Christianity is Racist
[outline draft]
By Jeff Ginger
Last updated 03.18.07
Okay. Christianity as an institution (not spirituality) is racist - it has become this way. People don’t see it because all they can see is interpersonal racism. Racism is a form of cultural dominance, thus the following model.
Evolved cultural pluralism mapped to Christianity
Assimilation – make everyone like us – evangelism
Separatism – let everyone worship like they will, find paths to god, but do it without each other
Pluralism – let everyone exist, tolerate and accept each other
Jeff’s Pluralism – obligation to not just tolerate and accept – but involve in each other’s business – best way to understand is to experience – help each other find the best way to positively coexist in a collective manner – nobody can do it alone and I think actively/assertively/honestly loving each other is central to Jesus/Christianity/the way to live
Nobody likes my pluralism because they’re comfortable living in their separatist worlds. They don’t think Christianity is racist because most of the people in Christian organizations don’t feel they personally are racist – they don’t see any interpersonal racism in themselves and their peers. And on the whole they’re right, to uncover interpersonal racism would be a different project entirely (see my operation dialogueing about race).
Dialogue/debate mapped to Christianity
The reason I don’t like evangelism and the assimilation model is because it’s a debate – it’s trying to convince the other people to be like you. It’s a war, it’s control, it’s showing them, actively or not, how you’re right and you’re better. This includes intentionally showing you’re better “by how you live”.
Pluralism can be a dialogue. The objective isn’t to make everyone like you but instead understand what everyone else is like and work toward an end where everyone is happy and benefits – or at least understand so we as groups and individuals can easily exist with one another. The goal here is to help each other and understand one another, not figure out or show who’s right.
Operational definition of the importance of Christianity
Of course I'm talking about Christianity in America - it could be different world-wide, historically, and more. Further, other religions might help to keep races separate - perhaps religion is just a fundamental clustering of social groups, I'm targeting Christianity because it's the most pervasive and influential in America.
Jesus is not racist. Evangelism isn't automatically racist. I'm taking issue with the way Christian institutions play out in real life and how they form people's convictions. Evangelism and Christianity in general seem to take on a mission profile that perpetuates racism. No forms of Christianity seem to do much in the way of encouraging cultural pluralism as part of Christ's mission. They instead seem to fuel separatism. Religion is a primary agent of socialization.
If Jesus were so important people would easily be able to transcend race and class barriers for him. Christians do occasionally (ala Tom or Clarence) but 99% of people don’t. They show what’s more important to them by basing their in-group/out-group membership on other factors of identification than religion (aka race, class, sexuality, maybe age). To me this is hypocritical – when people say Jesus is the most influencing factor in their lives.
Separation is part of institutional racism. Separate but equal is bullshit. By keeping Christian groups segregated, actively or passively, we perpetuate the inequality. If the racial project in the US is to see to it that the white majority is comfortable, then talking about race and trying to mix it up causes discomfort. Just like people don’t want to shift funds from rich suburban schools to poor city schools (white to black/latino effectively, a question of institutional racism [and also class]) we don’t see people want to shift membership, involvement, and active attempts to understand to other racialized Christian groups.
A Solution
I think we need to re-examine Christianity by looking at it from a race-related perspective. Christianity right now as a society helps us racially separate more than it helps us break down racial barriers and come together. Christian groups shouldn’t try to argue other people to be like them (assimilate, dominate), and they shouldn’t just exist independently without caring about each other. They should do their best to understand/care about one another and mix up with each other in the name of Jesus without worrying first about race or class or sexuality. Those should come after, not first like they do now.
In a Nutshell
So yes, this is an argument for a reprioritization. I believe separatism promotes lack of understanding, discrimination and consequently inequality. Christianity, by being actively or passively racially segregated furthers inequality. If we reorganize what we do with our Christian groups and how we form them then we can help battle inequality. Tom and Clarence are rare examples of people leading the cause.
Give me your thoughts –
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