- race, culture and the michael richards thing
- why race still matters! yet again – updated
- why race still matters and trumps everything in emerging/missional conversation
- race matters V here a noose there a noose every where a loose noose
- why race matters VI – look who’s talking about race
- why race matters the audacity of restoring hope
- why race matters VII – credibilty, race and class
- why race matters
Warning this may sound like a rant to some, read on if you care.
I am beginning to sound like a broken record but I am amazed at how many Christians in the blogosphere are playing down the Michael Richards tirade. Here is just a sampling
he apologized get over it, and I’m tired of being outraged besides he’s not a Christian it is no wonder the church has no credibility and is still so segregated.
I’m not trying to single out these bloggers as bad guys I don’t know them and don’t believe either of them condone Richards behavior. They among many others are symbolic of the incredible insensitivity of the church to the damage done by racism and ignorance in the church of the depth of racial separation in this country.
Why do people who follow Christ try to explain away this sinful behavior that is so prevalent in America? Are we afraid to admit our own prejudices and confront our own complicity with racism? Why do we not see that there is no room in the kingdom of God for this kind of quiet acquiescence? Can we not find a prophetic voice to speak into our faith communities and the world that this is not God’s way? Where is the mutuality of the body (If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing 1 Corinthians 12:261 Corinthians 12:26
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
26 If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy.
WP-Bible plugin (MSG) )?.
As person of African descent I was hurt deeply hurt by what came out Richards mouth. It was a cultural and emotional h-bomb. What deepens the hurt is the response of some of my brothers (I haven’t noticed this from sisters) in Christ who I can only assume just don’t get it. I don’t why I am surprised because it is not the first time I’ve seen this from Anglo-Christians. It is no wonder we have such declining credibility. We talk a good game. But when it comes to time to put our money where our mouth is, walk the talk and be the people of God & call for repentance where it is needed, we wilt away.
We say “Its no big deal”, “he is just a comedian”, “he just lost it that’s all”, “they called him cracker”, “there were people laughing”
I was outraged and disturbed when I heard Michael Richards I am deeply saddened by what i haven’t heard from so many of my brothers.
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Andre… Thank you for your prophetic word. I admit my own insensitivity when I read stories like the one surrounding Richards, and fail to respond, much less take time to let the reality of this to sink in. It reminds me of how far our country has to go and it also reminds of how far I need to go to see beyond my own ethnic and cultural lenses. I hope you know how much I respect you and rely on your friendship to help me grow in this area. Sadly, I feel guilty that my response to your post might be too late but hope you will receive it as sincere. I want to affirm your important post, and join with you in decrying all actions and statements that marginalize any human being.
I’m sorry for your hurt with this situation. I agree with you that Richards was completely in the wrong, and demonstrated what I believe was not just joking around but racism. I don’t excuse Richards for a second because he wasn’t Christian, but I’m more disappointed with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t take racism more seriously.
Sorry for the hurt. Truly. Myself a recovering sinner in ways I don’t care to mention here, I guess my point was only that Christians MUCH be forgiving. Yes, this hurt some people pretty deeply, but if Christians don’t accept apology we have some issues, don’t we? I think so. Please, please, please… Don’t think that I’m playing down racism. Believe me: I know racism. I’ve seen it. I grew up with it. It’s real and it’s dangerous. I grew up in a town where the KKK marched on the town square regularly and where my pastor, a black man, had to tiptoe in a way so as to protect his family from these bigots. Racism is bad. That said, can a racist be forgiven? Should a racist be forgiven? I think you know the answer to these questions.
One more thought: If you can’t forgive you don’t hurt the person who hurt you, you only hurt yourself. Sin is between the subject and God, not you and the subject.
Sorry if I sound a little surly here, but I can’t think of another way of putting it. To be clear, I struggle with forgiveness myself, so I hope not to sound “holier than thou.” I’m not.
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FTM,
You are right where sin abounds grace abounds even more. But grace as I see practiced by Jesus is forgiveness and accountability. "Go and sin no more" John 8:11.
This forgiveness thing has been used for too long to suggest we should just forget about tit nd not hold each other and those in our world accountable for behavior in spite of or maybe because of forgiveness.
I think this is why both Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson said to Richards you need to go do some work (signs of repentance) illustrate that you truly understand the depths to which African Americans needs to go to forgive you for something like this before you an really experience the impact of their forgiveness.
If I had not forgiven by brothers in Christ on this I would not call them my brothers. But because I have extended forgiveness, I will also continue to insist that we hold each other accountable for how we live together and behave as a part of the body of Christ. I hope you can understand that is that doesn’t happen then my forgiveness is only superficial. I’ve just been reading Bonhoeffer’s Life Together where he talks about this kind of superfical connections being the death of hte church.
Steve, John,
Your thought and response are much appreciated. I ask you to not feel guilty or apologize on this matter. Instead let us pray and work together that God’s kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven.
This is as much a spiritual problem as it is a socio-political and emotional one. My dream is that we can work and pray as one body for the end of this sin in our church if not in our world. Thanks again my brothers
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Forgiveness and "explaining it away" are two different things. I’m not trying to explain it away. Richards has some serious issues he needs to face. What I am saying is that if he apologizes we have to accepted. As Jesus was crucified he pleaded, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." He said this of those who tortured him. I’m not sure there’s a better example than that. Please don’t take this as condoning racism. It’s not. But racism, like any sin, is forgivable. Am I wrong?
I’ve been talking about this over at my blog, even quoted you! I have the same concerns. Not only does it bug me that so many brothers have downplayed it, but it is also very inconsistent for emerging church types to NOT want to engage culture on this issue.
Rich,
I’m feeling ya it doesn’t make sense to me either. That is why I’m working on a post titled beyond ontological emergence-being emergent is not enough! Stay tuned
Thanks for bringing this up. For a while, it didn’t even register with me. You hear about something long enough and you become numb to it. Race is a major ( if not the major) issue that the church must confront and redeem or lose credibility. Yet, if history shows us anything, it will be those of us with darker hues who will have to carry the torch for reconciliation. stay in the groove, jt
Thanks for the good post. Race needs to be discussed more and is one of the biggest reasons why the emerging church is lacking in depth in this matter. There’s a pastor here in Seattle named Eugene Cho who is making some waves through his church. You can read some posts on his blog at: http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/faith-race-being-an-asian-american/ http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2006/10/20/i-dont-dislike-white-people/ http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/race-racism-racialization/ thought it would be worth sharing.