Tag Archives: prejudice

Who is In, Who is Out

Eastertide

May 3, 2021

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:44-48
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Who is in, and who is out? Humans spend a lot of time discerning who is accepted and who is not. I watch grieving parents on TV recently whose son was going through the fraternity rites of becoming one of those considered acceptable. He was forced, cajoled into drinking too much hard liquor in too short a time, and died. The fraternity has been banned from the school, and eight young men face criminal charges for the incident.

Athletes at a local faith-based university knelt in solidarity against racism during the presentation of the US National anthem, and the school banned them from ever doing it again. The whole campus is now caught up in discerning who is right and who is wrong. Who sets the standards of acceptable behavior?

For weeks, I cannot recall a morning when the lead story on the news was not someone being shot overnight in Oklahoma City, many killed, many teens and young adults as our nation struggles regarding the right to possess weapons. What legacy are we passing to our children?

Peter was speaking to a crowd of both Gentiles and Jews about the living Christ, the One who came to teach all how to love and care for one another.  We are called to accept all of God’s people, and all people are God’s. It is hard to change cultural norms. We all have been taught directly and indirectly that some are in and some are out. This story of Peter’s speaking does not leave it to him to tell us who God accepts. The Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. God has spoken now; we humans must clear our hearts and minds of all those prejudices that are so much a part of our being. although we do not recognize them as pre-judgments. God calls us to love one another and that requires us to find common ground for the Common Good.

Prayer: Create in us a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within us*.  Amen.

*See Psalm 51:10

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Cleaning our Spiritual Filters

Living in the Spirit
June 15, 2018

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-17

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!  –2 Corinthians 5:11-17

I call it cleaning our mental (spiritual?) filters. We take in information, cultural norms, and beliefs recording them in our minds as shortcuts to our ways of being. They are helpful when we do not have to stop and think of each step in every process before we complete it. A good example is when a courtesy such as  “Thank you” comes out of our mouths automatically on cue.  We may not remember the repeated reminders our parents used to instill such a reaction in our bank of automatic responses.

Occasionally we need to clean those filters. We need to consider two possibilities that would call us to clean our filters. First our original inputs may need to be updated with new understandings, and second, we may have cluttered our filters with ways of the world that are inconsistent with the ways of Christ.

In the first half of the 19th century, some of my ancestors were taught Manifest Destiny* which held that the United States was destined—by God, its advocates believed—to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent. Spreading democracy and capitalism does not in and of itself sound like a bad thing. Doing it at the expense of nations of indigenous people was alien to the recognition that all people are created in the image of God and we are called to love, want the very best for, all our neighbors.

Dust of what was common five generations ago about how we treated persons of other colors remain in our memory banks having been passed down from parent to child. While we most likely would feel uncomfortable if we were suddenly swept back in time to share in a discussion with our relatives in 1845 about their attitudes toward persons of color, we may still carry some residuals from their influence. Finding those particles of prejudice and clearing them from our filters is necessary in our successfully fulfilling our call to be the Body of Christ in the world today.

Prayer: Lord, gift us with the intentionality we need with your help to clean our spiritual filters. Amen.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_destiny

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Carefully Taught

Eastertide
May 2, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 98

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
   the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
   let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
   to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with equity. –Psalm 98:7-9

Equity is a free and reasonable conformity to accepted standards of natural right, law, and justice without prejudice, favoritism, or fraud and without rigor entailing undue hardship: justice according to natural law or right: fairness*

 God judges with equity. Is that the standard he expects of us? How do we know when we are judging without prejudice, favoritism, or fraud? As the song from South Pacific **indicates we have been carefully taught to discriminate.

You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear
You’ve got to be taught from year to year
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught**

The first step is to recognize that we all have been carefully taught cultural norms about acceptance of people different from us. The more crucial step is to accept that we are the only ones, with God’s help, who can do anything about it. The third step is to do something about it.

I suggest we start by dedicating a week to analyzing our responses to people. Who do we become nervous about standing near in a crowd? What parts of our community do we avoid driving through at night? Who bothers us when we think they he or she is not properly dressed? What words or phrases have we used all your life about which we have become aware may be offensive to others? Are we understanding of their discomfort or do we just think they should get a life? Do we racially profile?

There are many books and other training materials available to help us unlearn that which we have been carefully taught wrongly. Take change one step at a time but take them.

Prayer: Holy Judge, give me the vision to see myself as diverse people might view me. Carefully teach me your ways of making everyday judgments. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/equity
**See complete lyrics at https://genius.com/Richard-rodgers-youve-got-to-be-carefully-taught-lyrics

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Carefully Taught

Epiphany
January 22, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:12-23

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. –Matthew 4:18-23

 First Jesus called his disciples, and then he taught them by word and example. He taught in the synagogues, and he lived his love as he interacted with real people in real situations of need. Following  in Jesus’ footsteps often requires us to clear some previously conceived notions that are ingrained firmly in our very beings. Jesus saw the potential for good in everyone.

How much of our reticence to love all people comes from being carefully taught something that is not true? Rogers and Hammerstein in their musical South Pacific coined that phrase in a song on bigotry.

You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught. 

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff’rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught. 

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!*

As we prepare to be disciples of Christ this year, some self-examination may be in order. What were we carefully taught by word or example? We most likely will need God’s help identifying our prejudices; we will need God’s help ridding ourselves of them.

Our experience at times makes us unable to follow Jesus’ lead. What do we do about those real life experiences that planted seeds of fear and hate in us? How do we deal with them and meet the call to love all of God’s children? Hate we must give to God for only love can overcome hate. Small steps in safe places can help us recover from fear. Making that journey with other disciples may make the rough places plain more quickly.

Prayer: Lord we dedicate this year to learning to love like Jesus, to seeing your image in everyone, and to telling your good news in both word and deed. Amen.

*See at http://www.metrolyrics.com/youve-got-to-be-carefully-taught-lyrics-south-pacific.html
**See Isaiah 40:4 and Luke 3:5

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Bringing Salvation to All

cropped-stereotypes12Advent
December 22, 2016

Scripture Reading: Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Impiety = properly, a lack of respect, showing itself in bold irreverence – i.e. refusing to give honor where honor is due. *

Jesus came to bring salvation for all, not just a chosen few. He asked, commanded, us to make that our mission for life. Each time we show a lack of respect for anyone, we show a lack of respect for Jesus. Jesus did not send us forth to force anyone to do anything. We are called to tell his story and to let our lives be a living testimony to his love as we live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.

It is easy to say; I love everyone; it is much harder to live it. Nowhere in the Bible does it say, hate the sin, love the sinner. We are called to respect each person as he or she presents themselves to us. The genuine nature of our response to someone is the primary introduction to positive communication. The Bible illustrates this in its reporting of all of Jesus’ interchanges with the vast array of people he encountered along the way.

As we examine ourselves this Advent season, let us be aware of our internal response to others we encounter. If our first reaction is negative, pray about it. Seek understanding regarding what in our lives caused such a response. Let us give the negativity to God and ask God to clear our being of preconceived notions that hamper communion with others.

Prayer: Lord, grant me a better understanding of my prejudices and free me from their stranglehold. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/greek/763.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Privilege and Prejudice

father-forgive-themLiving in the Spirit
November 19, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ –Luke 23:33-38

I started to begin this thought with the phrase “Professional women over the centuries dealt and deal today with people who do not know what they are doing.” I then realized that the phrase “Professional women” bears a totally different connotation than I intend. Many might think of purveyors of the euphemistically called “oldest profession.” The state of women remains a step behind in many jobs and many places. They still are treated by some as objects of personal pleasure. In the USA women receive 80% of the salaries men receive for the same work. In Oklahoma, they receive 73%*.

When I read the scripture above, I remember working for or with men with much less experience and education promoted over me who did not have a clue about doing the actual work required. My women coworkers and I would joke about the guys earning the salary and our doing the work. It wasn’t funny.

Jesus’ death on that cross frees us to be fully the people God created us to be as we work to fulfill his call for a just world. It also liberates us from hiding behind the ignorance of privilege and prejudice. We can no longer claim we know not what we do.

Prayer: Lord, turn us around, open our eyes, write your message on our hearts, free us once again from allowing greed, lust for power, and self-righteousness drive our lives. Makes us doers of justice. Amen.

*http://www.aauw.org/files/2016/09/the-simple-truth-figure-2-v2.jpg

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Help us Accept Each Other

ZikaLent
February 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28-43

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

 There are many stories of Jesus’ healing people. Children, like the boy described here, may have been outcast in their communities because many believed that such illness, or all illness for that matter, were caused by evil spirits that had taken over the person. This child apparently had epilepsy, which probably is still fraught with society’s judgment even though we now have a clearer picture of causes and much better treatments.

Currently we are seeing an increase in babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that results in a small head as its main identifier but includes other challenges. Its cause has been traced to a mosquito bite carrying a virus the mother experienced during pregnancy. She may never have had any symptoms. Yet the children will live with the stigma of a small head forever.

Jesus loved them all no questions asked. He is a tough model to emulate unless we can let go of all those fears and prejudgments that cause us to identify people as something lesser than we are. All of us suffer from some traits deemed to be imperfection by someone. Jesus calls us to see each persons as a child of God made perfect by God’s love that is our goal for life also.

Help us accept each other As Christ accepted us;
Teach us as sister, brother, Each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us And bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted And meant to love and live.*

Prayer: God erase the fears and prejudices from our hearts and minds that cause us to be unwelcoming to anyone. Let your love for all be ours in our times of weakness. Amen.

First verse of hymn Help Us Accept Each Other words by Fred Kaan see at http://www.hymnary.org/text/help_us_accept_each_other

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.