The Truth About Racism: Its Origins, Legacy, and How God Wants Us to Deal with It

By Dr. Philip G. Asante

Dr. Asante uncovers the truth about racism in this revealing and compelling book. He explains where racist ideology has come from, and the reasons why some people are racist, by exploring the contributions from both Christianity and the theory of Evolution. Learn how the Bible was deliberately misinterpreted and abused in order to justify slavery, segregation, colonialism, and apartheid. Better understand what legacy these institutions have left on people. Discover how Darwins theory of evolution led to the construction of the concept of different races and the resultant development of racial superiority and inferiority, based solely on skin coloration. This is a well-written and well-researched book that truly dissects the distressing and often uncomfortable subject of racism. It tugs at the heart strings of humanity and cries out for unity. Some will find the book controversial and uncomfortable, while others will find it liberating and supportive. It will challenge your very conscience and offer a revealing look into the development of racism.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490826080

Dr. Philip G. Asante

Dr. Philip Gyang Asante has a PhD in Biblical Studies, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy. Deeply passionate about ending racism, he believes that the Church, the body of Christ, has an obligation to speak up against what he calls “one of the most divisive issues on the planet.” Dr. Asante is the son of a black African father and a white English mother, and he was oblivious to the issues of race until he attended high school. Having experienced a great deal of racism himself, he can relate to the emotions and the injustice that this evil construct produces. Dr. Asante has been happily married for the past twenty-five years to a beautiful wife; he is also very blessed to have two wonderful grown up children.

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Copyright © 2014 Dr. Philip G. Asante.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-2607-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-2606-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-2608-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014902570

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/13/2014

Contents

Acknowledgments

Statement of Faith

Introduction

Chapter One: Introduction to the Problem

What Is Racism, and What Are Its Origins?

Impact of the Problem

Importance of the Study

Conclusion

Chapter Two: Misuse of the Bible to Justify Racism

Evolution and Charles Darwin

Understanding the Issues and Their Impact

The Different Church-Sanctioned Institutions of Racism

Slavery

Segregation and Civil Rights

Colonialism

Apartheid

Conclusion

Chapter Three: Racism in the Church

Southern Baptist Convention

Christian Identity Movement

Ku Klux Klan

Conclusion

Chapter Four: Biblical Viewpoint

What Is a Christian, and What Should the Church Stand For?

Should Racism Ever Exist in the Church?

What about Black Theology?

What Does the Bible Say on the Matter?

Conclusion

Chapter Five: What God Wants Us to Do

Bibliography

Appendix

I Have a Dream

Acknowledgments

I thank my father, Joseph Aning Asante, who encouraged and advised me from a young age to work hard and gain a good education. His guidance enabled me to overcome my enemies and achieve my potential.

I also thank my mum, Dee Asante, who has weathered the storms of life more than any mother should ever have to. You are both loved dearly.

I thank my late grandfather, Grandee Henry Clark. His witness opened my eyes and heart to the Lord.

I acknowledge and respect the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom I have admired and been inspired by since I was a child. He was a great man of God, whom the Lord used to change the world and improve the lives of many people.

I also admire and have been inspired by the evangelism of the Reverend Billy Graham, another great man of God.

Finally, I thank my darling wife, Carolyn, and my two beautiful children, Naomi Grace Afua and Samuel Kwesi, whom I love dearly. Many of the matters I uncovered in my research for this book caused me a great deal of upset and spiritual oppression, so I thank my family for supporting and encouraging me. May the Lord continue to bless each of you every day of your lives! Here is a special Scripture for the three of you: Psalm 16:11: You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

To the memory of my dear departed brothers, Christopher Atta Asante and David Kwame Asante. I miss you both every day. We shall overcome.

Statement of Faith

The author believes and has the conviction that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God and that all Scripture is given by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

All Bible references come from the New King James translation of the Bible.

Introduction

The purpose of this book is to examine and better understand the issue of racism and to consider the impact it has had and continues to have on the church (the body of Christ) and the many people around the world, especially those of African origin.

There are many forms of racism, including anti-Semitism (racism toward Jewish people), Islamophobia (racism toward Muslims), and xenophobia (racism against foreigners). This book, however, will focus mainly on one of the most prevalent forms of racism—that is, racism based purely on skin color, sometimes termed white racism. This type of racism is predominantly committed by white skinned people against people of African origin who have black skin. This form of racism is very prevalent and leads to all sorts of atrocities and prejudices based on attitudes toward the color of a person’s skin.

One of the challenges to understanding racism is that it is often difficult to reconcile how some people who display racist attitudes claim to be Christians and declare themselves to be followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Despite their claim, they sometimes actively demonstrate prejudice and discrimination toward other human beings simply because they have a different skin color.

Many people still experience racial prejudice on a daily basis and find it hard to accept and understand the immoral concept of racism. After all, one of the main Christian teachings is You shall love your neighbor as yourself, often referred to as the Golden Rule; it is a direct commandment from Jesus (Matthew 22:39). So how can those who refer to themselves as Christians exhibit racist attitudes or hold racist beliefs? Are they being untruthful, are they misguided, or are they holding onto unrepented sin?

Throughout modern history, many of the people who sanctioned, implemented, supported, and condoned various racist institutions, such as the South African apartheid regime, segregation in the Deep South of America, and the most horrific of them all, the transatlantic African slave trade, purported to be Christians. In fact, all these institutions where contrived, supported, and implemented one way or another by people who claimed to be church going Christians, who substantiated their doctrines using spurious biblical interpretations, so that they could dominate and subjugate black Africans.

While these systems of oppression have all thankfully now been abolished, there is, however, a lasting legacy from such wrongdoings that have now become institutionalized in society. Racism is still prevalent in society, and indeed, there are still a number of church based and Christian infused racist and cultish organizations in existence, for example, the Ku Klux Klan, the Christian Identity Movement, the Aryan Nation, and the British National Party. These are all still very active and strongly claim to be Christian organizations with Christian principles and Christian beliefs.

Therefore, something is wrong; there is a clear disconnect between the biblical teachings of Christ and the actions and beliefs of some people who claim to be His followers.

What are the reasons for this, and what are the implications? Here we are in the twenty-first century, and racism still exists. There are still regular reports of racially motivated crimes and prejudices. Separate black-led churches and white-led churches still exist, and the church as a whole is still not integrated for all nations of the world as depicted in the Bible (Matthew 28:19).

Indeed, it has been said that the most segregated time in the Christian week is at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings, a time when you would expect humankind to come together in worship of almighty God; nevertheless, there remain many black-led churches and numerous white-led churches, and there still appears to be segregation of the so-called races? Why is this?

This book intends to look at racism’s background based on skin color to understand its origins. What part has the church played in it and why? How much does racism owe to the theory of evolution? Can racism ever be justified by Christian involvement? Is racism supported by Scripture, as some claim, or is it simply sinful, evil, and divisive, a force that produces fear, wars, and hierarchical prejudice and ultimately results in the oppression of certain races, nations, or people groups, as races should more correctly be referred to? Is racism a stumbling block to finding faith in God? Does it make people question the existence of God? How does racism affect humanity and the church? What message does it send to the non-Christian, secular world? Does racism separate humanity? Does it split the church, which after all is supposed to be the body of Christ? Also, is the church doing enough to combat racism? Does racism ultimately offend God, and if so, what should the church be doing to curb its cancerous impact on humankind?

Searching the Scriptures and looking at what God says in the Bible about racism should help shed light on this matter. Also, looking at man’s interpretation of creation versus evolution and uncovering certain motives behind racism will help discern the truth and provide a deeper understanding, which in turn can help lead to the unity of humankind that God intended.

The author’s argument is that racism is a sinful, ungodly evil and has no place in the church or society. It goes against everything God stands for and what He has intended for His creation. The Bible tells us that all humans have been created in the image of God and are created equal (Genesis 1:27). Can racists therefore really claim to be Christian and to be true followers and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Many people reject the church as being hypocritical on the issue of racism, and this in turn keeps them from seeking God. But God is just and merciful, so surely racism is not part of His plan. However, it still lingers in the Christian church even today. Understanding the truth about racism is therefore very relevant to the church’s history and future.

This book will provide a better understanding of the origins and reasons behind such an ungodly institution and will explore the real underlying reasons for this prejudice and its purposes. It will provide a platform to discuss some options that are available for the church and what actions it should take to eradicate racism from its pews and the streets. It will help determine whether racism can ever be justified by humankind and will support how Christians and non-Christians alike can know and better understand what is right and wrong in the eyes of God and fully appreciate the impact this sinful construct called racism has on individuals and society.

Racism is ungodly and has no place in the church or society. The information the author has researched in writing this book is extensive and includes much that should become general knowledge for society and the church. It will hopefully open the eyes of many and may contribute to helping solve the problem of racism.

Chapter One

Introduction to the Problem

What Is Racism, and What Are Its Origins?

Racism has been discussed and defined in many ways over the years. According to the US Commission on Civil Rights, it can be defined as

any attitude, action or institutional structure which subordinates a person or group because of their color and … is not just a matter of attitudes [because] actions and institutional structures can also be a form of racism.¹

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines racism as

the belief that each race or ethnic group possesses specific characteristics, abilities, or qualities that distinguish it as inferior or superior to another such group [and/or] discrimination against or antagonism toward other races or ethnic groups based on such a belief.²

Others have defined racism from a secular perspective as a series of views, practices, and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of certain races share certain attributes that make their groups as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior, or superior to others.³

Because of racism, people often (deliberately or unconsciously) behave in a superior manner to fellow human beings, resulting in automatic negative discrimination and/or prejudice toward certain groups. Prejudice alone is different from racism in that prejudice is an opinion, feeling, or a prejudgment without the full facts or details about something. This makes racism differ slightly from prejudice in that racism involves having a level of power in society or institutions to carry out discrimination based on skin color; however, the terms are often interchangeable.⁴

The subject of racism is, of course, controversial and contentious in society and in the church. It generates a multitude of emotions in the victim of racism and the perpetrators of racism, whether overt or subtle. The perpetrator can experience fear, anger, aggression, bitterness, superiority, and power. The victim can experience fear, anger, aggression, and bitterness as well but also inferiority, unfairness, oppression, and subjugation. Racism has a detrimental effect on victim and perpetrator alike.

Renowned African-American theologian James Cone cites Martin Luther King, Jr., who prophetically said he was prepared to pay the ultimate price if it meant his white brothers and sisters could be freed from the sin of racism because racism is a destructive spirit that eats away at the soul of the racists and their victims.⁵

From a religious perspective, racism can be viewed almost as self-worship in that in its attitude and effect, it seeks to set one person above another. It exhibits an arrogance of spiritual pride and therefore calls for humility and repentance. Where there is sin, there needs to be hope, and hope comes through repentance and forgiveness.

A fundamental pretext behind racism is that the world we live in has a number of different races. This belief has been challenged by many eminent