As a Christian (so please do skip over this post if that isn't of interest to you in any way), I'm filled with sorrow over the events of recent days.
My Bible tells me that all people are equal: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28). It also tells us (Romans 13:1-4, but especially 13:2) not to rebel against the authorities.
I try to live my life according to both premises. I do not treat anyone differently based upon skin colour, gender or anything else for that matter. I try to follow the rule that if there is injustice (Luke 18:1-8), then the way to fight against that injustice is to be persistent to persuade the authorities that the injustice must change.
The only direct action undertaken by Jesus was to overturn the tables in the Temple (Matthew 21:2, John 2:15). That was the Temple. It was (to simplify) the one place where Jesus claimed authority...the issue was that blasphemy was taking place in God's house; being God, Jesus stepped in. He had to put, as it were, His own house in order.
Other times He deliberately neglected to do so. When He was asked (Mark 12:15) whether people should pay their taxes to the Roman authorities, He pointed out that Caesar's head was on the coin: give to Caesar what is Caesar's. In Matthew 17, Jesus was not obliged to pay the two-drachma temple tax, but He paid it anyway: He did not create strife where none was needed. When He was asked about the woman caught in adultery (John 8), He did not overturn either the Jewish or Roman legal systems. Rather, He pointed out hypocrisy: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone".
All four gospels (Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, Luke 22:51, John 18:10–11) tell the story of Simon Peter (named only in John) cutting off the High Priest's servant's ear when they came to arrest Jesus. Jesus responded by restoring the servant's ear.
He turned the other cheek. He was obedient to death. Paul and Silas (Acts 16: 23-33) accepted flogging and jailing, though Paul as a Roman citizen could not legally be subject to such punishment. Instead, they turned the situation around to God's glory.
Onesimus was enslaved. Paul wrote to Philemon the most surprisingly calm and diplomatic letter. The request for Philemon to free Onesimus was there, but only when reading between the lines (Philemon 1:21). He did not command.
You see, the Bible teaches us to fight injustice - but not to create further injustices by doing so. That's been my struggle in recent days. We start from different perspectives, and it's not easy to find the words to express those feelings.
Some people perceive racial injustice within the UK. I do not believe that the UK is fundamentally a racist society. I do not believe that our police force or criminal justice system is racist by nature.
I cannot fight against a level of injustice which, after reviewing every statistic I can possibly find, I do not believe exists in the UK. I believe that there exist isolated pockets of racism, and there also exist times when the reverse occurs.
I recognise that people have different experiences. Speak to someone who has been stopped-and-searched too often, and no statistic in the world will persuade them that it wasn't racism. Speak to someone passed over for promotion in favour of someone less-qualified from a different ethnic background, and you may be unable to convince them that it wasn't so-called 'positive discrimination'.
I stopped quoting the Bible there. The Bible tells us how to respond to situations. It doesn't evaluate the current situation for us.
If a Christian disagrees with my world-view, my assessment of the situation, then they will come to a different conclusion as to the merits of the cause of protest.
Violent protest in such circumstances is the antithesis of Christian belief. 1 Peter 2:13-14 presses the point: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."
Alternative arguments can be made only in extremis (to stop the Holocaust in 1939-1945, for example). Peaceful protest is reasonable within a democracy. If a Christian feels that there is something to protest about, they should do so peacefully (and in a socially-distanced way at the moment, because now loving your neighbour means doing that).
Even peaceful protest has its pitfalls if there is a danger that it could become violent. 1 Corinthians 8:9 says "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak." 1 Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to "reject", "abstain" or "stay away from" (depending on translation), "every kind" of evil. Believers should not put themselves in that position. Proverbs 4:15 teaches us [about the path of the wicked]: "Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way."
But then, there's a challenge - and this is what I've found incredibly difficult this week. We should condemn sin, yet forgive sinners. Those who riot and loot and injure and main and desecrate...deserve condemnation of their actions, but Christ's forgiveness is still available for them.
And how do I, as someone who's a profound supporter of democracy and fierce opponent of mob justice (any modifier attached to the word 'justice' cheapens the concept - mob, rough, tough, social, etc. - but that's another matter), go about protesting against the injustices caused without risking stirring up divisions? The answer, I'm afraid, is that I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Say nothing, and I'm almost complicit. Failing to speak out would be wrong. Yet to speak risks inflaming a situation. That's the most difficult part. To be angry at sin, yet not at the individual sinners. To be devastated by what is happening to our nation, yet never disparage any individual who's actually a victim of racism.
When I had two people this week accuse me of all kinds of hateful things because of my belief in equality, I chose not to react in anger. 1 Peter 2:23 reminds us that Jesus' response was, well, to turn the other cheek: "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."
And, then, to remain *true*. It would be easy to say "yes, British police are institutionally racist BUT violent protest is wrong" - but it would be a lie. I don't believe any such thing of our police, or our society, and the Bible also (the Ninth Commandment) tells me that I should not bear false witness against my neighbour.
So who are the poor and downtrodden at the moment? Who are those in need?
Individual Christians will answer that question differently. To me, those facing the worst injustice right now in the UK are the police - who are being vilified, injured and threatened on our streets on a daily basis. Yet they are being blamed for another police force thousands of miles away.
I believe Christians should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with police as they try to maintain order. Even if you believe differently to me on quantum (the amount of racism within the police force) then you should still do that. Authority is not always perfect, but we should still be the Good Samaritans.
Nevertheless, I am also worried by the number of people on my feeds suggesting counter-protests. That would be vigilante action in all but name, and suffer from precisely the same failings. Christians should not be going on counter-protests which could turn violent either. That suffers from all the same pitfalls.
I write this post in the hope of enacting change. Peacefully. Democratically. Jonathan Arnott.
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