Stones Cry Out

Are you serious? Ummm....how about no?
Look, slavery is evil. Profoundly and deeply evil. But the most that any person owes another is exactly that - an acknowledgement that slavery was evil and wrong. Perhaps our nation, in theory an enduring entity, owes black people an apology for what happened to their ancestors - a non-pecuniary one apology - but no one person owes another an apology for actions for which they were in no way involved or responsible. To claim that they do is to give in the the culture of victimization that is so popular among the left. It's a very slippery slope, and you have started down it.

Doug,

I'm a bit confused also. If the Holy Spirit was moving at your meeting, who am I to argue. However, I see a colorblind God in the Bible. The issue is our relationship to God as individuals, rich or poor, black or white or whatever. So too our relationships with one another should also be equal, without barriers to class, race, etc. Should those born to wealth apologise? "I'm sorry God made me this way (rich)." I think God wants them to use that wealth to advance the kingdom. I was born with some intelligence and work ethic. Should I apologise to others that are dumb and lazy? I will use my gifts to advance the kingdom and perhaps help the dumb and lasy. God made me with white skin. That was not my choice, it was God's. What are we saying? "I'm sorry God made me white." My skin color is part of God's perfect plan for my life. It is not a mistake.

My ancestors have all been farmers, no slaves in the bunch. My grandfather came from Sweden with only the clothes he was wearing. He worked as a farm hand for $1/day. He saved up enough money to 'rent' some pregnant sows and started farming for himself. No slaves, nothing shameful. Just faith in the Lord and some good hard honest work. Why can't I be proud of that heritage, just as anyone else may be proud of thiers? Why do I have to be ashamed and apologise because of the color of skin God chose for me? It's a big planet, and people of every skin color have sinned and victimized others here. Where will it end?

If you sin against God, take it to Him. If you sin against another, take it to that person. Where in the Bible does it say, "if anyone of your skin color sins against anyone of a different skin color at any point in time, then ask everyone of the other skin color for forgiveness whenever you meet, because it is just as if you yourself have committed the sin and you are guilty and unclean until you do this."? MLK urged everyone to 'judge based on character, not the color of skin'. I'm holding on to that dream.

The thing is, the descendents of many white folk are still reaping benefits of all those years of slave labor, all the land stolen from the native peoples. Whether or not I or my ancestors owned slaves or took part in the subjegation of native peoples, I HAVE benefitted. I'm with Doug on this one.

One of my favorite movies is "The Mission," with DeNiro and Jeremy Irons. It is set in colonial South America in the 1700s.

There is a scene in it where a grieving former slave trader asks the priest for a penance that could relieve him of his guilt. The priest, who works in a mission, tells the slave trader he must carry all his weapons of war up this treacherous mountainside to the mission, and the slave trader does so.

The journey is a near-impossible struggle with all of his armor, swords and guns loaded on a pack on his back, but eventually the slave trader reaches the top and collapses in exhaustion. Suddenly, the team of priests and the slave trader are surrounded by the indians who recognize the trader as the man who has killed and captured their sons and daughters, friends and family.

One indian runs up to the prone trader and puts a knife to his neck. He looks up to the chief and his community and, after a tense moment, cuts the pack from the slave traders back and frees him of his burden.

"the sins of the fathers are visited on the children to the third and fourth generation."

Asking forgiveness for the sins of those whom I may have nothing to do with does not necessarily suggest that I'm ashamed of anything. But it is an acknowledgement of sins that were racially motivated by members of my race and, as Dan notes, give me somewhat of an historical advantage.

I agree that people should not be ashamed of their own lives if they've lived it honorably, but that does not preclude asking for forgiveness on behalf of others. Jesus never sinned and yet he took, not just the blame but the punishment for sins He had nothing to do with.

Yes, if you sin against another, take it to him or her and ask forgiveness. But I don't think that's the sole use for forgiveness. Being human, and having a tendency to place blame where blame doesn't belong, there are those times when taking on that burden and asking forgiveness for it can being the healing process. I think that's more important that ensuring proper accounting of blame.

I think some points have been missed here. The act of apology is to break down any barriers while addressing the issue e.g. a descendant of a Nazi guard apologizing to the Jewish world. My ancestors owned slaves in Virginia, I didn't. But if an apology to a descendant of one of his slaves will heal and bridge a gap, I will do so.

Money? no. Reaping the benefits from former slave owners? Not me. Land stolen from natives? If we start unravelling all the land taken from all the conquered societies in all of world history, how far back do we trace the ownership and restoration process? If that's the case, the first order of business is that any and all white people in the western hemisphere must turn over all their possessions and leave. Don't be stupid while trying to appear profound.

I much prefer to dissolve walls with forgiveness and move forward.

BTW, geneticists have shown through DNA studies that there is only one race among humans which is humans varying in pigmentation and select geographical breeding charactaristics. We tend to put too much emphasis on appearances.

Yes, Jane. It is just skin pigment. There were no slaves in Iowa in 1925. Just farming with horses. I don't often disagree with Doug, but I do on this one. Apologising for my skin pigment is nuts, and will not address the real issues here. Until we strive for colorblindness, it is hopeless. MLK understood this, but no one is preaching it today. Next I'll have to apologise to my horse.

I agree with Doug as well. The Bible is full of (for lack of a better term) "sin displacement". I was born into a world that I did not screw up (I'm not talking environmentally - I'm talking about the Fall), and yet I am paying for the sins of my ancestors who did. Yes, I have sinned as well, but before I ever sinned I was paying for the sins of my ancestors.

Even a cursory reading of God's history with Israel shows that we inherit the sins and blessings of our ancestors. We are responsible for them both. Punishment for sins were frequently paid out to the entire family. God himself said that he would hold future generations accountable for the sins of the first generation. And it goes both ways, God offers blessings many generations forward for the faithful service of a single generation. It took decades before Israel (and later Judah) finally paid the price for their sins, all because of one man named David who was blessed by God.

I like what Jane said: if an apology will bridge a gap, why not bridge it? In the end, it is only pride that keeps us from doing this. "I don't have to apologize because I didn't do anything."

What if Jesus had said that about the cross?

Adam,

What you say is true. It think where we differ is in the concept's application to this situation. Is this a 'race-based' concept? Adam was everyone's ancestor, and we are all the descendants of long lines of sinners. What you are saying is that we have an extra responsibility for the sins of the people that lived before us that have the same skin pigmentation. I don't see that in the Word. Israel was not held responsible for the sins of other tribes with the same skin pigmentation. The concept applies between a people and God - not other peoples. Israel did not apologise to their rivals for thier sins, even when other peoples were involved. You have to be careful when looking at the OT and applying it today. Israel had slaves, both economically and raced-based, and God did not always have a problem with it. One must also look to NT themes here as well.

If you knew me and how I spend my life, I do not think you would feel that pride is a motivation of my comments.

I'm afraid the bridge built with such an apology will only be a temporary one. I guess it boils down to how you look at America. I want us to be one nation of Americans, united. I think it is OK for sub-groups to celebrate their heritage and contributions to the culture, as I'm proud of my Grandfather and Father. Highlighting our differences and focusing on past sins does not progress toward the goal of unification.

What a moving story, Doug. Thanks for bringing it to us. Andrew Hawkins didn't owe this apology to anyone, because he didn't participate in the slave trade personally. But what a wonderful act of contrition and family humility to ask for forgiveness on behalf of his forebearers. We can come up with a lot of reasons why we shouldn't recognize the complicity and damage caused by our family, our race, our nation, our kind. That takes nothing. But it takes great courage to humble oneself and express regret for the sins of our fathers. And what an opportunity for the Africans present to forgive.

I've been on that river in Gambia where thousands of slaves plucked from the area were lined in slave ships and sailed away forever from their homes to death on the seas or near-death as slaves.

To kneel by that river in Banjul and seek healing for descendants of perpetrators and victims alike is an amazing picture of goodness.

I'm sorry, but I can't believe that you are touting this like it is some great thing. This is the biggest load of politically-correct manure that I have read in a long time.

This is almost as stupid and just as pathetic as those anti-American Christian pacifists that were slaughtered by terrorists in Iraq or the Pope apologizing to Moslems for trying to defend Eastern Christendom from them in the Crusades.

How has Mr. Hawkins benefited from his ancestor's involvement in the slave trade? How many generations pass until one is absolved of their ancestor's misdeeds? Go far enough back and everyone's ancestors have oppressed everyone else's ancestors.

My ancestors owned slaves in the Old South and fought in the Indian Wars. The only apology that is forthcoming will be over my cold dead body.

I think you will find something other than the Holy Spirit pushing people to acts of idiocy like this. Rather, it is self-loathing and the renunciation for the achievements and heritage of 1500 years of Western Christendom.

Oh please, Mr. Fisher. It is not a renunciation of achievements. It is a renunication of slavery.

I don't know all of Mr. Hawkins motivations, but this act was one of humility. Quite biblical; sadly rare.