"God don't love no Arabs !" Randie actually said that in a church gathering years ago. I was not present so consequently had no knowledge of what happened next. No one corrected her grammar nor her heresy. Someone who observed the outburst commented later that either everyone was stunned into silence or simply assumed that this was just another of Randie's unfiltered and biased opinions.
Given the many distortions of Christianity now abroad, her 'Arab' prejudice (among others) would likely elicit hearty "Amens" among those who view the Holy One's sharing their view of those 'Others'. Lost or ignored are Jesus's admonitions to "love your neighbor just as you love yourself ". Or, when Jews held Samaritans to be less than human and men considered women to be inately inferior, Jesus treated a Samaritan woman with respect and kindness. And then there was that story about a 'Good' Samaritan. Christians hardly are the sole proprietors of kind and respectful relationships.
Today's parallel would likely be something like "The Good ____________" fill in your preferred "inferior". Kinda like Randie's slander.
I know, I know, animosities towards people considered as inferior have been around for a long time. And given the current intentional inflammation of those animosities, they will continue to fuel the Randie's of the world. Passivity will not promote "good will among all peoples". Institutional and structural prejudice need to be challenged and corrected. And, on an individual plane, Mark Erelli's song Passing Through offers a starting place:
"Sometimes injustice and and indifference are the only things I see
But I refuse to let my hope become the latest casualty
So I'll sing of love and truth and try to practice what I preach
And if I can't change the world I'll change the world within my reach
And what better place to start than here and now with me and you. "
Satchel
Amen!
ReplyDeleteThe ability of the human mind to hold contradictory positions at the same time appears to have no limits.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I were in California with a relative a number of years ago when he pointed to several people nearby who appeared to be Latino. After making a comment as to the "worthlessness" of that group, my wife pointed out that several of his nieces were Latinos.
His comment?
"That's different. That's family!"
My daughter said, "Oh, he compartmentalizes his bigotry."
Amen indeed, Ron.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably always a little easier to comment on other people's misfortunes or shortfalls than to look within one's self. Human nature & behavoir is a funny thing. Yes we can be nice & not nice within a moments notice.
ReplyDeleteWell said indeed, Dr. Ron (Satchel). The message of Jesus is really simple, and it takes some doing to complicate/transform/pervert it as millions of Christians do. But JC also reminds me, and us, that who am I to judge?. So there's that, as a reminder that none of us will be able to do precisely WJWD. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
ReplyDeleteKeep 'em coming, o wise one :)
ReplyDelete