Dr. King’s Speech about his Dream

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” Dr. King gave this iconic speech on Capitol Hill during the Civil Rights Movement in 1963. People of all races, black and white, gathered around to hear his riveting speech, and for a moment, it almost seemed that his dream was coming true right before his eyes. Sadly, before he could see his dream come to fruition, he was shot and killed by James Earl Ray in 1968. While Dr. King did die that day, his dream remained very much alive. His dream lived on through the thousands of people who heard his voice, and his dream remains alive today. Well… almost.

One Race, One Blood, written by Ken Ham and Charles Ware, addresses how Darwin’s theory of evolution and the misinterpretation of scripture was used to belittle, segregate, and ‘justify’ the killing of blacks and other minority groups. The book begins by telling the story of Ota Benga, a husband and a father from an indigenous tribe in Central Africa. Taken from his home, he was brought to the United States in 1904 to be experimented on and put on display as an ’emblematic savage’ (OROB 16). Weighing only 103 lbs and having a height of 4’11”, Scientific America described his appearance as ‘small, ape-like, and elfish’ (OROB 17). In 1906, he was transferred to the Bronx Zoo and shared a cage with the ‘Bronx Park Apes’ (OROB 19). Eventually, he was taken in and cared for by a black community in Lynchburg, Virginia. Sadly, however, the years of experimentation and humiliation weighed heavily on his psyche, which led him to suicide on March 20, 1916. According to Darwin’s Evolution Theory, the white race is the original human race, while other races were ‘placed closer to the apes’ (OROB 21-22). Groups such as the Nazi Party and the Ku Klux Klan were solely driven by these views that their race, the white race, is superior to all other races. Charles Ware, however, uses scripture to debunk this ludicrous way of thinking.

In Chapter 7 of “One Race One Blood,” Charles Ware writes, “It is critical that the Church pursue grace relations rather than ‘race’ relations” (OROB 137). As the saying goes, Sunday is the most segregated day of the week, but Dr. Ware makes it clear that this should not be the case. Throughout the chapter, Dr. Ware expresses the need for a multicultural congregation (OROB 136) and uses John’s vision from Romans 15:1-7 as an example. Another example he uses is Crossroads Bible College, stating that it is their dream to train Christian leaders in a diverse social environment (OROB 140). If Chapter 7 is about a dream, then Chapter 8 is a call to action. The chapter starts with the story of Glen Kehrein and Raleigh Washington, two men who both suffered defeats in the ministry (OROB 152). Eventually, God would unite the two, and they would write the inspiring book “Breaking Down Walls.” Dr. Ware writes about his personal testimony when he and 48 others traveled to Thailand for a symposium. People of every race, gender, and social status came to discuss “issues of division and for the power of the gospel to reconcile” (OROB 154). He continues by saying that we should be planting seeds of grace rather than seeds of racism and references Galatians 6:7, Hosea 8:7, and Galatians 6:9-10.

One exceptional strength of “One Race One Blood” is Dr. Ham’s use of scripture to refute the notion of inferior races. Some examples include Acts 17:26 and Genesis 1:26, which underscore the fact that there is no superior race. The beginning of the book does an excellent job of capturing the reader’s attention with the story of Ota by putting the reader in his shoes. The first few pages also succeed in getting the reader emotionally invested. As I continued to read about Ota, I found myself becoming angry, disturbed, and disgusted at the inhumane things he was forced to suffer through. The book itself is well organized, being split into two halves. Dr. Ham takes the first half to discuss how Darwinism theologically and historically affected race relations, while Dr. Ware uses the second half to promote multi-ethnic churches and communities.

In Appendix A, Ware examines and explains how the gay rights movement ‘hijacked’ the civil rights movement bus. Like African Americans, homosexuals have had their fair share of hate, violence, and ridicule. While both movements seem the same on the surface, Ware quickly shows that this is not the case. The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is not only a sin; it is an abomination. Sodom and Gomorrah is a famous example, as the city and all its citizens were destroyed by God. Consequences of the homosexual lifestyle in today’s society include the increase in STDs, HIV, and AIDS. Children have also suffered psychologically from parents who choose to follow this lifestyle. Finally, the big difference between both movements was how they were carried out. The civil rights movement was carried out peacefully through boycotts, marches, and non-violent protests. They believed in freedom of speech and didn’t aggressively humiliate or censor those who disagreed with them. The gay rights movement, however, has been aggressive in their efforts to force society to accept their lifestyle. They have snaked their way into television and other media and have censored anyone who disagrees with them, marking them as homophobic. Christians have been demonized by the homosexual community and politically correct media. No person deserves to be hated, beaten, and humiliated for believing in a cause, but Ware makes it clear that the gay rights movement is biblically and morally wrong.

Did you like this example?

4150

361