Everyone is equal in God's eyes.


Each of us has intrinsic value... unique to us. 


We are not an afterthought, put together at the 


last minute by God. 


God made us in His likeness


 and for His pleasure.

Respect for humanity is a 


reflection of our character.


Stewardship is the appropriate consideration. 


Stewards in action have the proper regard 


and constant respect for other people's rights... 


at all times, in every season. 

Stewardship is the necessary consideration. 

Being a good steward is comparable to being 

a good ambassador. A good steward is one who 

acts on behalf of God. We are called upon to 

take care of what belongs to our Creator, Who 

has created everything on our behalf. 


    A good steward is one who is selfless, 

    empathetic, generous, and committed to

     humanitarian service. They have no thirst

     for power and do not need to be in authority

     or exert control over others. They are 

    responsible and accountable without any

     prompting or coaxing.


      A good steward properly cares for and respects

       the rights of others at all times and in all seasons. 

      They put their skills to use to serve God. 

      Spirit makes each of us relevant 


      to anyone, anywhere, at any time. 


      The Scriptures proclaim that all persons are 


      fundamentally equal before God. God's Word 


      makes it quite evident that no one is worthless. 


      Every person is significant, essential, and 


      precious to God.

      God is the Source of all of our existence, both 


      physical and spiritual. It is crucial to recognize and 


      respect every cherished, chosen, and sent life. 


      We can find the strength to effect 


      true social change if we work 


      together.

      The establishment of special 



      or privileged humans was not 



      God's doing.



      God gave man no authority 



      to degrade or destroy



       His world or mankind.




      Even when God granted humanity


      dominion over the animals, it was


      to care for, tend to, and respect


      the animals, particularly the


      animals who worked our lands.



      Any misuse or mistreatment of God’s creation


      is the result of sin, not the result of following


       God’s original command.

      Ingrained hatred and misguided anger based on 


      skin color and ethnicity are severe diseases


       afflicting many societies, in the United 


      States. The disease has become pathological 


      among far too many segments of our human 


      population, resulting in heinous acts of brute 


      force and crippling long-term economic 


      and social opportunities for millions of 


      people who suffer the consequences of 


      racism and hatred toward ethnic groups. 



      Many times, political extremists deliberately 


      foster and exploit this disease, which is 


      motivated by insecurity, fears, and 


      ignorance of other peoples, cultures,


      and the dread that "the other" 


      will take something away.



      While we are all too familiar with the 


      damaging effects of white supremacy for 


      African Americans and Latinos, we 


      sometimes overlook the evil inflicted on 


      Asians, who are also targets of toxic,


      malicious, deleterious racism. Many 


      non-whites have faced extensive


      prejudice all throughout this 


      country's history.


      We were created to be God's faithful ambassadors, 


      treating one another as valuable and chosen by Him. 


      In doing so, we contribute to the development of 


      culture that upholds the dignity of all human life.


      We are entrusted with the Earth and everything


       on it, but we do not own it. We are simply


       its stewards, and we will be held accountable


      for how we treat the Earth and its people in 


      the end.


      Why are there so many misconceptions and


       stereotypes about Black people in our country?


      Why does skin tone continue 


      to incite hatred?



      In the eyes of the Almighty, 


      there is no worth based 


      on the color of one's skin. 



      We are all born free, 


      equal,



       and valuable, 


      and no man-made covenant 


      has the power to change 


      God's purpose or design


       for creation.


      According to our Creator, God, we all 


      were created with the same range


       of abilities. Each may walk in freedom


       and pride, stretching their talents and 


      enjoying the fruits of the earth.

      God's love transcends man-made barriers, 


      worldly labels and designations, including 


      those based on ethnicity, cultural background, 


      tribe, creed, skin color, language, customs, 


      gender, age, disability, political views, 


      educational background, or socio-economic 


      experiences and/or realities.



      God's Omnipotence is not limited to any one


      nation or state. God is the Creator of everyone 


      and everything. 


      We are all interrelated, whether we realize it or not, 


      sharing the human experience, breathing the same


       air, and eating food grown from mother earth... 


      and no matter how far away we reside, we are all 


      physically sharing her.

      God is above all, through all, and


       within all. God is both beyond and 


      within all of creation.

      In broad strokes, Scripture requires Believers 


      to speak out against institutional racism. 


      The Bible encourages impartiality (James 2:1),


       equality for every human being (Genesis 1:27),


      feelings of empathy for persecuted and oppressed


      people (Zechariah 7:10; Proverbs 28:16), and


       fair treatment of the poor or destitute 


      (James 1:27; Proverbs 14:1). 

      If a rule of law, customarily held tradition, 


      or way of interpreting the law has an unjust


       impact on a specific ethnic group, then 


      Believers are encouraged to take action. 


      James 4:17


      And Believers should be open to the


       observations, insights, and perspectives 


      of others rather than dismissing them. 


      Proverbs 18:13, 17; John 7:24


      We are all entitled to be treated equally, 


      regardless of our differences. For individuals


       who have been taught to devalue non-whites,


       it may look 'natural' to attribute negative 


      meanings to differences, associating difference 


      with the purportedly inferior, superior, or 


      dangerous discourse. However, people must 


      realize that this is not natural. It's something


       they've learned, but as it turns out, it's something


       they can unlearn.

      Everyone receives pure love, life,

      breath, and spirit from God.

      Some people find this problematic since they 


      can no longer defend the oppression and 


      exploitation of African Americans on the 


      grounds that they are inherently inferior to 


      Caucasians.

       We are members of the same body.

      The body, for example, has a hand, a wrist, an


       arm, and a shoulder. The wrist cannot tell the 


      hand, "I have no need of you" 


      (1 Corinthians 12:21). And the arm cannot 


      declare to the shoulder, "Because I am not a


       shoulder, I am not a part of the body" 


      (1 Corinthians 12:15).

      As we have many members in one body, and


       not all of them perform the same function,


      we, though many parts, are one body. 


      We are individually members connected 


      to all the others.


      Romans 12:4-5


      Make disciples of "all nations"


      —every ethnic group. 


      It's the same wording as in Acts 17:26, 


      when it claims...


      God created


      "every nation"—


      every ethnic group—


      from one. 


      Because all ethnic groupings were created in 


      the image of God, God desires to redeem 


      individuals from every ethnic


       group, without distinction. 


      God's magnificent and perfect 


      plan includes all of creation.


      We share a redeemed personhood. 


      We were made in the image of God.


      God is all... and in all.

      We are more connected by our humanity 


      than we are divided by our ethnicity.


      We are all comprised of the same energy.

      This energy is the foundation of the universe 

      and everything in it. We connect with this


       universal energy when we unite with one


       another.


      In this vast, rich, gorgeous, and diverse tapestry,


      everyone's story is essential. Every person is like 


      a thread, and each thread has an important 


      contribution to make.


      Every thread is directed by


       God's indescribably 


      delicate touch.

      Treating people unfairly due to their ethnicity 

      and to assume that one's own ethnic group 

      and nationality is inherently superior to

       another and to treat individuals from other

       ethnic groups and nationalities unfairly or

       with unequal justice, is evil... 

      it is not of God.

      We all share, are dependent on, and are 


      interconnected and related through God, 


      our Divine Creator. 



      There are no biological differences between 


      people. No race is superior or inferior to another. 

      According to God, 


      we're all the same.

      One's pathological hatred of different ethnicities, 


      nations, cultures, colors, socio-economic status, 


      and so on may be a reaction to their worry that 


      the characteristics they observe in others... 


      are also present in them.

      The authority to rule comes with the 


      responsibility to rule wisely, fairly, 


      and well.



      God desired that mankind use this command


      with humility, love, and fairness to exercise 


      great care over and "to bring under cultivation."

      God does not give man the authority


      to plunder, commit violence against


      others, or mistreat anyone or


      anything.

      Believers should be open to hearing the 


      perspectives of people who have been


       victimized by biased laws and/or evil structures.

      Believers must be wholehearted, thoroughly 


      in order, respectful, thoughtful, honest and 


      Christlike.


      1 John 4:1; James 1:22; 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 


      The fight against true evil requires an approach


      based on our understanding of God and His


       righteousness and not accepting suppressive,


       militant, fascist, right-winged opinions and/or 


      philosophies.


      In God, there is only


       light and life.

      Fantasy, not facts, drives America's 


      self-conception. It's also more difficult 


      to address historical problems if we are


       unable to face all the distortions and 


      blatant lies taught in US history classes,  


      honestly.

      Many individuals choose not to acknowledge 


      the truth that the clear racial prejudice we are


       seeing has everything to do with ignorance, 


      restless and evil hearts, poor education, 


      inferiority, lack of understanding, and 


      upbringing.


      Many are just acting the way 


      they were taught to act.

      If our nation and other nations are to truly 


      embrace the moral goals of human dignity, 


      solidarity, and equality, we must accept and 


      undertake a critical appraisal of unjust 


      institutions.

      Not only in the South was American capitalism


       established on the backs of the enslaved and


       the slave economy. Some of these methods are 


      still in use today. Slavery established America 


      while giving practically nothing...  no pay, 


      benefits, or recognition to the enslaved — or the


      descendants of them.


      This great country was built on stolen land by stolen


       lives. How dare obstacles to our liberty be built,


       at every turn? 


      How can hatred be so venomous, diabolical, and


       ungodly that organizations will purposely close 


      doors of opportunity or destroy any trace of 


      African American progress?


       Why are white people deliberately impeding 


      African Americans?


       Is it possible that Caucasians are terrified that if 


      African Americans ever figure out who they are, 


      the kingdoms they were stolen from, and Who they 


      belong to, they would return the same dirty 


      crimes against humanity that some Caucasians


      have committed for over 400 years? 


      How can Columbus be honored for 


      discovering a land that is already populated?


       Was he also taking advantage of his white 


      sense of entitlement?

      Article One of the Universal Declaration of 

      Human Rights states: 

      All human beings are born 

      free and equal in dignity 

      and rights." 

      Some Caucasians continue to reject 


      African American people's humanity. 


      These people, unknown to them, are


       disconnected from their humanity. 



      What does this imply exactly?



      They have no regard for or affection for 


      themselves. They are emotionally plagued by 


      self-doubt and self-rejection. They are inclined


       to be excessively self-critical, and they may 


      even loathe themselves at times. As a result, to


       love their neighbor as they "love" themselves is


       to despise and maybe hate their neighbor.


      They don't generally despise their white


       neighbors—at least not all of them. Their


       hatred towards blacks or other minorities


       is unshakable because they require someone


       or some group to which they may feel superior. 


      They need to feel superior because otherwise


       they will feel inferior. They sustain their 


      feeling of superiority by despising others 


      for their discernible unworthiness, shortcomings,


       and inferiority.


      Many individuals spend a significant portion


       of their lives in states of relatively low


       awareness, which influences their judgment


       as well as their susceptibility to persuasion 


      and manipulation.

      We must be aware that Satan provides 


      assistance for all forms of deception.


       Satan has only spoken one language from 


      Genesis 3 to Revelation 20: deception. He


      has constructed a system of deception based


       on illusions so broad that they escape one's 


      perception/detection. It includes beliefs, 


      ideology, attachments, forms of 


      entertainment, the media, and politics. In


       many circumstances, most people never notice


       it because they hear and enjoy deception more


       than they read and know the truth. To avoid 


      suspicion, Satan's minions would act as if they


       were not involved in or connected to the evil 


      misdeeds, merely to keep the illusions alive. 


      It closely matches the description in 


      2 Thessalonians 2. People were easily duped 


      because "they received not the love of the truth...


      but had pleasure in unrighteousness."


       (verses 10, 12).

      Satan will employ whoever, 

      whatever means, or 

      whatever conditions are 

      necessary to realize the 

      goals he has set.

      The "deceiver" employs specialized, covert, 


      and sneaky strategies to target each individual, 


      with the purpose of defeating, discouraging, 


      and disheartening them. In other words, Satan's 


      attacks are "tailor crafted" ("the strategies"), 


      meticulously and systematically constructed 


      to target each individual's distinctive 


      shortcomings and weaknesses. 


      His schemes and techniques are generally appealing, 


      invariably misleading, and frequently ensnaring.


      Deception always undermines. 

      What makes deception dangerous?


      The deceiver slowly and inconspicuously 


      manipulates people into believing they need 


      what is being offered to them.  Without 


      giving it any consideration, they "buy into it." 


      They accept all of its promises and advantages 


      without understanding what will happen in 


      the end. 


      According to Proverbs 14:12, 


      "There is a way that seems right to man, 


      but its end is the way of death."

      Ephesians 1:17-21

      Our hearts' eyes must become enlightened


       in order for us to discern God's Will.

      God's incomparably immense strength exceeds 


      every rule and authority, power and dominion,


       and every name spoken, not only in this age,


       but also in the one to come.


      May we examine our worldly 


      ambitions and open the eyes 


      of our hearts. 


      Once the blinders are lifted, our personal 


      knowledge, observations, and experiences 


      should enable us to extract what is 


      authentic and true, rather than making


       misguided life decisions or living a life 


      based on illusions, generational lies, greed,


      and thirst for power.

      From conception to death, we are given a

       predetermined amount of hours, minutes, 

      and seconds with an unknown expiration date.


        Everything in the universe is limited to a 

        single time dimension. This passage of time 

        always moves forward... and cannot be 

        reversed or stopped.


          Our time here is a priceless gift. It is our 

          most valuable resource, but it cannot be owned, 

          hoarded, seen, or touched. 


            We all have a limited amount of time, regardless 

            of how rich or poor we are. This is why, while

            keeping eternity in mind, we must use our time 

            wisely... pleasing and glorifying God, and

             aligning with God's perfect plan, rather than

             our own natural inclinations.

             
              The truly good life comes from having God’s 

              blessing upon us. Everything was created 

              with the intention of drawing our hearts and

               minds back to our Creator. That is the entire 

              reason we exist.


                So, let us consider making the most of every 

                moment by living it with compassion, 

                empathy, humility, and gratitude.


                Let us prepare for and rise to a higher state 


                of existence while we are still breathing, 


                improving our understanding of what it is 


                to be human.

                Many of our basic wants, concerns, emotions, 


                and aspirations are universal. 



                We must work together to achieve fulfillment, 


                not just for ourselves, but for all humanity.

                According to the Scriptures,


                God created the universe, earth, and animals, 


                and as the culmination of His magnificent work, 


                He created humankind in His image... so they 


                could share in His abundant love, grace, and


                 goodness through their relationships.


                 Being formed in the image of God makes 


                each individual valuable and precious. 

                "God does not show favoritism but accepts 


                from every nation the one who fears Him 


                and does what is right." 


                Acts 10:34-35


                We must abandon our worldly desires and open


                 our hearts' eyes, aiming to prevent and eradicate


                 unnecessary human suffering regardless of 


                where or in whom it is found.

                May we accept the common 


                thread that binds the intricate


                 fabric of life together.

                 Humankind is the pinnacle of God's 


                artistic creation!

                God has no beginning! 


                God has always existed...


                and He always will.  



                There was only God before the 


                beginning of time... 


                existing in eternity, 


                and then....


                God created.

                God formed Adam from the dust of the earth,


                 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of


                 life, and the man became a living being. 


                Then, God created Eve, out of one of 


                Adam’s ribs.


                God formed each element of creation 


                with His word. He simply called creation 


                into existence.


                God said it, and it was.

                Humanity is made from a combination of 


                the earth and the life-giving breath of God 


                Himself. The breath of God in us is evidence 


                of His glory. 



                Being fashioned from the dust of the earth 


                provides us with an ongoing awareness of 


                our absolute dependence on God.


                The fact that man was made from dust 


                distinguishes man from the rest of God's 


                creation. 


                Think about it... 


                God simply spoke to create the sun, 


                oceans, mountains, animal life, and so on.

                In Genesis 1, we repeatedly observe, 


                "Then God spoke." 



                Human life, on the other hand, includes 


                "dust of the ground"


                 and God's very breath.

                 


                Man is a one-of-a-kind blend of earthly, 


                natural substance and 


                God's own life-giving force. 



                Such a manner of creation emphasizes the


                significance and worth of human existence.

                 

                Adam and Eve, in Genesis, are examples 


                of the first humans that God made.


                 God took pleasure in His work and declared, 


                "That it was good."


                According to the story of creation, humans 


                are the highest form of life in the known 


                galaxy. 


                In the image of our divine 


                Creator, we were created. 


                To God's good dust we shall 


                all return, should ring true for 


                every person today.



                We should consider how we live in light of 


                how brief life is. We should live for God 


                and do good, instead of selfishly living for


                 ourselves.


                James 4:16–17



                "To dust we shall return" should have an 


                impact on all of our everyday choices and 


                responsibilities. God has lifted us up from 


                our lowly origin, and we are cautioned 


                against pride. 


                All earthly possessions are destined to


                turn to dust. More to the point, one day 


                our bodies will pass on. This world is 


                passing and we should put our trust in 


                the eternal... God.


                God is the most significant entity and


                the only constant reality. We should 


                seek first God's kingdom rather than


                 hoarding earthly things.


                Luke 12:16–34


                Genesis, the book of beginnings, opens with a

                 description of why God created humankind.

                 God created humanity to mirror His image

                 and be good stewards of the creation.

                Genesis 1:26, 28

                While some humans continue to devise ideas 

                and plans to dominate and rise to power, God's 

                plan and purpose, which is for the highest good,

                will ultimately yield the desired results, He 

                intended.

                God does not give man the authority


                 to plunder, commit violence against


                others, or mistreat anyone or


                anything.

                Human beings are stewards... 

                not owners or slaves. 

                God gave man no authority 

                to degrade or destroy His 

                world or mankind.


                As stewards, it is our role to 

                look after the rest of the 

                created world.

                Any misuse or mistreatment of God’s creation


                is the result of sin, not the result of following


                 God’s original command.

                The matter of racial inequality and injustice are


                 currently dominating public discourse... and 


                quite deservedly so. 



                The Bible encourages us to be warriors of peace, 


                and the Scriptures show examples that prove


                God abhors racial bias.


                Misleading interpretations of the Bible, preached


                from some pulpits, have contributed to the 


                misconception that God condones racism and 


                slavery. 


                Some white Christians have not simply been


                 passive or complicit; rather, as the dominant 


                cultural power in the country, they have 


                constructed and fostered a project of 


                perpetuating white supremacy which has 


                shaped the whole American experience.

                Untamed backwardness results from one's 

                own human hostility, misplaced love of God, 

                self-centered views and beliefs, unearned and 

                unjustified riches, entitlements, and greed—

                none of which are God's way, 

                purpose, or nature.

                God did not create or bring about human suffering, 


                misery, death, or evil. It turned up as a result of Satan


                 and his minions, as well as the choices we make in


                 life. Today, there is a culture of death entirely of


                man’s making.

                Race was not

                 created by God!

                There is no merit related with the 


                color of one's skin, in God's eyes.

                God does not assign value to people based on 


                the color of their skin. All of us possess life,


                 breath, existence, and value. All persons 


                throughout the entire universe were uniquely


                 and lovingly made by God, and all Believers


                 are a single body in Him.

                The created.. 


                not our Creator... 


                invented, 


                developed, and 


                instituted the evil 


                construct of race.


                Despite the unfairness and bias of racial 


                categories and ideologies, race served as 


                a useful tool for grouping people inside


                 systems of supposed perpetual injustice.


                .

                In a biological sense, the concept 

                of distinct human races is a 

                meaningless lie. 


                When it comes to any relevant biological 


                qualities, the average genetic variations 


                among persons categorized according to


                 today's racial terminology are so minor 


                they should be disregarded and referred to


                 as pseudoscientific arguments used in the


                 past to justify the slave trade, slavery, and


                 other heinous crimes against humanity. 



                History demonstrates that physical variations 


                underlie how certain people are the victims


                 of conquest, others the victors.

                A lying mouth is one of the 


                seven deadly sins 


                that God detests.


                Proverbs 6:16–17



                Why does God detest lying?



                 According to Proverbs 26:28, 


                A liar dislikes the person they are lying to. 


                In addition, God considers someone who


                hates another person to be a murderer.


                1 John 3:15, 4:20

                The concept of worldly isms, 


                and class privilege are all 


                interconnected oppressive systems.


                They appear to be natural; nonetheless, they are


                socially constructed 


                and are used to justify inequality 


                and other isms.

                America's "Original sin" 


                was slavery. 


                Neither the drafters of the United States Constitution 


                nor the terrible American Civil War were able to 


                resolve it. It only extended the generational servitude


                 of an entire class of American society in a different


                vile manner. 

                Slavery was a $3 billion-plus industry and a


                 key economic engine in the United States.


                 Slavery's economy did not remain confined 


                to the South; it transcended state boundaries,


                 and even states with low slaveholding 


                populations profited from the work of the 


                enslaved. 


                Slavery's profits significantly


                surpassed the moral outcry 


                it caused.

                The historical background of slavery, brutal


                 inhumane treatment, racial hierarchy and


                 terror, the trauma and legacy of Jim Crow, 


                and lynchings are well-known.



                During the period between the Civil War and 


                World War II, thousands of African Americans 


                were lynched in the United States. 



                Lynchings were violent public acts that white mobs, 


                under the pretext of administering justice without 


                trial, would execute a presumed offender, often 


                after inflicting torture and corporal mutilation.  



                Lynchings were used to terrorize and control


                 Black people in the 19th and 20th centuries, 


                particularly in the South. 



                Many lynchings were considered as 


                "Unknown horrors."



                 According to the editors of Encyclopedia 


                Britannica, the term lynch law refers to a 


                self-constituted court that imposes sentence 


                on a person without due process of law. 



                Both terms are derived from the name of 


                Charles Lynch (1736–96), a Virginia planter 


                and justice of the peace who, during the 


                American Revolution, headed an irregular 


                court formed to punish loyalists.



                As the underlying racial injustices are


                 still being fed, strengthened, and ignored, 


                finding solutions is more difficult.


                When we don't understand people's 


                suffering, we don't support solutions


                or enact legislation to deal with their


                problems.


                Without compassion and understanding,


                 one is unable to feel the pain that other 


                people go through. As a result, we don't 


                advocate or execute measures to address 


                the problems the populace faces.



                We will never be able to envision or 

                implement new, just possibilities if 

                we fail to acknowledge, address, and 

                communicate the whole truth about 

                our history. 
                Ignoring history and externally


                 imposed social constructs has 


                never repaired them.

                Regrettably, institutional racism


                 is still present in America today 


                and has been ingrained into 


                almost every element of our 


                culture... and who we are as a 


                people.

                Many young people are aware, whether

                 consciously or unconsciously, but their 

                parents and/or grands may have strained

                 relationship with truth and reality.
                White supremacy is defined as "the belief that 

                the white race is inherently superior to other 

                races and that white people should have 

                control over people of other races." 

                Skin color does not represent


                 racial inferiority or superiority.


                Respect for humanity 


                is a reflection of a person's 


                character.

                White supremacy is defined as "the belief that 


                the white race is inherently superior to other 


                races and that white people should have 


                control over people of other races." 



                "The social, economic, and political systems


                collectively enable white people to maintain


                power over people of other ethnicities."



                There has been a long-standing, nefarious 


                practice of what historians refer to as 


                "scientific racism" — which is the propagation 


                of false ideas about Black inferiority in an 


                effort to justify racial supremacy, slavery, 


                and decades of social and economic 


                dominance and exploitation.



                The widespread bogus scientific theories 


                which upholds white supremacy makes some 


                individuals feel that those who were enslaved


                 were beneath even the thought of pursuing 


                liberty.


                In the 1840s and 1850s, pro-slavery


                advocates frequently asserted that


                 Blacks benefited from being held 


                as slaves by Whites.



                The enslaved were portrayed as being insane, 


                depraved, crazy, illogical, psychologically 


                disturbed, and showing excessive or threatening 


                emotions if they attempted to escape.



                Running away was one of the most effective 


                forms of resistance for an oppressed individual. 


                Running away included significant dangers.


                White men lived with unearned power and 


                privilege that comes with being White.



                They would use intimidation and violence to


                 protect their status. In order to deter future


                 running, runaways who are captured are


                 physically punished, generally by flogging, 


                and they might be forced to wear chains or 


                handcuffs.



                Since Louisiana doctor Samuel Cartwright and 


                other pro-slavery advocates believed that any 


                Black slave who attempted to flee must be 


                "insane." According to them, the 


                overwhelming desire  to flee 


                was a sign of a mental illness. Later, 


                Cartwright would contend that slaves from 


                Africa were leaving their enslavement due


                 to drapetomania, a fictitious mental ailment


                 that American physician Cartwright theorized 


                as the reason in 1851. He continued by


                 saying that "beating the devil out of them"


                 may stop this. Also recommended was


                amputating the toes.



                Dysaethesia Aethiopica was another mental


                 illness that Cartwright discussed in order to 


                explain why many slaves appeared to have a 


                poor work ethic. 



                Disobedience, snobbery, and unwillingness


                 to labor were all diagnosable symptoms, as 


                well as physical lesions. What course of 


                action did Cartwright recommend? 



                Put the sick to some difficult work in the 


                sunshine and open air while a White guy 


                keeps an eye on him.



                Racist propaganda that passes 


                for objective scientific research 


                is an example of scientific 


                racism. 




                The desire to be free is not an


                 illness, and the unwillingness 


                to work as a slave is not a 


                disorder. 


                The goal of the scientific racist was


                 and still is to maintain a racial hierarchy.


                However, Cartwright was not the first 


                academic to use science or, more precisely,


                 pseudoscience to explain or justify the 


                oppression, marginalization, dehumanization, 


                oppression, and injustices that were meted out 


                to Africans and Americans of African heritage. 



                There were many other 


                active agents of evil.



                The disturbing persistence of supremacy is an 


                extremely toxic and wickedly antagonistic 


                argument that may lead one down a dangerously


                chaotic path of self-destruction... and further 


                away from God's higher purpose for them to 


                accomplish and be.

                God, the Father of all Nations, 


                has written equality into our 


                DNA. 


                "God has given each of us equal


                dominion over the works of His 


                hands."

                Equality Is Not from man, 


                but from God.

                We all share the same 


                African ancestors.

                White supremacy refers to the conscious

                   or unconscious beliefs, and institutionalized 

                  social structures that uphold the ideology 

                  that White people are superior to people of 

                  color. 

                  In places where White people are politically

                   powerful, White supremacy is the ideology

                  that supports prejudice and discrimination.

                  Most individuals undoubtedly think of


                   racist attacks, derogatory ethnic slurs, or 


                  other blatantly racist attitudes and behaviors


                   when they consider racism. But, there are 


                  other sorts of racism that are less evident, 


                  but ultimately considerably more harmful. 



                  Structural and systemic racism


                   usually goes unnoticed, at 


                  least to those who are not its


                   victims.

                  There is a civil, political, economic, 

                  social and cultural hierarchy, in America. 

                  The system is built mostly on advantages 

                  and is predominantly racial in nature. 

                  Racism is firmly ingrained 

                  and baked into American 

                  society and culture.

                  Despite the fact that humans were meant to

                   respect and honor God's majesty, many 

                  individuals have displaced the love of God 

                  as their chief concern and let the world's 

                  volatility, economic self-interest,

                   ideological dysfunctions, and divisiveness 

                  dictate their lives.
                  Others have ignored and/or rejected God's 

                  majesty in favor of deep divisions and 

                  other evils generated and distorted by man's

                   selfishness, hardened hearts, and corruptible 

                  hands.

                  Lynchings were some 



                  of the most vicious 



                  and tragic crimes ever



                  perpetrated against 



                  humanity.

                  These well-known photos of white mobs posing


                   while the dead bodies of African American 


                  men swing from a noose were an act of brutality 


                  meant to terrorize African Americans. The main 


                  objective was to maintain white supremacy 


                  in the social, political, and economic spheres.

                  Some people do not observe what others are

                   doing because they do not wish to. It is easier 

                  for them to refuse to accept the facts, which 

                  breeds unimaginable levels of corruption, 

                  power, privilege, and control, all of which

                  have no meaning in the end.

                  Racism and any kind of hate should not be 


                  tolerated... neither should people who know better 


                  casually dismiss the agony and grief all around


                   them by turning a blind eye, deaf ear, or burying 


                  their heads in the sand.

                  By blinding people to the truth, Satan


                   keeps them in spiritual darkness. 

                  People who were brutally enslaved 


                  and dehumanized built the 


                  infrastructure of this wonderful


                  country... which is a crucial 


                  component of our world and 


                  our nation's true narrative.

                  The practice of white parents permitting their 


                  children to attend lynchings contributed


                  significantly to the emergence of 


                   of blatant, belligerent, racial terror, which


                   undoubtedly helped generation after 


                  generation to normalize the horror and 


                  brutality suffered by African Americans...


                  yet, people have the audacity to complain 


                  about children being taught the whole truth 


                  about American history? 


                  If we continue to silence discussions 


                  of racism and bias, the silence will 


                  eventually become uncomfortable.


                  Although some educators are eager to 


                  facilitate these critical conversations, 


                  many others are skeptical, resistant, or


                   indifferent… particularly in predominantly 


                  white K–12 schools. Far too many teachers 


                  often silence conversations about race and 


                  racism. Teaching all students the truth about


                  America’s history can educate students in 


                  profound ways that will help them grow as 


                  informed, active participants in a democratic 


                  society.


                  According to research, from preschool age,


                   children notice and comprehend that 


                  whiteness is highly regarded in American 


                  society. To deconstruct and disrupt powerful


                  and destructive narratives about race, schools


                  must develop anti-racism curriculum and 


                  prioritize anti-bias instruction from the start.


                  A key impediment to racial justice efforts in


                   schools is discomfort. A key impediment to


                   racial justice efforts in schools is discomfort. 


                  Furthermore, around 82 percent of primary 


                  and secondary school teachers in the 


                  United States are white. These findings 


                  reveal that talks regarding race are simply 


                  not taking place in many schools throughout 


                  the country. When discomfort leads to silence, 


                  students lack the literacy skills needed to 


                  build racial literacy abilities.

                  To revive the sense of


                  power, control, and 


                  brutality perpetrated on


                   Black people, lynching


                  postcards were circulated.

                  It was a means of controlling black people, even 


                  after they were dead.


                  The lynching postcard featured a picture 


                  of a lynching—a vigilante killing typically 


                  sparked by racism and bigotry. The postcards 


                  were meant to be given out, gathered, or 


                  kept as a memento. Frequently, racist poetry 


                  or text would be put on lynching postcards. 


                  Lynching postcards were widely produced in 


                  the United States for more than fifty years, 


                  despite the fact that the USPS restricted their


                   distribution in 1908.

                  Many individuals  appear to be unaware 


                  of the present state of affairs. They


                   attempt to avoid accountability for 


                  wrongdoings by knowingly concealing 


                  information that might hold them accountable 


                  or implicate them. 



                  Their thoughts, opinions, emotional 


                  reactions/responses, beliefs, understanding, 


                  and perspectives on what they experience 


                  and see are intentionally ignorant... clueless... 


                  and entirely apathetic to the true state of 


                  affairs. As a result, they are willfully blind... 


                  oblivious... completely indifferent to the 


                  correct view of the way things really are.

                  Racism is wickedly sinister and morally 


                  corrupt. It is defined as "a belief that color 


                  of skin leads to an inherent superiority.

                  Racism is devilish. It is defined as "a belief 


                  that color of skin is the major determinant 


                  of human qualities and capacities and that 


                  racial variations generate an inherent 


                  superiority of a specific race."



                  Satan was cast out of heaven 


                  because he wanted to be God.

                   


                  Does this sound familiar?


                  Racism stems from three things that God 


                  abhors: pride, dishonesty, and acrimony. 


                  Many paradoxes, social evils, haughtiness, 


                  inequalities, disparities, abuses of power, 


                  acts of prejudice, ego (acronym for easing 


                  God out), along with cruel and hateful 


                  behavior against others are all brought 


                  on by racism. 


                  When we look at racism's effects, we can 


                  clearly see that it only results in evil hearts


                   devising wicked schemes, causing suffering, 


                  confusion, unrest, turmoil, and instability.


                  It is very obvious in Scripture that racism is


                   unacceptable with God since God loves all of 


                  humanity. 


                  Jesus stood out against racism, and so should 


                  we. We would do well to love and respect 


                  everyone as God does.

                  Humans invented the concept of race to 


                  establish a social hierarchy among 


                  ethnic groupings. There is no basis for 


                  race in the physical or biological makeup


                   among ethnic groupings. Race is essentially


                   determined by a person's skin color.



                  How shallow is that?

                  Variation in pigmentation


                   is what causes individual 


                  differences in skin color. 


                  The majority of people who are extremely 


                  pigmented generally reside close to the 


                  equator, where there is intense sunlight. 



                  At tropical latitudes, especially in 


                  non-forested areas, UV radiation from 


                  the sun is often the most intense. Nature 


                  has favored individuals with darker skin. 


                  Melanin serves as a natural buffer that 


                  blocks UV rays.



                  On the other hand, those who live in frigid 


                  regions, closer to the poles, frequently have 


                  pale skin tones. 



                  The northern hemisphere, where UV 


                  radiation is often much less powerful, 


                  is where the majority of the individuals 


                  with lighter skin tones resided. 



                  The distribution pattern is likely the


                  caused by the relative intensity of solar 


                  radiation.

                  By the middle of the sixteenth century, when


                   European colonization started to take off, the


                   word "race" first became widely used in a


                   number of European languages. 



                  Racist theories started to emerge after that, 


                  but it wasn't until the nineteenth century that 


                  racism fully developed as a "scientific" way 


                  of thinking that classified people into different 


                  groups (or "races") primarily based on a 


                  variety of observable traits and markers that 


                  were believed to directly correlate with 


                  intellectual faculties. Because it was believed 


                  that these characteristics were hereditary and


                   unquestionable, 'races' could be ranked from 


                  superior to inferior.

                  Any misuse or mistreatment 

                  of God’s creation is the result 


                  of sin, not the result of following


                   God’s original command.

                  Racism is sin.

                  1 Peter 2:1; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8


                  Sin is described as failing to live as God intended. 

                  Practically speaking, sin might show up as harboring 

                  animosity and anger toward others, believing oneself


                   to be more valuable than others (pride), unwilling to


                   love, and the list goes on. These are all elements of 


                  racism.

                  For far too many years, whitewashing has 


                  attempted to represent a varied, multicultural 


                  world in just one color—white. Never has the


                   perception been very pleasant.

                  Whitewashing glosses over or covers over,


                   according to one Merriam-Webster definition


                   of the term. Because those minority groups 


                  scarcely exist in revisionist history and reality,


                   it creates a White universe where atrocities


                  against people of color—including those 


                  perpetrated against African Americans,


                   Native Americans, Asians, Latinos, and 


                  other minority groups—do not matter....


                   register, or count. 

                  In the discourse of today, historians, authors, 


                  and storytellers are guilty of whitewashing 


                  when they indulge in this practice.

                  Race is not biological. 


                  It is a fabrication... 


                  social construct. 


                  There is no gene or cluster of genes common 


                  to all Blacks or all Whites. Racial categories


                   are weak indicators of genetic differences and 


                   should be phased out... totally eliminated.

                  One is judging and criticizing God 


                  when they pass judgment on or make


                   assumptions about God's creation.

                  Everyone was carefully and 


                  purposefully made in God's 


                  likeness. This implies that 


                  everyone is valuable and 



                  significant... because 



                  God says so. 

                  There is no earth and no ascension 


                  until the universe is a unified 


                  whole. There is no life or liberty 


                  until all humans are one family.

                  The divine truth that all persons are created 


                  in God's image and are thus deserving of 


                  respect and dignity is something that cannot 


                  be disregarded in thought, speech, or deed. 


                  Genesis 1:26-28


                  As one of the many ways that truth may be


                   violated, James 3:9 informs us that even 


                  cursing someone—referring to them 


                  disrespectfully—violates the image of God.



                   Individuals are breaching the law and "in 


                  peril of the fires of hell" if they treat 


                  someone with disdain.

                  We witness disparities in money, power, and


                   prestige everywhere we turn. Whites are more 


                  privileged and have higher status than all 


                  other groups of color. We refer to this systemic


                   disparity as social inequality. 



                  In an uneven social structure, certain people 


                  or social groupings frequently receive unjust 


                  treatment.


                  Discrimination is the term


                   used for this. 


                  Age, gender, weight, ethnicity, culture, or even


                   politics can all be grounds for discrimination. 


                  For instance, racism refers to bias and 


                  discrimination based on race. Prejudice, or an 


                  unfavorable attitude or judgment that has already


                   been formed, frequently leads to discrimination.



                   Those who harbor prejudice tend to consider


                   particular persons or groups to be inferior.



                  Salary discrepancies are an example we see 


                  in daily life. We can observe that racial 


                  disparities in pay are very prevalent.



                  Latinos and African Americans make less


                   money than Whites do. African American 


                  males with clean records were less likely 


                  to receive employment offers than white


                   men with criminal records!



                  Due to the social construct of race, people 


                  experience discrimination and/or prejudice


                   as a result of their physical attributes.


                  Every human life, from conception to death,


                   should be valued and appreciated. Respect 


                  shouldn't be based on someone's ethnicity, 


                  class, socio-economic situation, gender, tribe, 


                  or religious beliefs. As Christ proved through 


                  His life and death, everyone deserves to be 


                  treated with respect and decency.

                  We cannot condone or turn a blind eye to


                   racism and exclusion in any form and still 


                  profess to defend the sacredness of every 


                  human life. We must acknowledge that 


                  racism and inequality are damaging and 


                  counter-productive. There is little gain 


                  and enormous loss.

                  This damage has been affecting our humanity


                   for hundreds of years. By advocating for the 


                  rights of all persecuted people, we can all help 


                  bring down tyrannical governments.



                  When we ignore injustices that feed a cycle of 


                  oppression and prejudice, we are also ignoring


                   systemic racism.


                  Within the human race is 


                  diversity in skin color and


                   other physical characteristics,


                   but we are...


                  One Blood.

                  The Bible does not even use the word “race”


                   in reference to people, but it does describe 


                  all human beings as being “One blood.” 


                  Acts 17:26

                  Humanity has undergone genetic modifications


                   to better enable individuals to thrive in various


                   ecologies, such as making Africans with darker


                   complexion genetically more able to withstand


                   the region's extreme heat.


                  When the different


                  languages first happened at 


                  the Tower of Babel, groups 


                  that spoke the same 


                  language migrated away. 

                   As a result, a particular group's gene pool drastically 


                  reduced, since it no longer had access to the whole 


                  human population to interbreed with. Closer 


                  inbreeding occurred, and through time, these various 


                  groups began to stress particular traits (all of which 


                  were present as a possibility in the genetic code). 



                  The gene pool got narrower and smaller as inbreeding 


                  continued over the centuries, until members from the


                   same linguistic family all had the same or comparable 


                  traits.

                  Racism has nothing 


                  to do with melanin... 


                  it is a sin issue. 


                  Racism arises from sin in a fallen world.


                  Racism has always had devastating, and


                   in some cases even fatal, impacts.



                  We are all created 


                  by God, all for the 


                  same purpose... 


                  to exalt God.

                  Every human being in the world is classified 


                  as Homo sapiens. Scientists today agree that


                   there is really only one biological race 


                  of humans. 

                  Modern scholars concur that the concept


                   of "race" was created relatively recently and 


                  was mostly a social conception rather than 


                  the result of scientific inquiry and discovery.



                   Anthropologists are not new to this. Since


                   Ashley Montagu argued against the term 


                  "race" being used in science back in the 


                  1940s, an increasing number of academics, 


                  from a variety of fields, have claimed that the 


                  true meaning of race in American society has


                   to do with social constructs, as opposed to


                   physical variations in the human species. 



                  Race was institutionalized as a worldview, 


                  a collection of culturally constructed 


                  attitudes and ideas about human group 


                  distinctions, starting in the 18th century.

                  The Lucifer effect is certain to occur when 


                  someone is so delusional that they allow


                  themselves to start plunging mindlessly, 


                  callously, and blindly down that treacherously 


                  precarious slope of dominance, power, and 


                  greed.


                  One's leadership style changes to one that 


                  is motivated by ambition, their morals are 


                  compromised, and their judgment is called 


                  into question.

                  Inequality is rampant in our capitalist society, 


                  and poverty is growing. The richest 1% of 


                  Americans own 40% of the nation's wealth, 


                  while a greater proportion of working-age 


                  individuals (18-65) live in poverty.



                  Our nation is infatuated with luxuries, and 


                  some people just want more, more, and more 


                  of it... even if doing so would destroy the


                   entire planet.



                  “Beware! Be on guard for all forms of greed. 


                  Life is not measured by our possessions.


                  Luke 12:15

                  If our nation and other nations are to truly 


                  embrace the moral goals of human dignity, 


                  solidarity, and equality, we must accept and 


                  undertake a critical appraisal of unjust 


                  institutions.

                  Treating people unfairly due to their ethnicity 

                  and to assume that one's own ethnic group 

                  and nationality is inherently superior to

                   another and to treat individuals from other

                   ethnic groups and nationalities unfairly or

                   with unequal justice, is evil... 

                  it is not of God.

                  Many individuals choose not to acknowledge 


                  the truth that the clear racial prejudice we are


                   seeing has everything to do with ignorance, 


                  restless and evil hearts, poor education, 


                  inferiority, lack of understanding, and 


                  upbringing.


                  Many are just acting the way 


                  they were taught to act.


                  We all share, are dependent on, and are 


                  interconnected and related through God, 


                  our Divine Creator



                  There are no biological differences between 


                  people. No race is superior or inferior to another. 


                  According to God, 


                  we're all the same.

                  One's pathological hatred of different ethnicities, 


                  nations, cultural backgrounds, colors, socio-


                  economic status, and so on may be a reaction to 


                  their worry that the characteristics they observe 


                  in others... are also present in them.

                  God's love transcends man-made barriers, 


                  worldly labels and designations, including 


                  those based on ethnicity, cultural background, 


                  tribe, creed, color, gender, age, disability, 


                  political views, educational background, or 


                  socio-economic experiences, realities, and/or 


                  inequalities.


                  God's Omnipotence is not limited to any one


                  nation or state. God is the Creator of everyone 


                  and everything. 


                  We are all interrelated, whether we realize it or not, 


                  sharing the human experience, breathing the same


                   air, and eating food grown from mother earth... 


                  and no matter how far away we reside, we are all 


                  physically sharing her.

                  God is all, above all, through all, and


                   within all. God is both beyond and 


                  within all of creation.

                  Everyone receives pure love, life,

                  breath, and spirit from God.

                  God's magnificent and perfect 


                  plan includes all of creation.


                  In this vast, rich, gorgeous, and diverse tapestry,


                  everyone's story is essential. Every person is like 


                  a thread, and each thread has an important 


                  contribution to make.


                  Every thread is directed by God's indescribably 


                  delicate touch.

                  Jesus was not intimidated, 


                  frightened, or deterred by 


                  diversity.


                  Jesus always included


                  people.

                  Jesus accepted people regardless 


                  of their ethnicity, tribe, creed, 


                  skin color, class, religion, language, 


                  age, culture, disabilities, political


                   preferences, educational 


                  background, or socioeconomic


                  inequalities, experiences, or realities.

                  Jesus did not let social status or cultural differences


                   dictate His interactions with others. It made no 


                  difference who people were, where they had been, 


                  or how long they had been there.



                  Tradition, cultural constraints, or the enraged,


                   indignant, self-righteous, fighting-mad, angry 


                  conduct of a few condescending scoffers on the


                   sidelines did not deter Jesus.



                  Jesus took advantage of every chance to minister


                   to souls who were calloused, despondent, and 


                  thirsting for the truth.



                  Jesus was chastised and criticized for His acts, but


                   what prophet has ever 


                  lived without being


                   criticized?

                  We were all created to have a relationship with


                   God, to coexist peacefully, and to care for the


                   rest of creation.

                  Many people who are driven by selfishness, 


                  have an insatiable thirst for prosperity, and 


                  pursuing the illusive pot of gold at the end 


                  of the rainbow... 


                  have been destroyed by 


                  greed, a thirst for power,


                   and the love of money.



                   The love of money, not money



                   itself, is the source of all evil. 



                  Greed frequently creates conflict, anxiety, 


                  nervousness, depression, and desperation. 


                  Moreover, it can result in dysfunctional


                   attitudes and behaviors like usury or


                   exploitation, misappropriation, corruption,


                   deception, and crimes against humanity. 



                  Many self-destruct because they are 


                  consumed by their desire for greater power


                   and wealth, leaving behind miserable wives 


                  and children as well as poor health because 


                  of the anxiety of never achieving their 


                  impossible ambitions.

                  The abominable practice of financially harming

                   the poor and righteous for profit - exploiting

                   the most financially disadvantaged in the name 

                  of financial gain - was and continues to be a 

                  breach of God's Commandment.

                  Hierarchy was not an expression 



                  of God's ideal or design for 



                  humanity.

                  According to Scripture: In God's creation, 


                  there is no hierarchy among humans. No nation,


                  bloodline, language, or ethnic group was ever 


                  intended to rule over or exploit others.


                  According to God's Word, 


                  we are all equal


                  and equally responsible for using 


                  what we have... to the glory of God.



                  All people are morally equal before the throne 

                  of God. Every human being is the object of 

                  God's love (John 3:15), have equal dignity, and 

                  are worthy of respect, regardless of their skin 

                  color, geographical location, or socio-economic

                   status.


                  A rich man is not any more 


                  important or deserving of 


                  respect than a poor man.

                   God created all of humanity, 


                  from one man. 

                  The Hebrew word for "humankind" is "Adam," 


                  which was how the first human was simply 


                  referred to when he was created. 


                  All individuals of all ethnicities are descended


                   from Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve represent


                  all individuals of all ethnic backgrounds.

                  All humans are the same, with just little 


                  variances that we can observe.


                  Race and racial categorizations serve 


                  an essential social function in that they


                  rationalize inequities in a society that claims 


                  to be founded on equality.

                  Fearing that black literacy would jeopardize


                   the slave system, which relied on slaves' 


                  dependency on slavers, whites in several 


                  colonies enacted laws prohibiting slaves 


                  from learning to read or write and made it 


                  illegal for anyone to teach them.



                  In order to justify and preserve slavery, 


                  Whites often denied or restricted Black 


                  people access to education. Learning to 


                  read therefore became a symbol of liberation 


                  for African Americans in former slave states.



                  Racial inequities in education are the result 


                  of ge of generations of bigotry, expulsion, 


                  and denied opportunities.



                  Slavery and oppression for centuries


                   resulted in a parallel school system in 


                  which African Americans were 


                  systematically denied access to proper 


                  education.

                  Every living person 

                  can trace their genetic

                   ancestry back to a single

                   set of ancestors, in 

                  Africa.

                  Let those who regard 

                  Black people

                  as property...

                  STOP the madness.

                  You have been misled by


                   your forefathers.


                  If the truth be told, genetically

                  speaking, we were all African... 

                  once upon a time.🧐

                  Before Africa was invaded and corrupted


                   intellectually, socially, and politically, they


                  coped with issues as Africans, uncorrupted 


                  by social standing, prestige, or consumerism.

                  A group of researchers from the United States 


                  discovered that 5,000 years ago, African 


                  societies "shunned social structures, 


                  talked actively (amongst themselves), and 


                  worked together." 



                  Early African societies did not form elites, 


                  nor did they "fight violently for scant 


                  resources, but may have worked together


                  to address challenges," according to the 


                  research.


                  This was a moment in African history 


                  when action is based on... 


                  "I am because you are" 


                  ensured that everyone was valued and 


                  appreciated for who they were, rather


                   than what they could achieve. 



                  It was a moment of humanity, humility, 


                  and unselfish collaboration in and for


                  the benefit of everyone in that community.

                  As a result, it is clear that Africans are 


                  innately relational and peaceful individuals 


                  capable of coexisting with those known 


                  and unknown to them.

                  We may draw on cultural differences and 


                  acquire much needed knowledge when we


                   know our genuine history and can focus on 


                  the good and vital contributions to society 


                  that Africans made historically and 


                  African Americans continue to make.


                  We all have roots that go back 300,000 years 


                  to the first human populations, in Africa.

                  is the origin 


                  of humanity.

                  Africa is referred to as the 

                  Cradle of Humanity since it 

                  is the birthplace of human 

                  existence, which comes in 

                  many diverse shades of 

                  beauty.
                  Africa is called the 

                  Cradle of Humankind

                   because human life 

                  originated there.

                  The oldest evidence dates back 


                  three million years or more.

                  According to Wikipedia, National Geographic, 


                  the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 


                  the South African Journal of Science, 


                  scientists, and paleontologists...

                   

                  the birthplace of humanity is Africa.

                  Scientists now agree that human life originated 

                  in Africa. The designation applies more specifically

                   to a region in South Africa where fossil remains of 

                  several human ancestors have been found. 

                  Africa is a very relevant and


                   indispensable continent. It is 


                  also the most centrally located


                   place on the planet.


                  Many experts and their 

                  research results assert that 

                  we all descended from Africa. 

                  Africa supplied the greatest 

                  regional contribution to the 

                  human gene pool. A single 

                  exodus from Africa inhabited 

                  the earth.
                  The earliest Homo sapiens 

                  fossils are found across Africa.

                  African history and current events help us 


                  comprehend world history and even 


                  modern American history. African studies 


                  assist us in better understanding ourselves. 


                  As we study Africa, we become 


                  better-informed  global citizens.

                  By blinding individuals to the truth, Satan gets 

                  to keep people dumbed down and lost in spiritual 

                  darkness.



                  🤔

                  About the age to come, we see a heavenly


                   picture: “a great multitude that no one 


                  could number, from every nation, from


                   all tribes and peoples and languages, 


                  standing before the throne and before 


                  the Lamb.” 


                  Revelation 7:9-10


                  Hierarchy 


                  was not God's Design.


                  A number of 18th-century political and 

                  intellectual figures publicly asserted that 

                  Africans were born inferior and were hence 

                  best suited for slavery. 

                  A few intellectuals revived an old notion


                   of all living things, the scala naturae (Latin: 


                  "scale of nature"), or Great Chain of Being, to 


                  demonstrate that nature or God had created 


                  humans unequal. This old hierarchical structure, 


                  which included all living beings, beginning with


                   the lowest organisms and progressing to people,


                   angels, and, finally, God, constituted a fitting 


                  portrayal of the reality of inequity that slave 


                  supporters had constructed.

                  Based on Wikipedia, racial hierarchy was evident


                   from the time of the United States' foundation


                   until after the Civil War, May 13, 1865, due to


                   the racially motivated slavery that had already


                   gained traction in the country prior to its 


                  independence. Although many abolitionists 


                  had fought to abolish slavery, there was 


                  significant opposition from those who 


                  benefited economically and others who 


                  thought it was "natural" for racial reasons;


                  these two factions were not exclusive. 



                  Pro-slavery writers created a "planter liberalism" 


                  by fusing paternalist and liberal viewpoints


                   into an ideology that could be understood and 


                  accepted by both slave-holding and 


                  non-slave-holding citizens in order to uphold


                   and defend slavery. Their philosophy was


                   built on established domestic ties. These

                   beliefs eventually cleared the way for white 


                  Southern planters to maintain racial circumstances


                   as near to slavery as was legally allowed 


                  throughout the Reconstruction era.

                  Institutionalized racial hierarchy was not


                   eliminated by the Thirteenth Amendment, 


                  which outlawed legal slavery in 1865. 



                  Black Codes, which were used to compel 


                  Blacks to work for low wages and to govern 


                  other aspects of their daily lives, were swiftly


                   introduced in the southern states, which up 


                  until the end of the Civil War had maintained 


                  slavery.

                  The establishment of a special 


                  or privileged race of humans 



                  was not God's doing.

                   


                  God gave man no authority 


                  to degrade or destroy


                   His world or mankind.



                  Even when God granted humanity


                  dominion over the animals, it was


                  to care for, tend to, and respect


                  the animals, particularly the


                  animals who worked our lands.



                  The authority to rule comes with the 


                  responsibility to rule wisely, fairly, 


                  and well.


                  God does not give man the authority


                  to plunder, commit violence against


                  others, or mistreat anyone or


                  anything.



                  God desired that mankind use this command


                  with humility, love, and fairness to exercise 


                  great care over and "to bring under cultivation."



                  Any misuse or mistreatment of God’s creation


                  is the result of sin, not the result of following


                   God’s original command.



                  It has always appeared as common sense that we 


                  should take care of this world... given God created


                  it for our benefit.



                  Life is given by God. The life of the Spirit in us is 


                  created, operated, and directed by God. God made 


                  us in His likeness and image. In God, there is only


                   light and life.



                  God is the Source of all of our existence, both 


                  physical and spiritual. It is crucial to recognize and 


                  respect every cherished, chosen, and sent life. 



                  Respect for humanity is a reflection of our character.


                  Stewardship is the appropriate consideration... the 


                  proper regard and constant respect for other people's


                  rights... at all times... in every season. 

                  W.E.B. Du Bois, a human rights leader and


                   intellectual, stated in 1935 that slavery still 


                  existed even after the Thirteenth Amendment. 


                  There were four million freedmen, the 


                  majority of them were still working on the 


                  same plantation as before their liberation, albeit 


                  their labor had been disrupted and altered by the


                   turmoil of war.


                  Unless in rare circumstances, 


                  they had basically been set free


                   without any land or money and 


                  without any sort of legal or 


                  protective status.

                  God did not include any of the


                  evil manmade components used 


                  to create the myths of race, 


                  superiority, and inferiority.



                  Since all people are equal in God's 


                  eyes, Creation does not support 


                  white supremacy. Everyone who 


                  believes in God should treat 


                  everyone with love and respect 


                  since everyone is equal in God's 


                  eyes.



                  We were all created with the same 


                  inalienable dignity as sons and


                   daughters of God. Each person 


                  is a beautiful reflection of our 


                  Creator, Whose existence we


                   must always acknowledge with


                  dignity and respect, regardless 


                  of the color of our skin, our 


                  ethnicity, or our culture.



                  God created and sustains the 


                  world... without the help of 


                  anyone or anything. 

                  Creation speaks to the eternal


                  power and divine nature of God.



                  The psalmist David wrote, 


                  “The heavens declare the glory of 


                  God, and the sky above proclaims


                  God’s handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).


                  After the Reconstruction era, as American


                   policy progressed, some segments of the white 


                  population fought to maintain their dominance 


                  over the ethnicities they considered inferior. 


                  Following the 1880s, laws were passed that 


                  prohibited some groups, such as Southern 


                  planters, from maintaining their dominance


                   while Black and White people gained more


                   legal equality. 



                  In the interest of preserving white supremacy, 


                  Southern Darwinian liberals planned on 


                  granting Black people limited civil and


                   political rights.


                  Scripture emphasizes the dignity

                   and equality of humans back to 

                  their genesis. The idea that one's 

                  own heritage or ethnicity is 

                  superior to another's is a rejection 

                  of the idea that everyone was 

                  made in God's image.
                  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, 

                  but in humility count others more significant 

                  than yourselves.

                   Let each of you look not only to his own 

                  interests, but also to the interests of others. 

                  Philippians 2:3-4

                  God's purpose for unity has always been


                   colorful and amazing: The "fourfold 


                  formula of tribe, language, people, and 


                  nation, [which] emphasizes the ethnic


                   diversity of the people of God who will 


                  worship around the throne" is seen in 


                  Revelation. "All the nations You have made 


                  will come and worship before You, Lord." 


                  Psalm 86:9

                  The curse on Ham in Genesis 9:25 did not 


                  foretell that the nations would split into 


                  groupings of higher or lower human forms.  


                  There is no such thing as evolutionary 


                  ascendancy, dominance, or supremacy

                  In God’s eyes, there is no worth 


                  associated with the color of 


                  one’s skin. 


                  1 Samuel 16:7 says that 


                  “the Lord does not see as man sees; 


                  man looks on the outward appearance,


                   but the Lord looks on the heart.”

                  The heart is the "I AM," which God Himself


                   lavishes on each person: life, breath, being,


                   and worth. Every individual on the planet has


                   the same "parents," the same God (whether


                   they worship Him or not), and our roots are 


                  equally soiled by sin, but also beautiful in 


                  equal measure. God made everyone of us... 


                  individually and tenderly. 

                  "Jesus ransomed people from 


                  every tribe, language, and 


                  nation."


                  5:9 Revelation

                  Jesus refused to let distinctions


                   in social standing or culture 


                  influence how He interacted 


                  with people.

                  How did Jesus approach 


                  the foreigners? 


                  Jesus made the ill well; freed those who 


                  were under the control of demons; exhorted 


                  people to share what God had done for them 


                  with others; complimented people for their 


                  strong faith; commended individuals as 


                  models of what God desires.



                  Jesus did not: conform to the prejudiced 


                  standards of His own Jewish culture; 


                  condemn, chastise or preach at them; 


                  forewarn of judgment or damnation;


                   discuss theology; argue; reference 


                  Scriptures; inquire if people desired 


                  to know the Gospel; or demand that they


                   alter anything. Jesus didn't try to persuade 


                  people to adopt any novel beliefs, practices, 


                  or affiliations. 


                  He just loved them, 


                  saw the good in them, 


                  and only addressed their specific inquiries.

                  The devil, who is our enemy, incessantly 


                  accuses us. Satan is known as the accuser 


                  of God's people, declares Revelations 12:10. 


                  So in all ages he accuses those who seek the


                   mercy and favor of God. He is "the accuser 


                  of our brethren."  He repeatedly telling us 


                  that we are inadequate. God is angry with us.


                   Nothing we attempt to do succeeds. Everyone 


                  despises us. We are worthless. We have no 


                  value. We will never be fruitful. 



                  Satan will use all of those accusations and 


                  criticisms to his advantage. He would love to


                  have us release our hand from God’s grip by


                   making us think we are not good enough for 


                  God’s help. 



                  The enemy wants us to be so preoccupied with 


                  the injury, criticism, and insults that have been


                   directed at us that we fail to recognize the 


                  blessings that God has in store for us. Because 


                  of this, it's crucial that we feast on the 


                  Scriptures and meditate on God's teachings.



                  Satan is a liar... the author of confusion. He is 

                  the deceiver. He tries to get into our minds

                   to accuse us and move us away from God.


                  Such ideas are not ones from God. Those 


                  thoughts are not from God. God’s thoughts


                   toward us are good (Jeremiah 29:11). Those


                   hateful thoughts are from the enemy of our 


                  soul who has come to kill, steal, and destroy 


                  everything about us (John 10:10).

                  People may pass us by. Even if others


                   dismiss us, the One who counts the 


                  most has already chosen and accepted us. 


                  Although the adversary may try to convince


                   us that we are unworthy, God declares 


                  that we are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).


                   We are "fearfully and wonderfully fashioned," 


                  proclaims God (Psalm 139:14).

                  When Jesus said, "Pick up your cross and follow Me," 


                  He meant that if we sincerely desire to follow Him, 


                  we must be willing to die. We will not be crushed 


                  despite centuries of suffering, hardship, tribulation, 


                  affliction, setbacks, persecution, and acrimony. 


                  Even if the world destroys us, we shall not perish.


                  Even when people are prepared to destroy, God 


                  has the power to change any situation for the good.


                  As a means of demonstrating our trust in God, 


                  let us be faithful in the smallest of things... being


                   truthful, diligent, and fearless with whatever 


                  we've been entrusted, whether it's a minor task, a 


                  potential risk, or a fleeting moment. If we are 


                  faithful, God will reward us with more 


                  possibilities and responsibilities.

                  Let's start thanking God, in advance, and 


                  thinking of ourselves as specifically 


                  selected by God, as being treasured, adored,


                   and having been made for a purpose. 



                  We don't have to worry about retaliating against 


                  everyone who has harmed us. God promises


                   that everything will turn out for the best. God 


                  will bless what the adversary tried to destroy.


                  Satan must not be allowed to make us feel


                  less than. Our value comes from our Creator,


                   not from other people or our accomplishments. 



                  So let's raise our shoulders... put our best face 


                  forward... and have faith. God will turn what was


                   intended for our harm and use it for the good. 


                  Genesis 50:20

                  God's plan and purpose, 


                  which is for the highest good, 


                  will ultimately yield the 


                  outcomes that were intended.

                  All humans are important and valuable to God.


                   May this reality constantly be lived through us.


                   Lead us in reconciliation if we've harmed


                   someone and racism is at the base of that


                  injustice. Lord, reveal to us our own biases


                   so that we may repent. Help us to act in ways


                   that result in genuine justice. Forgive us, 


                  Father God, for losing sight of the fact that 


                  You created every human being in Your 


                  likeness. 


                  Help us, with Your grace, to view hatred - 


                  whether it is initiated or returned - as a tool 


                  used by Satan to impede us from experiencing


                   and sharing the richness of Your love. Help


                   us to love as You love, spreading compassion 


                  and mercy like Jesus did. 


                  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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