 Reconciling the races in postmodernity By J.C. WATTS Jr. © 2000 United Press International Monday, January 15, 2001 This is the sixth installment of the UPI series, "Christ and postmodernity," where authors propose theological solutions for this era's profusion of subjective "truths."
It is a fascinating period to be a part of, as we are witnessing a resurgence of love of country, humanity and, most important, God. This counterrevolution takes place in an era we call postmodernity. On one hand this is a chaotic epoch marked by millions of homemade, subjective "truths" and values. They can change at an instant at everybody's whim. On the other hand, postmodernity has turned against the cold, rational thinking of the scientific age, an attitude that prevailed for most of the last 200 years since the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. Renewed devotion to Christ Postmodernity no longer dismisses the transcendent. It has brought us a renewed devotion to Jesus Christ. There certainly is much more to be accomplished. But even in this postmodern age, society is far from wholesome. The struggle continues for racial healing, especially in the United States, and the agenda for healing a fragmented world is quite heavy. But faith in God, I believe, will get us through this complex predicament. In America, we recently experienced an election that became polarizing and divisive. Even with such occurrences as Cabinet appointments, there is a massive movement from those who constantly seek to divide rather than unite mankind. The rhetoric, much of it hate-filled, even stems from those who profess to be ministers of the Lord. Family is the starting point But the only way we can truly bring peace and reconciliation to overcome such turbulence is faith in God and a return to traditional values, starting with the family. The family is the core unit of society. If we denigrate the family, we rebel against what is natural and what is holy. We should instead focus on the most revered family of all, the Holy Family, and imitate the roles of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – child, mother and father most perfect. If we could emulate their devotion, the world would be a much better place in which to live. Jesus Christ has shown us the way, truth and light. It is up to us to live up to what He gave His life for in order to offer salvation to those who follow His ways. The end of communism Having said what I believe we should accomplish, let us examine what we already have done. We have seen communism eliminated almost in its entirety. The God-less government is becoming an institution for only the history books, as the 20th-century Soviet experiment has failed miserably. For years, the Soviet Union persecuted religious people in the cruelest ways. Eastern Europe was a hotbed of brutish atheism. The world, led by the United States, fought the Cold War and brought down the Berlin Wall. Christianity is beginning to thrive yet again for people who, until a few years ago, never knew what freedom was about. China and Cuba are countries we should continue to pray for. In the postmodern era that many of us enjoy, these two countries are still fighting anti-Christian forces in their governments. Although progress has been made in each country, there lacks an uncensored freedom of religious devotion. But they will join us, I am sure, in this new era. Their faith ultimately controls their lives. Christians in China and Cuba are following the teachings of Jesus Christ and will prevail over the forces of evil. Artists with traditional values Another area apparent in this postmodern age is the return of traditional values in art and music. It is so refreshing to see young painters, singers and other artisans returning to religious and classical themes in their work. The 1960s and 70s introduced avant-garde works of questionable talent and public subsidies for works that ridiculed some of America's most cherished values. But today's younger generation, at least in America, are noticeably more traditional. This is rooted in religion, politics and other personal beliefs that shape their work. I thank God to be alive in such an awesome time! Call for racial reconciliation Let us now focus on a subject of great importance to me personally, that is, of race. Blacks are overwhelmingly Christian people who work to love and serve Christ on a daily basis. We have endured much suffering and persecution. But we, at least in America, are free and equal in the eyes of the authorities. Not all nations provide this freedom. I pray that injustices such as slavery in the Sudan will come to a grinding halt in the new millennium. Reconciliation through Christ is the means by which blacks will enjoy the prosperity of the world. Only through Him will we have the guidance and stamina to fight discrimination, poverty and injustice. Only through Him can we reclaim our neighborhoods from crime, rebuild our families, and reclaim our Christ-based respect for the right-to-life. Transcending liberalism As a lawmaker and member of leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have stressed a goal of not just containing liberalism, but transcending it. We should not just reduce the costs of government, but change its very nature. And we ought not just urge people toward reduced expectations, but toward greater and bolder dreams. If we are to continue the trend of restoring society, we must strive to heed the original meaning of Martin Luther King Jr.'s words when he urged all Americans to judge people by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. To do so, we must recognize that the struggle for civil rights today is not strictly about legal rights but about expanding the reach of economic opportunity and restoring respect for traditional values. A 'grace' problem Someone once commented to me that America does not have a race problem; we have a "grace" problem. It is going to take a lot of grace to create the American dream for all people -- red, brown, yellow, black and white. Grace signifies good will and benevolence. It designates every favor, which proceeds from this benevolence and, consequently, every gift. Grace stands for charm and attractiveness. And it represents thanksgiving. This is exhibited, for instance, when we say "grace" before and after meals. The world would be a lot better off if we exhibited much more grace and graciousness. Combined with faith, hope and charity, we can make a difference as this new era brings new opportunities. Jesus Christ must be our guide. Our Savior must be our leader. We must follow His teachings, not the distortions of man, and obey the commandments and traditions handed down to us. If Christ is our light, we can reconstruct postmodern chaos into peace and heal our ethnically fragmented society. Congressman J.C. Watts Jr., R-Okla., is chairman of the House Republican Conference and an ordained Southern Baptist minister. |
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