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Is Racism a sin? (Cicily Sunny)

Published on 08 June, 2020
Is Racism a sin? (Cicily Sunny)
Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.  Racism has been existing in this world for long period of time.  Racial segregation has  become a norm in some parts of the world, especially in the third world countries.  Protests are not common in those places obviously because of its nonviolent,  harmless and helping nature.  World- wide colonialism by the British took racism to another level as it involved violent oppression, force, and taking away of rights and privileges.  The names of Nelson Mandela, who spent twenty-eight years in prison, who played a key role in dismantling the system of racial apartheid and who became the first black president of South Africa, and Mahatma Gandhi who won freedom for India will be honored forever.  After the pilgrims from Europe invaded the land of America starting from 1565, they fought with the Red Indians, who were the original inhabitants of the land, for two centuries until they got pushed to a reservation.  This took a toll on the lives of at least 50,000 people from both sides.  According to the official UN estimate, the number of Africans killed in various ways during the transatlantic slave trade  is at least seventeen million from 16th to 19th centuries.   They died in capture, during the voyage at sea, due to disease, starvation and back-breaking labor.  Men, women, and children were forcefully kidnapped from the streets of Africa, inhumanly tied down together, and kept in unhealthy conditions in ships for days.  Slavery took a toll on the lives and lifestyle of  African Americans from 1619 to 1870 in America.  The white owners of the slaves treated them unfairly, denied them proper food, wages and freedom, physically abused them, sold them to different owners, and even took their children and spouses away from them inhumanly.  Even after the Civil War and the freedom obtained by the African Americans, racism has been still existing in America in some form.  The murder of innocent Martin Luther King, Jr., a clergyman and a civil rights activist, in 1968 has been sadly remembered.  The death of George Floyd in the hands of police officers in Minneapolis in May 2020 after being handcuffed has drawn world- wide media attention, especially through world-wide protests, which will be recorded in the world history forever.  This is a wake- up call for the entire world to realize that racism is not acceptable, especially when it involves the murder of a person.

    Racism is a sin in the eyes of God as per the Bible.  “God created man in His image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27).  Every human being has a divine image, and the color of the skin, gender, ethnicity etc. should not be downgraded by anyone.  Jesus said, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.  Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering (Matthew 5:22-24).  All the children of God are brothers and sisters in the eyes of God.  If calling someone ‘fool’ is a sin, how much of a sin is murdering a handcuffed person by choking him for nine minutes?  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).  Jesus made it possible for anyone to be included in the people and the promises of God.  God is not about separation, but inclusion and unity.    “For the Lord, your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes; who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him” (Deuteronomy 10:17, 18).   When people from Europe stepped into the land of America, they themselves were aliens.  No one has the right to take credit for being in America or having a specific skin color other than God.    No one has earned a skin color through their merit or hard work.  ”In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.  Rather, in every nation whoever fears Him and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34, 35).  Jesus said, “Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly” (John 7:24).

Who said that white color is a superior or attractive color worthy of extra credit?  How beautiful is the color and heart of an African American!  What matters to God and people around us is a clean, loving  and humble heart filled with the light of God.  I exhort all those who act superior, do hate crimes, have a racist mind, and practice prejudice and discrimination to repent, kneel down before God, and beg for mercy and forgiveness from  God as per the Lord’s prayer taught by Jesus (Matthew 6:9-13).  If anyone’s name is not found written in the book of life on the Last Judgment day, he will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).  America is founded on Christian principles.   Feel proud to uphold the Bible and practice the Christian value of loving every child of God.


 (Cicily Sunny, NYC Retired teacher)
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Jacob Thomas Vilayil 2020-06-09 20:28:07
Ms. Cicily Sunny dwells on the Bible to find her rationale for treating everyone as God;s own children. Sadly, the history of racism in this country is rooted in religion as we recall the K.K.K uses a burning cross as a symbol of their hatred. Englishmen sought favor from the 'holy pulpit' for their nefarious and sadistic slave trade and got enough support from the churches. The churches received money and support for major church building activities. More and more men thus became slave traders and the African continent saw the largest dehumanization in their history. The slave trade built the nations as the cheap labor led to large estates and constructions, spurring the economy. The greed and the lure of money brought more and more people as slaves from Africa and then China and Asia. These slave traders and slave owners were 'religious" church goers as they carried a bible to assert moral superiority. It is sad to see even now, people who are morally complicit raising the Bible to cover up their misdeeds and seek the support of the faithful christian-- an act of sacrilege to use the Holy word of the Lord for dubitable purposes. The Opinion page casts a dark picture of racism and offers the Bible as the source of healing and compassion. Hope that falls on morally fertile grounds. A good attempt to raise awareness is appreciable and well heeded.
RAJU THOMAS 2020-06-09 21:01:59
This is how a true believer ought to look at the issue of racial prejudice. Surely other religions too exhort us with precepts such as the writer has here arrayed from the Bible. Cicily Sunny has combed the New Testament--the Old as well--and given us quite a few precious arguments. She has read her Bible. Kudos!
തിയോക്രെസ്സി> തിയോ ക്രേസി 2020-06-09 21:38:27
1960 കളിൽ മനുഷ നന്മക്കുവേണ്ടി ബലിയായ മാർട്ടിൻ ലൂതർ കിംഗ് ജൂനിയറിനെയും, പൗരാവകാശ പ്രസ്ഥാനക്കാരെയും നേരിടാൻ സേഗ്രിഗേഷനിസ്റ്റ്, ജോർജ് വാലസ്സ് ക്രിസ്തീയ നേതാക്കളെ കൂട്ടുപിടിച്ചു. ജോർജ് വാലസ്സ് ഒരു റേസിസ്റ്റ് അല്ല എന്നാണ് , മോണ്ട്ഗോമറിയിലെ മെതഡിസ്റ്റു പാസ്റ്റർ ഹെൻറി ലിയോൺ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചത്. ലോറൻസ് എന്ന മറ്റൊരു പാസ്റ്ററും അതേറ്റ്പാടി. കെ കെ കെ സപ്പോർട് ചെയ്ത വാലസ്സ് തൻ്റെ ഇനാഗുറൾ പ്രസംഗത്തിൽ പറഞ്ഞ ഹീനമായ വാക്കുകൾ- കറുത്ത വർഗ്ഗത്തോടുള്ള വിവേചനം/ വേർതിരിവ് -ഇന്നലെവരെ ഉണ്ട്, ഇന്നും ഉണ്ട്, എന്നേക്കും ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കും. വാലസിൻ്റെ വീക്ഷണത്തിൽ മാർട്ടിൻ ലൂതർ കിംഗ് ഒരു പ്രശ്‍നം ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്നവൻ ആയിരുന്നു. വിശ്വസിക്കാൻ പ്രയാസം എങ്കിലും; ക്രിസ്റ്റിയൻ നേതാക്കൾ വാലസിനെ ആണ് സപ്പോർട് ചെയ്തത്.- അതാണ് തിയോക്രസി എന്നാൽ ഭ്രാന്ത് - മതവും, രാഷ്ട്രീയവും ഒന്നിച്ചു തലയിൽ കേറുമ്പോൾ ഉണ്ടാവുന്ന മുഴുഭ്രാന്ത്. ///////// മതത്തെ സ്വാർത്ഥ താല്പര്യങ്ങൾക്കുവേണ്ടി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന പ്രവണത ലോകമെമ്പാടും കാണാം. അമേരിക്കൻ ക്രിസ്തിയാനികളും മതത്തെ ഉപയോഗിച്ചു. അമേരിക്കയിലെ ക്രിസ്റ്റിയൻ കോളണിസ്റ്റുകൾ അമേരിക്കയിലെ ആദിവാസികളെ കൊന്നു നശിപ്പിച്ചു, ശേഷിച്ചവരെ ഓടിച്ചു റിസർവേഷനുകളിൽ തടവുകാരാക്കി, ആഫ്രിക്കയിലെ കറുത്തവരെ അടിമകൾ ആയി പിടിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുവന്നു. ഇവരുടെ മതവും ദൈവവും ഒക്കെ ആണ് ഇവരുടെ ഹീനതയെ ന്യായികരിക്കാൻ ഇവർ ഉപയോഗിച്ചതു. കറുത്തവരെ അടിമകൾ ആയി പണിഎടുപ്പിക്കുന്ന തോട്ടം ഉടമകൾ ഉപദേശികൾക്കു പണം കൊടുത്തു, അടിമത്തത്തെയും, വർണ്ണ വിവേചനത്തെയും ന്യായികരിക്കുന്ന പ്രസംഗങ്ങളൾ എല്ലാ ഞായറിലും അടിച്ചുവിട്ടു, വേദപുസ്തക പണ്ഡിതരും പണംവാങ്ങി വലിയ ലേഖനങ്ങളും എഴുതി പ്രസിദ്ധികരിച്ചു. ഭൂമിയിലെ ഏറ്റവും നീചമായ അടിമത്തവും, വര്ണവിവേചനവും കറുത്തവർക്കു നല്ലതു തന്നെ എന്ന് യാതൊരു ഉളുപ്പും ഇല്ലാതെ പുരോഹിത വർഗം പ്രചരിപ്പിച്ചു. അടിമ സമ്പ്രദായം തിരികെ കൊണ്ടുവരണം എന്നാണ് ട്രംപിസ്റ്റുകളുടെ അഭിപ്രായം. അതിനൊക്കെ വചനങ്ങ ളും ബൈബിളിൽ ഉണ്ട്. ഇവാൻജെലിക്കൽ ട്രംപിസ്റ്റുകളുടെ കപട വിശ്വസം കൂടുതൽ വെളിവാകുംതോറും ഇവരുടെ അവസാനവും അടുത്തുവരുന്നു. അവരുടെ നേതാവ് അധികാരത്തിൽ നിന്നും ഇറങ്ങുന്നതോടെ ഇവരുടെ ആവസാനവും പെട്ടെന്ന് ആയിരിക്കും. ഇവരുടെ മത നേതാക്കളും ട്രമ്പിനെപോലെ തന്നെ കള്ളം പറയുകയും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയുന്നു. ഇവരുടെ അനുയായികൾ ഭൂരിപക്ഷവും വിഡ്ഢികൾ എങ്കിലും സത്യം മനസ്സിൽ ആകുമ്പോൾ വലിയ ഷോക്ക് ഏറ്റപോലെ തോന്നുകയും ട്രംപിനെ സപ്പോർട് ചെയ്യുന്നത് അവസാനിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും. കോൾ മായിനേഴ്‌സ് പോലും സത്യം മനസിലാക്കി ട്രംപിനെ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു. ഇവാൻജെലിസ്റ്റുകളുടെ തിയോക്രസി അധിക കാലത്തേക്ക് നിലനിൽക്കില്ല എന്ന് വ്യക്‌തം. ///// - Theo- Crazy in America -andrew
Anthappan 2020-06-09 22:55:00
Out of the more than three-quarters of a million words in the Bible, Christian slaveholders—and, if asked, most slaveholders would have defined themselves as Christian—had two favorites texts, one from the beginning of the Old Testament and the other from the end of the New Testament. In the words of the King James Bible, which was the version then current, these were, first, Genesis IX, 18–27: “And the sons of Noah that went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole world overspread. And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: and he drank of the wine, and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father, and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant. And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.” Despite some problems with this story—What was so terrible about seeing Noah drunk? Why curse Canaan rather than Ham? How long was the servitude to last? Surely Ham would have been the same color as his brothers?—it eventually became the foundational text for those who wanted to justify slavery on Biblical grounds. In its boiled-down, popular version, known as “The Curse of Ham,” Canaan was dropped from the story, Ham was made black, and his descendants were made Africans. The other favorite came from the Apostle Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, VI, 5-7: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” (Paul repeated himself, almost word for word, in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Colossians.) Trump and his supremacist are not going to give up. There are some coward Malayalees sitting in the comfort of their house and comment in the E-Malayalee and that is it. They don't have the guts to get out and fight for justice. Most of them are parasites. If the balk wins in their attempt to bring justice, then they will jump into that wagon. Trump started crying for breath (38% of people support him according to the latest poll.) when it goes further down, you may see some of them in Biden's wagon with a different name.
മലയാളത്തില്‍ ടൈപ്പ് ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഇവിടെ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക