I am a white child of the 1950s. When I was growing up it was easier for the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea than for a person of color to cross certain high school and university campuses. The ‘Exodus’ for people of color began more than a 150 years ago. This year once again we have been painfully and powerfully reminded that this second ‘Exodus’ is far from being completed.
This morning I looked into the mirror and found myself saying: Don’t dodge the issues! Don’t yield one more inch to bigotry. Make no compromise to hate, to callousness, to evil.
The great social reformer William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) stated it clearly: I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject [slavery] I do not wish to think, to speak, or to write with moderation. I am in earnest – I will not equivocate – I will not excuse – I will not retreat a single inch – and I WILL BE HEARD!
Religion and social issues go hand-in-glove (think: racial/minority issues of equality and justice, for example). ‘Religion’ is rooted in ‘religio’ which means to bind together, to make whole, to heal. To act rooted in ‘Religion’ is to strive to unite what is divided, to heal what continues to be wounded, to serve so that ALL persons grow. All wisdom traditions (faith-based, humanistic-based) teach us that each person is inherently endowed with dignity. As a theist I believe that ‘Humanity’ is God’s child – created in God’s image.
In our culture we continue to separate us humans by ‘race.’ To act in the ‘spirit of race’ too often leads to wounding the ‘other.’ How can we theists honor our ‘Father’ by torturing His ‘Child’?
‘Race’ – a mere thought, becomes a way of thinking, a pathway to being insolent, a core value that seeks to negate the truth, beauty and goodness of humanity. ‘Race’ transforms into ‘Racism.’ For a theist, ‘Racism’ is worse than idolatry. ‘Racism’ is unmitigated evil. If you believe in Satan, ‘Racism’ is Satan’s child.
‘Racism’ is our gravest threat to our humanity. ‘Racism’ provides a maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason; it provides a maximum of cruelty for a minimum of consideration and it provides a maximum of judgment devoid of compassion.
For theists, we cannot worship God and at the same time look at another human being as if he and she were non-human.
Shortly before he died, Moses spoke to God’s people: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose Life!
This morning I am setting before all theists ‘religion and race,’ ‘life and death,’ ‘healing and wounding,’ and ‘blessing and curse.’ Choose Life!
The great theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr noted that ‘Race prejudice, a universal aliment, is the most recalcitrant aspect of the evil in man – a treacherous denial of the existence of God.
Another great theologian, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel noted that Racial or religious bigotry MUST be recognized for what it is: blasphemy!
For Christian theists, Jesus’ words are an affirmation and a challenge: Love one another as I have loved you.
Simple and clear. Challenging and disturbing. Inviting and commanding. Choose Life! Choose Love!
Searcher-Seeker 
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