Confessions of a Racist Christian

Few years ago I was riding a taxi from Kuala Lumpur to Petaling Jaya. While in the car, when a traffic light changed to red, the driver was forced to stop immediately. It was a shocked to me. Three gangster-like Indians men were crossing the street and were stunned by the driver’s quick braking. They shouted at my Malay taxi driver outside the window. They banged on the taxi’s hood. They kicked the wheels. Not so hard, but they kicked it anyway.

At that moment, the Malay taxi driver blamed the Indians for crossing to soon. The Indians were pissed off and said something not nice. Both parties says racist statements. Me? Inside I was afraid. Angry too. Shamed. And I thought racist thoughts. Everyone were racist that day, the only difference was – I didn’t say it, I thought of it. I’m a racist too. It all happened in a few minutes. I asked myself, where did those thoughts come from? Life. My life. Growing up in Malaysia (the reality is) I was surrounded by racism. My generation is the most racist generation in the history of Malaysia.

I have a friend who refused to eat at Mamak stall because the owners were Indian. Some even dislike going to Chinese shops because the Chinese, they said, are very stingy with food ingredients. The Malays act superior than other races. The indigenous people group was said to be the most proud and stubborn people. Racist. When I was a kid, I don’t know much. Now I know better – I grew up with racism. I carry my emotional baggage with me, and it is terrifyingly easy for me to walk from the light back into the shadow. I need help, God-size help to rescue me from my build-in racism.

Jesus come into my life. He is my God, Lord and Saviour. I come to him first before I confess to you here, Jesus help me from my racism. He saved me from becoming a full-time racist believer. I’m in the process of his discipleship. Not perfect but daily renewed by his grace. In the Scripture, for example John 4:3-9, Jesus interacted with the Samaritan woman (in his culture, the Jews despite Samaritans). Jesus, a rabbi, talked to a woman (in his culture, a rabbi would never ever speak to a Samaritan woman or any other woman in fact, in public). Jesus had a conversation with a sexually loose woman (in his culture, the saints have nothing to do with the sinners). Jesus break the barrier of racism, prejudice and discrimination. Throughout the Scripture Jesus’ attitude and teachings, mind and Spirit helps me to break my walls of racism in me with other races. In Jesus, I’m able to find reconciliation, forgiveness, love and tolerance with one another. In Jesus, I have victory over racism! He is still working in me.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Welcome "Dogs" (A Reflection on Mark 7:24-30)

No human rules can control Jesus. He lived by God’s commandments. After he had just declared the Jewish outward laws of uncleanness as not valid (read Mark 7:14-23), Jesus went into Gentile territory – which the Jews regarded as unclean areas – “to the territory near the city of Tyre. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not stay hidden” (Mark 7:24, GNB). I watched TV news today about superstar diva Mariah Carey was spotted shopping at Kuala Lumpur. I’m sure she understand what Jesus went through: tired and couldn’t stay hidden (with the exception that Mariah intentionally want everyone to know).

Let me tell you first about the Jews’ arrogant attitude of superiority toward other peoples of the earth. They were proud as God’s chosen people. They regarded other races and nationalities as inferior to them. They treated everyone else as less than human. And as such, typically they think others as “dog.” (Familiar with this kind of thinking and discrimination?).

But contrary to what the Jews thought, God of the Bible love all people, and anyone can come to Him through faith in Jesus regardless of race, colour, creed or national origin. There was a Gentile woman – a despised Gentile “dog” – dare to meet and speak to Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. “A woman, whose daughter had an evil spirit in her, heard about Jesus and came to him at once and fell at his feet… She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter” (Mark 7:25-26, GNB). Wow! Notice the attitude of this woman. Again let me reminds you, the Jews referred to Gentiles like her as “dogs,” but that didn’t bother her. She was determined. She boldly come to Jesus and asked for His help.

Jesus reply may sound rude if you don’t understand His thinking and teachings. Jesus answer is not His assertion of superiority (btw, He is superior over all!), but a reflection of typical Jewish thinking. “Jesus answered, ‘Let us first feed the children. It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs’” (Mark 7:27). Jesus was saying that His earthy ministry was restricted to “the children” of Israel first then after that His disciples will continue the mission to the whole world. I think Jesus’ answer was partly serious-reminding and partly humorous-testing.

Regardless, the woman responded: “Sir, even the dogs under the table ate the children’s leftovers!” (Mark 7:28). I like her persistence! Commenter R.A. Cole writes, “She had not only persisted when the Lord refused to answer, she now accepted this humble position gladly, and showed that, even on those terms, she still claimed healing for her daughter. God’s abundance for His children was so rich that even the rank outsider could share in it.” The woman would not be turned away. She persisted in her request until she was rewarded. She knew she was not inferior in God’s sight. To Jesus the Son of God, she was not a “dog”! “So Jesus said to her, ‘Because of that answer, go back home, where you will find that the demon has gone out of your daughter!’” (Mark 7:29).

I know what it’s like to feel inferior. I once thought that I was God’s “secondhands.” I was mocked and make fun of when I was a kid. I was skinny, dark, pimply-faced, disfigured chest, poor, slow to catch up and unattractive. But as I grown up and knowing Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I came to realize that I was (and forever) of value to God in spite of my feeling of inferiority. I no longer a “dog” but now “children” of God. Faith in Christ makes all the difference! God is not respecter of persons. “God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35, NIV). That means God is not looking for those of noble births or perfect figures, high ranks or elevate positions, superior races or special nationalities – but looking for people like the Gentiles woman, me and you who will look past their obvious weaknesses, who “do what is right,” and to press on with faith come to Jesus and “fall at his feet.”

I mean, “dogs” are welcome to Jesus!

“She went home and found her child lying on the bed;

the demon had indeed gone out of her” (Mark 7:30)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Break Down the Walls that Separates Us

You probably don’t feel like you have a big problem with racial prejudice, I thought I don’t but after a long examine – I am sometime. Like most people, we do harbor some form of prejudice (even if that’s not exactly what you call it). Prejudice is an old story. In the letter of James, he writes, “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?” he continued, “For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to a rich person, but you say to the poor one, ‘You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor’”. (2:1-3)

Our prejudice could be in the subtle form such as based on stereotypes, or personal references. Honestly writing, maybe you’re like me, its people with a lot of money who bother you. Or maybe it’s the disable people that you try your best to avoid. Or perhaps it’s people of another religion who make you uncomfortable. In human psychology, most of us make judgments all the time that dictate the types of people we get to know and the people we get to avoid. Maybe you’re friendly toward aunty cleaner in your campus or at workplace, but would you ever have them over for lunch? Maybe you’re sympathy toward a disable man who’s selling tissues near the escalator, but then would you say ‘hi’ to him?

We are more comfortable to be with the people who are more like us. ‘Comfort zone’ mentality is really a form of prejudice, even if it’s not an overt one. You and I both need to refresh our attitude toward others. Continuously remind ourselves that “[Jesus] Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles (that’s us!) into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.” (Ephesians 2:14, on the bracket mine.) Even ‘the wall’ here refers especially to the wall of the law; it is also true for the walls that have separated us in some form or another such as race, status, interests, family background etc. The Good News is that Jesus had broken down these walls that separated us. Jesus is the great equalizer, you know! We are all falling short before God, and we are all in need. All of us need forgiveness, and thus anyone who comes to God through Jesus is completely forgiven.

Now, compare all these with the distinctions we make between people… as I pondered upon it: it is ridiculous in comparison! God offers acceptance to all people equally – and asks the same for you.

THINK BIG Jesus had “broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”

START SMALL The following passages serve as powerful reminders for us today:

·        Don’t think of anyone as impure or unclean (Acts 10:28).

·        Let God be the judge of others (Romans 14:4).

·        You don’t have the right to condemn others (Romans 2:1).

·        Be hospitable – don’t refuse to eat with anyone …
no matter how different they are from you (Galatians 2:11-21).

·        Don’t discriminate against people based on dress or status (James 2:1-13)

GO DEEP God offers acceptance to all people equally – why not you?

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Reference:

START SMALL passages is quoted from Friendship First; New Testament (NLT), page 454. Thank you.

Ugly Truth about Racism behind the Peaceful Malaysia (and what We Gonna do About it)

“Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Ugly Truth

I saw a T-shirt that read Racism is so yesterday – I want to believe that, but the truth is; it’s not so yesterday. It’s still very much ‘alive’, ‘breathing’ and grows ‘stronger’ today as it ever was. Racism is a global issue. When I write global, first come to mind is Malaysia. In fact, as a Malaysian myself, I experienced racism firsthand. The ugly truth of racism behind our ‘peaceful’ nation is like the unseen termites behind a wonderful majestic wooden door. Behind the government-promoted façade of unity and peace, racism runs deep in our multi-ethnics nation – some might not agree with me, but you know it’s real.

You know because you and me are racist once in a while, if not – most of the time. Why do dare I say that? Well, try to answer these questions: When is the last time you hang around with someone from a different race intentionally? Which shop would you normally go for lunch or dinner if you want to eat outside? If you want to help a poor family, to whom will you give first? Lastly, when someone ask you who you are, what is your answer; Malaysian or proudly verbalize your ethnicity?

Ugly Facts

Merdeka Center for Opinion Research had asked 1013  randomly selected peninsular Malaysian voters aged 21+ via telephone for their independent survey had revealed staggering facts about racial issue;

·    Only 39% identified themselves as Malaysian, 41% as follower of a religion and 15% as member of ethnic group. (pg 6)

·    A plurality felt that ethnic unity (perpaduan kaum) was superficial. Only about 1/3 felt that ethnic unity in Malaysia was sincere & friendly. 44% thought it was just superficial unity. (pg 10)

·    In 2011, the survey find that 57% of Malays, 58% of Chinese and 39% of Indians agreed that “in general, most of the Malays are lazy”(pg 35)

·    68% of Malays, 50% of Chinese and 59% of Indians agreed that “in general, most of the Chinese are greedy”.

·    63% of Malays, 49% of Chinese and 36% of Indians agreed that “in general, most of the Indians cannot be trusted”.

·    Positively in 2011, 84% have friends from other races but sadly 16% who do not are those who lived in neighborhood with one dominant ethnic group (pg 50).

·    55% says ‘Racial and Religious issues are very sensitive, therefore we cannot discuss it’ (pg 58)

[Reference: http://www.merdeka.org/pages/02_research.html]

Live Peacefully but Separately

A. Sivanesan, a senior leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party said, “The survey’s findings might be a bitter pill to swallow, but it tells us who we really are behind the façade we show the world.” You who are not Malay or Chinese or Indian – do not laugh! You who thought that there is no such thing as racism in Sabah & Sarawak (East Malaysia) – do not be too confident! We who are the ‘others’ are very much racist within our own communities. If there is such survey ever taken, we, the ‘others’, would be utterly ashamed to our grave! We live peacefully but separately.

After independence, our history in general shows that we are further away from knowing each other than we were started. Now we begin to have separate schools, separate friends and separate lives. Until we see the seriousness of racism in our society, we soon realized that racism is the poison behind the silky snake. By writing this, I don’t seek for agreement but I just want to simply lay the ugly fact of our internal, unseen condition of racism in our country: we live peacefully but separately – slowly.

Time to Build Bridges is - NOW!

Thus, when is the best time for us to build bridges of reconciliation in the midst of our invisible walls of prejudice and racism if it’s not now? Yes, we start now! Be an agents of transformation and reconciliation in the community God had place you. Identity your prejudices, that invincible walls such as thinking your own race is superior than other, making racial jokes and not sensitive toward others etc. then break down these ‘walls’ starting now. In term of your relationship with others; encourage those who make racist comments around you to stop and don't be friends with people that disrespect other races. In term of your communications; try not to refer another race with pronouns like: "them," "they," or "it” and avoid using funny slang terms to disgracing other races.

Hey! Lay down ‘bricks’ of forgiveness, kindness, caring, healing, friendship, brotherhood, love etc. one by one. Take initiative to encourage yourself, your family and friends to respect, understand and learning about other races or cultures. If you have any arguments or problems with others (which you probably will at this part of the world) treat that someone as a person rather than as someone from different race. Yes, lay these 'bricks' one by one. Cement it with time and patience.

Hear this my fellow Malaysians… we should be building bridges, not walls. Oh, “let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation (Malaysia) with all their scintillating beauty.”

Breakdown the walls and start build bridges!

THINK BIG.START SMALL.GO DEEP.