The internet, also known as the World Wide Web or “the net”, is virtual public highway that connects computers and allows passengers to visit and communicate with anyone anywhere. It gained popularity in the 1990s, and 4.5 billion users log on daily.
There’s a subsection of the net. Anyone linked to the corporate sector where the computer is essential is aware of the intranet, a private network a company employs to share information among fellow workers. Both venues are handy for building relationships, but they can be portals to tear down foundations.
Through the centuries, a false message spread to take down a sector of God’s creation, African Americans. They’ve been told their dark skin is a curse because of the sin of Noah’s son, Ham (Genesis 9:18-27). This is why context is key when reading the Bible. It was Ham’s son, Canaan, who God judged. While Canaan’s descendants mostly likely had a brown hue from the climates where they lived (Genesis 10:15-19), God’s pronouncement had nothing to do with skin color.
This gross misinterpretation of scripture has been used to justify the enslavement and devaluation of black people and overt and covert forms of discrimination. Still today, African-Americans are reduced to a stereotype: angry, unintelligent, and subservient. Unfortunately, even some within the black community accept it.
A film highlighting this is the riveting, “A Soldier’s Story”. I strongly recommend it. When you watch, pay close attention to the dynamic between two black soldiers: CJ and his commander, Sergeant Waters. As Waters rose in rank, he adopted his white counterparts’ low perspective of the black man.
The sergeant fell prey to a faulty form of deductive reasoning, which is to conclude from premises that are believed to be true. To put it into a biblical framework, those who interacted with Christ would postulate something like this:
Premise 1: Nothing good comes from the city of Nazareth (John 1:46).
Premise 2: Jesus is from Nazareth.
Conclusion: Jesus isn’t good.
Prophets foretold of a Messiah who the masses thought would liberate them from government oppression. Jesus with His uncomely appearance, “turn the cheek” mandate, and talk of death and resurrection didn’t fulfill people’s expectations, and they rejected Him (Isaiah 53:1-3, Matthew 5:38-40, John 2:19-22).
Similarly, parts of society have spun generalizations about black people. Here’s a typical scenario:
Premise 1: Black people commit dangerous acts on the street at night.
Premise 2: A black man is out on the street at a late hour.
Conclusion: The black man is doing something dangerous.
This web of misinformation ensnared 29-year-old Tyre Nichols of Memphis, Tennessee on January 7, 2023. Around 8:24 pm, he was driving home from taking pictures of a sunset sky. He had a passion for photography.
Through his photos, Nichols said, “My vision is to bring my viewers deep into what I am seeing through my eye and out through my lens. People have a story to tell, why not capture it.”
The focus of the story now shifts to five policemen on patrol that evening: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr., and Justin Smith — all African-American — who internalized the myth. They stopped Nichols at an intersection and pulled him out of his car. “I didn’t do anything!” he said repeatedly, offering no resistance. The cops tried to pin him to the ground, and in fear for his safety, Nichols fled.
Nine minutes later, the officers caught up with Nichols and savagely beat him. He died on January 10, 2023 from his extensive injuries. The officers surrendered and face charges of second-degree murder.
In addition, two more lawmen, Preston Hemphill – Caucasian – and one currently unidentified, were at the scene and placed on administrative leave for their involvement. The Memphis Fire Department also fired two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and a fire department lieutenant for response at the scene.
The lies society peddles about and to African Americans have caused literal and figurative pain and death. The train of thought has infiltrated on an unconscious level those of us to whom Christ gave His mind or better said, insight (1 Corinthians 2:11-16). We’re blessed with His word to aid in getting to the heart of a matter (Hebrews 4:12). Sadly, when confronted with the subject of race relations, we look the other way.
For this reason, I take exception with the notion of colorblindness. Although well-meaning on the surface, it’s a conscious decision to turn a blind eye to the beauty and complexity of race. “I don’t see color” can translate, “I don’t see you”. It’s going to get a little rocky from here. Please stay with me.
This begs the uncomfortable and necessary questions. Is the plea for unity in the body of Christ a call for assimilation into a dominant racial group? Does the church equate becoming a “new creation in Christ” with discarding aspects of other cultures outside the largest ethnicity?
A microcosm of this resounded sharply to me one Sunday morning during a time of singing at a church with a racially diverse congregation. I sat next to two ladies: one African-American, one Latina, and both in their mid-twenties. The band began a song, and apparently, they knew what was coming. They looked at each other, and the black woman whispered, “All we sing is white people’s music.” Her friend pursed her lips and nodded in agreement.
As a lover of all musical genres, I understood her critique to refer to a style of playing that appeals primarily to white audiences. She motioned her hands to the stage, “Don’t they know we’re here, too?” Undoubtedly, some would be eager to claim she is an agent of “division” in the church. I reckon the reverse, however. She is pointing out a potential source of division, and the church would be wise to hear her.
Dr. Martin Luther King would know how she feels. His statement rings true to this day, “I think it is one of the tragedies of our nation, one of the shameful tragedies that 11 o’clock on Sunday morning is one the most segregated hours, if not the most segregated hour in Christian America.” He goes on to say its integration won’t come through legal (and dare I add political) processes.
Furthermore, Dr. King’s mentor, the apostle Paul, would chime in with his acknowledgment, “Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, ‘I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,’ that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, ‘I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,’ would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body (1 Corinthians 12:14-20).”
In response to human tragedy, I’ve invoked Voltaire’s quote, “Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” We can avoid perpetuating an atrocity when the church embraces itself as a mosaic instead of a monolith. Our colors are beautiful, and unity comes when we value our unique roles to achieve a common goal, to show others God’s goodness (1 Peter 2:9).
As I close, I recall the 1990s comedy series, “A Different World”. In one of its more dramatic episodes, the show’s lead character, Dwayne Wayne, and his friend endure a racist attack by three white men, and they all end up in jail. He angrily retorts to their question, “Who are you?” with, “I’m an educated black man, your worst nightmare!”
Rather than appalling, I pray we regard our African-American siblings and those from every race as divine gifts to achieve the dream Dr. Martin Luther King spoke of on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial building in 1968.
His dream can become a reality when we choose to concentrate on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).
George Frederick Root and C. Herbert Woodson respectively composed and wrote the popular hymn:
Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
All are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
We have a grand opportunity to fill the “nets” and flood the airwaves with compelling words and images of how we’re interwoven, a splendorous, multicolored tapestry of which onlookers will want to join.
To paraphrase the late evangelist, Henry Varley, the world has yet to see what God can do through a generation of people who are totally yielded to Him.
My brothers and sisters — Black, White, Latino, and Asian — let’s become that generation.
Sources (links will open in a new window):
Article: “Internet” by Robert Kahn and Michael Aaron Dennis, published January 9, 2023
Scripture: Genesis 9:18-27
Scripture: Genesis 10:15-19
Movie: “A Soldier’s Story”
Article: “Deductive Reasoning” by TechTarget, published October 5, 2020
Scripture: John 1:46
Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-3
Scripture: Matthew 5:38-40
Scripture: John 2:19-22
Article: “Five ex-Memphis police officers charged with murder in death of Tyre Nichols” by Tyler Clifford, published January 27, 2023
Article: “Tyre Nichols remembered as beautiful soul with creative eye” by Adam Beam, Travis Loller and Claire Galofaro, published January 27, 2023
Article: “How did Memphis medical workers respond to Tyre Nichols after police beating?” by Daniel Trotta, Jonathan Allen, Colleen Jenkins and Rosalba O’Brien, published January 31, 2023
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
Scripture: Hebrews 4:12
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Scripture: Proverbs 6:19
Video: “The Most Segregated Hour in America” – Dr. Martin Luther King
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:14-20
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9
Video: “‘A Different World: Cats in the Cradle’” (3:50 mark)
Video: “I Have A Dream” – Dr. Martin Luther King (running time 6:46)
Scripture: Philippians 4:8
Article: “Jesus Loves The Little Children” by Richard W. Adams, published October 8, 2022
Article: “Totally Yielded To God” by Dr. Erwin W. Luther, published 2014
Scripture references are from the New Living Translation. Their links go to bible.com, courtesy of YouVersion, makers of the Bible App available for iOS and Android devices.
