The horrible tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia last Saturday has dominated the news this past week. Without warning, an angry white supremacist intentionally slammed his vehicle into a crowd of opposing demonstrators, killing one person and seriously injuring a score of others.
That heinous act of terrorism has rightfully resulted in a national outrage against white supremacist groups. It’s encouraging to see people of diverse backgrounds unite in condemning the neo-Nazis who arrogantly claim superiority because of race. Every thinking person knows that kind of mindless bigotry has no place in our society.
It certainly has no place under the banner of the Cross either. The gospel of Christ is a message of racial reconciliation and equality. “In Christ there is no Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28) Revelation 5:9 states there will be people from every tribe, every tongue and every nation in heaven.
The ground is level at the foot of the cross, and every follower of Christ should be deeply offended when someone carries a cross and yet wears a white hood and espouses animosity for another race. We were taught to sing from childhood that Jesus loves all the little children of the world. So should we.
Since the Charlottesville tragedy occurred during a rally that was held near the city’s statue of General Robert E. Lee, the national discussion quickly turned to what should be done about Confederate memorials. Some are now demanding that all statues of Confederate soldiers be removed since they are symbols of racism and they are reminders of a part of American history which is best forgotten. Some protestors have reacted in anger and impulsively destroyed these controversial statues without permission.
Below are five Biblical principles we would do well to consider:
1. Many monuments and statues can serve as healthy reminders of significant historical events and should be respected.
The Bible records numerous occasions when God ordained memorials to remind future generations of His providential care. The rainbow, the twelve stones piled on top of one another on the banks of the Jordan River, the Passover Feast, The Lord’s Supper are all memorials of significant events. They serve to remind us of God’s intervention to save, and to teach us important lessons from history.
Some of our most valuable lessons come from negative examples. First Corinthians chapter 10 reminds us of the Israelites’ rebellion in the wilderness which resulted in thousands of deaths. 1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “These things occurred to them as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”
There’s an old axiom that says those who don’t learn from history are destined to repeat it. In some ways Americans need to be reminded of the horror of slavery and the civil war so that we don’t make similar mistakes in the future.
2. Some human statues are erected undeservedly, and it may be appropriate to remove them.
A seven-foot statue of coach Joe Paterno stood outside the football stadium on the campus of Penn State University for over a decade. Later it was learned Paterno had turned a blind eye toward a child-abuse scandal that involved his staff. On July 22, 2012, the university announced it had removed the statue, citing that it had become a “source of division and an obstacle to healing.” Most would agree it was the right move.
When the righteous Josiah became King of Judah, one of his first moves was to knock down the altars and shrines which had been erected to false Gods. 2 Kings 23:12 reads, “He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected… he removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley.”
Obviously, not all memorials and shrines are deserved and some need to be removed.
3. The removal of a memorial should be done in a legal and orderly manner.
There have been times when I was horribly offended by vulgar depictions of Jesus Christ, yet I protested their displays within the boundaries of the law. We are a people governed by laws. It is illegal to deface or destroy public property. There are proper procedures to follow to remove statues. Those procedures usually take effort, patience, and communication – all positive virtues that discourage impetuous, ill-informed decisions.
The Bible commands God’s people to “…submit to governing authorities…for rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those, who do wrong.” (Romans 13:1 & 3) God ordained government from the beginning so that we can live in an orderly and safe society. When government officials permit an angry mob to destroy public property without repercussion, it can only lead to anarchy.
4. Just because the person depicted by the statue is flawed, that is not, in itself, the justification for the removal of a statue.
We can list dozens of American heroes who made significant contributions to the nation in spite of serious character defects. Think of the flawed Bible characters from Abraham to King David who are memorialized as heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11. The Bible says, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” If we remove all tributes to imperfect historical figures none would be left standing. Except one.
5. The crucial issue at stake today is not statues.
The crucial issue is there are evil forces attempting to intentionally divide this country and destroy it.
Jesus said Satan comes to, “kill, steal and destroy.” Some of Satan’s minions hate the values America has stood for over the years, and they are determined to do whatever they can to divide us by our racial, religious, economic or political differences. Right now they are gaining momentum.
Since “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” Godly Americans would be wise not to fall prey to the villains who would pit us against one another. I am an older, white, male, middle class, conservative Christian. But the millennial is not my enemy. The black man is not my enemy. Women are not my enemy. The rich man is not my enemy. The liberal politician is not my enemy.
We can be very different and still stand together as fellow citizens. In this potentially explosive environment, Americans would do well to stay calm and remain united so that this country will survive as “one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”
This past Saturday night, before an exhibition football game, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr placed his right hand on defensive end Khalil Mack’s left shoulder as a show of solidarity during the national anthem. Mack, who is black, chose to remain seated during the national anthem to demonstrate his concern with the racial inequities that still exist in this country.
Carr, who is white, explained why he stood and placed his hands on Khalil Mack’s shoulder, “What we wanted to do was show all the kids that look up to me, look up to him, that white kids, blue kids, brown kids, blue, green, doesn’t matter, can all be loving to each other,” Carr said. “And that’s what me and Khalil are — we’re best friends and we love one another.”
It seems to me we need more of that kind of gracious spirit today. To find some way to communicate to one another, “I know this world isn’t perfect, and you may be going through some tough times. And maybe we don’t feel the same way about everything or express it in the same way. But I refuse to regard you as my enemy. We can have differences and still be friends and love one another.”
“How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in perfect unity! …For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” (Psalm 133:1 & 3)
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