Every once in a while, you see something that reminds you of how far from the Truth Bible-believing, people of good intentions (giving them the benefit of the doubt on both counts) can be. An example of which is the recent video by When We Understand the Text, a popular Youtube ministry of Pastor Gabriel Hughes, whose website states that the scripts of all videos are approved by the elders of the First Southern Baptist Church of Junction City, Kansas. In addition to being incredibly dismissive and tone deaf about racism, the WWUTT team decided to make a video mocking the idea of systemic racism during the fall of 2020, after months of protests around the country (and even around the world) concerning this very subject. They, evidently, wanted to push back against the ongoing American reckoning with racism; hard. It isn't difficult to discern how Pastor Hughes and his church leadership feel about any attempts to rectify the racism that exists in America today after watching this video.
I've been aware of the WWUTT series for several years, and have often been bothered by the lack of actual biblical exegesis in these super short videos, especially since the very premise of the series is to consult the Bible for Truth, this latest one is probably the most egregious example to date.
1. To ask the question, "What does the Bible say about..." any modern topic, is both a waste of time, and a not-very-subtle attempt at dismissal.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that the Bible doesn't use the words rocket or scientist. Words for things which did not yet exist when a text was written (any text, not just the Bible) will not appear in that text! The Bible also doesn't mention the internet, does that mean the the moral principles contained in the Bible have no bearing on how people use the internet? Of course not, so why bring up this obvious lack of biblical anachronism as your first point if you're not trying to set the tone that the Bible is against whoever is using this 'new fangled' notion called systemic racism?
2. After defining systemic racism, the narrator stunningly concludes that the definition of systemic racism means that everything is racist!
This after the definition that is quoted specifically says that systemic racism is about benefits and disadvantages (thus eliminating anything that doesn't produce one or both of those) designed to help Whites and harm minorities. If you're going to 'win' a one-sided argument, one of the easiest things to do is to create a Straw Man, a fake version of what your opponent believes that you can then tear down, even though your opponent doesn't say or believe what you've pretended (by way of the Straw Man) that they do. This is what WWUTT is doing here, citing a definition of systemic racism and then with no proof simply stating that systemic racism means everything is racist, which of course it does not. This isn't argumentation worthy of a Christian apologist.
3. Follow up the Straw Man with Culture War red meat examples
Rushing past the "systemic racism = everything is racist" false assertion, the video next lists in quick succession four things that are designed to reassure White people that systemic racism isn't real but rather just a silly notion. These include two decisions by private companies to alter their products (Aunt Jemima syrup and Land 'O Lakes butter), the decision of some realtors to stop calling the main bedroom in a house the 'master bedroom' (a reference to Southern slave masters, or aristocratic masters and servants), and finally the mix-up involving Bubba Wallace and the noose found at the NASCAR track. None of these items has anything to do with real systemic racism, with real benefits to white and real harms to minorities, but by lumping these Culture War items in with the discussion, a Red Herring is created. This is, sadly, another form of argumentation not worthy of a Christian apologist. The next screen then shows a woman outraged at the seemingly never ending things that systematic racism will go after next, an appeal to hysteria, not actual real life. At no point in the video, are the actual issues of systemic racism (criminal justice, education, voting, housing, healthcare, etc) even mentioned.
4. "That's what happens when you give up the Gospel"
Wow. So anyone who believes that systemic racism is real has given up the Gospel? Has walked away from the true Church? Once again, no proof of this massive assertion is offered, simply another giant leap from talking about syrup bottles to the abandonment of the Gospel. My apologies to the millions of Black followers of Jesus Christ in this country who know all too painfully that systemic racism is real, you do NOT have to pretend otherwise for the sake of the Gospel; this is a shameful assertion.
5. The claim that the debate over systemic racism doesn't offer any solutions
This is simply laziness. Many different organizations and individuals have called for reform in the education system, the criminal justice system, and for the protection of voting rights, to name three massive issues that are plagued with ongoing racism, and regarding which, a variety of mitigating efforts are available. That there is not an immediate and total solution to a problem doesn't make it any less real. Was the Opioid Crisis in America only real once there were concrete plans offered to curb the devastation it was causing? Is that crisis any less real because those solutions haven't been 100% effective? Of course not, but WWUTT wants to dismiss systemic racism as a 'needless argument' on this basis. {Remember, they chose not to mention the real issues of real systemic racism}
6. The use of 1 Timothy's 6:4-5's warning against needless 'quarrels' is both selective and not exegetically sound.
On what basis is this text applied to this case? Paul was writing to Timothy about internal Church arguments, are we to believe that Paul wanted Timothy to avoid dealing with issues of immorality and evil that infected the Church? Is it not the function of Church leadership to be concerned with Justice and Peace in society? Are these really the things that Paul wanted Timothy to clamp down on? How does the discussion of racism in America in any way fit a definition of a waste of time?? None of these questions are addressed, but 1 Timothy 6:4-5 is offered as a proof text just the same.
7. "Our problem does not have to do with skin, it has to do with sin" makes no sense.
Sin is indeed at the heart of all immorality, this is basic Christian theology. But, that sin manifests itself in a variety of ways. What is the purpose behind trying to separate sin from its particular manifestation if not to minimize that particular type of sin? Would you also say, "Our problem does not have to do with pornography, it has to do with sin" and then go on to say that pornography isn't a real problem?? Racism is a manifestation of sin. It is the way in which sin is made real in the lives of human beings with darkened hearts. This is logic similar to that of Pastor Robert Jeffress, which was equally invalid {Mitigating racism can't wait: Why Pastor Robert Jeffress is wrong}. We, human beings, have a problem with every kind of sin, and wherever that sin shows itself in our lives, and in our society, we must combat it.
8. Acknowledging that the System has faults does NOT eliminate personal responsibility.
I've heard this argument before, and it holds no water. The classic example is the Nazi Final Solution and individual German SS soldiers. Were they not responsible for murder because the system gave them orders to kill? Acknowledging that individual responsibility, would anyone then say, 'Don't blame the Nazi system, its the individuals who are the real culprits'? And yet, the WWUTT video puts forth the argument that if we acknowledge that the System (whether that be Educational, Criminal Justice, Housing, etc) has immoral structures or policies we are somehow removing personal responsibility. This is utter nonsense, and yet another Red Herring. Systems, created by sinful people, will contain within them immorality. It is inevitable because they're created by flawed human beings. Are we to never correct these errors, never to try to mitigate the effect of human sinfulness in society, or should we just ignore them when the system's flaws are related to racism?
I don't understand what Pastor Hughes is hoping to accomplish with this video, but it is flawed from beginning to end, will be used by those who wish to minimize racism, and will send a message to our Black brothers and sisters in Christ that White Christians in America really don't care about the racism they've experienced. Therefore, I categorically reject the message of this video, from beginning to end.
No comments:
Post a Comment