Thinking of the Current Discord and Political Chaos

Richard Hollerman

In America, we have all been exposed to a debacle of immense proportions! What formerly was called “the land of the free” has become a thing of the past. The Statue of Liberty used to be a beacon of hope for multitudes of people, but no more. Actually, it was never a place of total equality. It is true that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights emphasize equality, but it never was, in reality. The “flesh” was too much involved (cf. Romans 8:6-13). And this did not come from one segment of the population—but from all portions.

Think of it—and think deeply. This will take a short “history lesson.”  The British, Scottish, and Spanish from Europe came. But they had to move the native Indians out first. Before that, even American Indians invaded North, Central, and South America to have land in which to live. But this resulted in dozens of tribes that waged war with one another before that! Later, after the Europeans moved the native Indians from American land, they settled and took possession. Soon the Europeans (British, Spanish, French, Scottish, Dutch, Germans, and Italians) moved in and brought the “blacks” (or, as they now prefer to be called, the “African Americans” population)—as slaves. These perpetrators of kidnapping (1Timothy 1:10) continued from the 1500s to the  1800s. Where did these slaves come from? Yes, we know—they came from Africa for the most part. But how did they become slaves? From what I understand, the Muslim “slave traders” were responsible!

In the “New World,” many of the slaves were brought to South America and even Central America and the Caribbean Islands (e.g., Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and others). But some (perhaps a minority) came to North America (including the United States, Mexico, and Canada—as they are now called). In other words, the civil unrest, involving North American “blacks” (or African Americans) would not have happened were it not for the European immigrants!

And how do we explain all of this? This came from fleshly decisions and fleshly involvements involving numerous sins. Think of the greed, the lack of love, the heartlessness, the hypocrisy! In other words, we can’t just place the blame at the feet of Muslims who were motivated by greed in capturing and enslaving, but we must also see the extensive guilt of Europeans who brought the slaves across the Atlantic to the Caribbean islands, Central America, South America, and—we must confess—to North America too. None of us can claim innocence if we live in North America. It is true that much guilt lies at the feet of those from North America but from many other locations as well. And maybe more from elsewhere.

Quite frankly, we must all share in the blame for sins of the past. It is true that sin arose 200 or 300 years ago and we didn’t commit it. (Let’s take this from our conscience.) But we need to admit the guilt of our forbears. Everyone must admit to some guilt. Even those coming to the “golden shores” later—we  all share in the responsibility for this selfishness and sin. Some of my ancestors arrived in either the 1600s or 1700s and later (in the 1840s). Some of you from Ireland and Italy arrived later. And others came even later yet—such as people from Europe, Asia, Africa and elsewhere.

Whites (Caucasians) today in some measure may blame their ancestors of 200-300 years ago and say that the problem with contemporary African-Americans would not exist were it not for the greed and heartlessness of their forebears of the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s. Thus, the evils in America today in the 20th and 21st centuries can be traced back to our ancestors in the past!

But all of this is in the past. How can we look at all of this now, in the twenty-first century? We must admit the evil greed of the Muslims and their slave trade. But we must also admit the greed of those who bought and sold slaves and continued to profit from this sin in Africa. We must admit the sin of pagan owners who did not obey the “law of love” regarding their slaves. Then we must also see the guilt of those to whom the slaves were sold in the New World. So much wickedness, heartlessness, and selfishness was part of this.

We think also of the religion involved in all of this. It is true that the result of some of this was good (if we may use this term!). Why? Because Africans (as bad as it was) were snatched from paganism, idolatry, and immorality, and especially from Islam. Thus, they escaped some sin but, regretfully, they were introduced to further false teaching in America! We think of the sadness of this sin that involved North American slavery! Can we think of the wickedness of selling and owning another human being whom we make into a slave?

Some of these slaves couldn’t raise a normal—for  families were divided or often the slaves were not permitted to even marry. They were also led into gross immorality in many cases! Perhaps one result of all of this sin was that many American blacks (African Americans) became involved in great immorality themselves. Today, some two-thirds to three-fourths of black babies are born without a father who is present! (Thankfully, some of these came to have a moral standard that could be envied by white voters) Incidentally, we wonder whether we should be referring to “Caucasians” and “Negroid”! Perhaps there was gross sexual immorality in Africa also then we can say that this was transported to America!

What can we do now? Let’s admit that we were not living 200 or 300 years ago. And the Emancipation Proclamation occurred in 1863. Abraham Lincoln, as you know, was responsible for this liberation. This was good and needed. We are not guilty of ancestral sins. But we can admit the sins that we are guilty of now. No, we are not guilty of the sins originated from Spain, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, Italy, or Germany of the past. And blacks are not directly guilty of the slave-trading of the past or African idolatry either. But what are we guilty of today?

Do we love one another? By love, I mean seeking the good of other people. Are we generous and seek to help and bless others? Do we actively seek to do to others what we would want them to do to us (Luke 6:31)? Do we seek to educate our children responsibly—by removing our sons and daughters from evil evolutionary, worldly, immoral, pluralistic, humanistic influences in public state schools? Do we dress ourselves and our offspring responsibly and modesty instead of provocatively? Do we seek to follow the Scriptures ourselves and renounce all false teachings and false religions in our past, whether this is 300 years ago or presently?

There is much we can do today. We may not be able to renounce the sins of our great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents, but we can live our lives today with love, kindness, patience, and generosity. We can renounce the evils of political sins of today (and there are currently many of these) and seek to be law-abiding citizens in the future. Just today we noticed the news that many ultra-leftist marchers have been rioting and stealing and setting fires in Seattle, Portland, and elsewhere. We must remember the wicked marching and stealing in such places as Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, Minnesota, and elsewhere. Surely, we who are followers of Jesus the Lord will not participate or condone such rioting, “looting” (stealing) or disobedience!  What are we doing now to correct what we can and not at all endorse the sins of the past?

Let’s remember the words of Scripture—that “God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Every evil act regarding capturing and transporting slaves will be brought to judgment (cf. 1 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 18:13). We aren’t forced to agree with the sins of the Democrats or Republicans, the black or the white or the brown or others. We can begin today to please the Lord with what we do—and how we think!

Especially, in the body of Christ—the family of God—we can break down barriers and produce a practical togetherness. The Bible presents it this way—and in the body of Christ, we can experience this: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). We also read: “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Today, we may not identify with “Jews or Greeks” but we can recognize the things that divide us: blacks and whites, Americans and Africans, and the like. Will you join me in this holy quest and allow love to break down the human barriers?