If You Think This Way You're Racist, Says Megachurch Pastor AR Bernard
The Brooklyn preacher further charged the audience to see racism for what it really is.
"Racism is a tool of the power elite to reinforce classism," said Bernard. "And it's really classism that divides us. You understand? It's about who's got wealth and power, so Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, left, right, it doesn't matter. Because whatever the cause they take up to get into power, once they're in power, it's about maintaining that power, preserving that power and maintaining the status quo.
"So we need interim revolutions. Interim movements in order to shake up that status quo and hold them beyond civility and order to deal with issues of justice and equity, which is exactly what Jesus spoke to the status quo when He says you pay tithes, you do all of the religious things, but you failed in the area of mercy, justice and equity."
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And one way Christians can help to shake up the status quo is by participating in the political process, says Bernard, who is seen as somewhat of a political kingmaker in New York City.
"You know we can be hypocritical as Christians. Black, white, it doesn't matter. If a black person goes to church and their theology says, 'I don't want anything to do with politics, I don't want to associate with people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and these Black Lives Matter,' because Jesus said 'come out from among them be ye separate says the Lord, touch not the unclean thing.' But then, your 18-year-old son gets pulled over by the police, is harassed, gets into an altercation, is shot and killed. Now you get on the phone [and] say 'Can I speak to Al Sharpton,'" he said.
"All of a sudden, all of that talk goes out the window because the realities of human experience has now come home. But it shouldn't take something like that for you to understand that you are connected no matter what. Politics is power. Who's got it? How are they using it? How did they get it? Should they keep it?" he asked.
"Politics is who gets what, when and how. So when we think of politics we're thinking of quality of life. So if you think that politics doesn't matter, then you've gotta think about what's gonna impact the quality of education your children receive in their community, the quality of sanitation removal that you experience in your community, the condition of the road, the delivery of services such as postal services. Because whoever is in power, they're making decisions that directly impact your quality of life," he said.
"And we know that the playing field of human experience is not level. That's why we appeal to God," Bernard continued.
"That's why the prophecy said that when the Messiah comes He would fill every valley, He would lower every hill and mountain, He would make the crooked straight. He would take the rough roads and make them smooth. And this is beautiful metaphor for 1) He would fill the valleys and Luke, if I may, chapter 3 it opens with the power structure at the time when John and Jesus begin their ministry. And why does it present the power structure? Because the message would actually speak out against the status quo and the power elite. And so that praise out of the book of Isaiah, when it speaks of the valley being filled, its talking about the vacuum for righteous leadership would now be made available and filled before the people. Messiah would bring that," said Bernard.
