Controversial Topic Vol. 2, Issue 1: Racism

This is going to be a little introduction to racism and how people misuse the word.

The Definition of Racism:

"Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized."

Important Things To Consider about Worldview and Christianity:

Let me start from the baseline......a Christian will have opinions and view the world in a different way than someone who is not a Christian, who is not religious, or someone who believes in something else. This is a fact, not an opinion. Someone who is a different race will also have different opinions than another race or culture. Once again this is a fact. I want to point out that how someone is raised will also change how they view the world. Keep that in mind as I continue on with this topic.

Traditional Christian Perspective:

Christians originally believed that we must marry into our own culture/race. Even if we do not marry into a culture/race that is not our own it does not mean that Christians should/will discriminate against the other races. This traditional idea comes from the Old Testament in the Bible. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were prohibited from marrying into other cultures. There are so many things that have changed since the Tower of Babel and Jesus' birth. Secondly, the world itself has changed a lot too since then.

Keep in mind that the Bible is not always speaking in "literal" terms. Secondly, keep in mind that the Old Testament is before Jesus was born to die for all our sins. The rules and guidelines were slightly different back then compared to the New Testament.

In 1 Corinthians 12:13 the Bible states, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

This verse explains that all of our cultures are baptized by one Spirit, meaning that we are all God's creation. We drink from Scripture, God, and the Holy Spirit. This verse states that it does not matter who you are as a person. You are a child of God because he created you. (If I do interpret these pieces of Scripture incorrectly, please feel free to comment about it and correct me.)

In 1 John 2:11 the Bible states, "But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." This verse clearly explains that Christians are not supposed to hate a brother or sister. This includes any human being on earth that God has created. Aside from being Christian, people in general should not hate one another.

What I am trying to say is that God teaches us as his people to love one another and to accept one another no matter what they look like and what they do. We must pray for those who live in sin and pray for our enemies. Everyone deserves love. Easier said than done but that is what God wants us to display to others.

Human Flaw:

Human beings make mistakes because that is who we are. However, just because someone is not fully educated in a specific topic it does not mean that they are against something or someone. There are always more things to consider before you decide to accuse someone of something such as racism. Racism gets thrown around a lot in today's society. I hear it a lot. Some people do not use that term for what it actually means. Now....there are of course, people that are real racists who show their hatred against different cultures/races. If you look back at the definition, racism is when you discriminate against someone. In serious cases, it can be turned into violence and even death towards that other culture.

Let me give some different examples of what racism actually is and is not in terms of the definition.

Scenario 1:

I communicate with someone of colour or a different race than myself. I would like to understand their culture and their history. I decide to ask them questions about themselves and their race.

"Is your name originally......or do you have an (African/Chinese/whatever race I am communicating to) name?"

If you look at this conversation in a realistic way and compare it to the actual definition of racism, this conversation is not racist. It is not racist to ask someone if they have more than one name or if they have a different name than their English name.

In my personal opinion, I do not think that there is anything wrong with asking someone this kind of question if I am genuinely interested in their story or themselves. I hear people become offended so many times just for asking those kinds of questions. The person will argue that no one cares about their culture or getting to know them but as soon as someone asks about it, the person asking must be called a "racist" or they must go out and do research themselves. I am not saying that this is the case for everyone.

If that person asked the question in the actual location of where the culture is originally from, I am certain that the people living there would answer the question. I am speaking of the American population and some Canadian populations. If I am wrong about this please feel free to let me know but they have done public interviews proving what I am saying. If I need to provide resources feel free to let me know but you can easily search it up and see the videos online.

Everyone will have different opinions and there is a chance that the specific person you are talking to does not think that this is an acceptable thing to do. Different cultures/races will have different ideas of what is appropriate and what is not. However, we need to be open to the idea that the person who is communicating with you may not have knowledge of what is and what is not okay to ask. If someone's intentions are genuinely good, then it is not fair to that person to call them racist for asking such a question. It is also not fair to assume the worst about that person.

Scenario 2:

If I for example do not agree with or dislike another race/culture, that is not racism. The reason I say this is because I am not going to actively go out of my way to be disrespectful, threatening, or cause problems through my different opinions about the way they live. However, if I start calling them names, or slurs for no reason, insulting them, spitting at them, throwing things, or anything that is deemed to be that level of disrespect. That is racism.

Scenario 3:

If I am busy joking around about something random that is not at all related to race of any sort. It is not racist to be goofy. When I was at Redeemer, I had a roommate who would tell me that everything I do is racist. This is very inaccurate. Someone cannot use the word "racist" or "racism" casually. It is not meant to be a casual word to be thrown around. Many people misuse the word and use words they do not fully understand or care to understand.

I once watched a video where a woman was calling a man a misogynist and then the man asked her what misogynistic meant. She could not even answer the question. She whispered to her friend standing beside her and asked her to search for the definition. I found the video humorous because the video explains exactly what I am talking about. Many people use words they do not even know the definition of. Words like misogynistic, racism, homophobia, and all those crazy words that people throw out randomly. The words should not be used in the way that they are being used today.

Scenario 4;

If I judge other culture's outfits, the way they live, what they eat, and so forth. This can be seen as racist but not at the same time. If someone is judging, that is judgment and discrimination. However, your actions are what matters greatly. As I have said above, if you are not actively being disrespectful towards them then that is not considered racism. It is definitely frowned upon but to the extent of racism, I would argue it does not fall under that line. It is hard to say because it depends again on the situation.

Side Note: It is not wrong to have a different opinion about anything. As long as you are not breaking other people down in the process. It is never wrong to disagree about something and with someone because we are all different. Everyone thinks in their own way and obtains a different worldview. Referenced back to the beginning of this discussion.

In general, no one should argue about a culture that they do not know or understand anything about. If I decide to kill someone of a different race/culture just because they are different, then that is racism.

As human beings, we need to understand the difference between facts and non-facts. We need to understand what we are actually saying to other people before we say it. It is not fair to judge other people just because they do not always say the correct things, believe in the same things, or have different opinions. We need to think realistically about whether the person communicating with us is actually being racist or whether they are just trying to understand our culture. Never be too quick to jump to conclusions.

My Personal Relationship with Different Cultures

I will admit that I do say things before I think sometimes. It is a bad habit and I am very straightforward as a person. My intentions, however, are not meant to be bad. As a child, I had never had any friends that weren't white. I have never really been aware of all these racial problems that our world has than I am now. So, as you can imagine I may say things that are not always correct, but it does not mean that I am racist. I simply do not know what is and is not okay to say in specific scenarios.

Another reason why I say the things I do is because in 2022 I interacted with someone who would make jokes about my "whiteness" many times throughout the day. This person was Korean. So, then, I tried to joke back to reciprocate the type of bond I thought we were sharing. When I did reciprocate jokes about said person I was called out by this person saying that I was racist. I was told that I had white privilege because of the words I said. If the tables were turned.....wouldn't she be a so-called racist for making fun of my whiteness? I am white and that's who I am. I cannot change it. She used to associate me with Dutch people and she would stereotype me based on Dutch roots even though I am not Dutch.

When I was in middle school around grade 6 or 7 I think. One of the black kids in my class asked me why I was not black if I was born in Africa. I don't think he was aware of the fact that Africa and South Africa are two different places. Africa is the continent and South Africa is the country. It is a very common misconception when people talk about it. Anyone that understands biology will know that coming from a specific country does not make you a specific race. At the time it was not very serious to me. I did not think anything of it and today it still does not bother me. I am not sure what the intentions behind the question were but it does not bother me.

Summary:

​Stay open to other people's opinions other than your own. You do not have to agree but it will allow you to understand where that person is coming from.	​Be careful of judging
​Remember facts from non-facts	​Everyone WILL have different opinions, views, and beliefs.
​Do not accuse others of being racist. Use the word in the correct manner.	​Every race WILL have different views from other races.
​Respect one another	​Normalize that racism is in every culture/race and against every culture/race
​God created all of us in different ways	​We are meant to love one another

Other things to think about and consider:

Non-white people are very quick to say that white culture is terrible and that they are the cause of all the problems in the world. People go on about how privileged white people are and how they do not suffer like other people or like the minority. While it is true that white people are privileged, it does not mean it is relevant to all white people. There are many who do not have the privileges that others have. I would argue that in Canada specifically, everyone living in Canada is privileged. Aside from the fact that times are changing. There will always be problems in our world. There will be lower class, middle, and higher class. Class is not limited to race therefore, in class no one is equal. There are people who are homeless so then one would argue that they are not as privileged even if they are white. My point is that the idea of saying racism alone is only from white culture is unintelligent. Racism comes from every culture. Whether you choose to believe so or not. Racism is not just about skin colour. If you look back to the definition it is any kind of discrimination towards a specific group or person for their differences. Racism can include religion too.

If you look at South Africa and the ongoing political trials that the country faces you will see that white people are not the only ones to blame for racism. Hundreds of white farmers have been murdered by black African people but you do not see that in the news. You do not hear people talking about it because they do not know it happens. Even if they do know it happens they would argue that the farmers deserved it. (This is just a thought that I have, not based on factual evidence). I lived in South Africa for 9 years and my parents were born and raised there. Black people rob you, they murder you, they shoot farmers that are white. There are no specific reasons for why they do it. It is just hatred. There are white robbers too in South Africa, I am sure of it. My point is that white people are not always to blame for things that go wrong. Those who are delusional about that fact have to check themselves out and refrain from insulting other people just because they feel like it.

Take a look at other ethical groups and countries that have been fighting for decades in war over multiple political differences. Social issues and economic issues. Take a look at the cults that were created like the Klu Klux Klan. They murdered so many Christians. That is racism. That is murder.

Take a look at news articles and criminal investigations about all the black men that have raped white women. Take a look at all the news articles and criminal investigations on muslin terrorists.

All of this being said, let me be very clear by saying that this does not mean that any of these cultural groups should be stereotyped. That would be wrong. The point I am trying to make is that people often try too hard to put the blame on one specific group only when they do not take a look at their own culture. Everyone has done wrong. Black, white, Indian, Korean culture, China culture, Muslim, Christian, every single person has done wrong. That is what makes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross so amazing. We can all be forgiven and change our ways if every individual chooses to do so. It goes and comes from all over the place. The way our world has become is not solely caused by one race. Human beings are all to blame for the separation and wars caused in today's time, dating back all the way to the Bible's time. Everyone is to blame. If you cannot accept this fact then you have no right to open your mouth about any issue concerning racism. If you cannot stand back and take a look at the bigger picture and all the small pictures together then you should not be calling anyone a racist on a whim.

White people suffer too whether no one wants to acknowledge it, it is still fact and truth. White people are suffering from hunger too. White people are being murdered too. Some white people do not have an education either. It depends on multiple environmental influences, where someone lives, lifestyle, generation, war, and so many other things. We need to keep in mind that just because a specific race is generalized in a bad way it DOES NOT mean that every person in that culture/race is the same way.

One last thought I forgot to mention along the lines of this topic is that oppression and privilege are opposite from one another. When my roommate called my actions racist and my opinions, she also mentioned that my beliefs were oppressed. The funny thing is that she included that I have white privilege even though I am middle class. I am not rich and I am not poor. I have a roof over my head so indeed I am privileged and grateful for it. I am privileged because my parents worked their butts off so that we could have the life we wanted. She had mistaken her words. She did not take the time to know me. I have a roof over my head because my parents gave up everything for us. I will never be able to repay them in that way. They gave up their entire life in South Africa to give my brother and I better opportunities. You can never pretend to know someone you clearly do not know. You cannot speak on that person's life. The ironic part of her arguments against me was that she is privileged too. She has a roof over her head, yet she was never grateful for a single thing her parents had done for her. She complained about everything. She has food on her table, she has a family that took her in. She has clothes, and the ability to go to school that lots of kids do not get to do. Even I am barely making it for financial aid to attend school. Many students are just barely making it. They are lucky if they can even get any bit of money to support their funds. Even then, they will still be paying off their debts after they have graduated. Despite that being said, I cannot be both privileged and oppressed. Oppressed is the opposite of privilege. Oppressed means that I am suffering from some kind of hardship which I am from time to time. My point here is that it's just another example of people using words to try to get at you and you should not let that bother you. No one can tell you who you are or who you are not. It is not impossible to do so but if you are someone who uses words like these without using them properly then I would take time to reflect on why you have a need to use them and whether or not you are doing it for the right reasons. There is a difference between telling someone they are out of line and just blatantly calling them things that are not relative to the conversation or to the person.

I hope that you have learned a few things and I hope that you will take some time to think about what I have written. Until next time :)