Why Be Normal?
This is a very difficult subject to navigate. Lately, I have been reflecting if there is more class discrimination rather than ethnicity discrimination. Whether it be a class struggle or struggle with different ethnicities there is a real problem in our society. There is a problem inside our hearts with loving others. 1st John 2:11, “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness blinded his eyes.”
In this time of Covid, I have experienced both sides of Black Lives Matter. I have seen protests in Seattle, I have been attacked by Black Lives Matter activist just trying to pick up a load of food. I have seen store owners arm themselves to protect their stores and merchandise from the BLM protests. We have to ask was Covid really the corporate? Or was it simply the catalyst? The real problem is these issues are not being dealt with. It is simply a bomb waiting to go off that gets deadlier as time goes by.
In Fall of 2023 we had the privilege of meeting and hearing Dr. Simon Walker. He believes protests and cultural conflict will increase in America because of a two party system where the distance between the two parties is growing more and more. However most social oppression can be broken down to three levels.
- Interpersonal
- Institutional
- Internalized
The Problem Goes Deeper
A college study from New York Universtity found that Black Students who were asked to identify themselves by race when taking a standardized test consistently scored lower than other black students who were not asked to specify their race. Another study was done on women and their question presented to them were divided into three groups.
- Women
- Residents of Northeastern U.S.
- Students of Elite Private College
In this study, women who identified themselves as Students of Elite Private College consistently performed better on the tests. They even outperformed male students who have dominated the study in recent years. We can identify how we see ourselves greatly effects our confidence and performance.
What is Discrimination?
Discrimination means simply distinguishing between one thing and another. However this changes on a social level where it distinguishes through characteristics such as race, gender, religion, national origin, political, sexual orientation, and social class. Often the poor are blamed for their poverty and denied many basic services because they aren’t deserving.
What is Oppression?
Oppression is discrimination carried to its extreme. Oppressed people are not only discriminated against, but are also subject to physical and psychological brutality. This can lead to violent crime and genocide as we witnessed during World War II with the Holocaust. But we fail to see our wrongs or our part as many countries including the U.S. denied Jewish people entry into that nation. The boat turned around heading back to its point of origin which led that Jewish person into a train and eventually into a Nazi death camp.
Identity
Shame and guilt can destroy any person from being successful in this life. Shame says I am bad, guilt says I did something bad. Shame does not identify with specific gender, culture, or ethnicity. We see condemnation comes from Satan not God. Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Conclusion
We see the real problem with discrimination and oppression is the fruit of the flesh and not of the spirit. It will always be a problem as long as their is rebellion against God and immature Christians who are led by their own fleshly desires and not Christ. In my own life, it seems I deal with a great deal of oppression from people wanting to see me fail or quit. In Cape Town I found a few people who were willing to pray with me. Look and walk with people who pray for you. The conversations are uplifting not oppressing.
About the Author
Greg McMullen
Pastor Greg resides in Lake Stevens WA and pastors a small rural church in the Machias area . The Well Church has a large food ministry in which many different cultures come each week to gather food and counsel. The Church has a small school that is bearing good fruit. Pastor Greg has a large family of 10 children and enjoys fishing and hiking.7 responses to “Why Be Normal?”
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Greg, Thanks for your post! I haven’t read Lloyd’s book yet, but appreciate how you engaged with the material and pulled out challenging issues. I also always appreciate how you weave Scripture into your posts and especially like the way you closed this blog. That seems like wise advice.
It was so good to see you in Oxford!
Greg,
Thank you for sharing your notes from Simon Walker. This makes me want to go back and look at these notes.
I like your ending remarks on prayer. Prayer is a means to come against oppression. I will continue to pray!
Jenny,
Thank you. It was good to see you at Oxford and get time with you. You are an incredible person. Contentment is a great strength.
Kristy,
Thank you.
Great post, Greg. A lot of this really breaks my heart. I can feel your heart in your words and I just can’t figure out why anyone would want you to fail? That blows me away. I agree with you that a lot of issues are being swept under the rug and speeding up the “time bomb” you mentioned. I wonder what it is going to look like if they all go off at the same time?
Michael,
This is a difficult time with Israel and terrorist activity nationally and internationally. Most experts believe America will tear itself apart over these next few years. Godly leadership and character is so needed. The world needs Godly hero’s, It needs fathers.
Greg,
I enjoyed your words!
This year I have been really unsettled with identity communication as a whole. I’m wrong for my skin color, I’m wrong for being middle class. I’m wrong because of occupation (farmers are “killing” the world with chemicals). I’m wrong for my political beliefs, or even I’m wrong for being a woman.
I honestly and truly don’t understand why we have to have identifiers at all.
But then again – keyboard warriors with zero identifiers can be just as ruthless as someone standing right in front of you.
I often wonder what a reset would look like across the board…. but then again humans are messy. Until the second coming – even with a reset eventually we will end up right where we started again. History repeats itself.
I do not struggle with shame or guilt regarding any of these identifiers that make me who I am…
I struggle with people using their perception of these identifiers against me.