Friday, July 08, 2005

Slavery and How White Men Don't Get To Heaven

White supremists base their atrocious theory of the supremacy of the white-skinned man and their right to enslave black-skinned men from Africa on appallingly twisted readings of the Bible.

They start with mangling Genesis 9:18-27, the account of Noah and family after they exited the ark. Noah curses one of his sons, Ham:
Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.
The problem for the white supremists was proving that the blacks were in fact the descendants of Ham. Linguists conveniently emerged to argue that in Hebrew, "Ham" meant "black". Genesis 10:6-14 also provided for them a happy link: that the descendants of Ham were inhabitants of Egypt (not quite dark-skinned enough) and Ethiopia (ahhh...much better).

Stuff and poppycock of course.

There is no concept of the supremacy of any race in God's eyes. There is no one righteous, not even one. Everyone has turned away and together have become worthless (Romans 3). We are all slaves, for slavery means offering yourself to someone to obey him as such. We are either slaves to sin (which leads to death) or slaves to God (which leads to righteousness and everylasting life) (Romans 6).

Now if we wanted to concoct a supremely misguided Asian Supremacy theory, we could very heretically make the Bible say what we want it to say as well. Obadiah is a good place to start. Obadiah prophesies the terrible judgement of God on the descendants of Edom.

Edom of course means red (Genesis 25:25). Edom was also called Esau, which means hairy (Genesis 25:25) for the chap was red and hairy...which any beng linguist will tell you is ang moh in Hokkien. Which refers to a white-skinned Caucasian. Therefore, white-skinned people are doomed to hell and everlasting destruction.

[Here endeth a most unedifying misreading of the Bible.]

The point of Obadiah is not the fate of the white man of course, but that of those who have not come into a living relationship with God; who live arrogantly thinking themselves secure and safe in their rebellion against God. Do not be deceived, says Obadiah, there will indeed come a day when God will judge us all for our response to him.