View On Hated And Extremism Are Weakened When Contradicted

 

Christians Are To Call Out Hate, Regardless Of The Group

Well, the first anniversary of the events of Charrolttesville have come and gone. Few scuffles here and there, but nothing like the disaster that occurred a year ago. A year ago, hate prevailed in a form that hasn't been seen in this country for a while. Hate defined as those that believe that someone should be oppressed by the color of their skin. Hate defined by those that were out looking for blood, and willing to do anything to spread hate, even by using a car as a weapon, committing murder in the process.

Jesus calls on us to love our neighbors. He calls on us to embrace the attributes of love, kindness, and compassion. Many refused to embrace those attributes in Charrolttesville  that unfortunate day. Various individuals took Jesus's sacred beliefs, and distorted it into a rally call to promote hatred and racial superiority. They believe that Heaven only belongs to those who are Aryan. Not only were most of these people not called out, but many expressed objections to those that challenged them. People who are suppose to reject the banner of hatred expressed sympathy for those expressing their hate. They claimed persecution after they were trying to violently enforce their racial views on others. They were trying to sell the idea that they were the victims, and not the ones that were on the over end of the violence. The contradictions of their beliefs is sickening. What happen to Christianity to where one went from calling out hate to ignoring it, or with fringe believers on the outside, even expressing sympathy for those embracing hatred.

Christians are called out to recognize hatred when it displays its ugly head. This is where we need to recognize that because the act of hatred is the same regardless of the group, that extremism is the same, regardless of the group as well. The reason why I feel I can make this statement is that the pain inflicted by these groups are the same, regardless of the group and those on the receiving end of that pain. We need to express solidarity to persecuted Christians. We also need to express the same solidarity to other groups being persecuted as well, because the act of persecution is the same regardless of who's on the receiving end. The pain is the same as well. Jesus felt hatred, from those that were the teachers of the laws, to many of his fellow citizens, and to the Roman Soldiers that were shipping them.He recognized their hatred equally. He didn't try to rationalize it. He didn't give the Israelite extremist who embraced the kill Roman Soldiers a free pass. He recognized hate, regardless of the groups back in the day. He even threw out the traders in the temple courts because they distorted God's word to the point where them making money on God's sacred ground as acceptable. The temple priest said that it was OK. Jesus didn't, and he called them out for their contradiction. Therefore, I feel that all hate needs to be called out for its contradiction, regardless of the group inflicting the pain. However, many of times, in various articles and in various places, that doesn't take place.

And This Is Where The Contradictions Begin

It would be a cop-out if preachers nationwide call out Radical Islam for a act of terror one week, but then ignore White-Supremacist the next week. Hate would be contradicted if one ignored the pain they afflicted, and then take a neutral "things are more than divided then ever" approach without calling out those White-Supremacist responsible for inflicting the pain. The fact is that if preachers nationwide can take the time to call out Radical Islam for acts of terror, then they can do the same with White-Supremacist as well. It's their duty and responsibility to act the same when White-Supremacist act in a vile manner. Some could even go as far to say that this is DEMANDED from them!

Many would express support for criminalizing Antifa, but crickets would be heard chirping if one would suggest doing the same with Klansman and Neo-Nazis. This is despite the fact that the KKK and Neo-Nazis have been responsible for the vast majority of hate crimes in this country in the past 15 years. One could even go as far to call a person a liar if they claimed they knew about Antifa before Charrolttesville. A confused person would ask how is it that words spoken by Antifa and Radical Muslims is considered terrorism, but the hate speeches echoed by the Klan and Neo-Nazi's are labeled freedom of expression? Hate has to be called out equally, regardless of the group. One position applied on one group has to be applied on all. All views of extremism has to be treated the same as well. Hate groups cannot be cherry-picked. Doing this reduces them to sensationalist boogiemen. Again, did Jesus try to rationalize the different groups inflicting pain on him, or did he treat all hate as the same, regardless of the group? Within the Church setting, we need to treat all hate as the same. Many Conservative Christians have to stop giving a free pass to White-Supremacy for their crimes. One has to have to treat all the declarations made by all extremist as terrorism, or all of them of freedom of speech.

Hate Becomes Normalized

The reason why I place so much emphasis on the White-Supremacist is because they have been responsible for the vast majority of hate crimes in this country for the past 15 years. The fact is that when extremism is accepted as the norm, hate prevails. I personally believe that this has happened with White-Supremacy. I believe that many Christians have accepted the hatred of White-Supremacy as the norm. Many have become desensitized to their horrible antics. They might be against the views held by the Klan itself, but the Klan have been around so long that they blended into the background. As a result, one becomes use to seeing them their, even if they disagree with them. The existence of the Klan goes all the way back to the hate they inflicted on the recently emancipated slaves right after the Civil War. In retrospect, Radical Islam wasn't taken seriously until after the horrible events of 9/11, and nobody knew about the existence of Antifa until last years events inCharrolttesville.

I feel that many spiritual leaders have become so desensitized to White-Supremacy that when they commit crimes, it's just another typical day. In a horrible way, it's like embracing the saying "Boys will be boys" when one sees many carrying torches meant to evoke scenes of the Deep South during the days of Jim Crow. A signal used in the past to invoke the message that a black man was about to get lynched. Just extremist white men having fun; nothing to see here. Despite the fact that all extremist groups are the same, the actions of the White-Supremacist are justified and seen as normal.

People Have Become Desensitized To Localized Violence As Well

This still relates to the post, but I do have to diverge for a bit. Something is extremely bothering me. Something horrible happened last week. A man, Chris Watts of Colorado, murdered both his two daughters and then his pregnant wife. This was after he begged on TV for his family's return. The typical response to the murder was "how unfortunate", and then most people moved on with their lives. At least for those that heard it. It got extensive coverage the first day, but then after that, the story became old news. However, a firestorm resulted when a couple of days later, a Iowa college student, Mollie Tibbetts, was murdered. The person charged with her  murder was here legally or not. He was a immigrant. The attention dedicated to this incident got far more coverage than what happened in Colorado. People weren't demanding action with the events that happened their. The response has been that of unfortunate indifference, despite both crimes being extreme horrible. 

This is very sad and unfortunate. We become so desensitized from violent acts committed by our own citizens, because it's far more common, that when it does happen, it doesn't get that much news coverage, despite the act being horrible. One could make the case that this has become accepted now.  I could openly declare with confidence the only reason why this incident has gotten the attention it did is because this is one of the uncommon instances that the person who committed the crime is a immigrant . People's hatred against undocumented immigrants is so strong that they fail to see when their own commit similar crimes on a much more regular basis. If she was killed by a local resident, it would have gotten the fraction of the attention, despite the outcome and the action being the same. It's almost as if the victim is forgotten to spectacle. This is the other crime. 

Despite the action, the pain and the sorrow, along with the outcome; reactions would have been very different if the legal status of the criminal was different. The fact is that most of those highlighting the murder would have shown indifference and casually ignored the murder if the perpetrator was a citizen. Despite the fact that the crime is the same, regardless of whether that perpetrator was a citizen or not. This alone represents spiritual emptiness on the views of hate. How can someone claim that they embrace a stance on hatred when their views are one-sided. People will condemn hate when it's coming from other places, but not when it's coming from their own. Jesus made no distinction for those who commit horrible crimes. He didn't try to rationalize it either. In his eyes, hate is hate, regardless of those embracing it. Jesus recognized that hatred could easily come from both the Israelite's and the Romans. He realized that the citizens could equally do horrible things. His response would have been to pray and show spiritual support and outreach to those that have been affected. At the same time, not to forget about those crimes either. I feel that he would have discourage people to using these horrible crimes for their own agenda. Hate is to be challenged by the love of God, regardless of those expressing the hate.

Hate knows no boundaries.  It doesn't matter if the person was a illegal resident or not. It doesn't matter if that person is White, African-American, Hispanic, etc. Hate knows no political and/or religious affiliation either. Hate doesn't acknowledge nationality. The fact is that a horrible incident like this was going to happen regardless, because many are consumed by hate, regardless of their character. Whether the person was a immigrant is irrelevant. If it didn't happen to Tibbetts, it would have happened to someone else, and most likely a legal resident as well. The pain is real and the same, regardless of those who are both inflicting and receiving the pain. The pain inflicted by hate has to be challenged. God's love can provide solace to those that has gone through that pain and provide comfort to those going through that suffering. And it also provides the power and resources for us to challenged hatred and violence, regardless of where it comes from.

A Stand Has To Be Made

A stand against hatred have to be made, regardless of the group or those inflicting hate and violence. Hatred has to be condemned equally. When the Klansmen went to Charrolttesville, they didn't come to express themselves. They came to enforce their political doctrine on everybody else. They attempted it again in Portland. How did most reacting to this event respond. By ignoring the White-Supremacist inflicting the most pain and demonizing them. The vast majority of the blame was passed to the fringe groups their, while the White-Supremacist were ignored. The ones responsible for the vast majority of the violence during these rallies. Those embracing hate are not the victims, regardless of who they are. Many can see the contradiction a person has on their views of combating hatred when they call out various groups, but they won't hold White-Supremacy to the same standard. Many who are suppose to reject the banner of hatred expressed sympathy for those that were out to cause harm and embraced that banner.This is normalizing and condoning hated.Do you think that Jesus would have condoned the beliefs or the actions of those in Portland who expressed hatred.

White-Supremacist want to oppress people based on the color of their skin, but yet, it's everybody else challenging them that's the problem! By not challenging the White-Supremacist and not calling them out or holding them responsible, we become complacent and start ignoring the crimes that they commit. When we constantly focus on whether a murderer was here legally or not instead of recognizing that anyone is capable of hate, regardless of their background (which happens on a regular basis), we all become responsible for the hate that prevails. One could go as far to say that if we want easily find hate, then all that one has to do is to go find a mirror and look at the person in the reflection. We can find that hate-filled person their. We are quick to condemn others without recognizing our own faults and shortcomings.

Hatred isn't acceptable under any condition. It has to be called out on. It has to be recognized for what it is. And those that are suppose to embrace the attributes of love, kindness, and compassion need to call out hatred, regardless of the group. We need to stop giving White-Supremacy a free pass when we call out others for their actions. If Radical Islam commits a horrible crime, we need to call them out. If Antifa commits a hate crime, then we need to call them out. And if White-Supremacy commits many various hate crimes, then they need to be called out by name as well, and not give them that free pass. Again, if one can call out one, then they can call out the rest and not take a neutral position to hate just because some might hold preference to them. Hate is hate, regardless of the group. A concept Jesus recognized. He had a answer to hate. It's called love, kindness, and compassion. His love, kindness, and compassion can defeat any form of hatred.