Who speaks for the black community?

[Szdfan]

So I’ve had thoughts about this thread and not really the bandwidth to get into it. But here’s a summary of one of my thoughts:

[Robert]

But here’s a summary of one of my thoughts:

What about some of us who have done extensive study and digging into this and just disagree with those PhD's?

[Szdfan]

But here’s a summary of one of my thoughts:

What about some of us who have done extensive study and digging into this and just disagree with those PhD's?

Who have you read?

[Bootstrap]

I am more interested in polling to see how black people feel about this.

I was once stopped by two Police cars with lights flashing ...

Again, this thread is about how we can find out what black people think and feel by asking them, looking for what is representative. It's not really about your feelings.

[Szdfan]

I am more interested in polling to see how black people feel about this.

I was once stopped by two Police cars with lights flashing ...

Again, this thread is about how we can find out what black people think and feel by asking them, looking for what is representative. It's not really about your feelings.

Exactly.

[GaryK]

So I’ve had thoughts about this thread and not really the bandwidth to get into it. But here’s a summary of one of my thoughts:

One of the reasons I believe I connect with the message from people like Baucham and Elder, even though they are definitely in the minority, is because they remind me of my own journey in another area.

For years there has been a very small minority of CA's who have identified and are willing to talk about issues within CA circles that have caused the CA community to move away from life-changing Kingdom teachings and values. This very small minority doesn't get much of a hearing from the vast majority of CA folks. I wonder if those of us who are willing to talk about these structural issues have experienced rejection/dismissiveness by the majority similar to what Elder, Baucham and others have to say about issues they are passionate about.

Biblical history would show is that often times God's message to His people was delivered by lonely prophets and Apostles preaching to the majority, which leads me to believe that minority voices are important to listen to as it relates to Kingdom teachings and values.

[Robert]

Again, this thread is about how we can find out what black people think and feel by asking them, looking for what is representative. It's not really about your feelings.

Exactly.

But it is about others feelings who are not even on this board? So you are saying their feelings matter, but mine do not? Their experiences matter, but mine do not because I am white? That sounds racist to me.

[appleman2006]

A PhD is nice. But for me an even bigger measure of what he or she has to say is how does it align with what Jesus had to say? For example how do they relate and act towards those that they disagree with? Do they come across in a militant way or in a caring way?
I am also interested in what is personally at stake for them. Are they willing to speak what they see as truth even though it may be very unpopular especially in their culture?

And I could not agree more. Feelings do not matter in this. At least not my personal feelings. Other people's feeling may come into play but ultimately what I am really concerned about is their long term spiritual health.

[Bootstrap]

Again, this thread is about how we can find out what black people think and feel by asking them, looking for what is representative. It's not really about your feelings.

Exactly.

But it is about others feelings who are not even on this board? So you are saying their feelings matter, but mine do not? Their experiences matter, but mine do not because I am white? That sounds racist to me.

Do you speak for the black community? That's the topic of this thread. That's not censorship. There are other threads for discussing your own feelings and experiences as a white person. I suspect that your world is as different from that of most black people as it is from researchers.

Incidentally, I don't think some random black academic with a PhD speaks for all blacks any more than some random black person on a highly politicized media source that specializes in fanning the flames of polarization. In either case, I would like to see them show data that demonstrates whether the views they are promoting are representative of black people in America.

[Bootstrap]

A PHD is nice. But for me an even bigger measure of what he or she has to say is how does it align with what Jesus had to say? For example how do they relate and act towards those that they disagree with? Do they come across in a militant way or in a caring way?
I am also interested in what is personally at stake for them. Are they willing to speak what they see as truth even though it may be very unpopular especially in their culture?

And I could not agree more. Feelings do not matter in this. At least not my personal feelings. Other people's feeling may come into play but ultimately what I am really concerned about is their long term spiritual health.

So how did Jesus relate to the people who faced racism and discrimination in his world? How did he listen to them? How should we do the same? If we don't act like their lives matter to us, how is that conveying the love of Jesus to them?

When black people are out on the streets saying "I can't breathe", why do we keep returning to partisan political narratives that say this doesn't matter? Why is it so hard to even have a thread that asks us to focus on ways to see how widespread these concerns are for black Americans?