Seeking Restorative Justice in America as an Asian immigrant_Part2: Love
This is a five-part series of “Seeking Restorative Justice in America”. Find the first part here (introducing Justice X Love Model), the second part here (Seeking Restorative Justice in Society, Church, and Politics), the third part here (Seeking Restorative Justice in America as an Asian Immigrant_Part1: Justice), and the final part here (Can I be part this journey?)
Seeking Love Truthfully
To seek the justice, I have to be honest and truthful to the people I love and I want to extend my heart. So here we go. Some tough conversations.
1. To my Asian Immigrant church:
I confess that I was somewhat disappointed/disheartened by us, whose congregation is predominantly Koreans and Korean Americans, for not engaging in this matter meaningfully and/or actively (in my standards, of course). Maybe disappointment is an unfair (and a strong) word as I expected the case. I can relate to where they are coming from as first generation immigrants. Some of them, including the senior pastor at our church, experienced a traumatic tragedy in 1992 LA riots. Senior pastored shared his story. During the riot, as he was trying to protect his uncle’s gas station, he was confronted by an African American who made a trigger gesture with hand towards his head and said “Go back to your country you XYZ”.
For the Asian Immigrants who escaped from the turmoil of their mother lands and worked extremely hard to earn their current lives, the riots and looting can be traumatizing. Also, there seem to be enough issues at hand with the pandemic, economic turmoils, political issues in their mother lands, etc. Lastly, there’s always a tension between actively engaging in the issues in society vs remaining in the ‘spiritual matter’ and don’t let the church be politicized. I fully acknowledge all of these, and I deeply deeply love my church. And I refuse to call our church “complicit”. In fact, who am I, and how dare I am, to call our parents generation “complicit”. I absolutely don’t want to be the Elihu in the story of Job (Job 32), who stated all the “righteous” points without the spirit of humbleness/grace (at least that’s how I perceive his spirit in the story of Job). Following comments from another Asian American explains better than me on this.
I certainly agree that we must stand with the African Americans in this, but I don’t think we (Asian American) are complicit. No way for me, I have passion against injustice and cruelty of all kinds from the days of immigrating here and realizing that “Chink” was an insult resulting in stitches and 2 black eyes. And a lifetime lesson from my dad that all humans are racist, learning a song they used to taunt German-Chinese kids in Tsing Tao as a boy..
I’ve always seen racial prejudice, as well as gender prejudice, as a human foiable that we are all possibly guilty of, at some point, because it is human nature. How we manage our inner thoughts situationally is our own responsibility, and it’s too simple to say Asian Americans have taken the easy ride.
Look at Japanese Interment and the wonderful work Mineta, the local law firm, and all the Japanese Americans did to get that righted. That work has deep meaning to Chinese Americans now as the politics swing against our kids for generations to come. Look at the work that the SF Chinese business guild did to support Chinese immigrants, winning the Citizen by Birthright case in 1898 at the Supreme Court that has benefitted so many American-born kids.
So yes to supporting change against injustice, yes I always took a knee. But no, we don’t need more gaslighting. We each are working in this soup against some tough hurdles, and we all have to help each other to attain the society that our Constitution lays out. It’s only 250+ yrs old, and Rome lasted 1000s. It’s too simple to say we didn’t help African Americans. Ask how many immigrant families could help their own community. It’s not easy, when you don’t get privilege, and it’s even less easy if we don’t have a voice in society, that is cohesive.
What I hope is our community will start discussing things, instead of just pressing likes or reading and not contributing. I’d love to learn if I’m disagreed with, or wrong, no worries. Lots to learn with our time left.
That said, I believe it’s an about time to engage more with what’s going on in US in our own unique, and meaningful way. I’m not suggesting we start tweeting #BLM on our social media nor donating funds towards this movement. I just want to invite our congregation to start talking about these and pray about these matters more. Let me share three points.
- 1) Seeking social justice is right thing to do as Christians. This goes against the notion of so-called let’s just stay in “spiritual lane”. Pastor Damos really hit the nail on this point at his sermon here. He quoted followings from Ronald Rolheiser’s book, the Holy Longing. He introduced how Jesus directly and publicly, named and rebuked a social injustice when he healed a man with withered hand on a Sabbath (Mark 3). He did it knowing that this can deeply offend those with religious and cultural power, and will eventually cause him to die. His anger was holy and his action was beautiful. We are called to name and engage to bring about social justice as the follower of Jesus.
- (Update: As I’ve been praying about this topic, I realized this is no simple question and there’s no single cut answer here on “what’s right thing to do as a christian and/or as a body of christ (church). It can be (and may well be) different based on the time, circumstances, the season, and many more. Jesus didn’t fight for an immediate social injustice (Roman empire) but he fought for oppressing laws/legacies that are taxing the people and distorting god’s words (rebuking the temple merchants, rebuking Pharisees especially for things like distorting the spirit of Law — Sabbath (Mark3)). So it’s really interesting what Jesus did, and how we engage with social injustice/cry/hurt can be very complex topic indeed. This might be a follow up series.)
Social justice is about how systems affect us, especially adversely. It is very important that this be understood. It is not enough simply to be a good person within our own private lives. We can morally impeccable within our private lives (prayful, kind, honest, gentle, and generous) and still, at the same time, unknowingly, participate in and help sustain (through our work, our political affiliations, our economic ideology, our investments, and simply by our consumeristic lifestyle) systems which are far from charitable, gentle, prayful, and moral. While the system gives us a good life, it is far less kind to others… To practice social justice is to examine, challenge, refuse as far as possible to participate, and try to change those systems (economic, social, political, cultural, and religious) that unjustly penalize some even as they unjustly reward others.
- 2) This is an invitation to pay back to the society. I realized this during my prayer. This is our humble acknowledgment and gesture to thank America for who they are, and pay back for what she has done for us.
- 3) This is an invitation to further united with our spiritual brothers and sisters. We as immigrant church has been mono-ethnic church and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, being able to connect with people from different culture are a huge blessing (1 Cor 12) and this can be a great opportunity that we can meaningfully love those who are mourning and inviting them to our world. I view this as a great privilege and path for a bigger blessing. We will be further mature and complete when we seek and achieve unity in love from all walks of lives, to the best of our ability.
- (Update: As I’ve been meditating this part — what’s our role, as an Immigrant church, on this outcry of the nation? And I see a great potential and a riddle here. We might hold an important key in the spiritual realm. (I’m in complete agreement with Asia Rising’s Jason’s prayer at here. Yes, Asia needs to rise up (as a servant) in the spiritual realm. We need to be and will be awaken. We will do our part. That’s god’s beautiful, marvelous, and wonderful plan. )Yes, we have not been the most direct stakeholders in the issue of racism, and we might don’t have the most skin in the game yet. However, what if God desires us to join this journey actively? What if, especially because what happened in 1992 LA riot and the histories of conflicts of Asian/Black that there’s an important work of “reconciliation” remains? What if, god wants us, as an immigrant church, to notice the blessing we got so far didn’t come without the cost of our brothers (slavery/racial oppression), and he is extending an invitation for us to pay back? What if God is saying something like this?. Oh, this can easily be another separate write up. I’ll press this in my prayer further.)
I heard the cry of you and I took you from a nation with no worship to US to worship me. And what you’ve done so far, building up a family of worshipers, and connecting corporately to worship me (so called Immigrant church) has been a huge delight for me. Now, I want to invite you to a new season. Do you see the cry of the nation? Do you see the hurt of the people? Do you see that you guys are actually brothers and sisters? That we are one family? Can you partner with my son Jesus to bring restoration in the midst of chaos? In the midst of the hurt? I want to give you a chance to embrace your brothers and sisters. And I knew you had a bad fight before. I know that he was really hard on you (1992 riots, etc) before. I know how hurtful it was. However, have you ever considered how hard it has been for your brother? Certain looks you had, certain ways of you and your church reacted, can you see that it was extremely hurting for them? Also, have you ever recognized their afflictions, their hurts, and their loneliness? Have you ever considered you climbing up the social ladders and submitting to the system can rub your fellow brothers in an unintended way? Yes, I want you to notice and recognize those parts. I know it’s not easy. But you can do it cause you are my beloved child. It’s time to do some work Son. I’m inviting you to a new season. I want you to know that your inheritance is much bigger and as an heir, it’s your privilege to actively engage with your brothers and sisters. With the land you are in. That’s the worship I desire from you in this season.
2. To my Christian friends who support Republican party no matter what:
This is a very sensitive topic but let me take a risk here. I acknowledge this conversation might needs a whole separate writings and set-ups to fully unpack. That said, I’ll briefly leave my points here as an invitation to talk.
I understand why a good amount of conservative christians support Republican party, almost to the level that this becomes their “holy battle”. You might say this is to save the christian country from the liberal forces who might be influenced by spiritual forces. This is to protect America from the cultural war, the gender war, the war of individualism, etc. And thus for you to engage in #BLM or raise voice for racial justice might seem to go against your political identity. Believe me, I understand. I share multiple similar sentiments that there are important justices and truths that Republicans in general are representing.
But but but…I invite you to consider that what areas of Justice seeking efforts we might be missing out when we choose to support a party or a leader no matter what. I invite you to consider our strategy as a Christians in this complex spiritual battle. This isn’t for me to drive any conclusion but to invite you to contemplate on these questions. The way I see it is this. If the current leadership doesn’t take time to repent and seek grace humbly for certain hurtful comments or disrespectful gestures, they might not be able to protect the justice their supporters desperately seek let alone the racial injustice.
3. To my friends who are saying “Why are we just talking about Racial justice here?” How about other lives? (#AllLivesMatter)? I don’t see the fundamental issue here is the Racism:
First of all, I want to acknowledge, and personally extend my gratitude, for being truthful and stating unpopular opinion. I know what it feels like defending a truth that you seek when the majority of society is questioning your character for doing so. It might seem that people don’t know how to engage in a conversation with a clear logic, not with a fully charged emotion. I want to acknowledge this.
Secondly, I want you to know that I’ve trying to understand your view points by listening to/reading multiple thoughts/perspectives related to this line of thoughts. I’ve watched the entire film of Cadence Owens that states George Floyd’s image is made up by media and used politically. I’ve watched Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, and other black men shared their perspective on racism, saying it’s being overrated and talking about it can create even more hard. I’ve subscribed to multiple stats including this write up that says systemic police racism is a myth. I’ve seen from a twitter post that shows the mention about “Racism” has been growing exponentially in the medias such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, all of which are classified as Lean Left media according to Allsides.com media bias chart, for the past few years, and thus pose logical questions such as: Is the issue of “Racism” politicized and being used as a weapon from Left party?
Related, I also want you to know that certain version of BLM and protest, can be and might be not biblical. If they are in Quadrant 2(seeking only their version of justice with no spirit of humbleness, seeking unity (for more on this thoughts, please read my previous posting on this matter regarding 2x2 JusticexLove model) mode, you might think, there’ no spirit of grace here: There’s no acknowledgment of confession of one’s own sin, no acknowledgement of forgiving someone the wrongs done against you, etc. And it can be deeply offensive to those hold different views, and can even be a threat to the society.
With all that said, here’s a few points that I want to communicate with you.
- 1) I first want to, again, acknowledge that there are parts that you know better than I do, and I might be wrong. You might be right in certain stats. You might be right in “Racism” is being manipulated by left political party. You might be right that there are multiple, extremely dangerous institutions and forces are taking advantage of this moment. I want to ask for you to help me educate more on this matter humbly. If there’s any information you want me to know, I’d deeply appreciate you share with me.
- 2) My second point is regarding the thought “All Lives Matter”. Let me share a refreshing thoughts on this point that I encountered on social media.
If you are running a marathon for breast cancer, how would you feel if someone crashed the party and said “all cancer matters”? If you’re talking to a friend about an insecurity you have, how would you feel if they shifted the conversation and dismissed it by saying “all of us have insecurities?” How about Coronavirus” If you just lost a loved one to the disease, how would you feel if someone said to you “we’ve all lost loved one?” In all three of those instances, what’s being said is true. But it’s dismissive and heartless to say those things in the middle of someone’s pain. It doesn’t validate what they’re going through. And if we’re doing our best to follow the way of Jesus, we wouldn’t communicate that way in any of our relationships and friendships.
- And even if you still believe it’s extremely important to stay on your truth, I invite you to consider/listen to how certain remarks make other people feel, and thus use the choice of word extra carefully. I’m sure intentionally intimidating others are not at all your intention here, as an African American lady posted in her article that: “Some of you White men are extremely condescending, and we know you do it intentionally to intimidate and bully.”. Certain situation calls for extra gentleness, compassion, thoughtfulness, and love. And I believe this is one of those situations.
- 3) Also, related to point2, my third point is that let’s tackle one important issue at a time, and believe it’s time to seriously engage in a battle of “Racism”. Pastor Bill Johnson said this nicely in his sermon on 31st May — I get that there are other important matters but let’s tackle one at a time. I view this as a once a life time chance for America to make a meaningful progress on the issue of Racism that is taxing the society in so many ways. This remains the same, even in the case that the the tragedy of George Floyd wasn’t a racial issue (nor racially motivated). It wouldn’t be wise for us to lose on this opportunity.
4. To my friends I can’t support BLM (or calling for racial justice corporately) because it’s not biblical and it’s also being used as a political weapon.
I’ve heard multiple Christian friends saying they can’t support BLM because it’s not biblical and it’s being used as a political weapon.
First of all, I first want to acknowledge that there are multiple things that we are in agreement. I agree that some of those “calling for justice cry” aren’t biblical when they are in Quadrant 2, judging/being self-righteous/injecting guilt&shame/condemning, etc. I am also concerned about the movement being used politically. I’m by no means an expert in US politics nor supporting a certain political party or a specific bill/law/case is not my intention in writing this at all. I found this comment that I found on twitter extremely compelling (100% agreed).
It seems that the left who supports BLM wishes to remedy problems systemically and by assigning guilt on a group level whereas a biblical approach is on the individual and everyday living. Plus the left sympathizes with practices the Bible calls sin.
Secondly, I want to acknowledge that I don’t know the BLM movement ins and out, nor the organization behind, let alone the complex political forces/agendas that are intertwined with the movement.
That said, I believe church needs to actively step into where the hurt is at, and advocate for the cry/hurts from the racial injustice. Here’s my points.
- 1) Church has responsibility to own the hurt racial injustice inflicted. Corporate responsibility is biblical — Joshua 7, Daniel 9, Roman 5. Tim Keller explains this so well at his 2012 writeup, Racism and Corporate Evil. And this writeup, “Justice Too Long Delayed” explains where church might have stumbled before, and how she can makes restitution for racial sin.
- 2) Church is needed. In fact, christ is the only hope. The entire BLM movement, and even more, the entire cry to seek racial justice, needs to be redeemed, and they desperately need Christ, which is what we can and should offer as follower of Christ. We, as followers of christ, are called to bring Quadrant 2 cry of seeking justice in to Quadrant 3 version of restorative justice. And that only comes when there’s a humble cry for the hurt of the people in Quadrant 2. The spirit of repentance/grace/asking for forgiveness. Our role might not be to argue what’s right or wrong. We are called to mourn with those who mourn (Matt 5). We are called to intercede and bring healing. In that sense, we need to step into BLM and the cry of “racial justice” with our tears, our repentance, our version of seeking love/grace, to bring the spirit of Jesus into the movement.
5. Lastly, to my African American friends and whoever is reading this:
I just want you to thank you for reading this far and engaging with me. I want to thank your ancestors who built this country with blood, sweat, and tears. I want to thank your fathers and grand fathers who fought for the Korean war and supported economy for Korean to immigrate to the land of promise.
To this date, I humbly confess that I haven’t taken any outward actions in supporting #BLM, and I don’t think I am at a stage in committing any hard resources (whether it’s my finance, time, etc) publicly yet. I need a lot of grace, a lot of patience and mercy from you all in my journey on this new territory. If there’s any things you want me to know, I humbly ask you to share with me.
