Racism; A Cure?

I’ve heard people say that racism is taught, which it is. However I don’t believe that’s the only dynamic involved with this issue. What I’m bringing into the conversation is that racism is also a decision made. What I’ve been hearing and reading are individuals making the popular statement about racism being taught and following it up with a pointed example. This seems ok, except they usually follow-up their point with something like “THE END, OR THAT IS ALL” This of course is meant to end the conversation. Ah, if it were only that simple.

            President Obama recently stated in a speech that racism hasn’t been cured. And I have to agree with that statement. What I don’t agree with is the idea that there is a cure.

There is not now, nor will there ever be a cure for racism. Racism can be taught, yes, but that is not the only way people become racists. Another method could be that a person sees another person, and that other person looks different. The human mind immediately goes into motion and tries to understand what it’s seeing. The mind can come to many different conclusions. One of those conclusions could be, “if it’s different than me it must be less than me, or flawed in some way”. Once the mind comes to define something in this manner, it may at this time become a sub-conscience truth. It may be very hard, if not impossible, to change the mindset of that

conclusion.

            The mindset of racism is a motivation for people to gather. People tend to congregate with those of similar qualities. Other more common qualities are skin color, language, cultural traditions, and/or religious practices. These commonalities have been around since the earliest of times.

In the Bible racism is largely absent from mindset of its writers. Religious bigotry is a very different matter. There’s also the very prevalent matter of birthright written in the pages of the Bible. You were either Jewish or not Jewish, a Roman citizen or not a Roman citizen, wealthy or poor, and of course later, a Christian or not a Christian. Each one came with its specific rights and privileges. Thankfully, the Bible also tells us how to deal with racism and bigotry.

The Bible states throughout, especially in the New Testament, that love is the answer. It teaches us that love is lived through charity, kindness, respect, forgiveness, acceptance, and tolerance. Living life through love, and teaching through example can no doubt reduce racism throughout our society.

We are predominantly a society of religions. If we truly live our lives as our faiths teach, we can minimalize and delegitimize the idea of racism and bigotry. We will never be able to eliminate racism or bigotry, but we can diminish it to the point that it becomes a scourge on those who practice this belief, and not worn as a badge of honor.

There is no honor in hatred. Hatred begets hatred, love begets love, and love always triumphs. (1 Cor. 13)

May you always practice what you preach, and may you always preach love!

by David E. Gonzales

Related link: God Hates The--- 

Definitions via the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary:

rac·ism

: a belief that race is the primary determinate of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

: racial prejudice or discrimination

big·ot

: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices ; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

Grief, A Thought About:

We are physical beings, and as physical beings we understand the touch, smell, taste, and visual world by those measures. When we lose a loved one to death we grieve these physical losses of our loved one as if we have lost a measure of ourselves.

I think grief has as much to do with accepting death as it does anything else. I think we, as mortal beings, need to learn how to accept this loss both in the physical and spiritual sense. Part of acceptance has to do with how we understand our faith and what our faith tells us. When we or our loved ones pass away we are told, in our faith, there is no pain, no crying of tears, nor suffering by our loved ones. (Rev; 7: 16-17, Rev: 21: 4a).

I think if we truly believe this teaching it can have a comforting effect on our grieving.

I think also we need to understand that there’s a difference between letting go and forgetting. When we say we are letting go it has to do with the physical presence of our loved ones. We will keep our loved ones with us by our memories and the stories we share with others. As we remember them through these stories our minds recreate the sights, smells and sounds associated with our loved ones.

If we accept the loss of our loved ones and equally accept the understanding of our faith, I believe we can lessen the pain of grief and the time it takes to go through the process of our grief. By not accepting that our loved one has indeed passed away, by holding on to the physical sights, smells and sounds associated with our loved one, we grieve all the longer and all the harder and all the more intensely. This is not to suggest that this is a simple thing to do, it is not. However, by understanding our faith we can more easily and perhaps with less pain let go of the physical presence of our loved ones. While never forgetting our memories of them and realizing their new place with God can help us in our life’s many transitions.

Related posts;

Grief, what’s so good about it? - http://daedgo.blogspot.com/2012/10/grief-whats-so-good-about-it.html 

Tears - http://daedgo.blogspot.com/2014/07/tears.html 

Scripture is from the NABRE:

Rev. 7: 16-17: They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. Thor the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Rev. 21: 4a; “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,”

by David E. Gonzales

Change and the Void Created

Whenever change happens a void is created. When it happens that something is left behind or removed from our lives then a void is created within us. A void leaves a hole, an empty space within our being and it’s a scary feeling. We crave to either regain, or replace what was lost. It is this feeling of loss; this fear of having lost this piece of ourselves that drives us back to what we lost or pushes us forward to fill this void created.

This is the reason that so many people will return to or hold on to a spouse that is abusive or other unhealthy situation. The unknown future of a lost relationship is scarier than the abuse endured by the abused. When the loss is great enough in the mind of a person, the attempt to fill this void can be through drug, alcohol or extreme behavior that lashes out at other people or society in general. We as people strive to feel complete, and in doing so we make rash decisions reaching out to grab the first possible solution to our dilemma.

In our attempt to fill this void created, we as a society so often end up in much the same situation that led to our dilemma. I have noticed that people with a solid spiritual foundation will avoid these undesirable situations more often than not. It seems that having the ability to retreat into prayer or mediation of some sort helps to ease the pain of loss that first fills the void. By first drawing back into a reflective state of mind, by accepting the past as a fact, by keeping those facts in the context of reality, the anxiety of the future is lessened.

As our anxiety is lessened or relaxed we are increasingly able to see the present in the context of reality. The essence of our existence becomes increasingly self reliant. This feeling of being self-reliant leads to a self confidence that in turn helps us make better and increasingly thoughtful decisions. This can then lead to a better quality of life. Not just in our physical state, but in our spiritual state of being as well.

As we created a better understanding of our spirituality we are better able to fill the voids created by loss with our spiritual center. Instead of reaching out into the physical world to fill these voids we have the necessary tools to step back and evaluate our lives. This ability to step back and to see and accept the how and why of our place in time can bring about peace in the void created.

“Patience is a virtue” is an old saying that gets thrown around quite haphazardly. But patience by itself isn't worth much unless you can fill it with a productive process. Developing a process that has the inclination to bring about a positive outcome in your life is essential to personal peace. Developing a strong spiritual center can go a long way in preventing negative events that may have, in the past, taken control your life. Each person has to find their way of spirituality, most find it in a combination of styles. Many in today’s society find combining traditional prayer with other kinds of meditations increasingly fulfills their needs. They have a better grasp of their spirituality and this makes it harder for them to be shaken by natural events that are bound to happen to most of us.

Life is an unexpected experience, be prepared for the uncertainty of life with a strong spiritual center. When voids are created and pain attempts to fill this void and drive your life, have the strength to step back and meet the pain head on. Have the strength to embrace and accept the events of life. For me this spirituality centers on the Holy Trinity, for you spirituality may be a whole other experience.

It is my hope that this may, even in some small way, help you to find your spiritual being and to find peace in this life.

May the peace and love of Christ be with you.

By David E. Gonzales