Is Skin Color more of an Issue than We Acknowledge?

[Zaac]

I'm not so naive as to think that this country has rounded the turn in "race" relations and that racial prejudice is a thing of the past.

Do we as Christians ever attempt to put ourselves in the shoes of someone of another "race" and understand why some things may look one way to them and another way to us?

 

[Yeshua1]

I'm not so naive as to think that this country has rounded the turn in "race" relations and that racial prejudice is a thing of the past.

Do we as Christians ever attempt to put ourselves in the shoes of someone of another "race" and understand why some things may look one way to them and another way to us?

yes, but in the ultimate sense, there is but one race, human, and I need to look to the Cross to see the ultimate sense of prejudice on display!

 

[Salty]

yes, but in the ultimate sense, there is but one race, human, and I need to look to the Cross to see the ultimate sense of prejudice on display!

That is political correctness gibberish -
there are three basic races whether you admit it or not. There are differnces in races.
Next thing you will be saying is that there is only one gender - in case you didn't realize it - there are differences between the genders.

In all of eternity we will be in one of two groups
1) the Saved
2) the unsaved

 

[righteousdude2]

???

I'm not so naive as to think that this country has rounded the turn in "race" relations and that racial prejudice is a thing of the past.

Do we as Christians ever attempt to put ourselves in the shoes of someone of another "race" and understand why some things may look one way to them and another way to us?

What say you, Zaac? :wavey:

 

[righteousdude2]

Great Summation!

That is political correctness gibberish -
there are three basic races whether you admit it or not. There are differnces in races.
Next thing you will be saying is that there is only one gender - in case you didn't realize it - there are differences between the genders.

In all of eternity we will be in one of two groups
1) the Saved
2) the unsaved

I think you covered this quite well....it boils down to saved and not saved. I have preached in black churches and Hispanic churches, and never felt they were black or brown, and I was white. I have always, around believers, felt the bond of Jesus in others, which transcends colors.

The only time I sense color barriers is when the flesh is operating and there is a threatening, evil present. As a social worker, I have been in "black" homes; "brown" homes; and Asian homes. And because the people were of the world and not of Jesus, there was a pronounced spirit of difference, and it didn't come from me. It came from those around me, because I, a white man, invaded their space!

I've had a gun held to my head, and was given ten seconds to get into my car and leave the home of an elderly black lady who was on welfare. Her two sons came home in the middle of my meeting with her, and a gun was pulled. She was screaming at the boys to put the gun away, because I was there to help her. Unfortunately for her, I did leave, and I consider myself grateful to be alive!

Color never comes up, within me, until the other person makes it an issue; which makes me agree with Salty. It boils down to saved and not saved, and when in the presence of the not saved, color does read its ugly head! :tear:

 

[Don]

Went to Iraq and Afghanistan. In both cases, I went to training beforehand; between the training and what we see daily in the media, and the few things you can look up for yourself (such as Afghanistan has a 70% illiteracy rate), you go over there with the thought in mind that they don't know much, and we're going to help them.

I saw most of my compadres spend their entire year with that mindset. With all due bragging, it took me about two months to realize: They're no different than us, and in some ways, much smarter. For example, I worked with an Iraqi on particular things related to my career field; he knew much more than I did about the subject. That "illiteracy rate" for Afghanistan? Give them access to a computer and the internet, and illiterate or not, they know how to find pictures and videos (all kinds of pictures and videos....).

I worked with an Afghan who kept asking me to purchase equipment that was needed for a major event in less than a month; I told him that our American supply system meant it would take me up to six months to get the equipment, and he really should have been planning ahead and talking to my predecessor to get the equipment. A couple of days later, I told him we had sent out a request, and asked for a "rush"; but it was still going to be a minimum of six weeks. He calmly waved me off and told me he had purchased the equipment the day before.

THAT was when I realized they didn't really need our help. And I started asking myself, why was he asking me for the equipment if he could get it so easily? And it dawned on me: Because he didn't want to use his own money.

If I offer you a free drink, are you gonna say "no, I'd rather pay for it myself"?

And when I figured that out, and started looking around at what was going on, and what we keep perpetuating in some of the other countries around this world, a lot more things make sense.

Differences between the races? Maybe physically. Differences between cultures? Definitely; the way we're raised, the political and religious systems we're raised in, have big influences. But when it comes down to it, we're all pretty much the same: If someone offers us something free, with no strings attached, we don't usually hesitate.

As Salty said, the only real two categories: Saved and Unsaved.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

As Salty said, the only real two categories: Saved and Unsaved.

After being on BB for a while.... I wonder which of those two categories is the more dangerous.

 

[Aaron]

Is Skin Color more of an Issue than We Acknowledge?

Absolutely. It's bigger than ever and you're a slave to it. It's the basis of your irrational defense of Martin and indictment of Zimmerman.

 

[Zaac]

What say you, Zaac? :wavey:

I think it plays more of an issue than the average white Christian acknowledges.

There's a lot of talk right now about Trayvon Martin and the political presuure being the reason that the case was even brought to trial.

But in speaking with Black friends, they have asked the question "does the average white person even understand why that type of political pressure has to be used?"

They said it's akin to always seeing Dateline pieces and national coverage for the missing blond haired, blue -eyed white lady. But rarely seeing the same thing if a young black lady goes missing.

 

[Arbo]

I think it plays more of an issue than the average white Christian acknowledges.

It's only an issue because some people keep ramming it down the throats of others who otherwise couldn't care less about skin color.

 

[Zaac]

It's only an issue because some people keep ramming it down the throats of others who otherwise couldn't care less about skin color.

Yet I talk to Blacks and they would say Whites ignore it because they aren't impacted. They keep ramming it down the throat because they experience an effect because of it daily, whereas Whites, as you say " couldn't care less about skin color" even though they hold prejudices about it.

 

[Revmitchell]

Yet I talk to Blacks and they would say Whites ignore it because they aren't impacted. They keep ramming it down the throat because they experience an effect because of it daily, whereas Whites, as you say " couldn't care less about skin color" even though they hold prejudices about it.

Actually recent polls show that black people are seen as the most prejudice. Even black people polled agreed. And it is only because folks like you and Al Sharpton keep it alive. Shame on both of you.

 

[Salty]

I am truly color blind!

and this true story proves it.

Back in 1993, I was at the YMCA in Pulaski, Va; shooting some hoops. A guy came over and asked me if I would join them for a 3 on 3 pickup game. I said sure.
They selected teams - since I did not know any of the other five, I suggested that one team be skins and the other shirts - the Capitan of the other team look at me and asked if I was serious - I replied in the affirmative. His responded - if you didn't notice - the three of us are black and you three guys are white........
My answer - "Oh, I guess you are right" ... after a good laugh, we all had a good time playing basketball.

 

[Arbo]

Yet I talk to Blacks and they would say Whites ignore it because they aren't impacted. They keep ramming it down the throat because they experience an effect because of it daily, whereas Whites, as you say " couldn't care less about skin color" even though they hold prejudices about it.

So white Christians are prejudiced because blacks say so? How many whites have you discussed this with?

 

[Arbo]

Actually recent polls show that black people are seen as the most prejudice. Even black people polled agreed. And it is only because folks like you and Al Sharpton keep it alive. Shame on both of you.

Sharpton, Farrakahn(sp?), Jackson, and their ilk need to keep it going. Their livelihood is at stake.

 

[preacher4truth]

Yet I talk to Blacks and they would say Whites ignore it because they aren't impacted. They keep ramming it down the throat because they experience an effect because of it daily, whereas Whites, as you say " couldn't care less about skin color" even though they hold prejudices about it.

Whites aren't impacted by racism? This comment reminds me of a guy I know who lived on a farm in a rural area in Wisconsin who never saw blacks and claimed therefore he isn't racist. He has never experienced the inner city and living in an racily virulent neighborhood.

Your comment is simply broad brushing all whites as racists which is an imprudent accusation.

I grew up in an 80% black neighborhood. The fighting was very common since we were white, and was common between blacks as well, but we knew better than to go to certain areas alone.

We would sit on our back porch in the evenings and could see whites being attacked by blacks in the neighborhood as they left the state fair with their goodies and had them stolen while they were beaten, including both parents and their children. My white friends experienced the same things and we all had to be cautious. Yet you say whites aren't impacted? What rock are you living under?

As a matter of fact, a white friend of mine was murdered by a black right in front of my brother when he was 18 years old. He was stabbed in the back and crawled into the living room crying 'O my God, I am going to die!' and the fight happened because he was white. This devastated my brother, who just happened to die himself a few months ago.

 

[Revmitchell]

Sharpton, Farrakahn(sp?), Jackson, and their ilk need to keep it going. Their livelihood is at stake.

And apparently Zaac

 

[Crabtownboy]

Racism is still alive and well in the US. But it is not what it was when I was a kid. Progress has been made, but there is still far too much racism. Most racist folk have learned to couch their language to appear non-racist, but it does come through at time passes.

I see a difference in racism here in the States versus Europe. Here we, at least most folk, acknowledge there is racism and there is work to be done. In Europe there is, IMHO, as much if not more racism than here. But the European refuse to acknowledge that racism exists there. There can be no progress in solving a problem is people refuse to acknowledge there is a problem.

 

[pinoybaptist]

Yet I talk to Blacks and they would say Whites ignore it because they aren't impacted. They keep ramming it down the throat because they experience an effect because of it daily, whereas Whites, as you say " couldn't care less about skin color" even though they hold prejudices about it.

Balderdash. In EVERY workplace I've been, blacks congregate with blacks, whites with whites, asians with asians. and asians ? they congregate according to their sub-groups: chinese with chinese, japs with japs, filipinos with filipinos, koreans with koreans.

when I first came to the States, I had this same naive notion that i'm in a "Christian" country with "Christian" principles, which cover the race thing.
I know better now.

I've tried applying for jobs in places where dark skin is "majority" and the whites seem to be the minority.
same qualifications, same level of experience, but guess who gets the job ?
yeah, the brudda.

 

[blackbird]

Racism is still alive and well in the US. But it is not what it was when I was a kid. Progress has been made, but there is still far too much racism. Most racist folk have learned to couch their language to appear non-racist, but it does come through at time passes.

I see a difference in racism here in the States versus Europe. Here we, at least most folk, acknowledge there is racism and there is work to be done. In Europe there is, IMHO, as much if not more racism than here. But the European refuse to acknowledge that racism exists there. There can be no progress in solving a problem is people refuse to acknowledge there is a problem.

I do remember as a young fella---the separate restrooms for blacks and whites---the separate water coolers--especially in the county court houses--there would be one for the whites--it was chilled/refrigerated--and one for blacks---non chilled---the problem was---probably about 99.999999999% of the time---the water chiller that chilled the water for the white fountain was not working-----so the water for the whites was just as luke warm as the water for the blacks