Cedric Moss
11-12-03, - 10:21 PM
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Racial Reconciliation – Part 2
by
Apostle Cedric Moss
Today I conclude my comments but not my concern about our country’s need for racial reconciliation. My intent today is to share some of my own thoughts about what steps can be taken in that direction. Although it should be obvious, please understand that I don’t have all the answers or ideas to address this most serious and complex issue.
A Correction
In last week’s column, I incorrectly stated the following: “…I unashamedly acknowledge that I had hatred for whites…” What I should have written is “ashamedly” because I am ashamed of having had hatred for whites. There is nothing about racial prejudice to be unashamed about and there is no such thing as justified racial prejudice. So please forgive me for any misunderstanding or dilution of my position against racism in all of its forms and shades that those two letters u and n –“un”- may have caused.
Beyond Indifference
Where should we start on our journey towards racial reconciliation? In the normal sequence of the change process, admitting to the problem is the first step. But we are beyond that. Why? Simply because I believe the vast majority of Bahamians would admit that our nation has a racial problem. So our starting point is to decide to stop being indifferent about our racial problem and genuinely begin to deal with it. Yes, we need to move beyond indifference to our racial problem that we so readily acknowledge.
Indifference to our racial problem is clearly evident when we as a people remain virtually quiet when individuals openly proclaim without challenge that a person should not be allowed to serve as prime minister because of his skin colour.
Sadly, many spiritual leaders are among the indifferent and see nothing wrong with such blatant racial discrimination. But if our nation will move towards racial reconciliation, we first need to move beyond indifference and spiritual leaders should lead the way.
Repentance and Forgiveness
After more than 35 years of majority rule, white Bahamians generally are still under the guilt of the years of racial discrimination and oppression (by direct involvement or by links to their forefathers) that has not been publicly repented of and black Bahamians generally (those directly affected or by links to their forefathers) have still not publicly forgiven the acts of whites.
By now, it should be obvious to all that the passage of time will not deal with this issue of racism. Although the aftermath of the 1967 elections would have been a great opportunity to intentionally pursue racial reconciliation between blacks and whites, it’s still not too late.
Towards Reconciliation
Fortunately, some of those who lived during the dark years of racial discrimination (blacks and whites) are still with us and their participation in a reconciliation process would help to make it authentic. We desperately need this process where the perpetrators of years of discrimination and oppression, the victims, and the sons and daughters of both come together and genuinely repent and forgive one another.
One result of genuine reconciliation is that we will truly become One Bahamas, and it will be for more than a day. We will experience for the first time the power of unity to build a better nation. Can this happen? I believe it can and will. And I further believe that God in his mercy will not allow us to achieve our highest potential as a divided nation. To do so would be a violation of his own word (see Matthew 12:25).
Sharing the dream
In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King expressed an ideal that the Bahamas needs to embrace as we seek to address our racial problem. Lamenting the racial prejudice of his day, Dr. King said: “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I believe that Dr. King’s words transcended the American racial problem and they still speak to all nations. My prayer is that we in the Bahamas will both hear and heed his words and share the dream to see character outweigh colour. And may it be in our generation.
Click here for Part One (http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?t=522).
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org (apostle@kingdom-life.org).
Racial Reconciliation – Part 2
by
Apostle Cedric Moss
Today I conclude my comments but not my concern about our country’s need for racial reconciliation. My intent today is to share some of my own thoughts about what steps can be taken in that direction. Although it should be obvious, please understand that I don’t have all the answers or ideas to address this most serious and complex issue.
A Correction
In last week’s column, I incorrectly stated the following: “…I unashamedly acknowledge that I had hatred for whites…” What I should have written is “ashamedly” because I am ashamed of having had hatred for whites. There is nothing about racial prejudice to be unashamed about and there is no such thing as justified racial prejudice. So please forgive me for any misunderstanding or dilution of my position against racism in all of its forms and shades that those two letters u and n –“un”- may have caused.
Beyond Indifference
Where should we start on our journey towards racial reconciliation? In the normal sequence of the change process, admitting to the problem is the first step. But we are beyond that. Why? Simply because I believe the vast majority of Bahamians would admit that our nation has a racial problem. So our starting point is to decide to stop being indifferent about our racial problem and genuinely begin to deal with it. Yes, we need to move beyond indifference to our racial problem that we so readily acknowledge.
Indifference to our racial problem is clearly evident when we as a people remain virtually quiet when individuals openly proclaim without challenge that a person should not be allowed to serve as prime minister because of his skin colour.
Sadly, many spiritual leaders are among the indifferent and see nothing wrong with such blatant racial discrimination. But if our nation will move towards racial reconciliation, we first need to move beyond indifference and spiritual leaders should lead the way.
Repentance and Forgiveness
After more than 35 years of majority rule, white Bahamians generally are still under the guilt of the years of racial discrimination and oppression (by direct involvement or by links to their forefathers) that has not been publicly repented of and black Bahamians generally (those directly affected or by links to their forefathers) have still not publicly forgiven the acts of whites.
By now, it should be obvious to all that the passage of time will not deal with this issue of racism. Although the aftermath of the 1967 elections would have been a great opportunity to intentionally pursue racial reconciliation between blacks and whites, it’s still not too late.
Towards Reconciliation
Fortunately, some of those who lived during the dark years of racial discrimination (blacks and whites) are still with us and their participation in a reconciliation process would help to make it authentic. We desperately need this process where the perpetrators of years of discrimination and oppression, the victims, and the sons and daughters of both come together and genuinely repent and forgive one another.
One result of genuine reconciliation is that we will truly become One Bahamas, and it will be for more than a day. We will experience for the first time the power of unity to build a better nation. Can this happen? I believe it can and will. And I further believe that God in his mercy will not allow us to achieve our highest potential as a divided nation. To do so would be a violation of his own word (see Matthew 12:25).
Sharing the dream
In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King expressed an ideal that the Bahamas needs to embrace as we seek to address our racial problem. Lamenting the racial prejudice of his day, Dr. King said: “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I believe that Dr. King’s words transcended the American racial problem and they still speak to all nations. My prayer is that we in the Bahamas will both hear and heed his words and share the dream to see character outweigh colour. And may it be in our generation.
Click here for Part One (http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?t=522).
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org (apostle@kingdom-life.org).