As part of protests across the country, politicians and protestors have been kneeling to show their support and solidarity to the Black Lives Matter movement. Most of the time these acts are a sign of solidarity and mourning, but, disturbingly, some are seemingly imitating a form of worship.
During this turbulent time, several videos have circulated of protests where mostly white men and women are seen sitting, kneeling or bowing to blacks and apologizing or reciting some sort of oath denouncing their “white privilege.”
In one prominent video, white neighbors kneeled before blacks asking for forgiveness from slavery. In part, the man said, “Father God we asked for forgiveness from our black brothers and sisters for years and years of racism.”
Another video shows a man claiming to represent Black Lives Matter running up to a random woman on the street and asking that she kneel to express her solidarity with the movement and remorse for her white privilege. She immediately kneels and acquiesces to his request.
In another instance, things were taken even further when a group of mostly whites sat on the ground while someone had them repeat an oath to the black community. Before that video was deleted, Ben Shapiro responded sarcastically, “They missed the best part, when they sacrificed a goat in expiation of their sins.
Even politicians have gotten in on the action. Recently, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Cali., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., paid tribute to George Floyd by kneeling for eight minutes and 46 seconds at the Capitol Visitors Center.
“We are here to honor George Floyd,” Pelosi said before the group knelt.
“To every one of us, it was excruciating,” Schumer said. “It seemed an unbearably long amount of time. It felt so painful to get even an inkling of how this man and so many Americans have suffered for so long.”
There’s nothing wrong with remembering a man who has died a tragic death, but all these acts sometimes border a bit too close to worship and not just remembrance.
Georgia State Trooper O’Neal Saddler, who is an African American, had the right idea in a recent viral video. While protecting a crowd protesting in Georgia, he politely declined to kneel after being asked to by the crowd saying that he only kneels for “God.”
“If I didn’t have any respect, I wouldn’t [be here],” Saddler explained in a short video. “I was supposed to be out of town this weekend with my wife. I took off today, this weekend, but I’m out here to make sure y’all are safe.”
When questioned by the crowd, he added, “Don’t go there with respect, OK? I have much respect, but I only kneel for one person.”
Someone in the crowd helpfully replied, “And that’s God.” Saddler confirmed, “God.”
He has the right idea. Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of humanity, is worthy of our kneeling in deep remorse for our sins and for prayer. To bow or repeat an oath of fealty to another group borders on sacrilegious and is not going to fix the problem of racism in our country
I’m all for getting on my knees, but only for the One who can save me from my sins.
Photo from Facebook
