a hard time believing people when they say they "don't see race". Believing that it's no big deal or considering it as an afterthought, I can absolutely believe that. But unless you have something similar to a form of face blindness, I have a hard time believing that.

Everyone makes assumptions based on all sorts of things: race, gender, clothes, hygiene, height, weight, even subliminal things like symmetry ... just many things. And everyone is prejudiced, in that we prejudge based on appearance. If we allow those first impressions to affect our objectivity, our behavior or our sense of fairness then it becomes a problem.

IMO

[Mountain Man]

I have a hard time believing people when they say they "don't see race". Believing that it's no big deal or considering it as an afterthought, I can absolutely believe that. But unless you have something similar to a form of face blindness, I have a hard time believing that.

I have functioning eyes, so of course I can see when I'm interacting with a non-white person, but it doesn't have any influence on how I treat them, so I'm "color blind" in that sense.

[Reepicheep]

He's a little late to the party.... from 1995 - TWENTY FIVE YEARS ago...

The link I posted mentions the two previous resolutions:

"In 1995, the Convention formally apologized for its support of slavery. In 2015, it passed a resolution calling for racial reconciliation. Last week's resolution denouncing white nationalism passed overwhelmingly."

[shunyadragon]

I am neither a racist nor a white supremacist, so I have nothing to apologize for.

I never said you did. I am addressing the facts of history and racist nature of America today, and not any individuals that need to apologize. The only way this would be the case is if one believes in 'Original Sin,' and we need to apologize for the sins of our ancestors, or others. Yes, we are responsible for our own thinking and actions.

Unless you think or don't think like Nikki Haley:

[Gondwanaland]

Good grief are some of you totally incapable of reading for comprehension?

I note you are once again resorting to personal comments.

Have you ever considered how puerile and petty such remarks makes you appear?

[Cow Poke]

The good news is that, just over three years ago, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to denounce white supremacy and the alt-right movement. Baby steps, baby steps...

https://www.wglt.org/post/southern-b...-past#stream/0

Southern Baptist Pastor Confronts His Own, Church's Racial Past
June 22, 2017

The Southern Baptist Convention, one of the largest denominations in the country, voted recently to denounce white supremacy and the alt-right movement, but not without controversy.

Initially, church leaders tried to table the resolution, which was proposed by a prominent African American pastor. The vote proceeded, however, following a backlash from members who condemned the alt-right movement as a "growing menace" to society and recalled the Southern Baptists' painful history of promoting and sustaining slavery.

"Any 'church' that cannot denounce white supremacy without hesitancy and equivocation is a dead, Jesus-denying assembly," tweeted one African American Southern Baptist minister...

He's a little late to the party.... from 1995 - TWENTY FIVE YEARS ago...

BAPTISTS RENOUNCE RACIST PAST

In a move based as much on practicality as spirituality, the Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday renounced the racist heritage that gave birth to the denomination 150 years ago.

"I think we have taken a giant step, one I think is historic. It's something we need to do," said the Rev. Jim Henry, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of the First Baptist Church of Orlando.

The resolution on "racial reconciliation," overwhelmingly approved by the 20,000 convention delegates, apologized to African-Americans for the denomination's past support of slavery, which caused it to split from the Northern Baptists in 1845.

It commits the denomination to "eradicate racism in all its forms from the Southern Baptist Convention and its people."

[Gondwanaland]

It appears you did not read the OP with full comprehension either. The title of this thread is taken from the article in the New Yorker magazine as are the various quotes in the OP, apart from those directly taken from Jones' book.

I didn't respond to your whole OP, or to your article (didn't read your article either as it has little interest to me as an atheist). I responded to several lines of your post, where you made statements in your own words.

I posted the thread of my own volition because I thought this is a very topical and interesting subject - and Jones' book is worth reading. However, I did not bring "up slavery" of my "own volition" I introduced a thread that quoted from an article that examines the history of white American Christianity and white supremacy and that topic includes the history of slavery in the USA as well as the use of Christianity to defend and reinforce inequality and white domination.

YOU made the statement that I quoted. No one else. If you can't handle criticism of your own words, don't post.

The article is not solely about slavery, are you unable to comprehend that?

I responded to you, and quoted only you. Not your article. Are you unable to comprehend that?

That is an entirely irrelevant topic.

Not remotely.

As I have previously pointed out to you, Nazism was not a guiding principle that underpinned German society for over two hundred years, unlike white Christianity in the USA.

The antisemitic foundation of Nazism was a guiding principle that underpinned Germany for centuries. Nazism cost millions of lives. And occured far more recently than slavery in the US. So let's hear your apology, or else don't demand an apology from others for slavery in the US.

You seem to be fixated on slavery.

No, I a fixated on your statement, that you made, and seem to be trying to flee from.

I repeat the article is not solely about slavery.

I repeat, I replied to you, and your own words, not some article.

The Negro is different because God made him different to punish him.

Imagine a political candidate uttering those sentiments in public today!

Recent surveys have found that prejudices towards African Americans, other ethnic minorities [especially Muslims], and generally negative views of black Americans are still prevalent among white Christians. Hence Jones' rather disturbing observation that "the more racist attitudes a person holds, the more likely he or she is to identify as a white Christian. ,

That's nice, but has nothing to do with my post.

SO let's see the apologies from you for the Nazis, from Africans for enslaving africans (still going on today, BTW in a number of African countries), from Muslims for their enslavement of whites, etc..

That or you can just say "Hey, you know, now that I think about it, maybe I shouldn't have said what I did, I didn't actually mean it.", and we can leave it at that. Because clearly you're trying your darndest to not stick by your words and your logic. I quoted you, and only you. Stop trying to distract with your article, which I made no quotation of or reply to.

[seer]

I have a hard time believing people when they say they "don't see race". Believing that it's no big deal or considering it as an afterthought, I can absolutely believe that. But unless you have something similar to a form of face blindness, I have a hard time believing that.

I don't know I see how my grand kids interact with kids of other races...

[seer]

It's a bizarre cult. What's so strange is it's mainly being pushed by white liberals.

From a purely theological perspective, I'm actually wondering if this is the fulfillment (or at least the beginning fulfillment) of 2 Thess 2:9-11. The fact that it has so much destructive force in our society, and the fact it's so pervasive and has so much influence in sociopolitical matters makes me seriously wonder.

Exactly....

[CivilDiscourse]

Being a Christian believer is not the issue.

Did you actually read the OP [and the article from which the quotes were taken]?

I don't think you got my point. I wasn't pointing out that there would be alot of christians. I pointed out that being a religious nation, it's natural that religious beliefs are used/justified/etc. In many groups. It's similar to both sides of a war thinking God has blessed their side.

[seanD]

I have a hard time believing people when they say they "don't see race". Believing that it's no big deal or considering it as an afterthought, I can absolutely believe that. But unless you have something similar to a form of face blindness, I have a hard time believing that.

Racism is a pretty natural human trait. The problem is when it's brought up as an issue that defies statistics, and when it becomes an obsession (= the political left).

[KingsGambit]

I have a hard time believing people when they say they "don't see race". Believing that it's no big deal or considering it as an afterthought, I can absolutely believe that. But unless you have something similar to a form of face blindness, I have a hard time believing that.

[seanD]

It is funny, my grand kids and I live in a mixed race neighborhood, and they just don't see race. This kind of crap will make them race conscience, and not in a positive way.

Antiracist Baby' causes an uproar on social media as it encourages babies and toddlers to confess to their inherent racism

https://www.theblaze.com/news/antira...nherent-racism

It's a bizarre cult. What's so strange is it's mainly being pushed by white liberals.

From a purely theological perspective, I'm actually wondering if this is the fulfillment (or at least the beginning fulfillment) of 2 Thess 2:9-11. The fact that it has so much destructive force in our society, and the fact it's so pervasive and has so much influence in sociopolitical matters makes me seriously wonder.

[seer]

It is funny, my grand kids and I live in a mixed race neighborhood, and they just don't see race. This kind of crap will make them race conscience, and not in a positive way.

Antiracist Baby' causes an uproar on social media as it encourages babies and toddlers to confess to their inherent racism

https://www.theblaze.com/news/antira...nherent-racism