Liberty and justice for all. Once again, it’s time to speak up . . .

SADDLEBACK@HOME | May 29, 2020

“Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

Once again, another unarmed black American man has died needlessly, as earlier this week, a police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd in the streets of Minneapolis. Along with many Americans, I’m outraged that this kind of injustice is still happening to our brothers and sisters in the 21st century. It’s disgraceful how racism, bigotry, and hate are still deeply rooted in our culture. But do not forget, there is a greater force at work in the world, and it’s the LOVE of God, through his people.

Earlier today I recorded a message that I need you to watch. Please take a minute and watch now. 

Pastor Rick

Pastor Rick’s News and Views – Saturday May 9, 2020

Saturday Afternoon

May 9, 2020

Dear Saddleback Family,

I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! I pray for you all the time. I pray that God will give you the strength to adjust to all of the many changes COVID-19 has caused.

Thank you Lifeway and Dr. Rainer

The following Facebook post is reposted here with permission.

a personal reflection By Andy Kim

When Rickshaw Rally came out in 2003, I was a freshman in college and had done very little thinking about race, ethnicity and stereotypes as it related to my faith. I had done (what I thought) was a great job of assimilating into white culture in both school and church contexts.

When freshman Andy heard about the VBS curriculum and the subsequent outcry, my first reaction is why are those Asians being so angry and outspoken? In other words, I didn’t want people to rock the boat and let’s keep the peace at all costs.

Since then, I’ve grown in understanding of my own family, my culture and my journey as a Korean American. During the journey, I’ve discovered old wounds I didn’t know I had, products of stereotypes, years of racism I experienced as a child and subtle ways I accepted how the media portrayed Asians and Asian men in particular.

I’ve learned in small steps how to use my voice to speak out when I felt offended, and also how to use my voice to speak out on behalf others as well. I’ve learned that in a real community, in a real family, God doesn’t want us to sweep things under the rug, but to deal with tough issues, even if it means rocking the boat. I’ve even rocked the boat myself a few times. Heck, I’m in a job now where boat-rocking is essentially in the job description.

And though I’ve grown so much, there is so much about my culture and background that I’m still wrestling with. I feel an inner tension about my Asianness and my Koreanness that leads me to both love and judge other Asian Americans. To aspire to be accepted by them and to keep them at arms length. There are still days where I hate that I’m so indirect, conflict avoidant, passive and I fit the mold of “typical asian guy” (whatever that means). There are also days, where I’m SO grateful that God made me exactly how he did. And other days there’s just ambiguity.

I felt all these thoughts watching this short video clip. But into the swirls of confusion and unanswered questions, I also felt an inexplicable sense of calm. I think that’s what an unqualified, sincere apology can do. It can bring calm into the inner storms that we don’t realize were there. A calm that is really hope creeping into the dark crevices of cynicism. A calm that gives way to possibility and dreaming about what the Church could be in this country and in our world.

It was a short video, a seemingly insignificant act. But it mattered to me. Thanks, Thom S. Rainer.

‘Privilege’ Exercise – racial power differentials

Have students stand in a straight line (quite close together). Request that they hold hands with the person on either side of them for as long as possible and refrain from speaking during the exercise.

Privilege Exercise

If your ancestors were forced to come to the USA, not by choice, take one step back.

If your primary ethnic identity is American, take one step forward.

If you were ever called names because of your race, class, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If there were people of color who worked in your household as servants, gardeners, etc., take one step forward.

If your parents were professional, doctors, lawyers, etc., take one step forward.

If you were raised in an area where there was prostitution, drug activity, etc. take one step back.

If you ever tried to change you appearance, mannerisms, or behavior to avoid being judged or ridiculed, take one step back.

If you studied the culture of your ancestors in elementary school, take one step forward.

If you went to a school speaking a language other than English, take one step back.

If there were more than 50 books in your house when you grew up, take one step forward.

If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough money to buy food when you were growing up, take one step back.

If you were brought to art galleries or plays by your parents, take one step forward.

If one of your parents were unemployed or laid off, not by choice, take one step back.

If you attended a private school or summer camp, take one step forward.

If your family ever had to move because they could not afford the rent, take one step back.

If you were told that you were beautiful, smart, and capable by your parents, take one step forward.

If you were ever discouraged from academic or jobs because of race, class, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you were ever encouraged to attend a college by your parents, take one step forward.

If prior to age 18, you took a vacation out of the country, take one step forward.

If one of your parents did not complete high school, take one step back.

If your family owned your own house, take one step forward.

If you saw members of your race, ethnic group, gender, or sexual orientation were portrayed on television in degrading roles, take one step back.

If you were ever offered a good job because of your association with a friend or family member, take one step forward.

If you were ever denied employment because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you were ever paid less, treated less fairly because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you were ever accused of cheating or lying because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you ever inherited money or property, take a step forward.

If you had to rely primarily on public transportation, take one step back.

If you were ever stopped or questioned by the police because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you were ever afraid of violence because of your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you were generally able to avoid places that were dangerous, take one step forward.

If you ever felt uncomfortable about a joke related to your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you were ever a victim of violence related to your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If your parents did not grow up in the United States, take one step back.

If your parents told you that you could be anything you wanted to be, take one step forward.

Ask participants to remain where they are to look at their position in the room or space in relation to the positions of the other participants. Ask participants to pick someone from an opposite position with which to process the exercise.

Questions:

What are your thoughts and feelings about this exercise?

Were you surprised? Why?

If time permits or if relevant:

Would your placement have been different if the exercise included questions about disability or religion?

How could affirmative action impact these issues?

Take about 10 minutes for the pairs to process and then have them report back to the group as a whole.

via ‘Privilege’ Exercises

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack « Kasama

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack « Kasama

As far as I can tell, my African American coworkers, friends, and acquaintances with whom I come into daily or frequent contact in this particular time, place and line of work cannot count on most of these conditions.

1. I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area that I can afford and in which I would want to live.

3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.

5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

6. When I am told about our national heritage or about civilization, I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.

7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.

8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.

9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can deal with my hair.

10. Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.

11. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.

12. I can swear, or dress in second-hand clothes or not answer letters without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.

13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.

14. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.

15. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.

16. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color, who constitute the worlds’ majority, without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.

17. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.

18. I can be sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge” I will be facing a person of my race.

19. If a traffic cop pulls me over, or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.

20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.

21. I can go home from most meetings or organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in rather than isolated, out of place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared.

22. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having coworkers on the job suspect that I got it because of race.

23. I can choose public accommodations without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.

24. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help my race will not work against me.

25. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones.

26. I can chose blemish cover or bandages in flesh color that more or less matches my skin.