A Core Belief of the Social Justice Movement!
The ideology of the SJM codifies the ability to know ones motives! Even if you do what is just, right, and merciful to people of color, you are simply covering up your guilt! You must come out and deny your whiteness and fall down and confess your racism, even if you are not consciously aware that you are a racist or have been racist in the past.
YOU CAN’T WIN.
And as a professing Christian, if you are so naive or intimidated to believe this you are either un-informed, or just ignoring this major tenet of the SJM. Don’t be deceived! (See 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11)
What is White Fragility?
It is important here to define “White Fragility,” for it represents a most quintessential tenet of this insidious subjectivism. It is the state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves [in white people]. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress inducing situation. The reason for this reaction is people have been indoctrinated into believing that their whiteness is a superior race and their dominance is the norm. These behaviors in turn function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and to secure the ongoing reinforcement of their superiority. Racial stress results from an interruption to what is racially familiar.
White fragility originated with critical race educator Robin DiAngelo who herself is white and advocates aggressively against racism that is imbedded in the psyche of all white people. She is so radical that one of the Jesus Churches here in Portland who recommended her book on their website, “White Fragility,” took it off, thankfully, because of the controversy it created with people in their congregation. However, it is telling that the leaders even placed it on the site in the first place. It’s about time that congregations stand up and object to this Marxist dogma.
“A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.” – Proverbs 25:26 KJVOr in the NLT— “If the godly give in to the wicked, it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring.” – NLT
Please read what Pluckrose and Lindsay say about White Fragility–
“White fragility insists that white privilege has made white people too comfortable with the racial status quo to be comfortable having their unjustly advantaged position challenged. In practice, white fragility is a way to force white people into compliance with the tenets of critical race theory and a demand for adopting an “antiracist” disposition. She ( Robin DiAngelo) instructs that antiracism is itself a lifelong commitment to an ongoing process of self-reflection, self-critique, and social activism—i.e. that requires constantly searching for one’s complicity with the allegedly racist system and the white supremacy it supports and seeking to do better, including in her own words, “being less white.” – Cynical Theories. (See also on New Discourses website their definition of White Fragility.)
The doctrine of white fragility gives white people so accused no options except to agree and take on a full critical race theory (CRT) antiracism stance, or prove their racism by refusing to. In that sense, white fragility is perhaps the most sophisticated form of entrapment employed by the SJM. The intention of the entrapment is the person who is accused of racism is both one’s confession to it and denial of it are able to be interpreted as proof of one’s guilt.
In fact, the intimidation to even ask or question the fact that there might not be racism against blacks, women, or gender blenders is outright “racism.” This is how far the social justice movement is dominating the culture. Dialogue is replaced by cultural demagoguery. Unquestioning assumptions that all systems of our cultural are assumed to seek and support people’s prejudices that are rooted in oppression.
The SJM and the Ideology of Critical Race Theory (CRT), Reject Criticism
A brief reminder of the description of CRT.
Critical Race Theory starts with the critical critique that all of American culture is rooted in systemic racism. Its three primary values are:
1. Concern for who is in power because power trumps truth
2. Promotion of identity politics
3. Promotion of equity over equality
While most objective people believe a statement is true if it accurately describes reality: CRT/SJ promotes the idea that truth is a “language game” and that words, ultimately, only point to other words and can never correspond concretely to reality, unless those words describe oppression. Most people accept criticism and, therefore, can be corrected. CRT, however, according to its own premise cannot be criticized. As James Lindsay says in Cynical Theories,
“Thus, even if Theory (Lindsay’s shorted title for CRT,) were 99 percent correct, and its critics (like ourselves) 99 percent wrong, freedom of debate would still be advantageous to Theorists: firstly by allowing them to improve their Theory further, and secondly by giving them–and us—more rational confidence in the correctness of Theory by virtue of its successful confrontation with opposing ideas. However, if what Theorists are seeking is not rational confidence in the truth of their ideas—and it often isn’t, as both reason and objective truth are often understood as oppressive manifestation of white, Western, male power—but merely subject feelings of certainty, then freedom of debate may, alas, become, from their point of view, optional or even counterproductive. Sadly, this attitude is amply demonstrated by their (critical race proponents) rather conspicuous unwillingness to engage in debate and the tendency to regard attempts of others to engage with them as fragility (the quality of easily being broken or damaged) or willful ignorance or privilege preserving epistemic (relating to knowledge or to the degree of its validation) pushback.” – Page 243.
You see, reason and objective truth are often understood as oppressive manifestations of white or Western male power, and generally anyone in power as they are labeled as oppressors. The result is that debate is viewed as counterproductive, resulting in an insidious subjectivism which is accepted and even codified.
Germane to this subject is 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 which is uniquely insightful!
“3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated (judged NKJV) by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5 So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time–before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.” – NLT
One of the most startling realities I discovered as a pastor for over 30 years was how many people felt they knew my motives…even better than I did! 🙂 Really?
Below are some observations from this passage with regard to the SJM.
• We can’t allow some pagan ideologue from the SJM to judge our thoughts and motives. God alone can do this.
“For He will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give each one whatever praise is due.” – v. 4:5a
• When you judge someone with a condemnatory spirit you invariably consider yourself better. This is arrogance and fits CRT theorists to a tee.
“So, don’t make judgments about someone ahead of time–“ – v. 4:5
• We ought to be confident enough in our own objective actions if we are in the right, and we should care very little how others judge us. Clearly, we should not be intimidated by radical feminists, atheists, and Marxist pontificators.
“As for me it matters little how I might be evaluated [“examined”NASV] by you…” – v. 4:3, 4
• Just because we can be confident when we practice our faith with a clear conscience doesn’t prove our motives are right or wrong in God’s eyes. This is why I do not resort to personal subjectivism, but I state my motives out loud to Christ and others as I attempt to obey His commands.
“For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted.” – v. 4:4 NASV
• I am accountable to the Lord and He will sort it out on the final day of Judgement.
“It is the Lord Himself who will examine me and decide.” – v. 4:4,5
• These verses ought to embolden us to be unintimidated by the Social Justice advocate’s prejudicial judgment. They also should give us courage in the face of our broader culture’s accusations that we are racist, guilty for being white or privileged, or that we are discriminatory. Our confidence ought to be rooted in Him and His judgment because he is the only one that matters! Will you and I truly seek to live for an audience of One?
“ …it matters very little that I am judged by you or any human authority… So don’t make judgments ahead of time… for He will reveal our private motives.” – v. 3a, 5ab
• We ought to be like Paul and be more confident in our own faith and actions. Even Paul did not attempt to judge his own motives, so why would you and I let CRT Marxists render an opinion about our motives and come to conclusions that are totally misguided?
The whole of this passage demonstrates Paul’s confidence that it was God’s authority that mattered, because he knew he would one day be accountable only to Him. When we submit to SJ ideologues we are demonstrating our lack of accountability to our Lord. We then are pleasing men rather than God.
4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:4 NLT
The American church has become so soft and tenderized that we are now an easy target for the SJM/CRT. It is time to be strong, confident, and secure in our own walk with Christ. Paul was not laded with the kind of false guilt the SJM thrives on instilling in others. I believe the manipulation that the SJM enacts on the broader culture, and now even the church, would have been especially disturbing to Paul.
Please allow the Apostle’s words to ruminate in your mind, heart, and motives…
“it matters very little how I might be evaluated [judged] by you…” v. 3
Clarifying and illuminating the subversive subjectivism in life encounters
In one of my conversations with a sincere pastor he described how He did not see color and that he makes it a point to dialogue with his friends who are people of color, and/or, people with different ethnic backgrounds. He communicated with me how he and his wife have a special needs child and how they adopted children from other countries and nationalities. He wanted to demonstrate their love and acceptance of all people, and therefore, also show that they are not racist. I responded to him with positive affirmation for being a good follower of Christ, and I believe he and his wife not only have honest and sincere motives, but they are practicing love, sensitivity, and compassion as defined in the word of God. I also said, “Do you know, according to SJM ideology, which is being promoted on your website, you are simply covering up for your superior belief that you are white? SJ ideology teaches that, because you are white you are denying and even lying about your “white guilt.” All your righteous efforts are a cover-up, making up for your whiteness because of our deep-down subconscious drive to prove we are not racist, when in reality we are!”
Christian friends, do you understand how ludicrous this ideology is?
No matter how you wish to extend justice, your attempts are only a confirmation of your guilt. I almost feel sorry for the many pastors who are leading their congregations into such an inferior and un-biblical ideology. I believe most pastors and Christian leaders mean well by embracing the notion that we must be just, but the intention of the movement is to overturn their organization and move it to wholeheartedly embrace this new way of living out “social justice.” Christian leaders might try to stay out of this quagmire, but once they put their foot in the door the inevitable will happen. There will be no turning back. But all of this happens subtly. Slowly. How?
• By embracing the ideology as benign
• By staying on the surface of the ideology, and simply desiring to identify with people of color
• By teaching the ideology without a biblical defense or criticism of the falsities of the ideology
• By hiring SJ people who will begin the process of convincing the rest of the staff and congregation
• By giving SJ people more influence in every fabric of the organization or church
• By allowing for people with ‘alternative lifestyles’ to become the norm within the congregation and the leadership base of the church or organization. This will result in turning the organization into an extension of the SJM by becoming amalgamated into the secular culture.
I have observed all of these things in various churches here in Oregon. As I have said before — unity and “love” have trumped Truth in both the our secular and Christian cultures.
Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ said that one of the reasons He came into the world was to testify to the Truth.
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the Truth. Everyone on the side of Truth listens to me.” – John 18:37 NIV
Oh yes, the outcasts and the marginalized and the true followers of Christ will eventually be persecuted.
Do you remember the five steps leading up to persecution?
#1 Stereotyping the targeted group
#2 Vilifying the targeted group for alleged crimes or misconduct
#3 Marginalizing the targeted group’s role in society both in education and in job opportunities. Christians and people with a moral compass are removed from the freedom of “free speech”
#4 Criminalizing the targeted group or its works
#5 Persecuting the targeted group outright
Speaking for myself, I will not be a compliant martyr and I do not plan to go quietly. Martyrdom is overrated in Christendom. I plan to go down fighting if I am still physically strong enough to withstand the onslaught.
These five steps were the steps of Marxist movements to control the populations starting with punishing Christ followers and Jewish people first.
If a we stand up for truth, and are over-comers, the reality is, we will be persecuted. Once again, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, and the Apostle John understood this reality:
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10 NIV
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” – 2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV
“4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.: – 1 John 5:4 ESV
A few more thoughts about the refusal to allow criticism
Critical Race Theory rejects disagreement and debate. Why? Because expressions of disagreements or debates reinforce dominant discourses that suppress certain perspectives and insist that we cannot get to “the” truth, but only to “our” truths, which are rooted in our values. Christian friends, do you see how postmodernism, which espouses no universal truth, influences the SJM?
It is really not that difficult to counter this falsity—we simply reject this perspective.
We say “No, actually, I believe in a universal moral code… and if you don’t then my subjective denunciations are just as valid as your subjective assumptions that ‘your truth’ is a universal truth. Once again friends, this takes real courage and if we are not convinced to speak up, we will comply and experience the consequences of a culture devoid of objective Truth. Further, the relativism that will eventually influence your freedoms and how you conduct your life and the lives of your kids and grandkids will become the dominant ideology (if it isn’t already). If you and I become more bold and speak up more frequently we will discover many people agree and we can help lead them down the path of biblical morality.
Listen how out-spoken Dinesh D’Souza is with regard to racism:
“Let’s start with racism, which has become increasingly rare in a society where it is now customary, if not obligatory, to tiptoe around blacks and other people of color, to express deference if not subservience to their demands and to put up with behavior that would be utterly intolerable if anyone else did it. We live in a society of black and brown privilege, yet all that we hear about is “white privilege.” – The United States of Socialism
Dinesh D’Souza speaks from experience being an immigrant from a third world country—India. He seized opportunity by applying himself to the vast riches in America. He did not resort to victimhood, even though he experienced racism firsthand.
The SJM makes generalizations about racism without anyone in the press or general public to question them. They can do this because most people are intimidated, and do not want to be accused of racism. So, they keep quiet. This is what I call cultural bullying and cultural cowardice.
Where is the proof of systemic racism?
The SJM makes assumptions expressed in broad generalizations that racism exists today without supplying the proofs that racism actually has taken place. The concrete facts are not presented in a verifiable and objective manner. It resorts to the past acts of racism as “still in operation today,” without providing justified incidents today that are taking place in the broader culture. Of course, in a given situation one can find racism in whites as well as blacks, but to come to the conclusions that it is wide-spread does not stand the test of the judicial law.
A simple remedy is to say, “I reject that evaluation of that situation until you can prove that the particular action is right and justified within a court of law.”
Below are some questions or comments that potentially level the playing field:
• Please verify the whole story with the particulars of your accusations.
• Show me the objective facts.
• Don’t resort to the race card— please provide the proof.
• I would like to see the evidence.
• I believe you are a person of integrity, but I want to see the actual verification of what happened before I make a final decision.
• I will not take your opinion as I would not want you to take my opinion unless the facts are proven to be accurate.
Most of us in the general public are afraid to question their indictments against us because of our conscious “white guilt.” Guilt is a tremendous motivator either to do good or to keep silent. By the way, I don’t feel an ounce of guilt for something I have not knowingly done, and I do not feel I have to cater to or become sensitive to the plight of others’ past injustices. I can respect, acknowledge, and sympathize with one’s past experiences, but if it has not happened to them personally I cannot do anything about it.
However, when I see injustice done, or I observe misconduct in my sphere of influence, I speak up and speak out and take action where I can. I am not intimidated by someone’s unfounded accusations and I do not buy in to broad sweeping generalization that are guilt driven.
Racial Intimidation in action:
I just heard from a fellow who attended a Christian Conference of one of the largest evangelical organizations in America. One of the featured speakers was a Black American female who screamed while lecturing— “When are we going to forget slavery? NEVER!” She received a few modest cheers. There is much I could say about this, but for now here are a few salient points that you may find relevant when talking with people.
• Slavery was and is not my problem. I was never responsible for it.
• Just because I am white, I am not going to feel guilt or responsible for anything. I am the color that I am.
• She was not a victim of slavery nor is she responsible for slavery.
• She is misguided to use the past sins of white people, (why did she not mention the black slave owners in America or the Muslim slave traders?), as a guilt-trip on present day whites for something they did not and have not done. Her narrative is rooted in Liberation Theology. In this mindset, the oppressed are ALWAYS justified to overthrow the oppressors.
• Her bitterness and resentment say a lot about her lack of biblical understanding of atonement, let alone her own embrace or lack of embracing the forgiveness of Christ in her own experience.
• What is the most telling is that the leadership, by selecting her, showed their lack of biblical homework, their accommodation to the SJM, and their failure to be responsible stewards for the leadership trust they inherited for this once fine Christian institution.
Until Christians start standing up to this falsity, intimidation, and bullying, we will continue down the road toward becoming a society dominated by the power of political correctness and the muzzling of free speech and our freedoms.
The NFL and the hiring of head coaches
If you follow the NFL this time of year, you know that many head coaching positions are up for grabs. The sports commentators are talking about the new hires as well as those who are not being hired, that is, people of color. Here’s the underlying message: “There is obviously racism, discrimination and prejudice against blacks and people of color.” They say this racism is originating from the wealthy rich white owners. By the way, not one person in the media will render an objective opinion on this because they would probably lose their job, not to mention a horrific backlash from leftist pontificators. This is cultural bullying, and the shutdown of alternative views!
Dialogue is allowed only if it is constructive dialogue which supports the argument of oppression. Of course, white commentators bend over backwards to NOT be racist.
Below are some of my comments about this. I will take a little space for this because it illustrates the message we are hearing from the leftists today and how we might address them. I love America because we can still speak up and render an opinion, don’t you?
1. The owners who are mostly white are free to direct their organizations as they see fit. They can, and probably do, receive input from others, but because they pay the bills and have the power, the right and the freedom to make decisions to prosper their organizations belongs to them.
2. Every athlete is paid, dare I say, very well by these entrepreneurial owners (along with TV contracts, endorsements, etc.)
3. According to the most recent information in 2020, 70% of the players in the NFL are black, about 26% white, and 4% of mixed race. Why are there more blacks than any other people group? It is called SKILL! They are not being drafted because of the color of their skin. No one is calling for affirmative action on behalf of whites in the players association. The only acknowledgment from the sports commentators is that there are a majority of black players, therefore, there should be more black coaches. This is clearly a reverted mentality that justifies the hiring of black coaches first on account of their skin color and sadly, second, according to skill or knowledge. Does that mean that black assistant coaches are not competent? Of course not. However, the choice to select people who are not “people of color” is the prerogative the owners, and those that work for them in the administrative positions, possess. To assume they are prejudice or racist is a “liberation ideology” that is rooted in oppression.
4. There are many black retired athletes in particular who are extremely rich! What is stopping them from buying an NFL team and hiring all black coaches or people of color in their organization if they so desire? The answer is probably nothing… except money☺
Speaking of money, Shahid Khan, who is Muslim, and clearly not a “white rich man,” is the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and is now the owner of Flex-N-Gate, a company which manufacturers and supplies large stamped metal and welded components for cars and other automotive products. He designed a bumper that is now the industry standard, and as such, has become a billionaire.
Don’t you love America?
The last time I checked, he did not let his religion or the fact that he would be considered a “person of color” stop him from buying an NFL team.
Magic Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also co-owns the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, and Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club.
If my memory suits me, back in 2012, he did not go out of his way to draft and hire people of color. He recruited athletes with the skill and character to advance his team and to be one of the best in the MLB. This is the way it is done!
5. The dialogue in the NFL pertaining to the hiring of people is exclusively built on victimhood and oppression. If you were to ask many of the black commentators how or why they were hired, most of them would say something like: “I worked my tail off, developed my skill and took advantage of opportunities.” I wish they would more often communicate the reasons for their success, rather than falling in line with the SJM’s bullying dogma.
6. As I stated before, the mantra of the SJM is rooted in this very myopic but explosive scapegoat mentality. It is society, or those in power who are the problem. As long as they keep saying it, and people in the media keep feeding their agenda, it will most certainly be advanced. By the way, have you noticed how almost all advertisements on TV are now featuring people of color? It feels as if the SJM has swayed the culture almost overnight. In most every area of society I see successful black people as vital participants. Consider the media, politics, police personnel, mayors, governors, city and state officials, and, oh yes, we elected a black President for two terms in office! Do we really have systemic racism in these institutions?
As I close, I think the prophet Ezekiel’s words are appropriate:
“But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.” – Ezekiel 3:8 NIV
Ezekiel became “divinely toughened” as God prepared him for the task before him. May we allow the Holy Spirit to do the same in us!
Here are six action steps in view of this teaching:
1. Inform people of my blog: daleebel.org as a resource library for future questions and information about the SJM
2. Please address the errors that you are observing from the SJM and speak truth into the conversation with anyone who will listen. Information is power!
3. Explain White Fragility to someone this week.
4. Go over and assess my explanation of 1 Corinthians 4:3-5
5. Once again, if you are part of a SJ type church, inform you pastoral team of you biblical concern and give good reasons for your position. I know some of my friends that have done this and are doing it even as I write this article.
6. Talk to the people in your church, send them my teachings and inform and inform and inform them. As an aside, a couple read my articles and were able to discern what was happening in their church of 15 years and they decided it was time to move on. This is healthy, and not divisive.
“For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” – 1 Corinthians 11:19 KJV
Thank you for reading this and integrating these truths into your webs of relationships.
In Christ,
Dale