The shouting, the slurs, the swastikas, and hands raised in Nazi-style salutes. These types of images instill fear in my heart, thanks in part to the warnings of my Polish Jewish grandmother. Somehow these symbols and images have been resurrected in our time, now targeting not just Jews but also black people and Muslim people and immigrants. How can this be?
Seeing these images emanate not from black-and-white clips of Nazi Germany but technicolor shots of Charlottesville stoked anger inside of me. But the words of the Beloved Disciple rang in my ears:
“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” — I John 4:20
In the darkness of my outrage, I want to hold a sign to the white supremacists that says, “You are all liars! 1 John 4:20”.
But holding such a sign just makes me a big liar, too.
When I hate the haters, I become a hater.
What we witnessed this weekend in Charlottesville was vile, putrid, pit-of-hell evil unleashed.
My heart ripped open for the 32-year-old Heather Heyer who died protesting the same Nazi ideology that threatened to gas my grandmother and turn my dad into a lampshade.
This ideology still wants to mutilate people of different religions, ethnicities, backgrounds, and sexes.
White supremacy must be stopped. There is no room for that kind of racism or hatred in our nation…in our neighborhoods…in our schools…in our churches…in our families… in our hearts…
How do we stand against evil without our hearts becoming dark?
How do we stand against racism and hatred without allowing evil into our hearts?
Only through Christ.
Christ came to make a way where there is no way.
Only through Christ can we forge a way forward.
Only through Christ can we find a way to defeat evil.
Only through Christ can love crush the serpent’s head of hatred.
The love that Christ offers doesn’t discriminate. He doesn’t give one person a double portion of love, another a half-portion, and still another a bar tab for His love.
God’s love is so gracious and spacious that it pours out on all humanity.
Just because you are loved and made in the image of God doesn’t mean someone else is hated or somehow fashioned as a disgrace.
Jesus came to crush our boxes and biases and bigotry.
I’ve dug deep this summer in the story of Christmas. How can we forget that the greatest news of all time was hand delivered by the heavenly host to shepherds, magi, an unwed teenage girl, gentiles, and more.
God’s love swoops low to embrace all humanity.
God’s love knocks on the closed doors of our souls, the crumbly shale of our heart… and declares…
For God so loved the whole world….
White supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis and those who embrace racist ideologies…
They believe in their supremacy…superiority…. entitlement … that to take their “rightful” place others must be abused … subjected… diminished ….exterminated …. gassed … turned into lampshades.
They fail to recognize anyone but themselves as made in the image of God ….
They act as if God so only loved them… And that is a whisper from hell.
I have so many questions…so few answers…but what I know today as I wrestle with God and learn from precious friends…and even my father in deeper discussions…
We must learn to love through action and advocacy…
We must learn to lay down our petty grievances, biases, and preferences…
We must learn to stand guard to prejudices and stereotyping…
We must refuse to allow this hellish evil to win.
This post is profound Margaret. Thank you for reminding me to examine my own heart as I reflect on the atrocity of the events in Charlottesville this past weekend. Praying that the hearts of these brothers will be changed through Christ Jesus.
Amen- today’s OT reading on Catholic Church calendar is pertinent as only the Holy Spirit can be Dt 10:12-22. Thomas Merton said s/t along the lines of, “.. look at the warmongering in your own heart”
Not to gloss over – people who join kkk, follow st. muerte, and similar, are deluded, used, spat out, by the evil one – God help them, us, all
Gillian thank you for mentioning St. Muerte followers. I was unaware. I read up on the history and culture, and it is sad that so many are followers today
I have been watching TV news and I have not heard who the people are that were in conflict with the White Supremacists group. What was the reason for the conflict and why were both sides engaged in the conflict? Aren’t all of these people at fault in particular the guy who drove the car. He is certainly guilty. It looks like they all came to fight each other. In my opinion they all should be called out. Who in their right minds goes out to protest in the hot days of summer? Everyone should get a cool head. They all should be ashamed of themselves for acting this way. I am 81 years old and i have seen this country go downhill since the 1960’s when we decided that we no longer needed God. Well, we have seen God say to us, ok you are so smart, let’s see what happens when I take my protection off of you.
I too have age and experience on my side at this time. I am 71 – I was a child of the civil rights era. I watched and experienced the struggles between black and white. You do make a valid point as no one has said who those were who were the “counter protestors” to the KKK, Neo-Nazis, Alt-Right were. They were black, white – believing, I think in justice if one listens to those who knew the young woman that was killed. They were human beings, I believe, who were caught up in the whole event. They responded to the hatred, evil – with the same violence as they were shown. No, it does not make them more righteous in the end but they were standing against the evil in front of them.
Amen
Amen
Agreed. Please pay attention. I live near Charlottesville. You are being fed a carefully crafted story. Not disputing KKK is bad. But so is Antifa. It doesn’t surprise me that it’s the older women in our midst, those with the wisdom of experience who are asking questions first. Who are the players, really? When the KKK pulled a permit for their rally, seeking fame and the spotlight, wisdom would focus on limiting their voice? Wouldn’t it have been so much better for us all to wake up Sunday and hear a little blurb on the news over our coffee?
Our family moved to Charlottesville in 1972 and I started first grade here in the fall of that year. After several years away in the early 1990s, I returned to Charlottesville and am raising my family here with my husband, also a long-time resident of this beautiful city. It is my fervent hope that those who have never visited Charlottesville will realize that the unspeakable acts of hatred and violence of this past weekend in no way reflect the soul of our hometown. Charlottesville is a place of history and tradition, and it is equally rich in diversity and, in a word, love. Saturday’s events were followed on Sunday by healing church services all over our community. In our own church, packed with those who choose to love instead of hate, we stood as one and professed our faith and our commitment to be peacemakers, those wanting to be called the children of God.
Please pray for our city. It is my hope that you can someday visit this place and know for yourself that we are in no way represented by the misguided souls who unfortunately chose Charlottesville to display their hate.
I will pray for your town. And our country and a stop to the spreading of hatred and evil that is quickly taking us in its grips. Pray to remember who is in charge. Our Lord and Savior. Satan is fighting back and infiltrating our society from all fronts but he will not be victorious. God will!
Let’s pray for wisdom and knowing our bible. Pray for our president and leaders too. Let’s also not be afraid to get involved.
I say this as much for me as anyone. When 2 or more are gathered.
Blessings, hope and healing. Lisa
We’ve lost our way and our hope. The Bible says “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Without Him, a life unravels and we are witnesses to that happening. Thank you for speaking truth.
Powerful and beautifully done, Margaret. Thank you.
Thank you Margaret. Your heart is showing… the love of God.
May we ‘stand firm’ in the love of God – Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ~ Ephesians 6:11-12
Blessings
Margaret,
Thank you so much for sharing from your heart! I must confess that when the news becomes so ugly, I tend to shut it out and ignore what’s going on in our world. But that’s not the right response.
More than anything else, I believe this is the time for each of us to rise up in prayer, asking God to soften hearts. I’m also planning to make more of an effort to look for opportunities to be good to others, hoping that a multitude of little acts of kindness will counteract this evil.
On Saturday my husband and I watched “Invictus” while the events in Charlottesville unfolded just an hour up the road…. It’s a shame that I had to look to 1995 South Africa for hope in these desperate times here at home, but hope I found! It’s God’s promise, and I will continue to pray that we will find our way!
Thank you, Margaret….so well spoken. I live about 45 minutes from Charlottesville and I was shocked that something so evil could happen there. It is a wonderful city and I agree with Lisa G. God help us and bring peace to Charlottesville and the people there.
Thank you for putting words to my thoughts and feelings. I was so despondent last night to see the hatred on my screen. This morning I woke up in tears, fear, pain and anguish for my family and our country. I want this pain to stop.
I am working through Wonderstruck week 2 and asking the Why questions and though prayer and your post this morning God is truly responding with Who. I am asking the Great I AM to show up in the midst of such anger, pain, prejudice, ignorance, and hatred to show His love. The painful reality is he shows it through us as you reminded from 1 John 4:20. Forgiveness and love in the face of such hatred is so hard, but Jesus did that… For God so loved the world. Thanks for the reminder.
One other thing I am reminded of in times like is Paul’s confrontation to Peter in Galatians 2:14 when Paul says of Peter that he is “not acting in line with the truth of the gospel” by not fully accepting Gentiles into his friendship circle just because he’s afraid of the opinion of the Jews. I bring this up because Peter was a major pillar of the first century church community and he struggled with what I’ll call tribalism. We think this is somehow new in our communities and with our leaders, but it’s not. The church dealt with this reality in its inception and as human beings it’s still with us. My whole point is that shunning or, in the case of the current narrative, terrorizing people because of differences is not in with line with the truth of the Gospel, so people who are thinking they speak for God with their hatred are sorely mistaken.
The actions are a disgrace to the human race. Haven’t we progressed further than this and this in a city of medical discovery and progress. God help us all to pray for peace.
Thank you for speaking out with such powerful prose. Yes, keep training all of us to use words to be a force for good. Thank you for what you do, Margaret.
Margaret,
I love you. Your Bible studies and teachings are amazing!
I just want to ask a few questions? Where was the outrage for the equally dangerous racist groups such as Black Lives Matter? No outrage when they are on highways chanting,”pigs in a blanket, fry them like bacon”? No outrage when someone in a crowd at one of their protests shoots an innocent person in the crowd who dies.No outrage when these racist groups are destroying public property,causing millions in damages? No outrage when they are throwing rocks,bricks & other projectiles at police officers & causing them physical harm in many cities over the past few years? No outrage when those racist groups make their protest signs from ax handles, so that they can be used against the very people(our police officers ) who are there to protect them. No outrage at racist groups disrespecting police officers in the name of “social justice”? Look deeper than the narrative the media wants you to believe. And take a look at the man that was honored in the Charlottesville park,one that bore his name,but that was taken away by political correctness. General Robert E. Lee was a Godly and loyal man,not to mention one of the greatest military minds of all time. He was Abraham Lincoln’s first choice to command the Union army, but because of his love and loyalty to Virginia, he declined President Lincoln’s offer. I have sent an article about Lincoln and Lee to your e-mail with some very interesting historical facts. I believe you will find it interesting and enlightening. I think your readers would also, if you would like to link the article for them after you read it. May the Lord bless the U.S.A.
Angie, I was horrified by what happened in Charlottesville as well. I place taking down a statue that has stood for years in a park dedicated to a man who led the Confederate Army in a war decades ago with the removing of crosses and anything Christian. I am by no means justifying what occurred yesterday but there were two sides creating the havoc and bloodshed. Our country needs to unite, which has been preached as long as the statue of General Lee has stood where it stands. I think we as Christians need to pray every day for unity between the races and the religions. We’re all made by the same God in His image, I just wish more people believed that. I think we need to reach out with love to others as Diane said, every little thing we do makes a difference. It might be a good idea to bring that up to our church leaders to preach the difference each of us might make if we show kindness to others. To all people, even the ones that we might least likely want to help, especially those! May God bless our country and President Trump and all our leaders.
Good points, Angie. Lee was an honorable man. Much like modern day abortion, many good hearted people are on the wrong side of the issue. Future generations will look back and wonder why we ever thought it ok to end a human life because of convenience.
It is so terribly sad that all people don’t know the Lord and feel His love and presence. Can you imagine how beautiful and wonderful life would be if all people knew the love of Christ. We all have a responsibility to show others what the love of Christ looks and feels like. We cannot just sit and condemn others,, we are expected to act. Pray, get on our knees and pray. Share Christ with all of the people God puts in your path. It’s a great feeling to talk about Christ with the unlovable.
Amen.
ANY type of hate makes me sad, and it’s so important for the Christians to pray for this country. Hate happens in so many people even when people hate our statues etc. representing our history. It is important to realize that unless we as a nation RETURN to God, He will allow us to act in our own selfish ways and do such horrible constructive things. It’s not about hate against someone or against groups of people, it’s about hate toward ANYONE, which seems to be ok as long as it’s against those who we don’t agree with. I am so sorry for people who lose loved ones, I am so sorry for police officers that are trying to do their job, and are killed, I am so sorry that we can’t wake up as a country, allow God to come in our lives to fulfill what He wants for us, and God alone can only bring love. It’s not about a person, or groups of people, or those we agree with – It’s about each one of us examining our own selves, and see the “log” that is in our own eye, before we can see clearly what is wrong with our brother. It is ONLY through God that we can find true LOVE toward everyone. We’re all imperfect, and God has the answer. I’m 73 years old and have seen many phases, but I’ve never seen or experienced this type of thing ever in our UNITED States of America. Please anyone – who is reading this – Examine your own self, and see if you’re doing what God commands to “Love one another”, or judging, or experiencing hate for ANYONE. Please America, wake up, let us allow God back into our country, the only answer!
My response was to reach out to “people of color” by worshipping with them yesterday. My church, which is predominantly Caucasion, participated in a “pulpit swap” with an African American congregation. Providentially, this puplit swap was planned 4 months ago. We attended one another’s services and became better acquainted and together pledged to show the world a different way. We are the baptized, and they will know we are Christians by our love.
Like you, I’m a Jewish believer in Jesus, and I’m aghast at the rioting in Charlottesville. Trump was awfully slow to condemn the violence. Fortunately, my grandparents escaped the Holocaust because they emigrated to the US before World War I. My parents were born in America.
Karen Smith
At least he did denounce it. After Ferguson, Obama never did so outright.
Corrie Ten Boom stood naked with her older sister Betsie, watching a concentration camp matron beating a prisoner. “Oh, the poor woman,” Corrie cried. “Yes. May God forgive her,” Betsie replied.
welcome to Malawi the warm heart of Africa. Pastor Foster Chavula, MALAWIAN. I am blessed.
I deplore the racism and violence as well, but we also need to remember that many of those in the “original group” were not violent *and* many of those who disagreed with them participated in the violence. In clips, it was easy to see that individuals on both sides were the aggressors. I think what bothers me most about this is the constant cries of “racism”. Those same cries are not heard by the general population or the media when racial slurs are aimed at whites — in protests, riots (think Ferguson), rap music, television (particularly reality TV), and film. Racism is racism, whether the perpetrator OR the victim is a minority member. We need to stop accepting racism toward one group while decrying it toward another.
I meant to say that the cries are not levied by the general population or media (not “heard by”).
This is so true. Do some research to the beginning of this controversy and look at the hatred that Wes Bellamy who started this controversy posted on social media months ago. Mr Bellamy sits back and let’s our town be ruined while the rest of the country only sees the white supremacy piece of this piece as that is an easy Scapegoat for all that happened. Our often liberal leaning editors of the local paper pleaded with him last week to diffuse this before it became the nightmare that happened this weekend.
It’s hard for me to understand the hatred and violence that continues in America. Even more, I don’t understand why we expect Washington to legislate morality as is we don’t know the difference between right and wrong. When we truly turn to God in humility and in one accord, He will heal our land. God, forgive us for being silent while hatred and violence continues to rise up in American hearts. From out of the hearts mouths speak. Father God, reveal the hearts of these evil people so they may be cast down and silenced in Jesus’ Name. Reveal Your heart to us all as we all need your love to reign in our lives. Perhaps if we spent as much time before God as we do making sniper comments on FB, we could see real change move across America. White supremacy thoughts under any label is America’s ISIS and it must stop! We fight each other while the true enemy is principality and powers and evil dominions. Pick up your weapons of spiritual warfare and stand against hatred in all it’s forms. Our God is love and we are called to love. Let’s join the real fight on our knees.
Thank you for putting this into words, Margaret. My heart grieves that some think that in order for them to have their rights, others may not. In what is supposedly a more enlightened world, we have such darkness. We need God’s working to force out the darkness. He is able.
Your perspective points the way to The Way.
thank you Margaret God bless you more, the same happen to my national people hatred each others & develop to fighting ,I like what have said & also let God build his love in our heart.Amen
I completely agree with your word Margaret. Sadly so many who have never been affected by the oppression of racism can not seem to understand. When people have been so badly treated and have little opportunity to live in freedom ( even in a country that claims freedom) they will eventually rise up in anger. First we know the legs out from under them and when they attempt to stand we get angry because there method offends us. It is time for the Christian Community to examine there own behaviors. Humble yourselves and stop trying to prove both sides are wrong. The oppressed are never to blame when the bullies come after them. Prayer, Conversations and legal action.
Thank you for finding the strength to put pen to paper in a way that gives us hope and reminds us of who is ultimately on the throne. I know it was hard to do (I hear it through your words) and with all that is happening in our world in this time we each need encouragement to keep on walking our individual roads of faith. Thank you Margaret. <3