Perhaps the most prominent definition of racism as it is used in the common vernacular is: “discrimination against or antagonism towards other races.” While there are, obviously many exceptions, I don’t think it is wrong to say that the vast majority of Americans believe racism is wrong. This holds true regardless of people’s religious preferences.
Racism Based on Atheism
That being said, there is a definite race industry these days, and those participating in that industry are very quick to label other people racist, while not even seeing the racism in their own beliefs. There are countless examples of this.
- Ibram X. (Xolani) Kendi is an American anti-racist activist. He is an author, and perhaps best known for his book How to Be an Antiracist. He has been a university professor teaching his anti-racist philosophy at State University of New York at Oneonta; State University of New York at Albany; University of Florida; American University’s College of Arts and Sciences, and School of International Service in Washington, D.C.; and Boston University. The premise of his work is that all racial disparities are necessarily due to racism, and the only remedy for it is “anti-racism” (reverse discrimination). This point of view became very prominent at many universities, and has been responsible for much of the racial tension that is evident in modern society.
- Ryan Polly, vice president of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) at MaineHealth, has been responsible for indoctrinating the hospital system’s employees in the beliefs of CRT (Critical Race Theory). CRT is based on the Marxist concept that there is an oppressed and an oppressor class of people, and that the oppressed must overcome the oppressors. In the case of Polly’s instructions, the oppressors are white people and the oppressed are people of color. He has promoted the idea that white people should be made to feel uncomfortable about their “whiteness.”
- The Pew Research organization has done polling on religion in America for many years. One thing they have put forth in recent years is that the influence of white Christians in America is declining. That is certainly true as naturalistic beliefs have become the dominant worldview system in virtually all of modern America’s societal institutions. In their analysis of the polling, Pew Research has noted that minorities are increasing faster than the white population. But beyond the sheer fact of the demographic shift, they have also projected that this shift will change the balance of power to a point where, in the future, the Republican party will dwindle and the Democrat party will become completely dominant. They reason that it is mainly white people who back traditional values, while minorities prefer the policies of the political left (naturalistic beliefs).
- The Duke medical school created a strategic plan titled “Dismantling Racism and Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the School of Medicine.” The stated goal of this plan is to “catalyze anti-racist practice through education.” The plan identified the “white supremacy” culture in the school as promoting “perfectionism, belief that there’s only one right way, power hoarding, individualism, sense of urgency, and defensiveness.” Their solution is to enhance DEI by increasing in number the overall percentages of black, Hispanic, indigenous, and people of color among faculty, senior staff and learners (in other words, through promoting affirmative action by discriminating against people who are white).
- Skip Bayless is an American sports columnist, commentator, and television personality. He recently came clean with his initial feelings about Caitlin Clark entering the WNBA after proving herself to be one of the best women’s college basketball players in history. He notes that he knew she was good, but stated that, early on, the reason he did not buy into the excitement about her was because of “guilt,” and not wanting to stir the racial divide. He said he felt guilty about touting her great skill because she was a white girl playing a sport that was dominated by black athletes. He “didn’t want to look like this red state white guy cheering for this red state white girl.” Early on he believed that she was a “right-wing symbol.” And Bayless is not the only sports commentator who has bashed Clark by focusing on the racial element. Seemingly he has changed his tune, but the fact that race was ever an issue like this shines a light on the mindset that currently dominates modern society.
Almost the entire approach to dealing with race in modern society is based on Critical Race Theory (CRT). It is, in its essence, a way of applying Marxist principles to modern American society, and Marxism is, at its core, atheistic.
Marxist philosophy looks at the world through the lens of social conflict. It proposes a flow that runs from thesis to antithesis to synthesis. The thesis is the social status quo where there is an oppressor class that dominates an oppressed class. When the oppressed class gets tired of being oppressed, its members begin to rebel. This constitutes an antithesis. When the conflict is concluded, a new status quo is created called the synthesis – which becomes the new thesis. At that point the cycle repeats until ultimately a utopian society is able to emerge – or so its adherents believe.
In the early days of Marxism, the oppressed were defined as the proletariat – the working class members of society. The oppressors were the bourgeoisie – the class that controlled the means of production in a capitalist society.
In modern America, it is difficult to define social groups in terms of bourgeoisie and proletariat, so Marxist philosophers have had to come up with other groups they can designate as the oppressed. One of the main ones they have identified are various races – particularly white vs. “people of color.” So, according to this Marxist approach, the white race is seen to be the oppressors who are in charge of society and must be overcome by the “people of color” in order to create a new synthesis.
Racism Based on Christianity
The Christian faith has an entirely different worldview foundation, and an entirely different moral viewpoint concerning race. God Himself has revealed this understanding in Scripture. Here are some of the principles concerning race that are taught in the Bible.
1. All human beings are created in the image of God.
- 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27-28
- The rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2
- Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? Malachi 2:10-11
2. God accepts everyone who receives Him.
- For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
3. Those who abide in God live near Him.
- He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
4. God does not show partiality concerning human beings.
- For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. Deuteronomy 10:17-18
- 34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” Acts 10:34-36
- 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:26-29
5. God initiated a means by which anyone who is willing may come to Him.
- 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. Ephesians 2:14
6. We are to act toward other people the way God has acted toward us.
- When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 ‘The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34
- 2 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? James 2:1-4
- 8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. James 2:8-9
The Perspectives Are Different
The point in making this comparison is not to put down Atheists. In fact, there are many of them, perhaps even the great majority, who are totally against discrimination based on race. In fact, many of these people would have the same thoughts about it as the Christian faith teaches. (And, sadly, it is not unheard of for some self-identified Christians to hold the same attitudes concerning race as the atheistic point of view above.)
The difference is, Atheists have no reason to hold a view consistent with biblical beliefs beyond merely their personal preference. They can give no objective reason why people should treat other races well, beyond the desire to maintain peace in society. On the other hand, any Christian who advocates for some form of discrimination must do so contrary to the teachings of the Bible that they say they believe in.
When it comes to the topic of race, there actually is only one race – the human race. And God created mankind in His own image for the purpose of relationship with Himself. It is His desire that EVERY human being come to know Him in a personal relationship, and that all human beings view their fellow man the same way He does. That’s the way God rolls.
© 2024 Freddy Davis