I remember watching Alisa Childers interviewing a black apologist. I was on board with the discussion until it got off into history. The black scholar was under the impression that because North Africa was in Africa that the historical persons who lived there were black. I began to pick up that this man who seemed to have his head on straight was still overwhelmed by his blackness.
Today it occurred to me that this kind of thinking is not just present in Americans who trace their ancestry back to Sub-Sahara Africa. I think you could find a similar type of myopia in many Irish, Polish, Italians and so forth. It is possible that they don’t push it so far but it is still there. The pride in their heritage is still strong. What is the difference?
I think part of the difference is that most of us don’t use our history as an excuse for everything in life. We are proud of the good stuff and either ignore or joke about the bad. My father in law was a convicted felon. I am aware of that but I don’t trot it out to explain why a cop pulled me over. I don’t even bring it up when my wife is acting like the daughter of a felon.
We need to look to the future and build on what we contribute. We can learn from the past but we can’t live there. This is part of the hope of the Christian life if it is properly lived. Here is a long list of the things that can keep you away from God,
(1Co 6:9-10 KJV) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.Do you find your past on that list? Now for the good news,
(1Co 6:11 KJV) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.The guilt and condemnation for the past is gone.
Now lets build for the future.
homo unius libri
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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.