Current Traditions Based on Past Racism

[OnetrueGod]

I grew up in a church in Little Rock, Arkansas in the mid-60's and early 70's. My family (we are white) had moved down from Kansas and we were appalled at the overt racism we saw against our black brethren both in the church and out. My parentrs taught my brothers and sisters that God loved people of all color, and that we should never judge someone by the group. The use of the "N word" would have been grounds for getting our bottoms tanned! Yet, this word was used freely by my white friends and unfortunately by many members of the church we attended... even amoung the church leaders and my Bible class teachers.

My parents tried to "buck" the status quo and were labeled "liberal change agents", "N-lovers", and many other other derogitory terms for their beliefs. My father used to teach Bible classes at a near-by black congregation and one night a young black man asked to be baptized. The black congregation had no baptistry and it was cold outside, so my father took him back to the white congregation and baptized him in the baptistry there. You would have thought he was offering human sacrifice to Satan, by the reaction of many in the church there... It caused quite a fuss and some of the members even rushed in and immediately drained the baptistry and scrubbed the baptistry down! Many were angry at my Dad and he basically told them "You'll get over it."

As the polical climate toward overt segregation across the country changed, people at the church could not overtly say "I don't want n-----'s to go to church with us here" but the bigotry and hatred still remained, so they began a thinnly veiled attempt to make segregation "scriptural" by saying that "hand-clapping, hand raising, and shouting out loud" were abominations to God because the scriptures were silent on these areas. These were common expressions among black churches of scriptual urgings by Jesus and the apostles to "rejoice", "encourage", "affirm", and "edify", but lmuch less common among white churches. By starting this tradition, they could segregate based on the difference in worship styles between black churches and white churches (yes, this is steriotypic) and say "we can't let blacks attend here, or they'll bring in this false doctrine to our assembly!"

We left that congregation years ago, but I still see this tradition stated in many different congregations, churches and religious groups even today. I've asked many of the members about it, but most do not realize that it has racist roots. They simply follow the tradition. I don't mind that some churches don't clap in their assemblies, as that is the choice of their leadership, but when they condemn other churches that do... they don't seem to realize where this comes from.

Do your religious groups have similar traditions and condemnations that are (in my mind) based in Christianity's racism of the past?

Edited February 24, 2012 by OnetrueGod

[OneLight]

No. We are the body of Christ, no matter what color or background.

[nebula]

Do your religious groups have similar traditions and condemnations that are (in my mind) based in Christianity's racism of the past?

It is sad to her some areas have not repented yet of this sin.

P.S. the sin is "hatred." "Racism" is just a form of it.

[OnetrueGod]

The saddest part is that all that I talk to today that still follow the tradition that hand clapping, hand raising, and shouting out loud are sinful, do not realize where it comes from. They no longer wish to segregate and seem to have repented of the racism (and hatred). These congregations "welcome" blacks to their services and many have black members.

I believe they are simply following the traditions handed down by the previous generations without thinking about the history that produced them. They are no longer trying to segregate, but from what I've seen, it shows a great disrespect to the traditions and worship style of the black culture and therefore still offends and causes blacks to not want to worship with these people... intentional or not.

[OneLight]

Christ is the Lord of the living, not the dead. All through scripture we read about worship in Him. This worship is not like a funeral, but like a wedding.

[jasoncran]

the church division of the nt/ot is in part from racism. if you doubt that read up or listen to those that learn from the messanic jews or have a background in judaism.

now then, i worked at a church that did have a black employee that didnt allow her years ago to clean the sanctuary, the church but only to serve soup in the soup kitchen. she took that church to court and won. she has passed away and now i work with her son at the city that the same church is in. her son remembers those days and he and talked about this recently.

[Guest]

the church division of the nt/ot is in part from racism. if you doubt that read up or listen to those that learn from the messanic jews or have a background in judaism.

now then, i worked at a church that did have a black employee that didn't allow her years ago to clean the sanctuary, the church but only to serve soup in the soup kitchen. she took that church to court and won. she has passed away and now i work with her son at the city that the same church is in. her son remembers those days and he and talked about this recently....

Got

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7

Brothers

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? Genesis 4:9

Me Too

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephesians 4:2-7

~

Be Blessed Beloved Of The KING

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. Numbers 6:24-27

Love, Your Brother Joe

~

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Psalms 133:1-3

Maranatha~!

[mizzdy]

the church division of the nt/ot is in part from racism. if you doubt that read up or listen to those that learn from the messanic jews or have a background in judaism.

now then, i worked at a church that did have a black employee that didnt allow her years ago to clean the sanctuary, the church but only to serve soup in the soup kitchen. she took that church to court and won. she has passed away and now i work with her son at the city that the same church is in. her son remembers those days and he and talked about this recently.

Do you have a Biblical basis for that?

Because the OT was given during the Old Covenant, and part of the OT relates God's Word regarding his Old Covenant, from which the OT got its name.

And the NT relates God's Word regarding his New Covenant, from which the NT got its name.

That is explained here, at my responses 1) and 2).

The division between the 'old' and 'new' are man made not ordained by God in the least. If you want to get techie about it, the beginning of the bible is called the Tanakh and the apostles writings are called the Brit Chadashah. Funny how our Messiah walked in all those 'old' things as did all the apostles, all those that followed after Him and it wasn't until the split with the body that Messiah called out did things start to change. When the greek, roman and other worldly influences took ahold and greek thinking invaded the body was there a distinction made between 'old and new'.

[jasoncran]

well what does the book of revalation mean? where does it get all its symbols from for the most part? the tanach! we can thank the rcc for this perversion of the gospel. on the sistine chapel painting the hand reaching for God is moses.But moses isnt alone, he has the all the greek philosphers with him. since when did the faithful jews equate the law with greeks in wisdom? in fact they never did and never would.

the more i read up on the sages and true god-fearing judiasm the more i begin to understand the walk we often talk about and what is often taught in churches.im hebrew and i cant go to my kin and simply ask them what does the tanach say. they wont answer me.they feel that i will distort what i say or lie or what not. we have done that to the jews.

the catholics in the crusades killed jews who werent a threat and in the inquisitions killed them. gee i wonder why the jews dont like jesus!

[jasoncran]

so jeremiah 31 wasnt fulfilled? the law is written in mens hearts?

31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

hmm i think that this occurs when men come to christ.

and uh jesus said only a few things new. the verses on loving thy enemies were already in the torah. he was dealing with the perversion of the torah not some novel idea.