Lately I am hearing it again. It's almost gotten to be robotic. I'm sure you've heard it.
"Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America out of the whole week."
NO, THIS IS NOT THE MOST SEGREGATED HOUR IN AMERICA
Well, yes and no. If you mean racially, I beg to differ. The reason our churches aren't integrated more on Sundays isn't because white people don't want others to come. At least not where I live. I cannot vouch for the South but I understand that is changing rapidly too. The reason we are so segregated is because other racial and ethnic groups WANT to in THEIR churches. Yes, that's right....some blacks, Latinos, Asians, and other groups really don't wish to come to a white church.
GASP!
I think it's insulting to think they would. Ethnics want to go their own churches with their own language. Blacks want to go to their own churches with their OWN types of worship and sermons. How insulting of whites to think they need to come to their churches. So, I really do not want to hear this nonsense anymore. If others want to come to white churches, fine. Where I live churches are happy to see non-whites come to their church. My church has a few African-Americans (my city only has a few to) and some of them are in leadership. They aren't in leadership because they're black, but because they are mature leaders.
THE REAL SEGREGATED HOUR IN AMERICA
The real segregation is marital, age and disabled. In other words, singles are not ALLOWED to mingle with marrieds; young are not allowed to mingle with middle aged and elderly, and the disabled are shoved into dark corners of the church where they won't be seen.
I NEVER hear anyone else say what I just said. Why? Is our preoccupation with racial segregation, which is largely in the past in most of the country, an attempt to cover up the REAL segregation? Intresting concept, isn't it?
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6 comments:
No, the disabled aren't even encouraged to come to church much less sit in a dark corner of the church.
I'M NOT EVEN ENCOURAGED TO COME TO CHURCH! Hehe, except from someone who is an ethnic minority as was the case this last week. And I am definitely taking him up on his offer. And it will definitely be my first time in church in a long time (you don't know what that means in terms of real numbers). Interestingly, I was also invited to church this week from another minority (though not an ethnic minority).
Which is curious -- maybe if you invite someone to church, they will want to come (and actually come).
Well I live in NYC. Maybe I have said this before or maybe it was another blog but the churches that actually preach identity in Christ first above race,gender,ethnicity IMO are rare. People are black,nigerian,7th day adventist,dominican,russian...baptist,catholic...
whatever before they are born-again. That is second. IF IT IS SECOND.
I blame the pastors for this one.
Very valid observation. I being single wonder if I feel this segregation.....?
Interesting and enlightening post Diane. I have a few questons: Is division along racial lines, creating different churches in a locality, scriptural? If not,(and I believe it isnt see e.g. Rom 10:12 and Gal 3:28) then what would that "church" be? - a cult? a sect?
Is it time to rethink how we do "church" by revisiting scripture which shows how local churches are established and function?
Interesting questions. I notice age segregation, mostly because I have my almost 80 year old mother living with me, and because I have issues with Sunday School ("children's church") corralling the kids up in one spot instead of integrating them in a normal way. Age segregation, in the extremes that our culture sees today, causes too many problems to list here...
I've often said this to people as well. To me our segregation is as much doctrinal as it is racially or ethnically. I go to a very diverse church it is small but is having a powerful impact on the poor and oppressed but we aren't trying to reach white suburbia. Each person needs to be reached by a church or group of people that it feels comfortable with and wants to grow intimately with. The catch is that all churches should work together to be the Body of Christ reaching EVERYONE!
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