Monday, August 18, 2014

A Biblical Response to the "pervasive deep distrust" after the Michael Brown Shooting

As we see the violence and tension escalate in Ferguson Missouri and start to spread to neighboring areas we are left to ponder what can be done to heal this “pervasive deep distrust” that the community has with the police.  That term, “pervasive deep distrust,” is one that multiple politicians and community experts keep citing, or they use terms very similar.

When asked how to dig into that deep distrust and bring about healing I am amazed that those who so quickly identify this symptom don’t have a clue as to how to start healing it.  The platitudes and talking points usually revolve around the need for “quick justice.”  What is quick justice?  What they typically mean is that they want the police officer punished immediately.

Well, if you want an answer about how to solve the “pervasive deep distrust” you need just turn to the Bible for an answer.

Luke 6:27-36 quotes Jesus as saying, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  Whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High; For He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just a your Father is merciful.”  (New American Standard Bible)

These words give us a framework for working peace within our community and within our own personal relationships.  What a difference we could make if we extended grace and mercy first instead of anger, bitterness and distrust. Right now the politicians and some community leaders are calling the police the enemy.  Well, if we love our enemies and treat them how we want to be treated that might go a long way towards lowering the level of tension in our community.

Verse 27 says, “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”  The English Standard version replaces the word “mistreat” with the word “abuse” you.  Either one is a good word to describe the feeling of people about the police.  They feel mistreated and abused.  OK, that may be true in their circumstance.  But Biblically Jesus tells us to pray for those who mistreat and abuse us and to love our enemies.

How different would the Rev. Al Sharpton’s words be if he would exegete Luke 6 and ask the public to pray for their police officers and those who they feel mistreat and abuse them?  His words would ring a bit more clearly as words from a “religious” leader if he would follow the teaching of his Lord and Savior.

To quote a popular saying from today, “I’m just saying!”


Please continue to pray for our community and pray for all of those involved on both sides of this issue.

3 comments:

  1. Dan, I haven't read all your comments, but I'm not hearing you call the police to take responsibility for any improper practices or behaviors. This kind of anger doesn't rise in a vacuum. Certainly we must be respectful, we must do good towards the police, but that doesn't mean they get a pass for practices that caused the mistrust. I've seem my share of community mistrust of the police and every time, there was overly aggressive, disrespectful, and unfair things going on. The police bear some responsibility for the mistrust and anger and I haven't heard a peep from their public comments about that. We can love them yet be frank and hold them responsible, even if they don't like to hear it.

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  2. Dennis, I understand your feelings and thoughts regarding where you have ministered. Please don't forget that having lived in South Central Los Angeles for almost a quarter of a century that I have seen the same thing at times. I do not give the police a free pass. In my first blog I share that I believe the police officer must and will be held accountable for his actions. BUT, we have to ask the question, did he act improperly? Sometimes the truth hurts. In this case it may hurt the Police Department, or it may hurt the public's perspective.

    With all due respect, you are not here walking the streets of Ferguson with me. You have not talked with the protestors as well as the police. The picture that is being painted by politicians is not the same picture that is completely true on the ground.

    The media finally got some things right last night. The peaceful demonstrating local public disbursed when asked by police to do that and went home. The fringe crowd that wants to taunt and instigate stayed. That caused conflict. Again, it is interesting that the majority of those being arrested now are from out of State and definitely out of the Ferguson/Florissant/Dellano community. They don't live here, they don't have roots here, they don't have a true reason to be here.

    The police are under a microscope from the public, the media, the governor and now the President of the United States. I think they are getting the message to be careful in how they conduct themselves. Would you please come watch and see what is happening?

    Last night the police came under heavy gun fire. I think they showed great restraint in that not one police officer fired a shot.

    OK, true, a police officer shot and killed a young man. That officer will be dealt with. Now, let me ask you, what are your feelings about the nine citizens that have been shot by other citizens during the unrest on W. Florissant Ave., what should be done about those incidents?

    OK, you can tell I'm frustrated. I think we have two different opinions here. But to answer your question, I don't give a free ride to the police and I do state that the officer should face his judgment for what he has done. No one is hiding from that. No one is denying that this shouldn't be investigated.

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  3. Dan, I don't think I could be a police officer in good conscious right now. Not because it's not a vital role, but because the criminal justice system is broken. It's a much larger issue than if one officer stepped over a line and killed a young man. This system is not just for the poor, especially if one is a person of color. That's the larger context of Ferguson. So when a person wearing a badge interacts with folks in the hood, they experience a lot of mistrust and disrespect even if they are professional and acting respectfully. Nothing I read about Ferguson makes me think their police are especially incompetent. And they find themselves in a very difficult spot. There are clearly malicious, lawless elements that need to be stopped. All that said, their approach to policing sure looks "normal," but it is wrong. Heavy handed. Sweeping innocent people up and arresting them - even national media. Following the national pattern of stopping, piling on charges and locking up minorities in greatly disproportional numbers. Do that day in, day out, for a long period of time, and then be surprised that things erupt? That insolent teens sass, don't obey? I think the difference in our perspective is that you are close to many officers as a chaplain. You know their hearts, and how sincere and good most are. And my experience is the same that way. I was very intentional in building relationships with our beat cops and community officers, and most would call me their friend. But it's the system that's broken. It's the common negative perspective on blacks. it's the police "culture" where the end justifies the means, giving permission to lie when questioning, to plant fake evidence, to refuse to admit when there is a mistake... I could go on with more examples I’ve personally seen. Good officers get swept up in this. It's very sad, and it creates a TON of resentment. I've had long talks about this with an Wichita attorney we both know who I don't feel free to name in this public context. He's white, republican, follower of Jesus, volunteer with CLS. He has become increasingly frustrated and maybe disgusted with the police and DA's office. They don't like him much, apparently, because he holds their feet to the fire in court. People like this strengthen my perception that this is not just my personal biased view. What we as followers of Jesus need to start doing is speaking to the criminal justice system about justice, such as Chuck Colson did. There are better ways to operate.

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