I Have a whole different post that I am in the process of making but… I have to speak on this. Pastor Louie Giglio, Rapper Lecrae and Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy “had an honest conversation about race and the Church” on June 14. There is one moment in this “conversation” that needs discussed.
Pastor Giglio poses the following: What if we change White Privilege to White Blessing.
No. Unequivocally no.
There is so much to unpack here. Changing the phrase “White Privilege” to “White Blessing” is wrong on multiple levels.
- Slavery, it’s history and the bi-products of that forced subjugation, torture, labor, rape, murder and hate should never ever be used in the same sentence as the word “Blessing”. Not even in the context of saying that it’s caused white people to live comfortably now. That is not a blessing. That is literal profiting off the subjugation of an entire race and then giving yourself a blue ribbon for it.
- Wrapping up a serious cultural divide in a pretty package with ribbons and bows under the word “Blessing” further perpetuates that the incredibly broken system we live in right now, is somehow ordained by God, Christianity and the church as a whole. No.
- This pastor says “White Privilege”. When you say those two words, it just it’s like a fuse goes off for a lot of white people because they don’t want somebody to check their privilege…”
He goes further to say “…if the phrase is the trip-up, let’s get down to the heart. What then do you want to call it? I think a great thing for ME, is to call it “White Blessing”.
Ok. So not only did he just put himself into the category of the white people that are getting tripped up by the phrase, but this way of thinking is a large part of the problem. The “Heart” of the issue is exactly the trip up that he’s talking about. If hearing that “White Privilege” is a real problem offends and “trips you up”….good. Most people do not like being called on actual problems, especially if they benefit from them.
This is an incredibly tone deaf and callous “message”. All the while LeCrae is just nodding his head in agreement. I watched a further clip and he does try and ‘politely’ correct the pastor but he doesn’t call him on it. If you want an effective conversation on Race and the Church, You have to have more than one person that represents the side calling for racial justice. You have to have more than people that agree with your line of thinking on your panel.
So the wrap up of this lesson. No. it is not a “blessing” and should never be called that. The system needs changed. This line of thinking is abhorrent. We can no longer sugar coat this if we want to truly live in a world were we see each other as equals.
This was not taken out of context. The video is below:
My wife put it perfectly this morning while discussing this. People have to start getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. If you’re comfortable, you’re not growing.
#CallItOut #BlackLivesMatter
EDIT: So Pastor Giglio has released an apology: https://www.facebook.com/officialLouieGiglio/videos/668040633753236/
What this tells me in A. He listened. B. He understood the mistake. C. He is trying to make up for it with his apology.
This is a prime example of holding people accountable for the words that they say. We live in a country with Freedom of Speech, not freedom from consequence. I appreciate that he took the time to apologize. Keep fighting everyone, we will find the equality & change in this world that is sorely needed!
