If racism had been truly overcome, the mere mention of the word wouldn’t aggravate people. For centuries in America, racism was the norm and to speak against it was to risk bodily harm. Now there is freedom to speak against racism. When people say that something is racism, perhaps we could try to understand why they feel that way, rather than being defensive.
The Bible sets an example of living in the light. It openly calls out and exposes the sins of Israel’s past. Ancient Israel and Judah could never accomplish the love, justice, and holiness that the prophets called for. That takes surrender to the risen Jesus.
When history is a smorgasbord, we choose the parts we like and ignore the parts we don’t, but that always distorts the past. Reading history that fosters appreciation is good, but the whole story requires that we also face the history that hurts.
When you cherry pick history and leave out the pits, you have a pollyanna perspective on the past.
If a nation can boast of its historic accomplishments (done before anybody living was born) it can repent of its historic abuses. If you find the whole truth to be insulting to your heroes, then your heroes stand on shaky ground.
History shows that the defense of abortion is much like the defense of slavery.
To defend your views is fine, but to insult someone for disagreeing with you is to attack their freedom of speech.
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