Ligon Duncan links to a piece by Bryan Loritts on his reaction to the shooting of Michael Brown. Loritts explains why others need to hear him about his pain:
If you sense exasperation from we African-American’s over yet another news story of a black man slain at the hands of a white man, this is a wonderful opportunity to grab some coffee and seek to understand our hearts. I need my white brothers to know how I felt as I sat in the preaching classes in Bible college and seminary not once hearing examples of great African-American preachers. I need you to know how I felt when I was forced face down on the hard asphalt of Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, 1993 all because I was nineteen and driving my pastor’s Lexus, a year after the Rodney King riots. I need you to ask how I felt when I walked into a Target recently behind a white woman who took one look at me and pulled her purse tightly.
I wonder, though, if Mr. Loritts feels this death the way Michael Brown’s family and friends do. I understand that an African-American male may be able to imagine what Michael Brown experienced before being shot in ways that white Americans cannot. But I wonder if Mr. Loritts distracts us from a much deeper pain when he likens this news to his own experience. Not to sound disrespectful, but Michael Brown’s experience seems to me to be in a fundamentally different category from Mr. Loritts’. One man is dead, the other is alive. Recognizing that difference may help a lot of people on both sides of the racial divide remember the family and friends in this situation who lost a loved one. Heck, some of those family and friends may even be of European, Asian, or Latino descent.
Old Life 
Does the black person get it wrong by focusing on facts, not feelings?
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell082114.php3
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Here’s a question — is it very biblical or Xian to require others to feel our pain? Empathy, burden bearing, prayer, patience, longsuffering — yes. But like the author suggests? Seems thoroughly modern.
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This reminds me of how many people wanted to show how deeply affected (beyond the actual tragedy) they were by 9/11. Many times it involved “deep mourning” over a person they met at that thing from work at that place a few years back.
The categories CW suggest put the other person first. The modern approach makes it all about me, literally.
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Puritanism may have some utility for personal issues but when directed outward (with a racial cast, no less) the results are going to be ugly. And the New Calvinish Piperians are susceptible to any thing that smacks of emotion, conviction, and holiness teaching. Doesn’t the whole hedonism-self flagellation thing seem a bit bipolar? It will be something else next month, at least.
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It’s hard to be a Christian hedonist when every tragedy requires me to undergo deep introspection and mortification.
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How interesting that my comment on Mr. Loritts’ poor grammar has been disappeared. Apparently it wasn’t pertinent.
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I think it is. Reflects education and upbringing.
Why should I listen to a man who can’t communicate properly?
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@wills – “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.” – Robert Zimmerman
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Will S., rightyoh.
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What was it that Jesse Jackson said if he was being followed by a group of young African-American men while walking down the street alone?
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Since we are posting links!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B092acMImJE&feature=youtu.be
Disclaimer: I know nothing about Mr. Gentry’s theology, but I like his call for repentance.
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Burning down donut shops might actually be doing a service to mankind. Krispy Kremes may be the most harmful invention unleashed on man since the internal combustion engine.
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