Identity politics breeds racism

Looking at social media, I’m getting the impression that racism is bad. Thanks, Facebook. In other news, water can be wet.

I agree racism is bad. Hating folks based on differences in appearance or culture is sin.

As Ron Paul noted, racism is a form of collectivism, or the idea that people must be thought of as members of groups, rather than as individuals. Collectivism expresses itself in socialism, fascism, fearful calls for “immigration reform,” and also in racism.

It says, “I must hate you because you and I are in different groups.”

Today, this antagonistic grouping is called identity politics. Group-think breeds racism.

This is all in violation of one of the most basic biblical commands: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)

Regarding recent events in Virginia, it’s notable that Jesus Christ applied this commandment specifically to people who are outside your own ethnic group, in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. God would have us stop thinking in dividing/grouping terms like race and class. (Colossians 3:11)

Secular humanism has no answer for racism. In fact, racism is logical in light of evolution. If certain kinds of animals represent advancement over other kinds, what’s wrong with suggesting that some humans may be more evolved than others?

I’m not making this up. This was the argument of the 20th Century “Eugenics” movement, which advocated selective breeding and sterilization to eliminate undesirables.

Given secular humanism, in which all things came from nothing for no reason and to no purpose, how can we know that racism is evil?

As soon as you start speaking in categories of right and wrong, you’re talking about moral authority, which is illogical without God.

In his book, “River Out of Eden,” prominent atheist Richard Dawkins says, “In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.”

Of course, he’s made a cottage industry out of denouncing everything he doesn’t like as evil, wicked, and wrong. But if his quote is correct, as it must be if there is no God, if the universe is nothing other than “pitiless indifference,” then why should we care that a bunch of alt-right moon bats clashed with some alt-left moon bats?

The response of the universe is, “Meh.”

Thanks be to God, though, this is not the truth. Scripture says there is only one race (human); and, all people are created in the image of God. Each is deserving of honor, respect and loving treatment as defined by the Creator’s commandments. Christ didn’t die for white folks, or black folks, or any varying shades of melanin between them.

He died for sinners. That means we all qualify.

Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at:

[email protected]