Why Have Jeffrey Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s Ties to Israeli Intelligence Never Been Discussed in Media Coverage?

Now that Ghislaine Maxwell has been convicted on 5 of the 6 charges against her, important questions remain.

First, will she try to negotiate a reduced sentence by finally revealing the whereabouts of the many incriminating photographs and video tapes of internationally famous figures having sex with minors?

Second, will the fact that she and Jeffrey Epstein were both agents working for the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, which used their photographic evidence for the purposes of blackmail, finally be openly discussed?

Actually, I suspect that we can guess the answer to both of my questions: No, and No.

Israeli spy-masters will not allow any of that information to become public.

Rather than tell the story myself, I have posted a montage of stories below — which I hope you will take the time to read closely — explaining the long

Robert Maxwell with wife and daughter Ghislaine

story of how spying for Israel became a Maxwell family business, beginning with the family patriarch, Robert Maxwell.

Ghislaine’s career as Jeffrey Epstein’s long-time “Madame of the Honey-Trap” would certainly have made her father proud.

The story begins with father, Robert Maxwell, and his well-reported work for the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad (see here, here, and especially here).

Ghislaine’s sister, Isabel, has a long record of working for Israeli

Isabel Maxwell

intelligence within the circles of Silicon Valley (see here and here).

A recent book by the “alleged former Israeli spy Ari Ben-Menashe” entitled  Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales explains that:

The couple reportedly ran a “honey-trap” operation in which they provided young girls to prominent politicians from around the world for sex, and then used the incidents to blackmail them in order to attain information for Israeli intelligence.

Also see here.

Below I have copied yesterday’s article by Philip Giraldi, former CIA and military intelligence officer, entitled “Ghislaine Maxwell Convicted — Israeli Connection Covered Up.” (All emphases are mine).

There has been a lot of speculation regarding whether convicted sex offender

Jeffrey Epstein

Ghislaine Maxwell will now ‘spill the beans’ on the folks in power who exploited those young female offerings pedophile Jeffrey Epstein made available. No chance of that, I am afraid, as the trial itself was narrowly construed and limited to certain sex related charges to avoid any inquiry into the names of the actual recipients of the services being provided.

Nor was there any attempt made to determine if Epstein was working on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, most likely Israeli, which has been claimed in a recent book by a former Israeli case officer, who states that top politicians would be photographed and video recorded when they were in bed with the girls. Afterwards, they would be approached and asked to do favors for Israel. It is referred to in the trade as a “honey-trap” operation.

The fact that Epstein and his activities were being “protected” has also been

Ghislaine Maxwell

confirmed through both Israeli and American sources. It is known that Bill Clinton flew on the Epstein private 727 jet the “Lolita Express” 26 times, traveling to a mansion estate in Florida as well as to a private island owned by Epstein in the Caribbean. The island was referred to by locals as the “Pedophile Island,” but Clinton has never even been questioned by either the NYPD or FBI.

Maxwell is presumed to have been an active participant in the Epstein spy operation acting as a procurer of young girls and on at least one occasion has hinted that she knows where the sex films made by Epstein are hidden. That claim was also not explored in what passed for a trial.

It doesn’t take much to pull what is already known together and ask the question “Who among the celebrities and top-level politicians that Epstein cultivated were actually Israeli spies?” But that, of course, is where the judicial farce and cover-up began. We are in an era of government control of information and have just been witnessing selective management of what Maxwell was being charged with to eliminate any possible damage to senior US politicians or to Israel.

If anyone had actually expected the espionage angle to surface even implicitly during the Maxwell trial, they must now be terribly disappointed because Alison Nathan, the Obama appointed judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York did not allow it, the prosecutor did not seek it, and even the defense attorneys did not use it in their arguments.”

I Survived Covid-19 and Will Begin Posting Again. Yeah!

I am holding onto the tail-end of recovering from a wrestling match with covid-19. I do not recommend the experience to anyone!

Actually, it wasn’t much of a contest. I was down-and-out for a considerable period of time. Being bedridden is the main reason for the temporary disappearance of HumanityRenewed.

But now we are back. Hopefully, not with a vengeance, even though my inherent cheekiness and impatience with arrogance and stupidity will continue.

So, I hope you will continue reading!

And for those friends who knew about my illness, I thank you deeply for your prayers and concerns. Your periodic emails asking about my health have meant a lot.

God is good — though I well know that he would still be a good God had I shed this mortal coil.

 

Tell Your Senators That You Do Not Want to Pay $1 Billion for Israel’s “Iron Dome”

The US provides Israel with $10.5 million per day in military aid.

Yep, Israeli military might is primarily the product of US arms sales and foreign aid. We hand over approximately $3.5 billion to Israel every year. That’s more assistance than we give to any other country in the world, including the entire continent of Africa.

On Monday the Senate will vote on whether we should give Israel an additional $1 billion for its Iron Dome project. (Yep, that’s another billion on top of the $3.8 billion they already received in 2020!)

Rockets from Gaza and Iron Dome anti-missile rockets from Israel

Israel’s so-called Iron Dome is a “defensive” anti-missile system developed with US funding and expertise.  The record is conflicted over how effective it really is, but it figures prominently into Israel’s public messaging about its need to defend itself against rockets shot into Israel from Gaza.

How often do we hear this message: Israel has a right to defend itself!

But there are many problems with this picture.

First, let Israel spend its own money “defending” itself. Why not? The US has spent $300 million each day over the past 20 years on our foolish, destructive ventures in Afghanistan. More war mongering overseas is the last thing I want my tax dollars going to.

Let the Israelis pay for their weapons systems by themselves. They can afford it.

Second, yes, you read me correctly. I did write war mongering. The Iron Dome may be called a “defensive” weapons system. But a good many western visitors to Gaza have come away describing it as the largest open air prison in the world. In fact, others like the Jewish historian Norman Finkelstein have even compared it to a concentration camp.

I fully agree with folks like Dr. Finkelstein, in which case the Israeli military must be seen as the largest collection of concentration camp guards in the world.

So, here is my question: Do concentration camp guards have the right to defend themselves against prisoners who resist their abuse?

Think about it.

Would the guards at Auschwitz have had the right to shoot and kill the emaciated, dehumanized, Jewish prisoners starving to death around them had those prisoners revolted against their imprisonment?

The answer is, No.

Today we celebrate the stubborn, Jewish prisoners who revolted against their
German guards in the Warsaw ghetto. They are seen as heroes.

So, what makes Jewish concentration camp guards today any different from those German concentration camp guards in the past?

Nothing, my friends. Absolutely nothing.

Why, then, are American politicians asking US tax payers to finance the superior weaponry used by Israeli guards against the dehumanized and embattled people imprisoned within the Gaza concentration camp?

According to International Law, the Palestinians in Gaza have every right to resist their inhumane subjugation and strike back, even when that resistance includes rocket fire.

The truth of the matter is that the people of Gaza should have the US construct a Palestinian Iron Dome to intercept the innumerable rockets, bombs, missiles, and fighter jets that Israel launches against them on a regular basis.

Naturally, there is much more to be said about this situation. But I have already given reason enough for you and me both to call our senators in D.C. (either today or Monday morning) and insist that they NOT APPROVE another $1 billion for Israeli weapons systems.

Please click here and respond. The Palestinian prisoners will thank you.

Thanks.

Meet My New Peregrine, Bella

Bella

Yesterday, I picked up my new peregrine falcon. Terry has named her Bella, which is the Italian word for beautiful. And she is a beauty!

She is 3 months old. Her training begins today as we become friends while she feeds on my fist and I walk around exposing her to new sights and sounds.

Bella will be my main hunting partner this fall, along with my English setter, Spike.

Me, Spike, and Keeper

Some of you may know that my previous peregrine, Keeper, was killed by a coyote last winter as he was on the ground wrestling with a Hungarian partridge.

Yes, even predators are always prey for something else bigger than themselves.

I expect that Bella, Spike, and I will have great times together this season as she learns to hunt, stoop (diving from great heights), follow me in the sky, and use her feet in hitting and holding onto sharp-tail grouse, pheasants, and other game birds on the Montana prairies.

Me with Jay as he releases his gyrfalcon

I will also enjoy the company of two fellow falconers who have become dear friends to me, Jay and Ted. We do a lot of hunting together. I especially enjoy their company because everybody always roots and cheers for the other person’s falcon. There is no competition. We all are fans of the falcons, no matter who has done the training. I love that about our camaraderie.

I am supremely blessed to enjoy the life that the Lord has

Ted with his gyrfalcon after she took her first pheasant

given to me. I don’t take it for granted (or for granite!).

You may also recall that peregrine falcons in the lower 48 states neared extinction by the late 1960s. But due to vital federal regulations and the diligent work of North American falconers, the peregrine population today is probably stronger than it has ever been.

During the summers I volunteer with the Montana Peregrine Institute (headed by my friend, Jay). I observe a cliff sight near my home to monitor nesting success. This year they fledged 3

My first peregrine, Bo, swoops down to catch a quail. Sadly, Bo was killed by a bald eagle

young. On my last visit, I had the chance to watch all 3 chase and dive bomb each other for a good 45 minutes as they began their own lives in God’s creation.

A good 75% of raptors do not survive their first year. It’s tough being a predator, and nature can be brutal.

But when I began my falconry career in high school, I thought that I would never have the chance to fly a peregrine of my own. They were almost extinct. To now be blessed with my third is a gift from God I will never underestimate.

Here is the Link to My Webinar Conversation about Christian Nationalism and Christian Zionism

For those of you who could not watch the Webinar live on Tuesday, here are a few links that will connect you to the recording. Thanks for your interest and engagement:

A link to the Network for Evangelicals for the Middle East resource page containing links to various webinars from the past:  https://neme.network/resources/

A link to my webinar discussing “Two Chosen Peoples?” Two Promised Lands?” Christian Nationalism and Christian Zionism under Trump and Biden”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_kdwlYNm8U

A link to the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East: https://neme.network/about/

 

Don’t Miss the Online Seminar Tomorrow: Two Chosen Peoples? Two Promised Lands?

I invite you to join me tomorrow at 12:00 Eastern Time for a Webinar entitled “Two Chosen Peoples? Two Promised Lands? Christian Nationalism and Christian Zionism under Trump and Biden.”

My fellow panelists are Lisa Sharon Harper and L. Daniel Hawk. I am sure we will have a lively conversation about a pressing issue in world news. Our moderator will be professor Andrea Smith.

Click this link to register:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2up_wyTWQ_CpGHeule7xHQ

Dissecting Christian Zionist (and Israeli) Propaganda

Let’s begin by watching a recent CBN (Christian Broadcast Network) report on the violence unfolding in Israel/Palestine. The reporter is Chris Mitchell who lives in Israel.

As far as I can tell, all the on-screen personnel at CBN are avid Christian Zionists, meaning that they believe Israel is God’s chosen nation now preparing the way for the second coming of Christ.

Let’s start by observing the major points in this report:

  1. The current violence in Jerusalem begins with Hamas rockets launched at Israel from Gaza. Thus, Palestinians are the aggressors. Jews are only defending themselves.
  2. Netanyahu warns the Palestinian “terrorists” that Israel will respond firmly and decisively in self-defense.
  3. Mahmud Abbas (the West Bank leader of Fatah) is the instigator behind all the Palestinian “riots” in Jerusalem
  4. Palestinian residents in Sheikh Jarrah are protesting their home evictions unreasonably because the original Jewish property owners had reached a generous compromise that was then rejected by Mr. Abbas.

Let’s take these points one at a time:

First, CBN adopts the standard storyline of explaining the issues according to something I call APR time. APR time means After Palestinians Respond. It’s as if the Palestinians simply woke up one morning and decided to riot and fire rockets in Israel, just for the fun of it. 

Actually, the current violence has its roots in Israel’s unilateral decision, made several weeks ago, to close off the Damascus Gate entrance to the Old City during the Muslim period of Ramadan. The Damascus Gate is the main thoroughfare used by Palestinians going to pray at al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock during Ramadan.

Palestinians naturally took offense at this closure and challenged the decision in the streets. Events have escalated from there.

Second, Israel’s current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been unable to form a new government since the recent national elections. As a right-wing politician, he knows that the easiest way to gather support is to rally people by fear-mongering over an alleged, national threat. American politicians do it all the time. In Israel, Palestinians serve as the standard, cardboard cutout for the state’s ever-present boogeyman.

Third, Mahmud Abbas is the leader of the Palestinian political party known as  Fatah and the head of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank. Since the Oslo Accords, the PA has served as the West Bank wing of the Israeli security forces.

Abbas has no connection to the Hamas party in Gaza. In fact, Hamas considers the PA to be a traitorous organization given its cooperation with the Israeli military.

Mitchell’s claim that Abbas has somehow orchestrated the Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza is ludicrous. Here he reveals that he is not a journalist but a faithful propagandist for the Israeli government.

It is true that Abbas is a corrupt scoundrel who has postponed the West Bank elections. But there is no evidence that he can influence the Palestinians citizens of Israel to take up mass demonstrations to distract from his shenanigans in the West Bank.

That claim makes no sense. Palestinian Israelis cannot vote in the West Bank elections. They don’t have a dog in Abbas’s election fight. He has no influence over them and they have little to no regard for him.

Fourth, Mitchell’s attempt to explain the tensions raised by Palestinian evictions in Sheikh Jarrah is a complete fabrication. Once again, he shows that he works as a tool for the Israeli government. He is not a journalist.

Mr. Mitchell is merely repeating the public relations bulletin handed to him by the Israeli Ministry of Public Affairs.

I shared a document yesterday that explains the actual history of the Sheikh Jarrah evictions, and it has nothing to do with the foolishness repeated by Mr. Mitchell. You can read it here.

The CBN anchorman asks the question, “Why are we not hearing that story in the western media?” The implication is that this is “omission” yet another instance of the western, antisemitic conspiracy against Israel.

In fact, the reason this supposed story has not been mentioned by other western, news outlets  is because it is complete balderdash; another Zionist myth fed to gullible, ignorant devotees of Israeli apartheid who will foolishly repeat it for American, Christian Zionist consumption.

Sadly, this fallacious, inaccurate reporting on Israel/Palestine is typical of the “news” made available on Christian broadcasting.

I strongly suggest that my readers not take it seriously. It is NOT a reliable source of accurate information about the world we live in.

George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Caron Nazario Remind Us of Why African-Americans Are Afraid to Get Out of Their Cars

In the midst of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial for the death of George Floyd, a new wave of demonstrations has erupted protesting the death of another unarmed black man, 20 year old Daunte Wright.

Here is a video of Mr. Wright’s shooting:

Almost simultaneously, a Virginia state police video was released showing the unnecessary use of force, bullying, and intimidation against another unarmed man of color, Army second lieutenant Caron Nazario. Fortunately, though both officers had guns drawn at this traffic stop neither pulled the trigger.

Here is a video of lieutenant Nazario’s police encounter:

Naturally, each of these situations is unique in its own way. I won’t discuss those differences here. I will simply encourage you to follow these stories on your own if you aren’t already.

But all of these incidents have at least two traits in common.

First, notice how quickly the police begin to apply force (verbally, emotionally, and physically) against the black suspects. Yelling, threats, intimidation, grabbing, pulling, pushing, handcuffs, tasers, and guns are all on display almost immediately.

It looks as if the police have just received a dramatic, red-alert dispatch warning them that the man they are pulling over is a violent mass murderer transporting a nuclear bomb in the trunk of his car.

From my perspective — and I have been on the receiving end of such treatment — the police are needlessly escalating a situation that could have been handled much more calmly.

Why are they acting like marines on a search-and-destroy mission?

Second, a tipping point seems to occur when the black man refuses to get out of his car (or climbs back inside). The police are clearly angered by this display of personal autonomy, which they interpret as another act of lawlessness that requires physical restraint and arrest.

As best as I can determine (I am not a lawyer), citizens are legally obligated to comply with an officer’s “lawful orders” (emphasis on lawful). If a police officer orders a driver to get out of his/her car, for example, then the driver is supposed to obey (see here and here; for a detailed discussion in the Santa Clara Law Review, look here).

Unsurprisingly, conservative reactions to such arrests and shootings are typically straightforward. Just comply! Do what the officer says, and you will be fine. Or so says the white guy…

[I am reminded of an old joke. Question: What is a liberal? Answer: A liberal is a conservative who just got arrested.]

It is now well known that the increasing militarization of US police training encourages officers to view citizens (whether explicitly or implicitly) as “the enemy” and every engagement as a combat situation. Trainees are now taught to to think of themselves as “warriors” not as “guardians” or public servants.

Frankly, I can easily understand why black men and women are afraid to get out of their cars when pulled over by police. This country has a long history of unarmed black citizens winding up dead after meeting with the police.

Recent events show that little has changed.

I would be afraid to get out of my car, too, if I shared the same history and personal experiences of black Americans who are often mistreated, even terrorized, by our so-called peace officers.

Really now, how many more George Floyd type videos does white America need to see?

Of course, the naysayers have their come backs. Most commonly, we are told that police shoot more unarmed white people than black people every year.

That is true.

But what these conservative, racial apologists neglect to mention is that, according to the US Census Bureau, African-Americans make up only 13% of the US population.

It’s not surprising, then, to learn that a larger percentage shootings occur within the majority of the population. More white people means more police encounters which means more shootings. It only makes sense.,

But what is truly shocking, and often erased from the equation, is the dramatic increase in the percentage of police shootings against unarmed African-Americans given their minority status in our population.

Over 76% of the US population is white. 18.5% is Hispanic/Latino. 13% is black. Yet, when fatal police shootings are calculated as a percentage per million of the total population, incidents involving African-Americans jumps to the top of the list by a wide margin.

This more equitable calculation shows that of all (fatal) police shootings in this country, 14% of the victims are white, while 35% are black (Hispanics are 26%). In other words, black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be shot by police than white Americans.

Predictably, many conservatives and others will suggest (if only behind closed doors) that perhaps African-Americans are 2.5 times more likely to behave like criminals.

If you were holding on to that opinion, let me say two things: first, it is demonstrably false, but that argument must wait for a future post; second, get down on your knees, confess your sins, and repent. Your white privilege and racism are showing.

Every American, but especially anyone with even a passing acquaintance with our God, should be outraged at that statistic. If anyone can produce as many videos of white men and women being strong-armed from their cars, pushed to the ground, punched, stepped on, handcuffed, arrested, and finally shot as we have of African-Americans suffering such treatment, please send them to me.

Produce the evidence and I will recant.

But I’m not holding my breath. The fact that the police ever treat anyone so shamefully, with such unwarranted brutality and violence, is more than enough reason to campaign with Defund the Police organizers.

The fact that America’s black citizens continue to live in fear; the fact that they have good reason to be afraid of an approaching police officer; to suspect that getting out of their car may be their first step into the morgue; to know that they are consistently handled with more violence and aggression than their white neighbors; all of this and more means that this country has a long, long ways to go in the fight for racial justice and equality before the law.

This is why the Black Lives Matter movement remains essential for our society.

This is why all God’s people must share in these same goals.

Israel’s Largest Human Rights Organization Declares It to be an Apartheid State

B’Tselem is an internationally recognized human rights organization located in Israel. Its original mission was monitoring the mistreatment of Palestinians by the Israeli army in both Gaza and the West Bank.

The organization has won several international awards, including the 2014 Stockholm Human Rights Award and the 2018 Human Rights Award of the French Republic.

In January 2021, B’Tselem announced that its mission was expanding. The announcement came in the form of a public declaration describing both the Israeli nation-state and the Palestinian Occupied Territories as a single territory uniformly governed by a system of Jewish Supremacy.

The declaration is titled, “A Regime of Jewish Supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is Apartheid.”

Apartheid is defined as systemic discrimination based on race and/or ethnicity that is endorsed by state authorities and embedded in the nation’s legal system.

In Israel and the rest of Palestine, this means that all Palestinians are always second class “citizens” (though many can never attain citizenship), while Jews enjoy first class citizenship within a society created exclusively by and for Jews alone.

I have posted an excerpt from B’Tselem’s announcement below. Encourage your pro-Israel friends to read it and to investigate B’Tselem’s website. They will find a wealth of information documenting their claims.

To learn about the details explaining how and why Israel imposes Jewish supremacy upon the Palestinians, I encourage you to read the entire proclamation by clicking on the title above:

The Israeli regime, which controls all the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, seeks to advance and cement Jewish supremacy throughout the entire area. To that end, it has divided the area into several units, each with a different set of rights for Palestinians – always inferior to the rights of Jews. As part of this policy, Palestinians are denied many rights, including the right to self-determination.

This policy is advanced in several ways. Israel demographically engineers the space through laws and orders that allow any Jew in the world or their relatives to obtain Israeli citizenship, but almost completely deny Palestinians this possibility. It has physically engineered the entire area by taking over of millions of dunams of land and establishing Jewish-only communities, while driving Palestinians into small enclaves. Movement is engineered through restrictions on Palestinian subjects, and political engineering excludes millions of Palestinians from participating in the processes that determine their lives and futures while holding them under military occupation.

A regime that uses laws, practices and organized violence to cement the supremacy of one group over another is an apartheid regime. Israeli apartheid, which promotes the supremacy of Jews over Palestinians, was not born in one day or of a single speech. It is a process that has gradually grown more institutionalized and explicit, with mechanisms introduced over time in law and practice to promote Jewish supremacy. These accumulated measures, their pervasiveness in legislation and political practice, and the public and judicial support they receive – all form the basis for our conclusion that the bar for labeling the Israeli regime as apartheid has been met.

If this regime has developed over many years, why release this paper in 2021? What has changed? Recent years have seen a rise in the motivation and willingness of Israeli officials and institutions to enshrine Jewish supremacy in law and openly state their intentions. The enactment of Basic Law: Israel – the Nation State of the Jewish People and the declared plan to formally annex parts of the West Bank have shattered the façade Israel worked for years to maintain. . .

The Israeli regime’s rationale, and the measures used to implement it, are reminiscent of the South African regime that sought to preserve the supremacy of white citizens, in part through partitioning the population into classes and sub-classes and ascribing different rights to each. . .

As painful as it may be to look reality in the eye, it is more painful to live under a boot. The harsh reality described here may deteriorate further if new practices are introduced – with or without accompanying legislation. Nevertheless, people created this regime and people can make it worse – or work to replace it. That hope is the driving force behind this position paper. How can people fight injustice if it is unnamed? Apartheid is the organizing principle, yet recognizing this does not mean giving up. On the contrary: it is a call for change.

Fighting for a future based on human rights, liberty and justice is especially crucial now. There are various political paths to a just future here, between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, but all of us must first choose to say no to apartheid.

What Is ‘White Privilege’?

(This is installment 5 in my series discussing Critical Race Theory. From here on out, I will only provide the immediately preceding post. For all previous posts on this subject, see here, here, here, here, and here.)

Critical Race Theory has advanced three key concepts that help to identify and critique the ways in which racism works in society. They are the notions of White Privilege, Systemic Racism, and Intersectionality.

In this post, I will only talk about White Privilege. The other will have their turn.

Many Christians, like the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, have condemned all three of these ideas, for reasons will we explore as this series unfolds. Though I am not a sociologist, and am happy to be corrected by my readers, I suspect that only the idea of Intersectionality may be new – although that is probably debatable.

But what is most important is not whether these are new concepts, but how they are applied to illuminate (or to confuse, perhaps) how different people relate to each other in American society.

To put things simply, White Privilege identifies the fact that America is the product of (primarily) white, European culture and society.

Colonialism was a deeply embedded component of that European culture. As a result, having white skin as opposed to having dark skin became an encoded principle of Western, racial superiority.

After all, the white colonizers were always superior to the colonized, dark skinned natives.

Even though we now live (theoretically) in a post-colonial world – albeit with numerous exceptions, beginning with Jewish Israeli colonization of 5 million native Palestinians – in which the majority of Caucasian (white-skinned) people would (probably) deny the idea of racial superiority linked to traits like skin color, ethnicity, or physical morphology, the social/cultural norms and  structures (erected in order to enforce or “protect” those norms) generated by that white culture continue to exist.

Many researchers have demonstrated the reality of White Privilege today in such areas as business hiring practices, and mortgage approval or interest rates. Even now, white people continue to benefit in many ways that black people do not.

Numerous white folks have experienced this for themselves while temporarily “passing” for black.

More tellingly, there are profound historical reasons explaining why light-skinned, African Americans have sometimes chosen “to pass” as white.

While many white folks, especially conservatives, remain loath to admit this, White Privilege is a fact of life. And the sooner white America as a whole comes to grips with this fact, the better for everyone.

Frankly, for any segment of the Christian church, whether Southern Baptists or anybody else, to deny the reality of White Privilege is unconscionable. It reveals an area of life where Jesus’ call to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” has been in short supply.

In fact, the Christian church ought to be taking the lead in working creatively to identify, address and undo the practical effects of White Privilege in our world.

Our God is not a God of favoritism.

The Creator is a God of equality. He loves everyone equally. He values everyone equally. Everyone is equally sinful. Everyone is equally in need of Christ’s redemption. Salvation is equally available to everyone, and equally beneficial to all who will believe.

The kingdom of God is a realm of equality, which will be recognizable oh this earth where God’s multi-racial community of faith can be observed by all.

Ironically, the fact that no African-Americans were included on the Southern Baptist Convention committee, which wrote the document condemning Critical Race Theory is itself a rude example of White Privilege at work among Christian people.

In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul tells us that the preexistent Son of God willingly set aside his divine privileges; in fact, “he made himself nothing, taking the very form of a servant” in order to elevate and to redeem people like you and me (Phil 2:7).

Every Caucasian who claims to follow Jesus Christ is obligated to live a Christ-like life, the life of a servant.

We need to acknowledge our privilege, identify it, and do whatever we can to share that privilege by rejecting it; to reconstruct a society where everyone of all colors stand on a level playing field – with some even being given an advantage where necessary – until our Creator’s vision of human equality is the norm.

One proviso: I suspect that the main reason the Southern Baptists rejected the principle of White Privilege was due to the way it has been misused by certain advocates of Critical Race Theory. (Another reason to remember that the abuse of an idea offers no necessary critique of the idea itself.)

Some intemperate anti-racist activists use the principle of White Privilege to define all white people as inherently racist. To be white is to be racist, no questions asked.

As a Christian, I must draw a line here and say that THIS application of the principle is wrong. It’s wrong morally and it’s wrong theologically.

Such a misuse of the White Privilege principle is, I believe, one of the reasons that certain older members of the Civil Rights movement (!) have also publicly denounced Critical Race Theory.

Regardless of their personal theologies, they too identify the moral problem at the root of any such blanket condemnation of an entire class of people.

Sadly, it is one more expression of human tribalism (and its many defects) which excels at taking good ideas and twisting them until they only shed light on my neighborhood.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream anticipating a day when black children and white children will all be judged “not on the color of their skin but by the content of their character” continues to ring true for these pioneering Civil Rights activists, as it also does for me.

Perhaps it is true that a very high percentage of US Caucasians remain blind to their privilege while happily enjoying its benefits without giving any thought to the related (even consequential) difficulties and discrimination faced by our dark-skinned brothers and sisters.

No. What every Christian can and must say is that all people everywhere are guilty of being sinful. Consequently, all people everywhere are intensely tribal. Thus, all people everywhere think and act selfishly.

Meaning that all people everywhere need the redemption and personal transformation available through Jesus Christ – which can ONLY work properly in integrated communities of faith where men, women, and children of every color share themselves, their histories, their stories, their personal experiences, and their hopes with each other.

I have more say on this topic, but I think I have gone on too long already!

Until next time…