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My journey this week takes me to the death of George Floyd and the examination of racism. Literally pick-up loads of print have been offered on the subject; I want to add my thoughts on this especially important subject.
Growing up on a remote ranch in west Texas, I had no personal contact with anyone of my age that was of another race and this continued when I attended Texas A&M University from 1961-64. I was ignorant.
It was only after entering the United States Army that I met and served with men of color. Over the next 21 years, I experienced neighbors, co-workers, fellow combat soldiers and commanders that were African-American and I am proud to have served with them.
Today, based on the outcome of the George Floyd killing, it is fair to say that we have a race problem in the United States. Centered on hate, lack-of-trust, disrespectand inequality, this is our problem; God did not cause it.
Solution: Let's look to Martin Luther King Jr. when he was in the Birmingham jail in 1963. He wrote a 24-page letter to other pastors saying: “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate.” Noting their paternalism, he continued, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill.”
The church has a challenge. People are getting tired of waiting for change. I quote Mauricio Miller (mauricio@mauriciomiller. org) from his article, “Feeding Racism”:
“The murder of George Floyd may have sparked the current indignation, but it is not the root cause of the frustration we should all feel. The paternalism and complicity of those of us who claim to care about social justice continually boasting about our efforts to bolster the ‘needy people’ who live in communities of color does them a disservice — and keep stereotypes and racism alive. We cannot have equality until those of us who champion social justice realize that our communities of color are not our playground. Doing good can no longer be good enough.”
Church leaders already bent by the COVID-19 pandemic have had to seek new ways to communicate with their congregations. Pastor Darius Todd and Pastor Emeritus Paul Buntyn — from Abundant Life Christian Church — and Pastor Chad Chaddick — of First Baptist Church on McCarty Lane — plan on establishing a narrative dialogue with their churches and others.
I am praying for them and all others working on racism issues. Charles Rice in his book, “More Than Equal,” said: “But I have become convinced that God is not very interested in the church healing the race problem. I believe it is truer that God is using race to heal the church.”
“But let judgement run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Amos 5:14 (KJV)
Martin Luther King Jr. included this verse in the letter from a Birmingham Jail.
