Anti-racism activity in your local churches?

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Carolla said:
Thanks for asking Inanna. I agree with most of what Bernadette has written. I met her last fall at the Parish Collective ReImagine conference in Hamilton - she's a passionate activist and I listened deeply to her views, and learned. There was quite a bit of discussion about racism & anti-racism at the conference. There was some stuff which occurred there that jabbed at the hearts of the racialized people present and simultaneously went right over the heads of many of the white folks there - we are often oblivious - our white privilege.

The only point on which I would challenge her writing is in her use of "the Canadian Church" - meaning I think 'the white settler, colonizer church' - I understand her point, but I don't think churches in Canada now are a single homogenous unit, nor are they all in the same place on this issue of racism. I wish we would connect with greater intention to explore & improve understanding of issues of racism - alas, silos often still prevail. Even amongst our predominantly white United Church there is lots of denial & even dispute about the issue - what the "good" church folk espouse and claim pride in is often not held up in behaviours, at least in my experience. It's Scanlon's 'good person/bad person' binary position that prevents many from this exploration, IMO.
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It is said we are all autonomously and wonderfully made and mixed in a stew so we could learn from the various parts ... or not!
 
Luce NDs said:
It is said we are all autonomously and wonderfully made and mixed in a stew so we could learn from the various parts ... or not!
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Seems sort of indeterminate compared to those that are verily determined that they know what they possibly can't!

Then there is the question of dreaming about something strong enough to burn the psyche ... causing injury and holes where delusions can dig in ...

Like the bible is definitive against mental conflict when it causes much anarchy in the side that calls the anarchists as causing chaos in the reality field.

Thus an idea that the USA is the greatest in something unnamed as yet ... and the harpers and lyres humm ...
 
The other day I was reading this interesting essay by Peggy McIntosh - "White People Facing Race - Uncovering the Myths That Keep Racism in Place". https://www.whitworth.edu/cms/media...q5AWktk3r4Ig_x3Kyq3l1WVe2GvfEc99lbm0Gqsbukw-M

Dr. McIntosh is a well known scholar, author and activist in the realm of dismantling racism and building safer communities for all. Although her context is American, I think her writing applies to Canada as well. It would make an interesting piece for a discussion in church context I think.

Speaking of church - this Sunday commemorates Aug 1 - allegedly marking the historic end of racism in Canada/ Emancipation Day. There's more info here from the United Against Racism site - Remembering August 1st – United Against Racism It will be interesting to see what is undertaken locally in recognition.
 
Carolla said:
The other day I was reading this interesting essay by Peggy McIntosh - "White People Facing Race - Uncovering the Myths That Keep Racism in Place". https://www.whitworth.edu/cms/media...q5AWktk3r4Ig_x3Kyq3l1WVe2GvfEc99lbm0Gqsbukw-M

Dr. McIntosh is a well known scholar, author and activist in the realm of dismantling racism and building safer communities for all. Although her context is American, I think her writing applies to Canada as well. It would make an interesting piece for a discussion in church context I think.

Speaking of church - this Sunday commemorates Aug 1 - allegedly marking the historic end of racism in Canada/ Emancipation Day. There's more info here from the United Against Racism site - Remembering August 1st – United Against Racism It will be interesting to see what is undertaken locally in recognition.
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The dash is on the point in some places ... altar Nate ... it is denied too! The points cannot be connected ... as it is believed to be a silly constellation!

A stellar Con!
 
American black communities mark the end of slavery on June 19th, or "Juneteenth", but I'm not clear on what historic event we're marking - unless it's an event marking "future history", that we have to live into so that it will become past history - that could be a thing - if that makes sense. It makes sense to me more than marking something as historically in the past that isn't actually behind us yet.
 
so, i haven't read the thread....just responding to your opening post.

Our minister does not refer to anything in the news, ever. I can't remember the last time that he discussed an item of social justice.
I know, different, right?

There is lots about helping your neighbour, doing good work, understanding god's call.

Minute ofr mission was rarely played in the church, thought the social concern and outreach group is active.

Very busy with refugee family support (i think three big families currently being supported).

so, it isn't that racism stuff is excluded, it is that nothing of that sort is on the agenda.
 
We have very politically aware clergy associated with our congregation. So, yeah, it's ubiquitous. We provide a space for a candidate's debate in EVERY election, in the sanctuary, emphasis "holy manners".

Big problem for us? We live in a very ethnically un-diverse part of Ontario, but we're close to a college with a large international population, so we do try to meet the needs of these neighbours. To some extent, until COVID, that involved letting a local Hindu group use our space inexpensively, sharing our sanctuary with a Korean Presbyterian congregation, enthusiastically welcome the odd young people who can overcome the overwhelming white heads and traditional music. But our core congregation remains stolidly oldish and WASPish, although our outreach is extremely varied.

Our biggest demographic disparity, as highlighted by our youth minister, who led today's service, is "economic disparity". We have both the richest and the poorest, in this particular part of our City.
 
Well, we have a diverse range in colour of skin, place of origin (continent), age, income, education, theology
 
We have had some, though limited in the lgbq, but we have had transgender people find us.

Also, fair number of folks who require supports and are on the edge of homelessness.

Hmm, and those requiring medical devices, such as power chairs
 
Carolla said:
Thanks for asking Inanna. I agree with most of what Bernadette has written. I met her last fall at the Parish Collective ReImagine conference in Hamilton - she's a passionate activist and I listened deeply to her views, and learned. There was quite a bit of discussion about racism & anti-racism at the conference. There was some stuff which occurred there that jabbed at the hearts of the racialized people present and simultaneously went right over the heads of many of the white folks there - we are often oblivious - our white privilege.

The only point on which I would challenge her writing is in her use of "the Canadian Church" - meaning I think 'the white settler, colonizer church' - I understand her point, but I don't think churches in Canada now are a single homogenous unit, nor are they all in the same place on this issue of racism. I wish we would connect with greater intention to explore & improve understanding of issues of racism - alas, silos often still prevail. Even amongst our predominantly white United Church there is lots of denial & even dispute about the issue - what the "good" church folk espouse and claim pride in is often not held up in behaviours, at least in my experience. It's Scanlon's 'good person/bad person' binary position that prevents many from this exploration, IMO.
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Thank you for this beautifiul and kind and generous answer. You truly are a gem.

I ask for future reference for some kind of placeholder for your belief here? It should be something simple and easy to remember from other words? If it is agreeable to you, I would like to use the word smoot


Mendalla said:
It is up to whites to fix things because it's our colonial mentality that is the cause. That's what needs to change. But we need to be listening to the colonized in order to be able to do that properly.
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I hear that. I also hear a lot of different things from the people who believe what we are talking aboot here. There are even BIPOC who want to be "left alone"
(Then it becomes a case of whom do we listen to? And I have seen different groups try to do the "peoples front of judea" thing to each other. It is stupid and damaging)
There is an element of imperialism in "whites have to do the change"
You just have to be able to actively listen without putting your own views in the way. Which takes training of some sort lol
Also, putting it into the racialized category of "white" again gives power to "whites". No matter how one looks at this, using only this BS, there is always going to be oppressed and oppressor and both groups are treated differently.
I will be writing on this later in a seperate thread. There are usueful things aboot this BS. There r also things that are, to use their terminolgy, problematic that are baked in and result from its implementation.

Kimmio Laughterlove said:
That sounds like “we’re” still “in charge” though. Maybe we need to step back and let things be fixed.
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(y)

Carolla said:
It's we who need fixing tho - we (white folks) are the ones standing in the way, sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly - so we need to "fix" ourselves
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(y)
People like Dr. Peterson also advocate that because changing ones self is the safest way to change society. When one sets out to actually change society, there is more and bigger potential for harm (cf. Pol Pot, Maoism).
Also see as I wrote to Mendalla.
No all BIPOC or even people who have this BS think the same way. One just has to actively listen whilst bracketing ones own BS. Which again takes training lol

#MutualAid
#BeNotAfraid
#SystemicWhimsey
#JoyPrivilege
 
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Peterson grooms people with seemingly innocuous self-help ideas as a hook - a politicized one (his rise to infamy was deliberately political) - until they follow down a right wing path, and next thing you know he's giving "religion lectures", and speaking to far right college youth organizations with Don Jr and Charlie Kirk (who just went on a dangerous rant the other day regarding the Kenosha shootings).
 
Nothing like a little red meat with some self help boot camp and some political and religious re-education. If anyone would know how to advance a neofascist agenda, he would. He's studied the worst of them . I've been saying that for years, since he was (or appeared to be) just a lowly Canadian transphobic agitator teaching in a Toronto university.
 
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