American Literature and Religion

America has seen monumental changes amongst the people in the Twentieth Century. Though these changes have led to simpler lifestyles for the American people, the changes have also led to the alienation of many American individuals. These people often feel as if they are outcasts amongst their neighbors. Others have lost sight of God and what Christianity truly means. Others are left incapable of loving themselves; therefore, they feel apathetic toward the human community. Before isolated persons can reconnect with their society, they must determine the reason of their own self imposed isolation.

One cause of an individual’s detachment from the human race is his or her own preconceived notions of how society regards him or her. Often people refuse to recognize the fragmented aspects of American culture. One reoccurring, prevalent aspect of Twentieth Century literature is the existence of the otherness in characters, which is often exhibited as the unusual or foreign behaviors we do not understand. Too often, people fear that which they do not understand. For instance, on the way to a job interview, Bigger Thomas of Richard Wright’s Native Son carries with him a gun and knife. The young man felt the neighborhood he had entered “was a cold and distant world” (Wright, 1644). This same fear of white people led to Bigger’s natural distrust of them. Because Bigger is an outcast of the white American society due to his race, he knows he will not be treated fairly if he is discovered with Mary. Therefore, to save himself from imminent persecution, the young man smothers her to death. Though race is often the root of alienation, not all outcasts are pariahs of society due to race. Some, such as Flannery O’Connor’s Misfit in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” are rejected from society due to their inability to fulfill a basic human understanding of moral behavior. Often, Americans believe if a child is brought up with good morals by decent parents, as in the Misfit’s case, then the child will become a moralistically sound individual. However, this does not always ring true. Even after developing a bond with the grandmother, the Misfit could not seize the morals, which were once imprinted within him. Both Bigger and the Misfit were cast beyond the margins of society. They were victims of fear and degradation. Therefore, their response was violence, in order to guarantee self-preservation.

The assurance of self-preservation often leads to the decline of Christian behavior. Though many people claim to be of Christian faith, they often do not adhere to the Christian lifestyle. For instance, Rose in August Wilson’s “Fences” has lost sight of her faith. She does, however, devoutly cling to her church and her own salvation. Furthermore, Rose wishes for Jesus to build a fence around her to keep her safe. Regardless of her faith, Rose cannot be saved from the consequences of her choices. Her faith did not keep her from being a victim of adultery. However, Rose’s faith is what made her become a mother to Raynell. Rose tells Troy, “you can’t visit the sins of a father upon the child” (Wilson 2342).  In spite of her apparent Christian behavior, Rose has forgotten that Jesus taught forgiveness to his followers. She never learns to forgive Troy. The need for Americans to pick and choose what commands to follow has led to a distrust of the Christian faith. Due to this overwhelming distrust, more and more Americans turn away from God, because they are unable to find peace in His word. Therefore, they look for peace among the physical world. For instance, in his poem “Sunday Morning,” Wallace Stevens reflects the darkness seen in Christianity. Steven’s poem alludes to the innumerable injustices perpetrated in the name of Christianity. As an answer to Christianity, he offers the search for beauty within our imaginations and the physical world, which surrounds us. To Stevens, if a person can construct his world of beauty, then they can love.

However, the inability to love, find love, or be loved has also led to the alienation of many American individuals in the Twentieth century. Both Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath struggled with love. The poets came from dysfunctional families and were married to tyrannical husbands. For both women, their inability to feel and find love stemmed from their despondent upbringing. Plath suffered from an inconsolable longing. She had not found love in her childhood. In Plath’s poem “Daddy,” she compares her father to Hitler. To her, Plath’s father finds pleasure from torturing her. Her father was a brutal man who could not teach her love. Like Plath, Sexton alludes to an empty childhood. In her poem “Rowing,” Sexton suggests being immersed in a sea of mayhem where “there was life / with its cruel houses / and people who seldom touched” (lines 14-16). These lines allude to a longing of affection from the members of her family. Due to the family’s inability to love, Sexton was never able to develop her own ability to love. In “The Farmer’s Wife,” Sexton sees herself as a mere apparatus to be manipulated to subdue the lustful desires of her husband. Through their poetry, both women searched for their purpose, but could not find a suitable answer, which eventually led to their suicides.

A sense of purpose can be important in reintegrating oneself among the human community. To Robert Frost, the answer is a harmonic existence, which can be achieved when humankind chooses to live in unison with one another and nature. In his poem “Mending Wall,” Frost depicts the neighbor as a man who does not understand what makes good neighbors. To the man, putting walls between one another, both physically and mentally, is what brings a community together. However, Frost is careful to point out the inconsistency of his neighbor’s theory. In lines forty one and forty two, Frost wrote, “He moves in darkness as it seems to me, / Not of woods only and the shade of trees.” The man does not see the light. Instead, he has searched for a simple answer to the human condition. To Frost, there are no simple answers, which bring about spiritual experiences. It is through the integration of nature in one’s life that people become closer to human spirituality. However, nature is not the only answer to isolation. Living in harmony with our human community can bring those who are secluded back into society. In “The Sky is Gray,” by Ernest J. Gaines, the female shopkeeper reached out to the outcasts of her immediate community. She helps James and his mother by offering them a warm place to sit and eat. The woman says the food is a trade for chores, which did not need to be done. This woman offered compassion and warmth where others hid behind closed doors. By doing so, the woman is a step closer to living harmoniously with those on the outside of her town’s societal boundaries.

In order to alleviate alienation from society, people must learn to harmoniously function within society. They must forget their preconceived notions and assimilate, not necessarily conform. Conformity leads to mind numbness or, as Alfonse in DeLillo’s White Noise calls it, brain fade. Assimilation can most often be found in a functional Christian community. 1 Corinthians 12:11-13 tells Christians they are all a part of the body. Each part has its individual function; but without the whole of the Christian community, the individual part’s function is insufficient and ineffective. Also, through a Christian community, people can develop the ability to love, be loved, and find love. In Luke 10:27, Christians are told to love God, love their neighbors, and love themselves. The human existence depends on harmony between the people. Harmony, however, cannot be reached from self-segregation. The more we become dependent on technologies for human connection, the more alienated and apathetic we become.

Works Cited

Frost, Robert. “Mending Wall.” Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 2: 9th ed. Ed. David Bradley, Joseph Csicsila, Shelley F. Fishkin, James S. Leonard, George McMichael, and Dana D. Nelson. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2007: 1105-1106.

Sexton, Anne. “Rowing.” Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 2: 9th ed. Ed. David Bradley, Joseph Csicsila, Shelley F. Fishkin, James S. Leonard, George McMichael, and Dana D. Nelson. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2007: 1838-1839.

Wilson, August. “Fences.” Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 2: 9th ed. Ed. David Bradley, Joseph Csicsila, Shelley F. Fishkin, James S. Leonard, George McMichael, and Dana D. Nelson. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2007: 2303-2353.

Wright, Richard. “from Native Son.” Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 2: 9th ed. Ed. David Bradley, Joseph Csicsila, Shelley F. Fishkin, James S. Leonard, George McMichael, and Dana D. Nelson. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2007: 1643-1672.

Closet Christian

I can never understand "Christian-based" hate groups. It's very oxymoronic. Isn't it? How can you be Christian and hate your brother, when Christ has called you to to love all your brothers, especially those marginalized, and even your enemies? I'll give them one thing though, they are right about the country changing as far as being taken over. But, I argue that it has NOTHING to do with sexual preferences, race, religious views, or ethnicity. It has to do with ignorance, misinformation, misconceptions, and backwards ideology perpetrated by media. We are not one another's enemies. We are all people trying to make it in the world, people, just people.

My thoughts and ideas make me a very isolated and unpopular person in this backward town. Unfortunately in this primarily Christian town, my Christianity is frowned upon and unacceptable.

"I do not believe in the death penalty, because Christ tells me I should forgive my brethren." I live in a prison town, and I have lost my guard friends because of that statement. I also believe that God has told us not to take a life. He, and only He, is to avenge. I also believe the death penalty allows some victim's families to live with guilt because they fought for the death penalty. Often it creeps in slowly as they realized that these are people. They become at odds with Christ. I also believe the death penalty allows the criminal to get off easy. They never have to live with the guilt of their crimes. The taking of a loved one is a life sentence for the victim's family and a travesty for all involved. It should be  life sentence for the perpetrator, as well.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

~ Romans 12:17-21

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

~ Matthew 6:14-15

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

~ Mark 11:25

"Although I support the use of guns and bows for hunting for food, I believe that assault rifles should be outlawed, and hunting should only be done for food not for sport." Again, I have lost many "Christian" friends from this statement. New Oxford American Dictionary defines assault as, "make a physical attack on," and assault rifle as, "a rapid-fire, magazine-fed automatic rifle designed for infantry use." There is no reason for an individual to have an assault rifle other than to kill mass numbers of people. It is not logical to use an assault rifle as a hunting rifle. Once we start saying it is okay for the general public to have public access to military weapons, our problems grow and even more mass numbers of people begin to die. We would not want our neighbor to have a bomb designed to kill mass numbers of people, we would not allow our neighbors to have a rocket launcher, would not allow our neighbors to carry hand grenades, so why do we allow assault rifles? I agree that each person has the right to own a handgun, rifle, shot gun, bow, and crossbow, but assault rifles I will never get behind. For a matter of fact, my home has weapons, but they are not weapons of mass destruction. A gun used wisely does not kill a man, and just because we have been given dominion over the animals of Earth, we have been warned to care for it and its lifeforms.

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 

~ NIV Genesis 1:26-30

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 

~ NIV Genesis 2:15

Remember, love one another. I do. ♥

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

~ 1 John 3:11-16

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

~ John 13:34-35

Tenacious Hospitality: Welcoming the Unwelcomed

The lecture was presented by Maleesa Breeding and Dana Hood with guest speaker Suzetta Nut. Dr. Hood explained the purpose of the lecture as how society places the people who are grieving on the margins. She stressed that the lecture does not give answers, but only generates more questions. The lecture is based on the ongoing grief parents of children with special needs face. The first question Dr. Hood asks the audience is how Romans 12:9-16 can teach us what God has called us to do. The section of the scripture she stressed is to be willing to “associate with people of low position.”

Next, Dr. Hood read some quotes from the people who are part of these families. This part of the lecture evoked an emotional response from both the audience and myself. To me, it was more personal. I have thought and said many of the words that were up on the screen and entered my ears. My son is a child with a disability. I felt a sense of relief to realize that I am not alone in my struggles.

After the voices of the families were discussed, Dr. Hood explained that these families are involved in a never-ending cycle of the five stages of grief: denial/isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I partially agree with this. However, as we later discussed in my special education class, most families do not go through an acceptance phase. It is more of a resolution/pro-active stage of grief. To reach acceptance is the same as saying overcoming. When a child is disabled, the family can never overcome or accept the disability; because it would mean that the disability will eventually end. The disability never ends, and the affected family must learn to deal with the disability through resolution. However, Dr. Hood did state that the five stages of grief model is “too simple.” She stated that many families are faced with a sense of hopelessness, especially at times of transitions.

The next section of the lecture focused specifically on Suzetta Nut, the mother of a child with a disability as well as a gifted child. Suzetta is the children’s minister at Highland Church of Christ. She said there is no end to disabilities; and because of this parents often learn to do things they never thought they could. Suzetta talked about the fatigue, financial, and emotional stress on the families. She stressed there is typically two ways that parents approach dealing with a child with special needs. They either act the victim, or they push through and pretend as if all will be well. Suzetta later introduces a third way that parents approach the issue. This approach is one that most parents take only after the other two approaches fail. This is when the parents reach an understanding that their child will never be like other children.

As I stated earlier, parents get to a point of resolution. The third approach of Suzetta Nut’s testimony is where the resolution stage happens. I personally have taken a pro-active approach on my most recent journey through the stages of grief. I have begun to question my previous decisions to try to make my son like everyone else through the use of medications. I realize now that my son was made by God and in the state that God has intended. Who am I to question that? Like Suzetta, I have told everyone to stop praying for my son to be better and just to pray that I can cope with the disability in a compassionate, loving manner. Just as Suzetta does, I also look as my son’s life and his accomplishments as a miracle of God. Suzetta’s experiences have reached me. I know that I can face anything as long as I keep faith in God, and remember that my son is a child of God.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ~ Romans 12:9-16

Welcoming: Opening doors to Strangers

The idea to love one another no matter the cost changed history. This idea was and still is a Christian idea. Then, Tippens says that we must remember that a stranger at our door may be a messenger from God. This statement reminded me of that old TV show “Highway to Heaven.” These men were always strangers, and they were God’s messengers.

Tippens reminds us that Jesus reached out to those who were marginalized; therefore in order to follow Jesus we must do the same. Tippens also says that a banquet need not be fancy, but it is the heart and spirit that makes the banquet worthy.

Tippens goes on to tell us that donating to those far away is not always enough. It is also important for us to directly help those in need at home.

Tippens also states that we must find our home in Jesus, and through finding that home, we will be more capable of showing hospitality to others. Furthermore, Tippens states that “Jesus welcomed others to his table without compromising the standards, and so can we” (62).

In America today, people find it difficult to follow through with welcoming others. Those who take advantage of other’s hospitality have jaded today’s Christian Americans. Though there are many people who try to get something for nothing, it is important to remember that others may genuinely need our help.

Also our culture has raised us to believe that we are all in danger all of the time. We are conditioned from the time that we can talk to not talk to strangers. The media shows us countless acts of violence that are perpetrated against our brothers and sisters, which places fear into our hearts. With this kind of mentality it is hard for us to reach out to those who live closest to us.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." - NIV 1John 3:16-18

Let All the Children Come – Including Children with Disabilities in The Faith Community

Parents of children with learning disabilities are often told that they have to leave, or they feel that they cannot go to church. Many siblings of children with learning disabilities do not have a relationship with God because their families get turned away. In some churches, the attitude of the Sunday school teachers are that children with disabilities cannot keep up with other children, should be in a classroom where they can do the activities instead of keeping them with their peers, it would not be fair when special things are done for children with disabilities. However, other children often do understand.

This is why King David’s Kids was created. The families are able to get together with other families that understand what they are going through and participate in worship. The parents of children with learning disabilities try to find meaning. They believe that their children are capable of experiencing God in real ways, their children are capable of going up to be ministers, their children should never be treated so different and should be included, and typically developing children benefit with contact with children with disabilities.

Buy Let All the Children Come to Me: A Practical Guide Including Children with Disabilities in Your Church Ministries by Dr. Dana Hood and Dr MaLesa Breeding here.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man born on January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968 because he was an African American clergyman, who was an activist and prominent leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States, and he is frequently referenced as a human rights icon today.

The most remembered speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. is referred to as his “I Have A Dream” speech, which he spoke during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This speech was delivered to 250,00 people on August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C.

I Have A Dream

by Martin Luther King, Jr. August 28, 1963. Washington, DC.

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

It is easy to see how quickly discrimination against people unlike us can turn dangerous. It is because of people like Martin Luther King, Jr. that most of us enjoy the freedoms we have today. There are many, many more great leaders and thinkers that fought for our right to read what we want to, such as the Bible; listen to the music we want to.

"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." ~ (NIV Hebrews 12:14)

Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience

To begin with, I was shocked when I read, “…the polling data point to widespread, blatant disobedience of clear biblical moral demands on the part of people who allegedly are evangelical, born again Christians” (Sider, 17). However, the further I got in the chapter, my astonishment subsided due to the familiarity of the statements and statistics I read. For instance, I am acquainted with just as many Christians who have been divorced as non-Christians. I feel that this is closely related to all of the other sub-points that Sider has throughout the chapter. The fact that more women of the evangelical denomination are abused than other areas of the population could contribute to higher divorce rates. Many women I know that are divorce have done so due to physical abuse. Similarly, the percentages of evangelicals, both traditional and non-traditional, that think adultery is fine could contribute to the higher divorce rate. Also, almost as many Christian males engage in some sort of pornographic activity than their counter parts. Other divorced friends I know have complained that their exes have either cheated on them, or were more interested in internet porn than in them. I also feel that adultery, pornography, and other sexual indiscretions in parents may lead to sexual indiscretions of children. Because of this, I was not surprised to read “…evangelical youth are only about 10 percent less likely to engage in premarital sex then non-evangelicals” (Sider, 23). After all, most people model what they deem to be appropriate behavior. Children look to their parents for appropriate behavior; likewise, evangelicals look to their leaders for appropriate behavior. Therefore, evangelical communities are often lead astray by their leaders. If their leaders model greed, then they model greed. If the leaders were to live more simply, perhaps they would live more simply. If their leaders are racist, they tend to be racist. Why so many non-Christians have such a negative view of Christianity makes much more sense to me after reading the chapter.

I have seen many Christians turn away from those in poverty. My homeless experience humbled me as a Christian, but also opened my eyes to the church of which I was a member. There was a great deal of hypocrisy in this church. How can people claim to be Christian, but turn a blind eye to those in need? I can personally see why this would cause non-believers to despise Christians. The actions of this particular church caused me to loose faith in that church. Had it not been for one fellow, non-church going Christian, I may have lost faith in God. Their Christian act helped my family when we needed it most. With my eyes wide open, I looked at the world anew. I, myself, had been obsessed with material possessions just before we lost it all. I was at one time no different than the other members of my church. We hung out together and drank together just the night before we all attended service together. Many of my “friends” in the church were no different than Sider’s pagans. I know not all Christians are like that, and not all pastors lower the standards to accommodate the congregation. Unfortunately, this seems to be a trend across the United States. No longer are parishioners asked to leave for deviant behavior. The message, “God forgives,” is belted out on every church sign. However, many Christians forget that Jesus may have saved sinners, but he also said, “Go and sin no more.” Wow! That is a tough one. As Christians, we need to remember that our life after Christ is a time of transformation. We are not perfect and we all sin, but we should all model the life of Christ. We should abstain from sin, be compassionate to our brethren, and not repay evil for evil.

I completely agree with what Sider has to say about sin. There is both personal and social sin. You can live out your life and avoid all of the temptations that are put before you; but if you look at the social injustices and sit idly by without even trying to change them, then you are still sinful. Many people enjoy the freedoms and material possessions that they have without realizing what the actual costs. People look for the cheapest prices on clothing and do not think twice about where the clothing was made, who it was made by, or what the human cost of such clothing is. Almost everything that Americans enjoy today comes with great cost to humanity. I believe that social sin is when many benefit for the sacrifices of few. In inner city schools, teachers tend to be too “afraid” to teach, so those who are affected the most are the children that attend the schools. This is a social sin; it is bigotry, and I am not talking just about racism. In this country, many people equate poverty with sinfulness. That is not rightly true. This too is a social injustice. A very wealthy, dear friend of mine proclaims that she is a Christian, but she also has stated to me, “I do not see how you can stand being around all of those poor people. All poor people are criminals.” After getting to know her dad, I found that he feels the same way. This is socioeconomic injustice. If you look at the world around you and think, “I do not sin, so all is right with the world;” then you are absolutely jaded about the world around you.

I fear that some churches these days are moving further and further away from Sider’s six crucial points. I feel that each point is equally important than each. Several of them, it seemed Sider did not spend enough time, while I feel he went on and on with others.

Jesus is the center – In churches today, the happiness of the individual seems to be the core of everything that drives it. This point needed more clarification and supporting evidence.

The church is called to be Holy – Once an individual commits to the church, they should not revert to their former lifestyle. This is a point that seems to be looked over throughout today’s churches.

The church as a community – Because God is a community of three, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the church must also be a community in order to be successful.

A countercultural community – Today many churches seem to have conformed to mainstream society. It is acceptable to commit sin after sin from petty lying on to gross misconduct in today’s churches.

Mutual accountability and availability – This point seems to be ignored in today’s churches. According to Sider, we are to be economically and spiritually accountable to our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we commit a sin, we must be held accountable for that sin. If we see a brother and sister in need, we must surrender our possessions to end their suffering.

In the power of the spirit – I wish Sider would have expanded more on this point. As scripture states, “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10); therefore, it is important to remember that God’s grace is what we need in our time of weakness. Many Christians have forgotten that God is here for us and believe that we should work through our problems on our own.

Overall, I agree with the point that Sider made about starting in more personal, smaller groups, which are accountable to larger groups; it is important in bringing the church back to the way it was intended. Many churches today have gotten so large that the members have become disassociated with one another. They are not capable of knowing whether another member has a need or not.

Affirmative Action

Almost no one who advocates for affirmative action fully understands it. Affirmative action is primarily concerned with fairness and justice, and the significant discussion about what is just or fair.

Affirmative action starts with certain basic assumptions:

1. Past injustice has made the playing field unfair; it is an uneven playing field. It is  NOT ABOUT the playing field being unfair because of the lottery of life.


2. This field is unfair to identifiable groups, which tend to be minorities and women.


3. Unfairness is statistically demonstratable. If we start out with assumptions that women and minorities are not equal, then the playing field is not even.


4. Success equals correcting the statistical imbalance. There is a theoretical stopping place. We are trying to make the playing field level; and once those in power look like the distribution of the race and gender, then the playing field is level and affirmative action must stop.


5. Affirmative action involves unfairness to individuals for the sake of a fairer playing field for the whole.

What affirmative action is meant to do is take race, gender, ethnicity, and religious beliefs out of the equation. Once they are removed, the most qualified person should be hired. If not, then an injustice has occurred.

Myths:

1. Affirmative action is about meeting quotas.


2. Affirmative action means hiring or admitting unqualified people and gives preferential treatment to minority groups that have been historically discriminated against among the pool of qualified people.


3. Affirmative action is about the person hired or admitted. It is not about us, it is about our children, and it is about working a generation forward.


4. Affirmative action can and does lead to reverse discrimination, such as the Bakke Case, where a white male applies to medical school in California and is refused admission. Several African Americans with lower qualifications got in. Bakke sued for racial discrimination and won.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978) was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that ruled unconstitutional the admission process of the Medical School at the University of California at Davis, which set aside 16 of the 100 seats for "Blacks," "Chicanos," "Asians," and "American Indians" (and established a separate admissions process for those 16 spaces). Several years later, the African American man, who won the final position, had his medical license revoked, because of medical incompetence in the deaths of two women, and the maiming of a third. 

From a Christian Pluralistic Deontological stance, ask yourself if affirmative action benefits all of the people. Does a minority group have an even playing field that can either help the community or harm the community depending on the circumstances? If a person with inferior qualifications gets a job based on his/her race and is not the most qualified person for the job, then the playing field has not been fairly leveled. An example of this would be that the the gentleman in the Bakke case, that was admitted to the University of California, severely altered the lives of three families. So, in cases like these, should we listen to God's word which states, Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly. ~ Leviticus 19:15?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." So, does that mean that Dr. King would have been against affirmative action?

To take the other side would be for us to say that affirmative action is just, as disciples had commanded that affirmative action was warranted when Hellenistic widows were being neglected in receiving daily sustenance.

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. ~ Acts 6:1-7

This, in essence, is a form of affirmative action.

Continuing to take a Christian Pluralistic Deontological stance, we run through each of the seven prima facie duties put forward by W.D. Ross.

1. beneficence (to help other people to increase their pleasure, improve their character, etc.) - Improving a person's station in life can and will help increase their pleasure and improve their character. A person that lives in poverty and has difficulty finding work because of the race, gender, and religious beliefs will have a decreased sense of pleasure in their lives. Furthermore, a person who is not pushed to strive for more in their lives may become very weak of character. For instance, many youths involved in gang activity believe that the playing field is not level, and they have no choice but to commit crime.


2. non-maleficence (to avoid harming other people) - Improving one's station in life does not hurt that person. However, giving a person a job that they are under qualified for, depending on the job, due to their race, gender, and religious preferences, can and sometimes does result in the subsequent harm to others in the community. 


3. justice (to ensure people get what they deserve) - If an under qualified person receives a job because of affirmative action, and a more qualified person is overlooked because of their race, gender, and religious preferences, then justice has not been served. The qualified has been passed over for a job that he/she deserved or earned, while the under qualified has received a job that he/she did not deserve or earn. Furthermore, the more qualified person may end up in poverty and not be capable of providing for himself/herself or his/her families due to not being able to obtain suitable and deserved/earned employment. 


4. self-improvement (to improve ourselves) - Affirmative action can work to improve us as a whole, but may not be able to improve us as individuals. This happens when people living in poverty who have been overlooked due to their race, gender, and religious beliefs are raised to the level of their peers of different races, genders, and religious preferences due to affirmative action. However, people who are in the majority may be lowered in social station and economic station due to not being able to obtain adequate employment due to affirmative action. 


5. reparation (to recompense someone if you have acted wrongly towards them) - Many people believe that affirmative action is just, as it provides minorities with a reparation promised to them by the U.S. government after the abolition of slavery. But when should affirmative action stop according to Christian doctrine? Do we hold a man responsible for his father's sins?
   
   The Bible states, The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. ~ Ezekiel 18:1-4
   
   According to the aforementioned verse, we shall not pass the sins of the father to the child. However, the two following verses from Deuteronomy contradict one another on the topic.
   
   You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. ~ Deuteronomy 5:9
   
   Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin. ~ Deuteronomy 24:16
   
   Should we believe to place the sin on the child? This is a very controversial topic. Therefore, for the sake of compromise, should we say that if the sin is to be passed to the child, then it should not go passed four generations? Does this mean that reparations should end, as more than four generations have passed since slavery was abolished?
   
   With that being said, we should look to the next part of the sentence, "showing love to a thousand generations." Does that mean that a child, who loves God and is also a child of a man who hates God, would that child still carry the burden of his or her father? Deuteronomy 24:16, leads me to believe this is not the case.
   
   So, does that mean that four generations of whites, whose ancestors maintained slaves within their custody should be held responsible for the reparations of the ancestors of the slaves? But, what if the family, whose ancestors owned slaves, are devoutly religious and love God within that four generation time period, are they still responsible for reparations?
   
   Then what do we do to the thousands of descendants whose ancestors did not own slaves? Should we declare that thousands of descendants of Celtic ancestry should not be held responsible for the sins of the other Anglo-Americans due to their lack of involvement in slavery and the poverty level of the Celts, which deterred them from owning slaves?
   
   Next, what do we do about several thousand American ancestors that did buy slaves and technically owned slaves, but they bought the slaves only in order to free the slaves. Should the descendants of these Anglo-American ancestors be held responsible for reparation? I conclude that this question cannot be rightfully answered without knowing the specifics of each individual case, in which reparations are to be awarded.


6. gratitude (to benefit people who have benefited us) - Affirmative action cannot be answered by this question unless the nature of the situation is directly and fully discussed. If a job is given to a person due to gratitude, they have earned that job, as the person was given the job on the basis of his/her character. In essence, affirmative action has, most likely, been removed from the equation.  This is why the nature of the situation needs to be known and understood in order to determine if affirmative action is warranted or even a contributing factor.


7. promise-keeping (to act according to explicit and implicit promises, including the implicit promise to tell the truth) - Affirmative action is warranted in this case due to the Supreme Court's ruling that affirmative action is to be used in order to level the playing field for all people regardless of race, age, gender, and religious beliefs. Furthermore, freed slaves were promised reparations for the injustices that befell them due to slavery.

In some circumstances, there may be clashes or conflicts between these duties and a decision must be made whereby one duty may "trump" another, although there are no hard and fast rules and no fixed order of significance.

In conclusion, the answer of whether or not God believes and approves of affirmative action cannot be answered on the text of the Bible or through ethics. It is possible that God is for affirmative action, as it evens the playing field for all people. However, it is also possible that God is against affirmative action due to his doctrine stating that we have shown partiality to the poor and are not judging our neighbors fairly. The question is put to you, do you support affirmative action?

Personally, I do as long as it is used properly. Many companies misuse it by using quotas as a way to gauge whether a person is hired or not. Furthermore, schools that use affirmative action as a way to determine entrance to programs should use it rightfully and fully. If a person is not qualified for the position in which they have applied, they should not get the position as it could cause harm to others in the community. I will strive to give anyone regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, and gender a fair advantage to obtain any position that I am told to fill.