Accidental Racist

2013-04-21 Accidental Racist

James McTyre

Lake Hills Presbyterian Church (USA)

Titus 1:10-16

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

¹⁰ There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; ¹¹ they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. ¹² It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said,

"Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons."

¹³ That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. ¹⁵ To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. 

Titus 3:3-8

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. ⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water^[a] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. ⁶ This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ The saying is sure.

I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone.

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Lately, there's been a bit of discussion over the Brad Paisley song, "Accidental Racist." Have you heard it? It begins with the words,

To the man that waited on me at the Starbucks down on Main, I hope you understand

When I put on that t-shirt, the only thing I meant to say

is I'm a Skynyrd fan

To which I, would want to very pastorally respond to Mr. Paisley, "What??? Are you kidding me???"

"Mr. White Man livin' in the Southland, do you seriously believe the only meaning of the Rebel flag is support of a band from 1975? Do you honestly not know that there are a lot of people who find your T-shirt morally offensive?"

"Are their feelings less important than your devotion to Lynyrd Skynyrd?"

But, Mr. Paisley explains:

...it ain't like you and me can re-write history

Our generation didn't start this nation

And we're still paying for the mistakes

That a bunch of folks made long before we came

And caught between southern pride and southern blame

I guess that's all there is, then. Southern pride on one side. Southern blame on the other.

What about Southern manners? What about Southern hospitality? What about Southern courage? Courage that sat down at lunch counters and stood up to firehoses? What about Southern bravery that marched into places not all the different from Starbucks and said, "I am a man!"?

But no. Instead we get a song that says out loud what so many people feel. "Hey, c'mon. The War was over a hundred years ago. I'm sorry I'm not Politically Correct enough. I'm sorry you're so... sensitive."

I guess if racism is accidental, it's not as bad?

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For a book of the Bible, Titus doesn't get much attention. Which is good. It's short, and blessedly so. The introduction says it was written by the Apostle Paul, but it wasn't. Frankly, the book is kind of a mess. Is it OK to say that about part of the Bible? Sorry. I'm just a White man livin' in the Southland. And Titus is accidentally racist.

The Book of Titus is in the form of a letter to the church in Crete. Do you know any Cretans? From the Isle of Crete? I don't. And, boy, am I glad. Titus 1:12 says Cretans are, "liars, vicious brutes, and lazy gluttons." They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. They follow (quote) "Jewish myths."

Long pause. Titus is anti-Cretan, AND anti-Semitic. But wait. There's more. It also tells wives to be submissive to their husbands (2:5), and tells slaves to obey their masters (2:9).

I take back what I said earlier. There is nothing accidental about Titus. It's a piece of work. It's not OK to simply apologize for this book, saying, "Oh, it's just a product of its time." It IS a product of its time, but not "just."

Titus IS a product of the early church. As explanation, not apology, it was written in tricky times. The early church was trying to distance itself from the alleged "mistakes" "a bunch of folks made long before [it] came." It didn't want to be mistaken for being either Jewish, or pagan. Titus spews venom, but then turns around and teaches getting along by going along. Because Roman authorities aren't nice to Christians. Neither are Cretan villagers with pitchforks. That's why Titus says to

...be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,  to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.

And on the surface, there's nothing wrong with that. Sounds like Southern hospitality. Sounds like keeping your head down and your nose clean. But that's not "just" all it is.

Titus is dangerous. Because the words of this book have been stolen from "just" its time. Across the centuries, they've been wielded as a hammer to justify oppression of one race, one class, one gender under another. Why? Because it's in the Bible. So it must be true in all times and in all places, or so its abusers claim. A simple apology isn't enough for a book that's so easily manipulated by very intentional racists, very intentional masters, very intentional Reichs.

I'm sure the writer of Titus didn't mean to be offensive.

---

Titus is kind of a mess. On one hand it describes people who don't agree with the Christian church in reprehensible ways. But on the other hand, Titus preaches that Christians should bend over backward NOT to offend anyone, that believers in Christ should be the most kind, sweet, PC people of all. But on yet another hand, Titus's Southern-style manners are pretty self-serving. They're a means to an end, that being, the end of staying out of trouble with the people you talk about behind their backs. Titus is complicated.

The world is complicated. I've heard people complain about the "PC Police." Complain that you can't say anything about anyone without being accused of being politically incorrect. The worry can be kind of tiresome.

Then again, exercising is tiresome. Eating healthy is tiresome. Turning away from naughty pictures on the Internet is tiresome. Speaking kindly to mean people is tiresome. Waiting in lines is tiresome. Homework is tiresome. Listening to customers is tiresome.

Most good things are a little tiresome. Because the work you put into getting past your accidental laziness turns out to be, in the end, a blessing. And, ironically, a lot of times you find the blessing has almost nothing to do with what you thought you were after.

And to this, Titus speaks, and maybe accidentally bears more truth than expected.

³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. ⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy....

Hmm. Complicated Titus gets it. Maybe accidentally. But God'll take that. Maybe what Titus is showing us is that if you keep your mind open just enough, you can turn into an accidental learner. An accidental learner from teachers you accidentally offended. An accidental learner from Jesus, whose ways are almost too simple - almost - for complicated people like you and me to get.

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I hope that Brad Paisley and LL Cool J can get together and have that beer they sing about. Brad should buy. I hope he buys some new T-shirts, too. Their song? It's kind of a mess. But I hope that some good can come out of it by raising discussion about the things we all do that are so accidentally stupid, but still wrong. 

The Book of Titus is a mess. But you know what? So am I. So are most of us. Does that make it OK? No it does not. Does the fact that most of your sins are accidental make them less sinful? No. But the mercy of Christ can open your heart and show you the hurt your thoughtless actions cause. Pray that you will learn from the mercy of Jesus Christ, whose own wounds can heal us all.