Beware: The Current Claim of “Institutional Racism” Is Really an Attack on Christianity
July 27, 2020 Blogs by: Tim Jennings, M.D.
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Recently, as I have applied biblical truths to current end-time events, seeking to enlighten people of the dangers of straying from God’s methods, some have accused me of becoming political and no longer teaching the core truths of our God of love.

I can understand how it could be confusing when one is applying Bible truth to real-life events. But for those who think I am being political, rather than eschatological (revealing end-time dangers of straying from God’s methods toward worldly methods), consider the following spokespersons from God and decide if you would accuse them of being political:

  • Moses confronts Pharaoh regarding the status of the Hebrews seeking their freedom from slavery
  • Jeremiah tells the Jewish leadership to submit to Babylonian rule
  • Jesus tells the religious leaders to pay taxes to Caesar that are due him
  • Paul tells the Christians to submit to Roman law and live as good citizens
  • Many Christian Reformers and leaders have written about the dangers of mixing church and state

Are these various people acting as politicians, advancing human governments or governmental policies, or are they seeking to advance the kingdom of God by applying God’s methods to daily living, giving practical guidance on how to deal with local situations or address various abuses?

In this blog, I am not being political; I am advancing Bible truth – let those with eyes to see, see. As I break the false link between racism and so-called “institutional racism,” some will inevitably call me racist or accuse me of claiming that racism doesn’t exist. Those would be false conclusions. Nor would it be correct to suggest that my position is that there has never been institutional racism in the USA and other countries; of course there has been. Slavery was institutional racism – racism incorporated and promoted by the institutions of government. Jim Crow was also institutional racism. No doubt, institutional racism has been a stain on America, yet Americans went to war and died to end slavery. And Americans rose up and ended Jim Crow. The institutions of government in the United States are no longer racist.[1]

When people don’t have evidence to support their position, they will attempt to avoid a discussion of facts by name-calling or vilifying those presenting the truth. Don’t be fooled by such actions. Stay focused on the truth, for the truth always sets free.

What I am doing here is demonstrating that despite the history of institutional racism in America, what is being labeled as institutional racism here in 2020 is not institutional racism. The allegation is false! Today, what is being labeled as institutional racism, at least by some, is actually the vilifying of core principles of Christianity with this label of “hate.” Certainly, racism still exists in the hearts of individuals, and because of sin, it always will in those who refuse God’s grace. And that is what makes this attack so heinous; its real aim is to destroy Christianity, a tactic that will ultimately incite more racism, division, and hate.

 

The Culture War

Sadly, because of recent tragedies, many people are either too consumed with hurt, anger, rage, or too empathetic to pause, reflect, and examine the evidence. They just react to hot-button words. But for those of you who love truth, who think for yourselves and are willing to examine the evidence, then examine the evidence below. I’ve outlined some basic Bible truths and historical values that have been the foundation of every successful human culture since recorded history, long before the rise of the United States. Following this review is the exact text of a chart describing white culture, “whiteness,” and institutional racism posted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture on May 31. The negative feedback to this chart has been so intense that the museum has already removed it and apologized for posting it.[2] Yet all the same, the chart reveals the real agenda behind the recent claims of institutional racism.

What you will see is that the chart of so-called “whiteness” and institutional racism is actually an attack on the principles of God as delineated in the Bible. This type of deceit – vilifying something or someone of virtue with the worst evil – is not new; it is exactly what worldly leaders did when they accused Jesus of wielding Satan’s power. If one’s position is not based upon truth, then it cannot stand in the face of truth. So reasoned discourse and exploration of evidence is not desired and, therefore, to protect the false position, people will attack the person or movement presenting the truth by slandering them as evil – “from Satan,” “racist,” “bigot!” Or even by killing them – Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, etc. I encourage you to be more discerning and follow the truth wherever it leads.

 

A Review of Biblical Truths:

God Created Human Beings in His Image with Their Own Individuality

  • God is the Creator (Genesis 1:1).
  • God created human beings in His own image, with individuality, identity, and the ability to think, reason, and be self-determining, self-governing – to have autonomy and to love – which requires freedom. (See Genesis 1:27, Isaiah 1:18–20, Romans 14:5, Hebrews 5:14, Galatians 5:23.)
  • God created humans to govern and subdue the earth; in other words, to control their environment (Genesis 1:28).

God Designed Families

  • God created man and woman and instituted marriage. He designed for their loving union to produce children in their image, with the parents representing the Godhead in the loving rearing of their children (i.e., to live in families). He designed that they would function upon other-centered love, seeking to use their energies for the wellbeing of each other and their offspring (Genesis 1:27, 28).
  • God’s design for life is love, other-centered giving, which He built into all nature and upon which all life depends (Romans 1:20). One example is how plants give us oxygen and we give back carbon dioxide to them – but all nature operates on this principle. Only in this free giving is there life. God designed love to flow in human relationships, as parents give of themselves in love to have children and then raise them in love. This is why throughout all recorded history, successful human societies, from every culture and race, have lived in family units with a father, mother, and children. Martin Luther King Jr. understood this principle of giving that God designed into the universe. When answering a woman about the immorality of gambling he wrote: “One should live by the principle that he will not take from society without giving to it. The orderly existence of society is dependent upon this type of reciprocity. Gambling is based on the principle of taking from society without giving anything in return. It is really getting something for nothing.”[3]
     
  • While God originally designed for husband and wife to be co-equals in all things, because of sin (breaking love and becoming infected with fear and selfishness) God diagnosed that in our fallen state, His design is corrupted. He told Eve that fear and selfishness (survival-of-the-fittest drives) cause the strong to dominate the weak and the weak to seek protection from the strong; this means that husbands will, in some cases, use their physical might to dominate their spouses, and wives will seek strong men for protection (Genesis 3:16). Despite this selfish corruption to God’s design, human relationships still function best in families. And in our world, because men and women have differences, for the vast majority of human history, the greatest family success occurs when each member of the family unit operates by maximizing their skillset for the good of the rest. Historically, this meant that men, being physically stronger, were the hunter-gathers, physical laborers, and warriors, while women, being the child-bearers, managed the household and raised the children. This was not discrimination or abuse, but a logical cooperation between the two partners to maximize success of the family. If a more successful arrangement were available, then that arrangement would have emerged throughout the world. But throughout human history, in all cultures – even those cultures not based upon the Bible – this model is what resulted in the greatest success. Fathers being head of households did not suddenly burst upon the scene 200 years ago with whites in North America.

The Scientific Method

  • The Bible teaches that God is the Creator (Genesis 1:1), that He doesn’t change (Hebrews 13:8), and that His laws are trustworthy (Psalm 19:7). God’s laws are not rules like humans enact, but are the protocols upon which life was built to operate by our Creator – the law of gravity, laws of physics, laws of health, and the laws that govern the operation of our minds and relationships. These are constants and never change; therefore, they are testable and reproducible. In God’s universe, there is cause and effect – there is rational, logical reasonableness to the universe – which means scientific predictability is real.
  • Understanding God’s laws provides reliable measures upon which to examine various claims, propositions, perspectives, beliefs, ideas, values and to make accurate assessments and conclusions. This, however, requires practice, and the Bible teaches that those who practice become mature thinkers, while those who do not remain childlike in their understanding of reality (Hebrews 5:11–14).

Work Ethic

  • God instituted useful labor in Eden for the development of our abilities and the expression of our creativity. Human health and happiness, as well as development of our abilities, are found in the engagement of useful labor and the expenditure of energy. This is the law of exertion – growth and strength require exercise; if we don’t use it, we lose it. The only way we develop and advance is through exercise. Thus, God gave us work to engage our abilities for our development and advancement (Genesis 2:15).
  • In the parable of the talents, Jesus expounded on the law of exertion (Matthew 25:14). If you want better math ability, you must work problems; musical skill, you must practice your instrument; physical strength, you must exercise your muscles. If you apply yourself and work, exercising your talents and abilities, you will gain more – but if you don’t use it, you will lose it.

Reflect on this list of biblical truths and consider human history. Consider what you find recorded about cultures in the Bible and in other ancient societies (China, Japan, India, Egypt, the Celts, the Vikings, the Aztecs, the Zulu, the American Indians). Do these values, methods, practices, and principles show up across the landscape of human history and demonstrate that the more of them that are applied with greater consistency, the more successful the society? Do we also find that when these principles break down in society, that the culture weakens? Does it have anything to do with skin color? Or if these principles are applied to any human beings with any skin color, do they reap the same benefits?

Now, compare these Bible principles with the chart from the National Museum of African American History and Culture (the following is an exact quote):

 

Aspects & Assumption of Whiteness and White Culture in the United States

White dominate culture, or whiteness, refers to the ways white people and their traditions, attitudes and ways of life have been normalized over time and are now considered standard practices in the United States. And since white people still hold most of the institutional power in America, we have all internalized some aspects of white culture – including people of color.

Rugged Individualism

  • The individual is the primary unit – self reliance
  • Independence and autonomy highly valued and rewarded
  • Individuals assumed to be in control of their environment, “You get what you deserve.”

Family Structure

  • The nuclear family: Father, mother, 2.3 children is the ideal social unit
  • Husband is the breadwinner and head of the household
  • Wife is homemaker and subordinate to husband
  • Children should have their own rooms, be independent

Emphasis on Scientific Method

  • Objective, rational linear thinking
  • Cause and effect relationships
  • Quantitative emphasis

History

  • Based on Northern European immigrants’ experience in the United States
  • Heavy focus on British Empire
  • The primacy of Western (Greek, Roman) Judeo-Christian tradition

Protestant Work Ethic

  • Hard work is the key to success
  • Work before play
  • “If you didn’t meet your goals you didn’t work hard enough.” [4]

(The exact quote of the chart ends here.)

 

Don’t Take the Bait

A grand deception is being perpetrated upon the American people: that the principles of God are “whitism,” that God’s design laws and principles for health are institutional racism, and that if you don’t want to be a racist, you must oppose these principles and practices. But if we get rid of individualism, hard work, cause and effect, Judeo-Christianity, the family, what would society be left with? Chaos, ruin, and death – does that sound like anything we have seen in America recently?

The Christian must absolutely oppose racism. The Christian must treat all people with equality, recognizing all human beings as God’s children, and love all people as God loves us. In doing so, the Christian must stand upon truth – the truths found in God’s Word and, therefore, must reject these lies, which are designed to destroy the very bedrock of health and, if implemented, would tear apart the very fabric of society.

If you are a Christian leader of any race or denomination, then I call upon you to fulfill your God-given mandate and stand up for the principles of God’s kingdom, stand up for truth. Don’t allow strong emotions to dupe you into joining groups that claim to be advancing God’s cause, while in reality they are warring against Him. Think for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

 


[1] By institutions of government I mean laws, policies, regulations and official practices, such as slavery, Jim Crow, or as seen in other countries: persecution of Jews by Nazi Germany, Apartheid in South Africa, Chinese oppression of Uyghurs.

[4]“The list is credited to a diversity consultant named Judith H. Katz, who has written about race for many years. In the late 1970s, she wrote White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training. She later wrote Inclusion Breakthrough: Unleashing the Real Power of Diversity. (In the 1990s, the Boston Herald called her a “diversity doyenne.”) Today, the company where she is a top executive, Kaleel Jamison Consulting, counts among its clients FedEx, Merck, Toyota, and several others.” https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-yorks-daily-memo-whiteness-and-the-national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture


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Tim Jennings, M.D. Timothy R. Jennings, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist, master psychopharmacologist, Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Fellow of the Southern Psychiatric Association, and an international speaker. He served as president of the Southern and Tennessee Psychiatric Associations and is president and founder of Come and Reason Ministries. Dr. Jennings has authored many books, including The God-Shaped Brain, The God-Shaped Heart, and The Aging Brain.
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