Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the idea of "systemic racism" go hand-in-hand. Anytime you hear the phrase "systemic racism," that is CRT. The central doctrine of its theology--and that's how I define it even more than a political ideology--attempts to turn the very definition of racism on its head. When I was growing up (it makes me feel old to say that), racism was demonstrated by an INDIVIDUAL'S thoughts or actions. Even if one talked about a racist part of the United States--the old south, for example--it was understood that not everyone in the south was racist. Even if elements of racism had taken hold there, it was not assumed that everyone who lived in the south was a racist just because they lived there or just because they were white. CRT redefines racism as systemic, inherent in the country's very structure. The focus is taken off individuals so that every person in a particular race or part of a specific society is racist by default.
I call CRT a theology because the Bible teaches that all humans are born with a sinful nature. Even children don't escape the effects of the sinful nature. Furthermore, the Bible shows us that we cannot escape the sinful nature on our own no matter how hard we try. Without divine intervention, we are slaves to the sinful nature inherited from the first human, Adam. The difference is Christianity offers hope. We can be redeemed from our fallen state by repenting of our sins and accepting the gift of pardon Christ purchased for us by sacrificing Himself in our place. In CRT, there is no hope of redemption, just endless confession, and penance. Even though CRT requires this confession and penance from those it declares "racists," the racists can never do enough to make things or themselves better. The oppressors are expected to bow to the oppressed in every facet of society because they are owed it. Therefore, "racists" shouldn't expect to ever do enough good to be considered non-racists because there is NO redemption or salvation in CRT.
Whenever you hear people talk about western civilization or the Judeo-Christian values that the United States was founded upon, that has been redefined as "white culture" or just "whiteness." Proponents of CRT see racism at the root of everything that ever has been or is America. That means every white person represents the embodiment of CRT's version of original sin--racism. Even worse, in CRT, a person doesn't even have to be white to be infected with this whiteness. Suppose a black person or someone from any other ethnic group speaks out against any of the tenants of CRT. In that case, they themselves are promoting white culture and systemic racism according to this twisted theology.
That's why CRT is dangerous and should not be taught anywhere, including workplaces, and ESPECIALLY not in schools. It is destructive by design to anything and everything that has defined who we are as a people regardless of skin color. It wasn't that long ago that we were taught that a "colorblind" society was a good thing. We were to strive to fulfill Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream that people would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. CRT flushes that down the toilet, teaching that Judeo-Christian principles, western civilization, and America are plots designed to force whiteness on everyone else. In CRT, even good virtues such as working hard, being on time, and promoting literacy and critical thinking foster white culture. Getting good grades or advancing based on the merit of your work are not seen as positives. In CRT, these positive examples I just listed aren't seen as good because they prove that the system is rigged to allow those who promote whiteness to stay at the top. So it teaches the opposite of color blindness by making race the primary characteristic by which all things are judged.
So what is expected of white people or anyone of any color that questions or rejects CRT? Well, to put it in a word, repentance. A person must confess their whiteness (even if they aren't white) and work their entire lives to prove that they are not racist. One slip up along the way either starts you back at square one or, in some cases, makes you irredeemable. This is why it fits so well with cancel culture, which seeks to cut a person off from everything without remedy.
Finally, CRT seeks to replace equality with equity. Again, it may seem like a long time ago because of all that has happened, but it really wasn't that long ago when equality was something to be fought for. But now, calls for equality have been largely replaced with calls for equity. They may sound the same, but they are not. Equality means all people get treated the same under the law regardless of any unchangeable characteristics such as race. Equity is the exact opposite of equality because it REQUIRES discrimination based on skin color. To put it another way:
Equality=Equal opportunity
Equity= Equal outcomes (by force)
Critical Race Theory is a theology, as I said before. The Bible teaches that Jesus is God, and our purpose in life is to glorify Him. Even though it doesn't claim what I am about to say next, IN PRACTICE, CRT might as well teach that those it defines as oppressed because of perceived systemic racism are gods. And the life purpose of the oppressors is to worship the oppressed in everything they do to prove their repentance.
SOURCES
- How to identify Critical Race Theory by The Heritage Foundation
- Isaiah 53:6
- Romans 5:12-21
- Romans 7:14-25
- Psalm 51:5
- Psalm 58:3
- Proverbs 22:15
- Acts 17:30
- Romans 10:9-10
- I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963
- John 1:1
- Colossians 1:16
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