The “father of lies” doesn’t have the last word if we pursue historical truths and current facts buttressed by our Lord’s overriding principle and commandment.  Spiritual realities supported by historical realities clearly inform us as to the lies being promoted to divide us.  God’s divine revelation is the answer to unite us in truth and love.

When it comes to race relations for Christians—especially relationships between Blacks and Whites— the frequent advice given by both Black and White Christian leaders is for Whites to listen.  No such advice is given to Black Christians or other races.  This is an enigma in the sense that healthy relationships always depend on mutual respect, which includes both parties encouraged to listen.  It is also presumptuous that White Christians are the only ones who need to learn anything or only listen when it comes to race relations.  True, some need to listen, but all Christians need to listen to one another.  What is the basis for this presumption?  It relates to various theories and assumptions named “White Guilt,” “White Fragility,” “White Privilege,” and “Oppressed/Oppressor.”

This issue may go much deeper than what appears on the surface and, in fact, could be called “Satan’s great coup de grâce.” What is a “coup de grace?”   It’s a French term meaning a “decisive, finishing blow.”  In the case of Black and White race relations, this is Satan’s “finishing blow,” at least here in the United States.  Wide acceptance and embrace of these accusations against Whites, including White Christians, is one of the great deceiver’s slyest and cleverest ploys.  But is it a “finishing blow?”

People relationships, including racial groups, relate to spiritual realities for Christians.  If relationships are troubled, one can be assured a spiritual problem exists and may involve sin.  And these represent fertile ground for the “father of lies” described in God’s divine revelation to wreak havoc, enmity, and hostility between believers of different races.  The spiritual reality is that the problems between these two races are based on lies or—even more dangerously—half truths.  Historical realities deserve awareness to counter these lies.  Following are some of those historical realities.

White people are not solely responsible for slavery.  Before any White person came to this continent, slavery existed. Native Americans had slaves.  Before any Black person was sold to a White slave trader to be shipped to the Americas, slavery existed in Africa and the Middle East. Black Africans were slaves in both places. Black Africans and chieftains captured and sold millions into slavery.  African chieftains even sent emissaries to European capitals begging them not to abolish the slave trade. In America, thousands of Blacks owned black slaves in the South.  Census records reveal over 3,000 Black slave owners were in New Orleans alone.  Black slave owners were also elsewhere in Louisiana.  Over 20,000 Black slaves were reportedly owned by Black slave owners in the Carolinas.  Five Native American tribes owned Black slaves, three of which did not emancipate them after the Civil War ended.  Only years later in signing a treaty with the U.S., were they forced to free them as a condition of the treaty.

These historical realities represent the spiritual reality of the universality of the sin of slavery.  In other words, Blacks and Native Americans were as much oppressors as any Whites.  Yet only Whites are expected to bear guilt.

As to “White Guilt,” no race is totally guilty for what some in its race did that was evil.  Otherwise, all races are guilty, and we would hear of Black Guilt, Yellow Guilt, White Guilt, and Red Guilt.  Let’s not forget that on every continent the great wars and battles took place mostly with people of the same race.  That is true for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.  The “oppressed” and “oppressors” were generally people of the same race, but perhaps different ethnicity or tribe.

“White Fragility” is described as follows:  “White fragility refers to feelings of discomfort a white person experiences when they witness discussions around racial inequality and injustice.  For example, people of color may find it difficult to speak to white people about white privilege and superiority. The white person may become defensive, and the person of color may feel obligated to comfort the white person because we live in a white-dominated environment.”  Who wouldn’t be uncomfortable if their whole race is accused of a particular wrong, which only some of whom were guilty?  Whites experience inequality and injustices too.  Inequalities relate to class, ethnicity, wealth, or creed.  Furthermore, many Whites experience less privilege than some Blacks based on class and wealth.  Most Whites do not consider themselves superior to others.  One could say there is also a “Black Fragility” when Blacks are spoken to with assumptions related to Black crime and violence or Black welfare dependence as representative of their whole race.  These don’t represent “fragility.”  They are offensive because they are inaccurate and false perceptions regardless of race involved.

The term “White Privilege” is invidious to say the least.  How privileged is a poor White person in Appalachia compared to a multi-billionaire like Oprah Winfrey or a Black professional athlete earning millions a year?  Outcomes related to privilege are unequal in all races.  This term has one aim—to project guilt whether deserved or undeserved.  African American, Professor of Economics, George Mason University, Dr. Walter Williams, addressing “White Privilege” representing  “White Guilt” said:  “That’s why, for almost three decades, there has appeared on my website a certificate of amnesty and pardon that I’ve granted to Americans of European ancestry in the hope that they stop feeling guilty and stop acting like fools.”

And lastly, “Oppressed/Oppressor”: The aforementioned historical facts should eradicate any racial assumption to Blacks being solely “oppressed” and Whites the “oppressors.”  History not only refutes this claim, but current events refute it as well. Both races and, indeed, all races include both the “Oppressed/Oppressor.”  Today, we see it happening around the world on every continent.  In the U.S., Black on Black crime statistics prove it; White on White crime proves it; and the same with other races.

This brings us back to “Satan’s great coup de grâce” and the question, “But is it a ‘finishing blow?’”    It may be for a godless culture and society, but it doesn’t have to be for God’s kingdom, Christ’s Bride—the Church, or for Christians —Black and White, or any other race.  Before considering why, it is important to stress that these facts do not deny inter-racial racism or inter-racial oppression.  It only reveals what the Word of God reveals, that is, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Why doesn’t this have to be a “finishing blow?”  It doesn’t have to be and must not be because we are called to be “people of the Book,” Christ’s disciples, God’s children.  As such, our perceptions and convictions are formed by God’s perception and divine revelation and not those of the pagan earthly kingdoms through which we pass.   God’s perception clearly communicates that all sin is common to all men universally, and the human race is universally fallen and depraved.  Just think, the first murder was within a family, brother against brother.  Violence or oppression is more intra-racially than inter-racially even as the latter remains true today.  We are all guilty.  We are all fragile, broken people.  Some of us in all races are more privileged than others—even over those of diverse races—but not all by race.  Racism is universal—not solely one race’s sin.

The most important element in ensuring this is not “Satan’s great coup de grâce” or “finishing blow” is clear and simple—one that Christians of all races must pursue.  That element is Jesus Christ’s commandment:  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)   And He repeated:  “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 15: 12)  Repetition represents priority.

The “father of lies” doesn’t have the last word if we pursue historical truths and current facts buttressed by our Lord’s overriding principle and commandment.  Spiritual realities supported by historical realities clearly inform us as to the lies being promoted to divide us.  God’s divine revelation is the answer to unite us in truth and love.

Helen Louise Herndon is a member of Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis, Missouri. She is freelance writer and served as a missionary to the Arab/Muslim world in France and North Africa.