This letter is interesting in some regards, but as an analysis of privilege given to an entire demographic group of the country, it is pretty much worthless. Sorry.

Other phenomena described here under the label of white privilege are simpy the typically human “us vs. them” stuff. We all tend to be more critical of those who are different from us, of “them” in other words, and it doesn’t have all that much to do specifically with racism.

That is also why one could with equal justification write an essay about “Evangelical privilege” deriding the way Evangelicals apply a double standard when looking at other Evangelicals or those outside the camp, or “Catholic privilege”, or even “Liberal privilege.” Just look at much of the stuff written about Governor Palin, or any prominent conservative Christian, in the mainstream press.

I am all for opposing racism, but bunging all sorts of human prejudice together under that label is not helpful.

I mentioned in the post that I don’t care for the political applications, but the observation is spot on true.

peace

MS

About the email on white privilege, the author made some very good points that white people (I am one) really need to consider, especially concerning how black people are often viewed viewed, and treated, differently, than white people in very similar situations. The author undercuts the force of some of these good points, though, by going into “political campaign screed mode.” I know, on a personal level, one black conservative man who would have major problems with this e-mail– probably much more so than I do!

In full disclosure, I write as a white man who was born and raised in Alabama and who basically went to (nearly) all-white schools until college… *but* I also write as a Southern white man who, while in the South, opposed racism in general, and Southern white racists to their faces in particular, and was tormented for it. From a young age, I also had a heart for justice for people of all races, when most of the white people around me (many of whom would have claimed to be Christians) seemingly couldn’t have cared less. My reaction to this e-mail isn’t a “knee-jerk white reaction.” I just wish that the author would have tempered some of his obvious political bias, so that his/her very good points about race in America would not have been obscured by that bias.

See? It’s so plain and simple, once you apply proper Biblical principles!

Heating water involves fire, which is a reference to the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at Pentecost as tongues of flame. And the water is obviously the water of baptism(obviously).

So this dream is God telling you that you need to be born again of water and the Spirit.

Oh, and don’t forget to feed your hamsters, mmkay?