A Question about Racism

[cricket]

Is it terribly wrong, or even wrong at all, to wish to raise one's child in an atmosphere which primarily reflects the culture and values associated with his/her own race?

Is this desire one that most would equate with racism? Why or why not?

[K]

If we do not expose our children to other cultures, how will our children have any desire to tell people who are so different than they are about Jesus.

I think we hinder our children if we don't teach love of all other races.

I was not raised in a diverse community; and when I moved out of my community, it was a very big culture shock. It has taken 15 years of learning to undo the erroneous things I was taught as a child.

K

[Nan]

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Is it terribly wrong, or even wrong at all, to wish to raise one's child in an atmosphere which primarily reflects the culture and values associated with his/her own race?

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I would rather phrase it the values associated with his /her own culture

My current family is multiracial - although I was brought up in the typical white small town of the 1950's. I firmly believe culture is much more important than race - commonality of values, perceptions, even humor.

(I have four children, one of whom is adopted from Pakistan of Goanese ancestry, another from Sri Lanka. One of my 2 grandsons is half Samoan. My husband is Indonesian by birth, Chinese by ethnicity - and I am much more on the same wavelength with him than I was with my former, white Aussie mate. I know one example is not proof...but it may explain my belief as stated above. )

[Gerr]

If by "culture" you mean your Bible-based subculture, then I have no problem. But if you mean the general culture that takes in abortion-on-demand, homosexuality, no absolute truth/everything is relative, etc. etc. then we have a BIG problem.

Would you like to raise your daughter in the Arabian culture where she could never drive a car? Or raise her in a culture where a female fetus would/could be aborted just because the culture prefers boys? Or raise your boy in culture where girls are treated as less than human?

My personal bias is for eclecticism, i.e. adopt the best from each culture. For instance, I prefer the Oriental respect for one's elders over the prevailing American attitude towards one's elders. But I'll take the American freedom of thought rather than the Oriental group-think. I prefer the Japanese custom of leaving outside footwear at the door rather than walking around the house with the same shoes one has used outside where heaven knows what you have walked on, from poop to spit to chewing gum or whatever. And I love to taste ALL the different quisine from all over the world!!!

Gerry

[Dr. Shane]

Many of you may know that I am in a multiracial marriage. My kids are what were called half-breeds when I was a kid.

I believe we, as a church, need to get past race and color. God is no repector of persons. Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight. The Adventist culture is distinctly different from any other culture on Earth. Our culture is not African, American or Hispanic. Our culture is Adventist. Ray Boltz song "I Pledge Alligence To The Lamb" carries a powerful message.

Of course the Adventist culture varies a little from one greographical area to the next. Such things as language, food, dress and music vary. I do not see any reason for trying to shelter our children from such differences.

[Bravus]

I think Nan has put her finger on it - culture is the key rather than race, although of course they're often linked (less so in this modern melting pot world). But say the culture Christine is worried about (I'm just using an example and could be way off base) is gangsta rap culture.

With its violence, misogyny and homophobia, she might well feel that's not a positive influence in their lives. And that culture is largely considered a 'black' phenomenon in the US. Is it racist for her to shelter her kids from that culture? To avoid letting them watch the movies and buy the albums and dress in the clothes? Probably not.

But it gets more complicated: is it racist for her not to want her kids to have black friends who are into that culture? I'm not sure. Certainly I think we'd agree that it'd be racist if she didn't want her kids to have any black friends at all.

Actually realising that it's about culture, not about race, makes it clearer what is acceptable and what is not, and also gets us past playing the 'race card' in all sorts of inappropriate situations.

So no, I don't think it's inappropriate to bring your kids up knowing their own culture - although, remember, the Gospel challenges some things in *every* culture, and yours shouldn't be immune. But bringing them up with a respect for all human beings, and an exposure to the best of as many cultures as possible, just prepares them better for life here and in the Kingdom. No ghettos there...

[cricket]

After reading your responses, I realize that I was raising a question about culture, not race. It causes me to question now, whether or not many people mis-label difference in opinions of culture as racism. And, therefore, many are accused of being racist when indeed, it is a cultural difference that is being addressed.

[Dr. Shane]

We need to protect our children from worldly cultures which is a good reason to monitor what TV, movies and music our children watch and listen to. The entertainment industry has spread the secular culture more than any other force.

Sending our children to Christian schools is another way we can help protect them from the secular culture. I know some have issues with Adventist schools and to them I would recommend finding another Christian school - even if it be Catholic. My wife and I are trying to figure out how we will afford Christian school if she continues studying nursing. However with most families, if the wife goes to work when the kids go to school, she can earn enough to pay for the schooling.

The other issue is protecting ourselves from the secular culture. Some of us think it won't affect us. To them I ask, can you walk on hot coals and not be burnt?

[Liz]

Quote:

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After reading your responses, I realize that I was raising a question about culture, not race. It causes me to question now, whether or not many people mis-label difference in opinions of culture as racism. And, therefore, many are accused of being racist when indeed, it is a cultural difference that is being addressed.

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I believe you are correct. Up until this year, we went to a predominately black church. We had more than one church meeting where both the black side and the white side talked about why each conducted the service the way they did and it all boiled down to culture not race.

Liz