Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A black guy and a blonde walk into a bar...

Let's do our first poll. Unofficial and non scientific. With a margin of error of 100. But I'm really interested in your responses. A couple critiques against Christianity is that it holds "sexist" and "racist" views.

I don't really want to have a debate on what I believe the Bible teaches about these issues. Although something tells me I might have too? But if you guys can at least just bite your tongues long enough to first answer our poll question I'd be grateful.

Here goes: Think about the closest person in your life who is a Christian. It could be your Mom, Dad, spouse, friend, sibling, room-mate, cousin, neighbor, co-worker or just a casual acquaintance you rarely see?

Is that person sexist?
Is that person racist?

Pizzle my frizzle's, feeno

17 comments:

  1. Also, you should include "or is Jewish," so my wife can come over and add "Yes and yes."

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  2. I have cousins who are Young Earth Creationists. They believe humans road dinosaurs to work roughly five thousand years ago.

    I think that's just as bad as being racist.

    And anyone who believes literally in the Adam and Eve story from Genesis is sexist--period.

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  3. I think it's important to distinguish between explicit and implicit sexism/racism. The Christians I know would certainly not be overtly sexist or racist - they would say they believe that everyone is equal. And I know that there are verses that can be used to support that (the one about there being "neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female" etc. - though there are certainly passages which support the opposite).

    But at the same time, religion as an institution and many religious people as individuals tend to support very conservative social values, which uphold the status quo in terms of gender relations, racial categories, etc. I have heard many sermons and lessons from Christian teachers about how men and women have different roles (in other words, women are "supposed" to stay at home and take care of the children, and men are "supposed" to work and make money). This, to me, is an indication of implicit sexism, where one still supports the traditional societal norms that create sexist policies and attitudes. A similar thing can be found with race, though being a Canadian I have found we care far less about race than Americans do (at least in my experience).

    So to finally answer your question, I would say that the Christians I know are definitely sexist (in an implicit sense), and may possibly be racist as well, though it's harder to judge.

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  4. Jeff

    So if I cut the grass and my wife cooks the dinner were sexist?

    T-Vik

    If you believe that the Earth is 6,000-10,000 years old that makes you worse than a racist. OK Vickster, would you like to trade in the 150 plus million people in the USA who believe in a young Earth for 150 million A-holes who wouldn't have a problem dragging somebody from the back bumper of their pick-up truck because their skin color is different? You'd be begging for those Christians to come back. P.S. Your cousins are right.

    Geenks

    What would a girl Jew know?

    Later, feeno

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  5. Hello! What's up feeno? =D

    Well, the closest person I know who is a Christian is neither sexist or racist. But then again, I don't live where you guys do. =P
    Still a good question though.

    I just wonder if the problem is that some people think christians are such things
    or if the problem is that despite what Christianity preaches about love and all. =P

    Almost finishing high-school here. What have you guys been up to? =)

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  6. Feeno-

    I didn't say racists who act violently, now, did I? I said racism.

    Racism simply can be the language you use. And you may not know any better. How many old timers have I listened to who still refer to the Tribe as red-skins? They probably don't even know they are being racist. Are they harming anybody, probably not. But it's still racist.

    The problem isn't the belief itself. A racist who never harms anyone is still a racist.

    What I'm saying is that it's basically the same problem we're looking at here.

    Racism is passed on to the children through the practice and teachings, or by example, of the parents and or community.

    Christianity is the same way.

    You're not born racist. And certainly you're not born Christian.

    Address this problem and you won't need to worry about anybody hating another... whether it is a person who treats somebody else differently because of the color of their skin, or a Christian who lobbies against the basic civil liberties of homosexuals (which is sexism by the way), or a Muslim terrorist who blows up a shopping mall because they're high on God and have no regard for the sanctity of life.

    So when I say it's just as bad as racism.... I'm not saying the consequences of violent behavior are any worse. If a person who believes the Earth is 6,000 years old murders somebody that's still a murder.

    What I'm getting at is that the mental deficiency, the poor mental growth, the bad habits, the blinkered beliefs, the questionable practices, the reprehensible attitudes... these delusions are handed down and the children raised on them turn out to be weirdos which make them outcasts in society.

    And to raise a child to be such a deficient, barely tolerable, nuisance--hindering their mental and physical development--because you can't overcome your own simple programming before you begin to ruin them... that's child abuse.

    So to make a child a racist or to make a child believe in any nonsense in which they didn't have a choice but for the parents drilled it into them... that's wrong.

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  7. Luiz

    Hey buddy, I've actually been by a couple times. I've seen all the changes and have a hard time understanding whats going on. I wanted to tell you a coke story a week or so ago. I've already forgot what the story was...I'm getting old. But if I remember I'll keep you posted. Good luck in school and keep us posted on your post High School plans.

    Have a coke and a smile. late, feeno

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  8. T Vik

    Talk about a good poll to take. Whose weirder Atheists or normal people?

    Peace, feeno

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  9. Yes my Christian cult family are sexist,their women are expected to only speak when expected to.To obey the mans command,and must sit behind him in church and are never permitted to preach at church.At church they are only allowed to suggest hymns to sing.They must wear scarves, should never cut their hair ,and never wear trousers.

    Yes my christian cult family is racist.They do not agree with the different races of coloured and non coloured folks marrying.Even though a "few" coloured folk do go to their church ,in which they also expect them to find a partner.As they dont! allow any folks, to ever marry anyone from outside their cult.

    My christian family is both sexist and somewhat racist ,and this really sucks!.I personally find it both disgusting and embarrasing.

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  10. My girlfriend of 5+ years is a Christian. We are both white. Her best friend is black and her second best friend is gay. I guess that would be a NO and NO :)

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  11. *gag*

    The "black friend" clause in racism is so ridiculous. If I have a female friend, can I no longer be a misogynist?

    The worst are the people who marry someone black and point that out. I have a friend who is a couple's counselor, and she can attest to the fact that plenty of married people treat each other much worse than most of us would treat strangers. Maybe the guy only married a black person so he could keep her down, does that never occur to anyone? Case in point: Strom Thurmond.

    I guess marrying a Jew makes me... oh my god! And I don't even like jack boots!

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  12. bobaloo, your girl sounds cool. Plus she's put up with you for 5 years. That also qualifies her for Sainthood.

    Geenks, what the hell are jack boots?

    late, feen

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  13. Jack Boots: fashionable fascist footwear

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  14. W'dup Geenks? I'm with you, there's nothing worse than an unfashionable Nazi.

    peace

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  15. Tough one.... Not overly racist, but covertly. Not overtly sexist, but has preconditioned ideas about gender roles.

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