One vs. Another
Christians should promote unity not division. But it seems our modern culture often advocates the opposite, setting up groups, one against another. So what do we do when so much of today’s media and education is obsessed with the external characteristics of people—the things that make us different, such as gender and race? Is this is God’s way?
Far from it! God does not look at who we are on the outside, but rather who we are on the inside (1 Samuel 16:7). Galatians 3:28 affirms, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Mathematical Oppression?
According to Education Week, Seattle public schools have proposed a new math curriculum framework for all K-12 students. Amazingly, this new “math” curriculum analyzes so-called systems of oppression they claim are inherent to Western math and science, systems that have historically limited opportunities for people of color. As one organization explains, it is important for students to “understand the roles of power, privilege, and oppression in the history of mathematics education.”
The curriculum focuses on the history of white oppression but not the “oppression” of mathematical knowledge by nonwhites. For instance, it is unlikely that there will be a section discussing the 1258 AD siege of Baghdad. Mongols took the city and threw books from the library (including math books) into the river so that it ran black with the ink of the books, and red with the blood of the scholars they murdered. This ugly history is a fact but it is not likely to be told because it does not fit the current narrative being introduced to indoctrinate students.
Amazingly, an objective of this new course is to say that math itself—a fundamental and objectively neutral science—is racist. Some have even gone so far as to say that data of all types are racist in nature and should be ignored. Why? Because the data was generated from numbers and calculated using a mathematical formulation to reach conclusions. And if math is racist, then everything derived from math is racist.
Diminishing Effects
This is part of a broader trend of seeing racism in all things. In fact, some even see it in seemingly unrelated things like professional dress. An article in The Root criticized an African-American principal for encouraging his students to dress up and wear bow ties to job interviews and “dress for the job [they] want”. The Root’s criticism rested on a faulty premise that dressing “up” implied African-American’s casual clothing was inferior. Which of course, like numbers, was racist.
The problem with ascribing racism to everything is it diminishes the effects of real racism, minimizing the experiences of those who lost their lives to the evil. Should we equate African-American business-casual with the 4,742 race-driven lynchings that occurred between 1882 and 1964?
It is difficult to pursue Judeo Christian values of unity and cooperation when there is an obvious agenda that is promoting division and ascribing maliciousness where none is meant. Proven science now tells us that “All races share 99.99+% of the same genetic materials, which means that a division of race is largely subjective.”
Unity not Uniformity
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul prayed, “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling…” It is critical that believers in Jesus connect our spiritual insight (eyes of our heart) to the Truth of God and the hope that exists for all who call on Jesus. There is a consistent, deceptive narrative stirring up racial division and luring our culture into resentment, hatred, and violence. But we can flip the script as believers by practicing what the bible says in Corinthians; “to put on love which is the perfect bond of unity.” 2 Corinthian 3:14
Our differences make us unique, not objects of oppression. Unity is not uniformity, but compassion and love birthed from spiritual eyes to see what God sees. Believers must become experts in believing like Jesus, not just believing in Jesus. Jesus saw people as the Father saw them. So too are we to be champions of love through the bond of unity. Wouldn’t it be great if we did this before a foolish decision is made which renders math racist? That would create a problem too enormous to count.
GUIDING TRUTHS
