Right now the United States government, and many candidates running for President in 2020 are discussing the need for the American people to pay reparations to African-Americans for the scourge of chattel slavery in America that existed from the mid-1600’s until 1865.
I am just curious what your thoughts are on this from a Biblical world view.
It's a good question and could lead to some serious discussion. One question is the sovereignty of God. Why did He allow this to happen to a certain race of people in the first place? But the Lord is likely to be left out of the discussion in any substantial way even though ministers may appear on behalf of reparations. It was wrong what was done but what to do now is the question I guess. How much would each person or family receive? Giving large sums of money to people, if that's the way it would be done, can also have negative results also because not all would handle it wisely. Many things to consider.
One thing that comes to my mind right away when thinking on this subject is that those who are pushing for reparations are in the forefront of those who support abortion on demand for any reason, gay marriage and the LGBT movement. The support for abortion as coming from the progressive black Congressional caucus if you will has cost over twenty million black lives at this point. Yet they are in the lead of those calling for reparations. Ironic to say the least. On this subject, are we as Christian morally obligated to support reparations along with these people who have such a world view?
Thank you for your well thought out and worded response. A lot to contemplate. I appreciate it. Hopefully others will also offer some insight.
I am asking this question with no agenda. I simply dont know what the proper Biblical response should be to this topic. I am looking to learn from all of you.
Slavery was a terrible scourge on our nation and a very great price was paid in human lives during the Civil War. It is a dark chapter in our history and thankfully it is over 150 years behind us.
I'm not sure what the idea of reparations will do at this point other than to foster the victim mentality that is already so prevalent and hindering many. If you see yourself as a victim that is all you will ever be.
I really appreciated Ben Carson's testimony about how his mother taught him to never see himself as a victim; and if anyone could think of themselves as a victim it was her, she had a rough upbringing and marriage. But she taught her boys otherwise and Ben became a world famous neuro-surgeon and eventually ran for president. This is the kind of message that African-American youth need to hear.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: (Proverbs 23:7a)
How about verses about being content. I can’t imagine any Christian African American in favor of reparations.
Slavery occurred 200 years ago.
This effort for reparations is being led by the liberal progressive wing of the Congressional black caucus and ministers like Rev Al Sharpton and the like. The black community found itself locked out of opportunity and equality especially after World War II. It was mainly white liberal pastors who finally joined with Martin Luther King etc. and his efforts for civil rights. Many liberal ministers marched with Dr. King. The white conservative church of the day was basically absent from any calls to end segregation based on race and even in many instances was itself biased against the black race in America. Gradually the black civil rights movement turned to those willing to help which was the government and social and religious liberals. Eventually what started out as perhaps a true spiritual movement for freedom in the black church became a political movement petitioning government to make things right. It sort of got stuck there and to a large degree the religious leadership in the black community has followed the trend and supports abortion rights, gay marriage etc. True ministers in the black community who preach from the scriptures, and there are more than acknowledged, and stand against such things are not given the time of the day by the media. So all you basically see in the media is the liberal wing and their efforts who always stress getting the government to do things and you think that is the only thing going. The "white church" missed a real opportunity back in the 1940s, 50s and 60s to make their voice heard in regards to civil rights but as stated many within this section of the church were prejudice themselves.
Good responses all. Docs, your history on this is exceptional. Thank you for sharing that. There were a few things in what you wrote that I had not considered before.
Just so everyone knows, I am not for reparations for all the reasons that the others have listed.
I did not want to give the impression that I think everything is just hunky dory or that there has not been tons of injustice in the past and now. I’ve been listening to a podcast called "white lies” about the murder of a white civil rights worker in Selma by thugs and the lack of justice he received due to blatant and disgusting racism from judges, attorneys, the sheriff and his racist posse and the regular folks- none who would testify against the killers who were known.
Anyway it’s a fascinating and sad story.
But reparations is throwing a very substantial amount of money at an issue, apparently to assuage consciences, but it won’t do one lick to change anything.
The solution to all of this, whether it's the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, or the Trail of Tears and stealing land from Indians, or any other injustice, is forgiveness. Money won't heal past hurts.
Nigel, you're right, money won't buy true love, buy salvation, or heal past hurts, I've heard it does make living in misery a little easier.
Bill, it certainly does. When I was a child, I had drug addicted parents who weren't around for days sometimes and little or no food in the cupboards. I understand poverty.
But I wonder, is the solution government handouts? And remember, these are reparations we are talking about; if the U.S. government decides to go ahead with this, I think they probably will give money to anyone whose ancestor was a slave, regardless of their current economic status.
Nigel said: "if the U.S. government decides to go ahead with this, I think they probably will give money to anyone whose ancestor was a slave, regardless of their current economic status."
Nigel, if they begin to start doing this, in my opinion, it will open up a can of worms, that may never be able to be closed.
The answer from the opposing side on the reparations issue would say you all are voicing the common perspective of someone who is a member of the white race whose history in this country is entirely different from that of the black race. You never came here illegally kidnapped and chained on ships and then forced to do labor to make others rich. You have never been looked on as a genetically inferior type of people. When you were in your white only high schools taking history who ever taught you that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and many of your famous founding fathers owned slaves? Why was no mention ever made of the racial crimes committed by your hero Columbus and his folks? Blacks fought in the Revolutionary War to help found this country. They fought in the Civil War to help preserve the union. They fought in the world wars on the side of America. Why 100 years after the civil war were blacks still being lynched on many occasions for simply being black and also being denied equality in the work place? Why did blacks have to march in the back of parades behind the horses after WWII when the veterans were being celebrated in these parades? To say your thoughts and prayers have always been with us and to admit a wrong was done is not enough. Reparations are in order. Again, need we remind you that your experience as white people in this country is entirely different than those of us who have lived on the other side.
I don't ascribe to all of the above but this is and will be the argument from the reparations side. How do we answer this in a straight gospel manner? History shows that at many times professing Christians were responsible for the mess. These comments are sharp I realize but I have studied this issue and been part of efforts to heal the breach between these two races. Conservative black ministers who live and preach by the scriptures (I found that there are multitudes) speak in more balanced and biblical ways on the issue can't get the time of the day from the media.
The response to the above is simple- it is not fair or right to judge the actions of yesterday by the standards(and usually ridiculously PC standards) of today.
Paul did not forbid slavery because in his day slavery was extremely common and many were perfectly content being slaves, just as many were perfectly happy "in service” in England to wealthy families.
Now I understand the particular evils of plantation slavery in the US in the 18th and 19th century but that was 200 years ago and black persons were viewed far differently then, out of ignorance.
I certainly don’t think Washington and Jefferson were evil men for owning slaves- that’s just the way things were then and there was not a second thought about it- until the abolitionists started getting their message across.
This is the message people need for racial reconciliation:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
I just read where......Elizabeth Warren Comes Out In Support of ‘Gay Reparations’ if this is really true, with my "can of worms” statement in an earlier post, I might have been prophesying. :-)
Yes, I saw that as well. Yesterday it was descendants of enslaved people, today its gays and lesbians. What will it be tomorrow? Honestly I believe this whole discussion will go away after the election, no matter which party wins. This falls into the same category as paying off everyone's student loans, and free everything. It is the purchasing of votes.
But the spirit behind a group of people thinking they are owed money for sins committed against their ancestors from 7 to 11 generations ago is evil, in my estimation. "You have something I want, and I am going to take it from you." I think that reparations is pure socialism. It certainly rejects the Gospel, the good news. Forgiveness.
The Voting Rights Act insuring all citizens the right to vote regardless of race was not passed until 1965. This was not 7 to 11 generations ago. At this time, high schools and colleges were still segregated to a large degree and members of the black community were still being denied fair opportunity in the work place and unions. Plus incidents like the horrific and unjust murder of Emmit Till and the Birmingham church bombing (Sept 15, 1963) that killed four young black girls in Sunday school was still fresh on everyone's mind. The voting rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were abducted and murdered in 1964 for working toward black minority representation at the voting booth. Even after the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 attempts were still made to exclude blacks from voting and social and employment discrimination still continued. We all know Dr. King's fate. The Constitution we brag about stated a black person could only be counted as 2/3 of a person. The Dred Scott Decision (1857)handed down by the Supreme Court said a black person could only be counted as "property" and had no rights. I'm not picking at anyone just trying to remind us of how the other in favor of reparations sees the issue.Their experience in this county has been entirely different than those opposing reparations.
Is there any group of people that at some time or another in the past did not enslave another?
I find it inconsistent that American Blacks are calling for reparations when the slave trade was aided and abetted by local blacks in their own community in Africa. With out their assistance I am not so sure it would have become such a big business that it did.
Scripture-wise I see nothing there that succeeding generations are obligated to pay for the sins - if owning slaves is a sin, e.g. - of those in the past.
Sandra
David, I'm not personally condoning or condemning reparations, what I am saying is, you have to be awful careful this day and age as I said, opening up a can of worms. Perfect example, Elizabeth Warren Comes Out In Support of ‘Gay Reparations? where does it stop? I personally believe it will never stop, every lawyer in this country will make sure of that. So just remember, once the can is opened up, people agreeing on reparations will be responsible in a way for all reparations afterwards. The atmosphere in America is perfect right now for this to happen, I can see it now, our children wanting reparations because their parents made them go to church, and believe in a God they never have believed in, where will it stop?
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