Let's Talk Race

What was intended to be a simple hospital visit, turned out to be anything but simple. I was visiting a member of my congregation who was seriously ill. I was not very familiar with the surrounding area in Minneapolis, so two friends accompanied me. The patient, her husband, my friends and I were engaging in small talk at the bedside when a male nurse entered and addressed me specifically.

“Who are you?” he asked. To which I answered by giving my name. He proceeded to ask, “And what are you doing here?” Before I had a chance to respond, the husband of the patient answered that I was their pastor. With that, the nurse left the room.

We looked at each other baffled at what had just happened. We were baffled because, of the four persons in the room, I was the only one who was black. Because of the severity of the illness and the tension the white nurse created, no one dared discuss what had just happened. 

It was on our way to the car, my two friends steered the conversation to what had just taken place. They were confident that they had just witnessed a display of racial prejudice. They were so disgusted and embarrassed that they offered to support me in whatever way I chose to respond to the matter.

More than 15 years have gone since that incident, and although it never altered my sense of worth as someone of value, the memories of bigotry have not left me. Unless one has experienced racial prejudice, one is not fully disposed to understanding it.

Prejudice is a bias, favoring or opposing something based on personal opinion or feelings. It means to "pre-judge" or to make an assumption beforehand without any knowledge, factual reason, or objective consideration. It is an unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an individual based solely on the individual’s race, gender or disposition.

Racial prejudice is the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others. It is those feelings of superiority that cause some ethnic groups to feel entitled to discriminate against other groups that are different. 

Historically, these feelings of superiority have been influential in establishing institutions that protect and advance varying forms of prejudice. Thankfully, with increasing ethnic diversity and academic opportunities, many of these color structures are dying.

Isn’t it ironic that we appreciate variety in the colors of the rainbow, in nature, in floral arrangements and interior designs? However, when it comes to fellow human beings, we discriminate. Have you ever heard of a hospital advertising for blood from black, white or Hispanic donors?

It is equally ridiculous to believe, that although the best dressed among my colleagues at the hospital, my skin color disqualified me from visiting a patient. In a carefully worded letter I expressed my disgust to the hospital administration. The hospital called to verify the authenticity of the letter and promised to investigate the matter. The process of enquiry was as pathetic as the conclusion reached.

Among the options available to me, I knew my reaction had to be guided by my Christian worldview and not my ethnicity. In addition, I was not prepared to affirm someone else’s warped understanding of superiority with any uncivilized reaction. Like the apostle Paul, when imprisoned for no cause, he used his incarceration as a platform to advance the cause of Jesus Christ. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. was no different. When beaten and imprisoned for righteousness, he refused to resort to violence. He even dissociated from others who felt violence was justified. Dr. King was determined to be guided by his Christian convictions and not by what his alleged superiors expected. Hence, when he is remembered today he is referred to as a godly leader and not a militant filled with hate.

Racial and social prejudices are not contemporary phenomena. In his New Testament epistle, James confronted prejudice. Simply put, he said, “...don’t show favoritism” (James 2:1). James went on to remind his readers that “God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith...”

In Galatians the apostle Paul challenged Peter for being prejudicial in his treatment of Gentile Christians. Paul contended, “...as for those who seemed to be important-whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance...” (Galatians 2:6).

The same should be said of Christians today – we should not judge by external appearance. To me it is sad when one’s claim to superiority is only skin deep.