I just watched the video posted on The Haystack.tv titled, The Wound and I became deeply engaged with what was being said. As I listened I became increasingly reminded of the racial injustices that are still surrounding my community, my church, and largely my nation. I was reminded at how easy it is for me a white male to become upset over topics of social injustice, race wars, and the status quo when a tragedy strikes the nightly news and feel like that’s enough. Meanwhile communities of color sit in rage over the unjust police brutalities that happen daily because they are the ones suffering a direct loss of life and family.
The more that I begin to understand that systemic racism is a problem and then do nothing about it, I am buying into the white lie. The white lie that says, “being against discrimination is good enough.” The white lie that says, “I shouldn’t feel guilty for being white.” I only partially agree. Should you feel guilty for being white? No. White people, like black people, and Asian people, and Muslim people, and immigrants, are 100% made in the image of God. That said, the second we stop speaking out against injustice, the second we stop calling out white supremacy, the second we stop tethering our freedom to the freedom of the marginalized, we cease to be in God’s image, you should feel guilty about that.
Something we don’t talk about enough as a church, is how White Supremacy is a demonic force. Its roots, in some ways, are in the story of Lucifer. Lucifer was the first proponent of privilege. He was the light bearer. He thought he had the privilege to sit next to God and place himself above all the hosts of heaven. The white lie is the devils lie. Believing that I should be elevated over my fellow man is a trap of Satan. Not actively calling out a system that continues to provide a deck stacked in my favor is allowing Satan’s kingdom to rule. Until the white lie is unveiled for what it is, this can’t be a nation under God, because God calls out darkness. I want to be in the image of God, and so I have to fight against demonic forces that erode His image.
For some in a white society, ruled by affluent white males, to admit that “all are created in the image of God,” is to lower the flag of white privilege. Can’t we listen without interjecting “all lives matter?” Shouldn’t we start with listening? Listening because you can never fully understand the pain of that community? Listening to learn how you can help current wounds and prevent future causalities? Listening because while you didn’t personally cause the system of inequality, you are still benefiting from it. Listening because believing there is nothing you can do to stop the cycle is a lie, a white one.