10/18/08

Racism is a sin



In the current issue of America, Bishop Blaise Cupich of Rapid City, Iowa writes on the sin of racism vis a vis the coming election, drawing on the American Catholic bishops' 1979 pastoral letter on racism, Brothers and Sisters to Us:
In the early 1960’s one bishop, Archbishop Joseph Rummel of New Orleans, excommunicated outspoken opponents of his plans to desegregate the archdiocesan schools, including a powerful local politician. In this he received the support of the Holy See whose spokesman, as reported by The New York Times, said that “any Catholic unwilling to admit the fundamental equality of all human beings... proclaims that he is not a Catholic.”...

As we draw near an election day on which one of the major party candidates for president is for the first time a person of African-American ancestry, we should be able to do so with a sense that whatever the outcome, America has crossed another threshold in healing the wounds that racism has inflicted on our nation’s body politic for our entire history. However, in view of recent media reports regarding race-based voting, this potentially healing moment could turn into the infliction of one more wound if racism appears to determine the outcome. Because of that menacing possibility, it is worth recalling for Catholics and all Americans the central affirmation of Brothers and Sisters to Us: racism is a sin....

(For the complete text)

20 comments:

  1. Racism is most certainly a sin. It is an intrinsic evil, along with "mercy killing," embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriage. I hope Catholics consider the range of issues when voting.

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  2. In the USCCB's Faithful Citizenship the following are what they deem "intrinsically evil":

    abortion
    euthanasia
    human cloning
    destructive research on human
    embryos
    genocide
    torture
    racism
    targeting of noncombatants in
    acts of terror or war

    To add anything else to the bishops' list is not accurate and could be considered a personal bias.

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  3. I am appalled when I hear men of the cloth such as Jesse Jackson, Rev. Wright, Louis Farrakhan and others make race the central focus of their support for Senator Obama. Why don't they heed the words of Martin Luther King, who looked forward to the day when we would be judged by character, not skin color?

    I oppose Obama because he is opposed to the Church on a range of life issues, not his Kenyan ancestry or his Muslim name.

    I don't particularly like McCain, either.

    I wonder if the horrible attacks by the media are keeping good people of all backgrounds out of politics? Is the existence of 24/7 cable news shows and talk radio a new form of discrimination that will in the future keep people with family issues, for example (like Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter) from seeking to serve?

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  4. In recent polls taken, we hear of many blacks who intend to vote for Obama simply because he is black. Isn't that a form of racism - and wouldn't that be sinful also?
    Thanks.

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  5. READING BETWEEN THE LINES. Is this what (Bishop? - title not in the article) Blaise Cupich is saying: It is quite legitimate to vote for McCain because Obama supports abortion, but I am in danger of sin if I vote for McCain because Obama is African American?

    Sounds like a bit of a reach. Racism doesn't seem quite as germain in this election as it was in 1979. Sounds almost like code for: unless you are sure you're not being racist you'd best vote for Obama. And he's a bishop?

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  6. Let's not put words in the bishop's mouth which he has not spoken.

    Since this is the first time in American history that an African American is the candidate of a major party, racism just could be an issue, on both sides of the street of color.

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  7. Agreed Padre.

    Annonymous,

    You said ...Racism is most certainly a sin. It is an intrinsic evil, along with "mercy killing," embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriage. I hope Catholics consider the range of issues when voting.

    I agree mostly, but have trouble with the same sex marraige part.

    I feel that this election we may see a large population that has never voted before come out to vote only because of race.

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  8. Sadly I have had people tell me that they won't be voting for Barack Obama.

    Catholic people.

    In my church.

    Not because of his stance on life issues.

    No, because he is black.

    I think the thread of racism is woven so deeply into some lives. I have always and still contend that the worst racism is not when someone name calls... No it is much worse when it is more subtle and perhaps a bit unnoticed or if noticed, justified.

    Both people who said these words to me said so in a whisper like voice and I think they believe I might see things the same way.

    So in my estimation this is worth noting.

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  9. I've made a decision not to tune into your blog anymore. It's too upsetting to me. Their are too comments that are too judgmental to me.

    I'll miss it ... and thank you for the good stuff that you print.

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  10. About same-sex marriage... The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls homosexual activity "intrinsically disordered." Is that the same as "intrinsically evil?"

    By paragraph reference:

    "2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved."

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  11. Racism "just could be an issue," and it is a sin. Okay.

    But somehow America magazine seems to be pumping up the volume on this, as opposed to other "sins" and "evils." What is clear is that America magazine certainly has a liberal agenda. Wasn't the current pope behind the removal of the previous editor of America, for publishing articles that went way too far in questioning Catholic doctrine? As for NCR, that is out of the mainstream as well.

    It's disappointing, Concord Pastor, that you don't chose from a wider variety of publications to inform your readers.

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  12. Anonymous: I'm sorry that you've made this decision but I understand. I hope you'll check back in after November 4th. Some of these questions will have been answered by the election results. But more than that, I will be moderating comments much differently at that time. I agree that the tone here is often distressing. I've made a decision to keep these threads open until the election. I'll make different decisions afterwards.

    Again, I hope you'll revisit!

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  13. I too find the narrow minded, Catholic "right is might" view attitude frequently "voiced" here in an increasingly aggressive tone disconcerting. When I read it, I return to my sense that Catholicism, like so many faiths, is slowly becoming a haven for those desiring a way to legitimize exclusion of any and all who appear different. For me, I find my faith increasingly found outside the WALLS of the church. This is not a decision easily made but I won't miss sitting in pews with people who quietly think somehow they are saved and others are excluded. I wonder if The Archbishop of New Orleans in the 1960's, referenced here, is still alive and witnessed the horror that continues to be post-Katrina New Orleans. I also wonder how many of you have ventured out of your actual ivory towers? I remain, a woman of lowerline New Orleans, who witnesses on a daily basis the legacy of racism.

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  14. "intrinsically disordered." Is that the same as "intrinsically evil?"

    I understand intrinsic as something belonging to the essential nature or institution of a thing.

    Disordered is not functioning in a normal orderly healthy way.

    Evil rises from actual or imputed bad character, bad conduct or causing harm.

    I think the definitions can technically be closely related but do not agree that the two as the same.

    Are we not supposed to look for the good in all people? Tolerance?

    Fran, I'm curious... what did you say back to this person?

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  15. Concord Pastor- I did not get to say much to either party, but I have certainly prayed about this a lot.

    Thanks for the forum here, it is really important.

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  16. I too am sorry that the person said that she will not read this blog any more because it can be upsetting. I agree, but realize that there are days that I will not read it if I know I have little time to absorb the information before moving on to my daily tasks. That said, I think that reading some people opinions that in my opinion can be very judgmental and though may be thought to be Christian are in my opinion not what I see Jesus as being- tolerant, loving of those that are different or outcasts, forgiving, etc.- but reading these comments makes me remember that there are people who do not think like I do whether I like it or not. There may be positions or ideas that others comments will make me want to put my thought and ideas together better so that I can either agree with them or disagree with them, but not with sound bite kinds of words, but rather thought out positions that have personal thought behind them.

    Father please be careful about monitoring the comment box. There will always be people on the fringes and people need to know they exist, need to her and judge their opinions and learn to express why they disagree. Thank you.

    Teacher

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  17. I have no problem publishing different points of view. It's the personally directed stuff that I will not post in the comboxes.

    Often, I wish that Blogger gave me the facility to edit comments (keep in the substance, edit out the ad hominem. But that's not an option. I have to publish the whole comment or not publish it.

    Folks who want their point of view represented will need to self-edit the gratuitous bits that spoil the whole.

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  18. I agree that there are way too many people who toss around words without thinking them through. I would hope that anyone posting would substantiate their positions, citing facts/sources so that others can research and judge arguments on the merits.

    One of the sad things about growing older is realizing that others do not share your assumptions and world view. I would hope the conversation would stay on a rational, rather than emotional level.

    Two extremes I've seen here: mean-spirited remarks, which assume bad faith on the part of others, and the "Blanche DuBois" defense (you can't challenge anything I say, or you'll hurt my feelings).

    Both stifle the search for the truth, which I hope is the goal of debate on a Catholic blog.

    (A related thought: On other blogs, I've seen posters cite Carl Sagan: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" in responding to comments. If, for example, someone states "the history of the Church is the history of capitalist oppression against the workers" or something similarly idiosyncratic, they should realize others will need evidence before accepting that.)

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  19. If we believe that we are all children of God;

    If we believe that we are all made in the image and likeness of God;

    If we believe in the theological virtues of faith, hope and love; and that the greatest of these is love;

    If we believe Jesus when he said, "Love one another as I have loved you."

    If we believe that God calls us to love Him and our neighbor;

    If we believe that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for each of us;

    Then, the sin of hatred, racism, must not find a place in our hearts.

    Dear God, help me to root out any unkind thoughts I may have. Help me to let your love guide my life. Help me to recognize that each of your creations is wonderfully made. Help me to find peace in my life and love in my heart. Amen.

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  20. Concord Pastor, In talking about racism, it may be important to note that abortion disproportionately affects the African-American community. This is something I have not seen come up in the debate. The information below came from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about an African-American preacher from Berkeley:

    Since abortion was legalized in 1973, more than 14 million African-American babies have been killed. This is more than the total number of African-American deaths from all other causes combined (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, crime, accidents, AIDS, etc.) This is about 1/3 of the 43 million abortions that have occurred since 1973.

    * About 1,200 African-American babies are killed by abortion in the United States every day.

    * A disproportionate number of the nation's abortion clinics are located in low-income and minority neighborhoods, where a majority of African-Americans live.

    * Approximately 35% of all abortions in the United States are performed on African-American women, while they represent only 13% of the female population of the country.

    * African-American women who abort their first pregnancy have a 2.8 to 4.7 times greater risk of developing breast cancer.

    The story is online at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/07/BAC5U8985.DTL and the information is on the website of the foundation.

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