“Put Jesus Above Our Blackness”

This morning as I was preparing breakfast, I was thinking about *someone* calling for an honest conversation on race.  And I reflected that very few really want that, because perhaps the biggest race problem in America today* is Black racism, and very few of any skin color really want to address that unpleasant subject.  And that even though Black racism has infected even the church every bit as much as White racism did 50 years and more ago.  Many Black churches are more Black than Christian and at least a few prominent ones are downright hateful about it.  See Obama’s old church, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

And I myself thought I best not address that topic with full honesty, that it would be taken that I am the RAAAACISSST. Whether that is prudence or cowardice on my part, I’ll let you be the judge. And I wished more Blacks would have the perception and courage to face Black racism head on.  For they could surely do it more effectively than any cracker like myself.

But, lo, this same morning, I stumbled across this courageous column by the Rev. Dr. Ken Hutcherson, Senior Pastor of Antioch Bible Church near Seattle.  Now he does not call out Black racism by name.  But in addressing the Zimmerman-Martin controversy, he does call it out in a fashion, and far more winsomely than I can:

Blackness is the apex of victimhood and our blackness is above truth, above our Christianity, above our God, above our Holy Spirit, so that means if our blackness is above the Holy Spirit, then it is above Truth. This is so important for everyone to know this so they can understand why this Trayvon and Zimmerman case is where it is today and why blacks refuse to believe what really happened.

Thus he points out, again more gently than I, that Black racism in the church is prominent and is really a form of idolatry. 

He goes on to urge, “Black people will never be the great people that we truly are until we put Jesus above our blackness.”  (And similar exhortations could be made to other many highly ethnic churches.)

I cannot put it any better than that.  And really it takes a Black man of courage to say that well.  Kudos to Dr. Hutcherson for being such a man.  May more men like him rise up, for this whole country is in desperate need of such real honesty.

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*PLEASE NOTE:  There is no question that White racism was a far bigger problem than any Black racism 50 years ago and beyond.  And, surely that the source of much Black racism today.  But it is past time for people of all colors to face up to what are our cultural problems today.

Hat tip to The Blaze.