I agree with an earlier comment — integrated neighborhoods and churches are just window-dressing; surely the “solution” to the problem are the changed hearts you spoke of in your post.

It seems to me that many of the politically correct niceties that are intended to “bring people together” — rather serve the purpose of only making us feel better on the surface about the steps we’ve taken “forward.”

Legislating integration may put a nice coat of paint on the problem, but ignores the rotting wood of racism underneath that still persists in the minds of people (esp. in the South, where I grew up).

In short, I agree with what I believe you are saying: The scars of racism will be healed in the church (and elsewhere) when Christians set an example of truly changed hearts; not just paying lip service to political correctness by “getting to know a black man” (gasp!) — but by letting Christ change our hearts to truly love all people.

The church should be leading the way, but they’re dragging their feet.
http://gunny93.blogspot.com/2006/02/not-tomorrow-not-after-breakfast-now.html

I was severely whipped by the humanistic approach in my masters in Educational Administration program where diversity was valued for diversity’s sake.

In my mind, diversity is valued for the sake of God’s pleasure and glory. It’s important to Him. It should be important to us as well.

MLK’s dream should be ours, in the church, that is.
http://gunny93.blogspot.com/2006/02/outdated-imperialist-dogma-which.html

One last gripe, so to speak. I hate the homogeneous principle of church planting, where diversity is actually discouraged as it impedes church growth.

Of course it’s harder to grow a church where it’s harder to love folks because they are different than you! But isn’t that the transforming nature of the Gospel?!

There are actions that are evidence of racism - e.g., cross-burning, vandalizing churches - and there are laws against those. But, for example, forcing people by law to integrate their churches or neighborhoods would be met with resistance from all quarters.

People naturally gravitate towards places and people with which they’re most familiar. There’s comfort and ease there. To do otherwise, deciding to break out of that comfort zone, requires a missionary mindset where one is motivated by purpose rather than ease. That’s a tough sell because the purpose is hard to nail down.

What’s the ultimate goal? To live in an integrated neighborhood? To attend a multiracial church? Those are just window dressing if there’s no love or trust happening between people of different races. The ultimate goal turns out to be: get people from different races to like each other.

Thus, the goal of the “missionary” is to go live in a racially mixed neighborhood and build relationships. I’ve been trying for 12 years with very little success. How’s it going for you?

There is much to learned from this post.

John Piper has some good messages at his site on race and the church. We must be the first to confess that there is but one race, Adam’s helpless sinners. After all, the church’s foundational controversy was an ethnic/spiritual chasm that was addressed with sound, Christ-honoring doctrine.

On the political side, I too am wondering what kind of legislation is just and useful. It seems to me that one possible reason for people’s hesitancy on endorsing a legislative solution is that they’ve witnessed so many well intentioned race laws actually make things worse.

It was an eye opening experience for me to read Shelby Steele’s The Content of Our Character.

I understand he also has a new one called White Guilt: How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era.

——————
james, you need to back off your fleshly imagination of race wars and start reading Galatians. Forgive the annoyance of being asked your race on a form, and don’t let misguided solutions create a hateful mindset. Instead put on Christ who did not cling to his rights, but gave them up to redeem for Himself one people, called from every tribe and nation.

Philippians 2:1-9
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

What kind of legislation do you think would help prevent racism?

Whoever has an answer, I would love to hear it.

Thanks

I make an effort to stay informed with what other ethnic groups than my own are dealing with. I wrote a blog about the Rosie O’Donnell “ching chong” comments that highly offended Asian-Americans. I thought O’Donnell’s comments were offensive to ALL Americans and am saddened by how the America Church doesn’t stand-up against such negative racist mindsets in media. The blog I did about the O’Donnell incident got more comments from people than any other post I wrote. Somehow, people surfed in and left their two cents. Probably because I was activate in commenting on some noteable non-Christian blogs who were talking about the issue. I included a scripture in that post and those people were exposed to the Word. Hopefully, my genuine passion to stand with them in their fight against racist views will point to them to light of Jesus.

I would have liked to see Christians be more outspoken about Michael Richards racist comments too. It’s the Christians who should be out there demanding apologizes and standing up for the minorities in this country and abroad.

Great post! This is just another reason why your blog is STILL my favorite.