Racism is evil

"Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!"

I pray that prayer hundreds of times a day now. I know that until my heart is at one with Jesus Christ, anything I have to say will be tainted by my own sinfulness and error. In that pursuit (and for other personal reasons) I have not blogged for quite some time on social issues. I found it became harmful to my soul.

Let me be clear: I think the Nazi teachings are evil and bad. Period. I have always thought that the Nazi teachings are evil and bad. In addition, I reject the white supremacist racism of the KKK. I have always rejected the teaching of the KKK. I think the KKK is evil. In addition, although I am not black, I am not a Jew, my personal faith and beliefs mean that they hate me, too.

If my failure to make this public sooner has caused anyone to question my stand, I hope this clarifies it. Let me be clear, I reject and condemn the evil that people who identify as Nazi and KKK proclaim. My silence was based on a decision I made some time ago to not blog about current events any more. I only post sermons and occasional instructions on faith. However, it seems that for many, my silence means I condone what happened. I hope it is clear that is not the case. I apologize to anyone hurt or dismayed by my silence. Especially, I apologize to the black students whom I taught and love, the black youth I counseled and black co-workers at Youth Villages, and the black people I try to serve in the church.

I reject the Nazi and KKK beliefs and those who hold those beliefs. Their beliefs are anti-Christian at their core. I am sick that people have erroneously characterized them as Christians, because they are not. Here are concrete reasons why I disdain them:

1. I am pro-Israel and embrace the Jewish roots of my Christian faith. People who are anti-Jewish and anti-Israel are offensive to me.
2. I am pro-life, the abortion industry thrives on the creed that not every human life matters. It teaches some people are inconvenient or not worthy of life. Any group advocating abortion is advocating evil, but especially as a way of racial cleansing.  http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/dr-paul-kengor/was-margaret-sanger-racist
3. I am against their over-focus on "racial identity." It corrupts hearts and souls. As a young boy, I was told that Martin Luther King was a prophet. His words "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation, where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character," were foundational to my beliefs on race. The KKK and Nazis are obsessed with race. I reject "racial identity politics" as threats to well ordered human society, and making blanket racial statements is wrong.
4. I am against unreflective, reactional politics. I am against trying to explain all the ills of the world with a one-dimensional explanation: "Jews are the problem. Blacks are the problem." If you espouse a one dimension explanation you are wrong. Life is actually complex and there is a web of causes and outcomes. Simpleminded, 'my-group advocacy' does not solve problems, it creates them. It is wrong and self-defeating to blame another race for everything and take no personal responsibility for making your own lives better.
5. I am against authoritarian zealots who would impose their beliefs on others. I am against the abuse of power to put down or oppress others for what they are, not what they have done.
6. I am against violence and the desire to harm others. Jesus said to turn the other cheek. The Nazi and KKK doctrines are anti-Christian. However, once again, Dr. King is a reminder of the cost of being morally superior. I take no solace in being better than the KKK/Nazi. I am trying to learn how to be good, to promote law and just order, to defeat hate with love. Sadly, I currently do not love like Jesus, that is the goal.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

The KKK and Nazi beliefs are evil. Those who think this way are evil. They are sinners. Period. Unfortunately, every one of us is broken and sinful at our core. We are in the image of God, but the likeness of God is tarnished, sometimes beyond recognition. Are the KKK and Nazi guys worse than me? I think it is fair to say 'yes' without breaking Jesus' command "do not judge." But here is the problem, even if they are more evil than me, let's say, much more evil than me, I cannot be satisfied. Hatred, prejudice, anger, fear, and error are so obvious in them, but they also work in me, it is a struggle not to give into them. It is not enough to simply stand against evil. I must also stand for good. I must also turn to God, who alone can save us from ourselves, no other movement or organization can...

If the Nazis and KKK would repent and turn to the Lord, if they could sincerely pray, "Jesus Lord, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner," things would be better. But most of them won't. Unfortunately, I can not convince them, or anyone to do it. So, I struggle to do it myself! The truth is we are all a mix of good and evil. This is not moral equivalency between Nazi/KKK or anyone else. I just know that if the evil in me is smaller then the evil in them, it is still evil and it can still grow into greater evil. In every age, in social conflict, otherwise good and decent people have done horrible things as they were swept along on behalf of their group. The evil in the KKK/Nazi is so clear to me and so repulsive that I have always rejected them. It is the evil at work in me (and you) that goes unnoticed and unrepented that scares me.  Even if the Nazi and KKK are the most evil and vile, the communist/socialist history is hardly much better. Sorry, but I do have serious concerns about the motivations and goals of all the actors in this conflict.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_killings_under_Communist_regimes

In the end, I try to love and serve others, to pray constantly for the Father to save,  heal and sanctify the world. However, I cannot be at peace because I am better than the KKK/Nazis. That is too low a bar. I seek to be holy, until I am, whatever my good intentions, I understand that I will remain part of the problem. So will you. So will we all. If you need proof, read more history...

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.