I am almost finished reading the book, and almost finished with blogging on Dr. Kendi’s thoughts about America. I could write a book as long as his best-seller, analyzing and debunking not only the lies and exaggerations he puts into his tome, but also pointing out the facts he conveniently leaves out. But I am growing weary of reading his really bad take on the history and current life of America. So, maybe one more blog after this one will be sufficient. Maybe.
I would like to “pivot”, and point out a few things in which Dr. Kendi and I agree. I am essentially a happy and optimistic person, and seeing points of agreement always appeals to me.
Ibram Kendi and I agree that true faith in Jesus Christ changes the WHOLE person, and it “bleeds over” into positive change into all of society. Faith in Christ is not limited to just “getting saved.” That is the beginning of the journey with a God who wants us to impact everything that He is concerned about.
For example, a truly Christian worldview compelled European Christians to end the slave trade throughout the British Empire in the early-mid nineteenth century. Evangelicals led the abolitionist movement, joined by others. It was not faith in Karl Marx or Muhammad or Buddha that launched the fight to end slavery. And other nations like France, Spain, Portugal, and Brazil followed suit. In the same century Russia ended serfdom. They were not sinless nations, of course, but their foundational Christian culture compelled them to do this very good thing. America followed suit after the British, but unfortunately we killed 700,000 of our own in the process.
Kendi and I agree that there is no such thing as “race.” He makes this point often, thankfully. Look at the Bible; from beginning to end there is talk of people’s, nations, and languages. Israel is divided into “tribes.” But there is no mention of people groups divided by the color of their skin, bone structure, or the texture of their hair. The Church did not see race; neither should we.
America has had a sordid past when it comes to how certain ethic groups have been treated. I agree. However, I disagree with Mr. Kendi that government mandated or sponsored oppression of minorities continues, that there is still institutional racism, or that the solution is through more centralized government control monitoring and mandating everyone’s behavior. His pessimistic, professional victimizational outlook of the future is no solution to anything but rather a plan for more chaos and confiscation.