Monday, August 24, 2020

What I as A Black Woman Would Love to Hear

When the impact of systemic racism reared its ugly head, I was taken aback by some of the responses I heard from my Christian brothers and sisters. It seemed most were shocked by what was common knowledge for me - the effects of racism, and now were feeling awkward as they struggled with their new reality.

Initially, I shared some of my thoughts around racism in various posts via the comments section and other articles. But this article allowed me to bring all my ideas together around the intersection of racism and Christianity.


As a Christian, I have always felt that regardless of the color of my skin, the church would be a safe place. I imagined there would be no discrimination, no hierarchy based on race, no infiltration of laws that diminished Black people. Perhaps this was all in my imagination, because though I know this is possible, what I have lived for most of my life is a weird reckoning of how Christianity and the church try to deal with racism. There's usually some awkwardness in the body of Christ, as evidenced by the multitude of ethnic congregations. I've worshipped in spaces that are primarily white, Black, Chinese, or West Indian. I've also been made aware of many others—Filipino and South Korean, to name a few. This is a singular experience where I've always noticed the ethnicity of the congregants. To think that we have ethnically divided churches is unfathomable, considering that we are one body united in Christ.

Read the rest over at ibelieve, and feel free to leave a comment here.


--Nylse

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14 comments:

  1. Oh my! Just read it and LOVE what you shared, Nylse. This is powerful information that I and my white sisters need to hear. I was in a conversation just tonight about some of these very things, so I will now send your post to my friends so they can better understand. Thank you for taking the time to write these things out for us. I can imagine it's very draining to have to explain things that we all should know by now, but we are slow learners. Your grace is large. Thank you for your patience!

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  2. We ARE slow learners and I will listen anytime. Xx

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  3. Thank you, sincerely, for putting these 10 points in such simple parlance, for sharing information, but also sharing your heart.
    Nylse, I feel as if you have gone the extra mile here, and I deeply appreciate your words.

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  4. Nylse, thank you for the "ten." I grew up in the Brethren Assembly church in New Jersey - visiting brothers and sisters were a constant. From every tongue and tribe and nation! I have never thought anything of color - ever. Until as an 8-year old girl we traveled by car to Florida. Along the way we stopped at a cafe and the signs on the restroom doors made no sense to my sister and I, until our Mom explained. Never in my life, which was short at 8 yrs, had I ever experienced such racial distinction. I remember how sad it made us all feel.

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  5. Thank you for taking the time to keep educating. Obviously your experience is not the same as mine and it helps me so much to understand just this little piece.

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  6. Thank you for sharing your heart with humility and love.

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  7. I so appreciate this post! I've been trying to listen more, to do some soul-searching and to ask God to reveal things in me He wants to change, or gentle, or broaden. Your post has shared wise, relevant insight. Thank you so much.

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  8. Nylse,
    With so much information floating around out there, as a white person I don't know what to take to heart and what to let go by. I think the biggest fear I have is accidentally saying something that will not be the right thing to say. Thanks for spelling it out in an easy to understand and embrace format. Thank you for helping me to see your persepctive.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

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  9. Nylse, I loved your article so much, I nodded all the way through. As a black woman it really resonated with me. You were able to articulate some of the things I'd struggle to put into words. ❤

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  10. I'm so glad I stopped by. As a christian I agree that we so often gravitate to what makes us feel comfortable, something I've been guilty of. But I know, Christ calls us out of our comfort zone, not to make us uncomfortable, but to set us free, free from prejudice and to unite us as believers in Him.

    Thank-you for writing this and giving us much to ponder and pray about. God bless.

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  11. Loved your article! My church while predominantly white is very diverse and has made it a point throughout the year to be very inclusive and I'm so happy for that. And your points are spot on. I do know people mean well when they say they are colorblind - but that just means you've decided not to acknowledge that I may experience injustices because of the color of my skin. And you really don't see me.

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  12. Nylse, THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your heart so freely with this post. We have so much to learn; thank you for your kindness in teaching and leading. Lord, help us to learn better and then to do better!

    Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I'm featuring you this week!

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  13. As I read this article, I exhaled. Somebody said it. Thank you, Nylse. I would not add or delete anything from your list. Spot on my sister. Blessings.

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  14. Thank you Nylse for sharing this most needed post and the beautiful reminder that we are God's children and we are one in Christ. I pray your words change many heart and perspectives to see every one and love every one the way God loves us! Blessings to you!

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