Most Christian Americans including myself condemn the words and actions of White supremacists, the KKK and Neo Nazis. But in our private lives whether it be who we date or marry, the neighborhood we live in or the church we attend we live racially segregated lives.
Racial Segregation in America has changed little over a half century after the Civil Rights movement. The map of the United States that is at the top of this article has been called “The Race Dot Map” [1]. It was made by Dustin Cable at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. His program draws on data from the 2010 U.S Census and it literally has over 308 million dots representing individuals living in the United States and he combined this with google maps technology to bring us this stunning representation of racial distribution in America.
Blue dots represent Whites, green dots represent Blacks, orange dots represent Latinos and red dots represents Asians. Brown represents other racial groups.
A brief glance at the race dot map shows blue blotches all across America confirming the statistics that America is still a primarily white nation. However those dots reveal something else. Whites choose to live in rural areas far more often than minorities do. Minorities (Blacks, Asians and others) in many parts of the country tend to live in or just outside of major metropolitan areas.
But the most important thing they reveal is racial segregation. Even in areas that appear to be purple from a high level view (that means a lot of races living near each other) when you zoom in on the map to neighborhood levels you will see that neighborhoods across America are still primarily segregated by race.
Whites live in mostly White neighborhoods
An article on CNN.com entitled “4 ways you might be displaying hidden bias in everyday life“ states:
“According to the CNN/Kaiser poll, a majority of whites (69%) say the people they live around are mostly of the same race as them, while Hispanics predominantly say they live around people of other races (59%). Blacks are split, with 51% saying they live around people of other races and 41% saying they live around mostly other black people.
One longstanding explanation for the prevalence and persistence of racial segregation is that white families are unwilling to live in neighborhoods, or send their children to schools, with large minority shares. A landmark study published in 1971 by economist Thomas Schelling demonstrated that once the minority share reaches a “tipping point,” the whites leave.” [2]
Whites prefer mostly White schools
An article from BusinessInsider.com entitled “Why schools still can’t put segregation behind them” states:
“A federal district court judge has decided that Gardendale – a predominantly white city in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama – can move forward in its effort to secede from the school district that serves the larger county. The district Gardendale is leaving is 48 percent black and 44 percent white. The new district would be almost all white.
The idea that a judge could allow this is unfathomable to most, but the case demonstrates in the most stark terms that school segregation is still with us. While racial segregation in U.S. schools plummeted between the late 1960s and 1980, it has steadily increased ever since – to the the point that schools are about as segregated today as they were 50 years ago.…
In my view, we cannot fix those systems by way of more individual choice, charters, vouchers or school district secessions. The fact is, educational funding is down across the board, when compared to a decade ago. If we want all students to have a decent shot at better education, we need to recommit to statewide systems of public education. Only then will our base fears and racial biases begin to fade into the background.” [3]
Whites mostly have White friends
An article from the Huffington Post entitled “Do Most White Americans Really Only Have White Friends? Let’s Take A Closer Look” states:
“According to the survey, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute in 2013, 91 percent of people in the close social networks of white Americans, or the people they most often talk to about important matters, are also white. Similarly, 83 percent of those in the close social networks of black Americans are black.” [4]
Whites marry Whites
An article from NBCNews.com entitled “One in Six Newly Married Americans Has Spouse of Different Race or Ethnicity” states:
“In 2015, 17 percent, or one in six newlyweds, had a spouse of a different race or ethnicity compared with only 3 percent in 1967, according to a Pew Research Center report released Thursday…
The largest share of intermarried couples — 42 percent — include one Latino and one white spouse, though that number has declined from 1980, when 56 percent of all intermarried couples included one white and one Hispanic person.
The most significant increase in intermarriage is among black newlyweds; the share of blacks marrying outside their race or ethnicity has tripled from 5 percent to 18 percent since 1980.
…
While white newlyweds have seen a surge of intermarriage, with rates rising from 4 to 11 percent, they are the least likely of all major racial or ethnic groups to intermarry.” [5]
My personal choices regarding segregation
I live just outside a major metropolitan area and like other major metropolitan areas in the country it is racially diverse unlike rural areas that are mostly White.
I have for many years worked alongside of Black, Asian, Indian and many other racial groups as a software developer. In fact, being in the software development world will expose you to almost every racial demographic that there is. I have been in hiring positions and have hired Black, Asian and Indian programmers.
While there is a Baptist Church just down the street from my house that is primarily Black I choose to attend another Baptist Church not far my house that is primarily White.
I have moved several times over the years and anytime I moved to a new house I had choices between neighborhoods that were mostly White, mostly Black, mostly Asian and some that were very racially diverse with equal parts of different races. I have chosen neighborhoods that were mostly White every time.
If my children were to attend the School district in the city I live the school is actually almost half Black. We chose to exercise school of choice options and send them to a mostly White school district that is nearby.
When I was dating when I was a young man I chose only White women to date and I married a white woman who is the mother of my children. After my divorce from my first wife and when I went on dating sites I chose only White women in my racial preferences and I dated and eventually married a White woman again.
In my personal life my closest personal friends are White. But I do have many extended relationships with Blacks due to this site. Since I started this blog more than 3 years ago I have interacted with many African American Pastors both hear in America as well as in Africa itself. In fact I can say that in Africa the Bible teachings regarding gender roles are far better received than they are here in America.
As a result of this site I have also been able to interact with many Christian Pastors in India and other Eastern areas. It has been a blessing to hear from them how this ministry has helped them. I have actually had many requests from Pastors in Africa and India to translate my writings into their local languages and I was more than happy to give them permission.
Summary of the facts about self-segregation in America
Race segregation is no longer mandated by law in America as it once was. Instead today we mostly choose to live self-segregated lives.
The facts are that whites(myself included) primarily desire to live in neighborhoods that are primarily white, send their children to schools that are primarily white and worship in Churches that are primarily white. Whites primarily date and marry whites. And for the most part Blacks and Asians do the same but to a lesser or greater degree. Hispanics seem to be more integrated than other minority groups although that is not true in all areas of the country.
Yes there is a percentage among all the races whether it is 10 to 20 percent of persons that regularly integrates with other races. So this is not to say that whites never marry Blacks, or that Asians never marry whites. It is not to say that Whites never have Black friends or Asians never have White friends. But the norm or pattern in American society is that races generally live segregated personal lives mostly being around people of their own race unless there are too few of their race in a given area and they are forced to integrate with other races.
Does the Bible condemn Self-Segregation?
Anyone reading this that lives near a major metropolitan area in the United States would not even need to read these statistics I have just listed or see the Race Dot Map to know from their own life experience that we live mostly segregated lives. The fact that racial segregation exists is beyond dispute. If you are a person that has many close friendships with people of other races and you attend a church that is very racially diverse and you live in a very racially diverse neighborhood you are the exception in America, not the norm.
The fact is that human beings in large part tend to cluster with those whom they share the most common heredity.
This is why despite early struggles between those of English and German descent and then those of Irish descent eventually these groups all came together in America and their children easily intermarried because they have a common heredity. Before a German, Frenchman, Englishman or Irishman opens his mouth it would be difficult to tell which one he is simply because of common heredity between these groups. Yet if you stood an Englishman next to a Greek man you would be able to tell one was of Northern European descent and the other was of Southern European decent.
So, the question then becomes is this natural human clustering by common heredity a form of hatred towards others of different heredity? Is this natural tendency for human beings to cluster in this way a part of our sin nature that we as Christians should struggle against?
We know for sure that the Bible does not allow us to hate people based on their race or ethnic background.
“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.”
Proverbs 10:12 (KJV)
There is absolutely no Biblical allowance for hating people because of their racial or ethnic origins. Yes, we can hate sin and evil systems of thought and wicked practices but God never allows us to hate people because of their ethnic background.
What we have seen in recent days from White supremacists, KKK members and Neo-Nazis is the very definition of racial hatred and we have seen how racial hatred “stirreth up strifes”. Whether it is the belief that the White race is superior to others and therefore should rule over other races or hatred of Jews and Blacks or other groups – we as Christians should condemn such actions by these groups.
But there is one belief in these groups that we have no right to condemn. We should never condemn their love for their kindred- those of their common heredity. Do we condemn Blacks for loving those who share common heredity with them? Do we condemn Irishmen or Italians for loving those of common heredity with them? What about Chinese or Japanese people? What about Jews?
Many Whites in America love their White heritage but are afraid to say it publicly. Many Whites would be ashamed to admit what I did about preferring to be around those of common heredity with them(other Whites). We are taught if we say we love and prefer to be around Whites, or if we ever feel defensive because of attacks against Whites in our media and politics that we are the same as the KKK and Neo-Nazis and this comparison is an utter and complete LIE.
While I do not believe Whites should march alongside of KKK members and Neo-Nazis who promote hatred and violence – I do believe Whites should find peaceful ways to stand up against the attacks on White culture in America. It is sad when men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson can only be seen in light of their involvement with slavery(which I agree was an original sin of America). This would be like saying we need rip out the Psalms because King David was a murderer and adulterer. It is utterly absurd.
Some will try and say “Well most whites in America are not purely English, Scottish, Irish, and German and so on but rather they are a mixture of these ethnicities. So they have no right to love or prefer whites because whites are a made up ethnicity.” But can anyone deny that those of northern European descent do not have more in common as far as their heredity than they do with those in southern Europe, Africa and the Middle East? The answer is no – this fact cannot be denied.
But contrary to popular American and Western teachings today – preferring to live among those of common heredity whether we refer to this as “race”, “ethnicity” or “kindred” is not the same as hating those who are of a different heredity.
The Apostle Paul said this of those of who were his common kindred, those of his common heredity:
“2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”
Romans 9:2-5 (KJV)
Paul never said he wished himself accursed for the Greeks, Romans or any other ethnic group – he only said this of his own “kinsmen according to the flesh”.
To love one’s kinsmen according to the flesh, those of common heredity, more than those who are not kinsmen according to the flesh is not sinful or wrong. Whether it be to love one’s children, one’s parents, one’s cousins or even one’s ethnicity or race more than those they do not share common heredity with is not immoral or a violation of God’s law.
In fact the Bible says the first way we put our faith into practice is by caring for our kindred, specifically those or our own family:
“But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.”
1 Timothy 5:4 (KJV)
So the conclusion of the matter is this. If loving and therefore preferring one’s kindred according to the flesh more than others is not sinful or wrong then neither is self-segregation.
Am I saying self-integration is wrong?
Let me be very clear that just because I am saying self-segregation is not wrong does not mean I am saying self-integration is wrong. The Bible does not forbid us from marrying those with whom we do not share common racial or ethnic heredity. So no it is not a sin for a White person to marry a Black person or an Asian person. It is not a sin for a White person to prefer the company of Blacks or Asians and live in interracial neighborhoods or attend interracial churches.
What I am saying is that it is wrong for those who choose to self-integrate to condemn those who choose not to and it is especially wrong for governments to force integration upon their populations through various housing schemes and busing schemes.
Government forced racial integration is a violation of basic human freedom and the freedom of association.
Forced racial integration by governments is the flip side of racial hatred by groups like the KKK and Neo Nazis in that both of these can be the direct cause of racial strife.
Doesn’t the Bible call Christians to ignore race and ethnicity?
There are a few passages of the Scriptures that will be raised by some to challenge the idea that self-segregation is not wrong for Christians and they will say it is in fact a violation of the Christian faith and the passage below is the best representation of them:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28 (KJV)
This passage condemns segregation in the assembled Church. It is completely unchristian and unbiblical for a church to limit its membership by race or social class. Christ is the savior of all regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or social status (slave or free, rich or poor).
In Christ there is no spiritual distinction between these classes, but Christ did not call for the elimination of social or physical distinctions in this world. In other words – Christ was not an egalitarian.
The Apostle Paul sent back a runaway slave to his owner (read the Epistle to Philemon) and he commanded slaves to obey their masters (Colossians 3:22, Ephesians 6:5, I Peter 2:18). While there is no distinction in the salvation of male and female human beings God commands that “the head of the woman is the man” (I Corinthians 11:3) and that wives are to be subject to their husbands in everything “as the church is subject unto Christ” (Ephesians 5:24).
The fact is that distinctions such as ethnicity, race and gender still exist in this world and other things that cause people to naturally cluster still exist in this world and Paul recognized that when speaking of his love for his kindred in the flesh (his Jewish brethren).
Let me just say one more word about those who self-integrate and those who actually thrive on integrating with people of very different racial and ethnic backgrounds. I thank God for these people! We would not have missionaries without having people like this. In the same way that God grants the gift of celibacy to a chosen few I believe he grants this gift of self-integration and desire to some to go to other peoples. They thrive on this and we as Christians should support this.
In fact, my Christian friends who disagree with me the most on this issue of self-segregation are usually missionaries. They just can’t fathom why everyone should not be like them and thrive on interracial and interethnic integration. In fact a great deal of Christian missionaries I know reject the entire concept of nationalism in any of its forms.
References
[1] D. A. Cable, “RACIAL DOT MAP,” Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia , 2013. [Online]. Available: https://demographics.virginia.edu/DotMap/index.html.
[2] E. Grinberg, “4 ways you might be displaying hidden bias in everyday life,” CNN, 25 11 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/living/implicit-bias-tests-feat/index.html.
[3] D. Black, “Why schools still can’t put segregation behind them,” Business Insider, 8 6 2017. [Online]. Available: http://www.businessinsider.com/school-segregation-today-united-states-2017-6.
[4] E. Swanson, “Do Most White Americans Really Only Have White Friends? Let’s Take A Closer Look,” Huffington Post, 3 9 2014. [Online]. Available: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/03/black-white-friends-poll_n_5759464.html.
[5] C. Cusido, “One in Six Newly Married Americans Has Spouse of Different Race or Ethnicity,” NBC News, 18 5 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/legalized-50-years-new-marriages-outside-race-ethnicity-fivefold-n761491.