All lives matter?

[Clint]

Hello everyone!

I know this is not a biblical question, but I would like some feedback from the meme I posted. I'm not an expert on analogies, but it appears flawed to me. It seems if you say, "all lives matter, then you are compared to the Pharisees. I haven't met too many people who like being compared to them. Or, I read in another article in Relevant magazine, that if you respond to the Black Lives Matter movement by saying All lives matter, then you are being "destructive and hurtful." http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current ... ves-matter

What do you think? As a Christian, we should believe that all lives and souls matter, right? (I'm sure there are some Calvinists who would say no, but I'm asking the rest of us!)

How should we interact with this? I was defriended by someone on FB, because she thought that me saying "all lives matter" that I was part of the problem. I'm thinking, really?!


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[jeremiah]

Hello Clint,

What do you think? As a Christian, we should believe that all lives and souls matter, right?

Yes of course, but this is entirely beside the point. I think the article you linked to pretty well lays out the problem with this being an inappropriate response. The only thing I didn't see was an explicit statement on how the phrase, "Black lives matter" was never intended to be an exclusive statement over and against other lives. In an America where it looks to them as if black lives don't matter, this was their response.

Grace and peace to you.

[Clint]

Hey Jeremiah,

Thank you for responding. I never thought my response to this person on Facebook would be taken the way it was. I see "all" as including black, white, yellow, etc." So, I see it as affirming their point, yet expanding the umbrella. As someone who leans towards Christian Universalism, I see it as an all encompassing statement. I think everyone matters, so I think it's a beautiful statement. I see it as affirming them and everyone else.

I see their name as exclusive. If it's not to be intended that way, maybe the movement would change its name to Black lives Matter Also, then there would be less to explaining to do, resulting in less confusion.


God bless.


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[mattrose]

Only in American can we fight about 2 statements that both sides admit are true

[Paidion]

I read the article. I think its point is well taken. When a subset of society is being unfairly treated, and someone says that the well-being of the people of that subset matters, he is NOT saying that other people do not matter. But his focus in on the subset that is being unfairly treated (or even persecuted). For you to respond with "the well-being of EVERYONE matters" is to trivialize the unfair treatment of the sub-group. You are simply saying, "Every one has problems; why focus on THOSE people?"

[steve7150]

I see their name as exclusive. If it's not to be intended that way, maybe the movement would change its name to Black lives Matter Also, then there would be less to explaining to do, resulting in less confusion.









Everybody knows what they mean by "black lives matter" but not everyone accepts their use of the phrase and the meaning behind it. The meaning behind it being that it's just the fault of the Police. The Police are racist, the Police target blacks, the Police are killing blacks. The facts are 99.9% of blacks who get killed are killed by other blacks who usually are gang members. This doesn't seem to concern "Black lives matter" which to me indicates they are actually racist or have an agenda or both.

[mattrose]

There is nothing inherently wrong with the statement 'black lives matter' (of course). It is a good and true statement.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the statement 'all lives matter' (of course). It is a good and true statement too.

SOME of the people using the statement 'black lives matter' are racist against white people.

SOME of the people using the statement 'all lives matter' are racist against black people.

If people who say 'black lives matter' REFUSE to confess that 'all lives matter, they are probably part of that first some

If people who say 'all lives matter' REFUSE to confess that 'black lives matter' they are probably part of the second some

[Singalphile]

I also think that the Relevant magazine article was useful. The analogy doesn't prove anything (they never do), but it it helpful for understanding a certain perspective, regardless of whether the analogy (or meme) is even appropriate. So I guess we'd want to avoid being glib about the issue.

The BlackLivesMatter.com principles are unusual ("queer affirming", anti-ageism, anti-"western-prescribed nuclear family structure", etc.). I suppose that most people aren't aware of that, though.

"All Lives Matter" would definitely have been a far better slogan, I think.

[steve7150]

The BlackLivesMatter.com principles are unusual ("queer affirming", anti-ageism, anti-"western-prescribed nuclear family structure", etc.). I suppose that most people aren't aware of that, though.

"All Lives Matter" would definitely have been a far better slogan, I think.








I would bet the ranch (if I had one) that 99% of the BLM members have no idea or interest in the platform of the group. They just hate white cops because it symbolically represents some kind of authority that they can't accept. Maybe slave owners or maybe something else but their reactions are almost purely emotional.
"All Lives Matter" they decided is racist because it dilutes their message.

[Clint]

There is nothing inherently wrong with the statement 'black lives matter' (of course). It is a good and true statement.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the statement 'all lives matter' (of course). It is a good and true statement too.

SOME of the people using the statement 'black lives matter' are racist against white people.

SOME of the people using the statement 'all lives matter' are racist against black people.

If people who say 'black lives matter' REFUSE to confess that 'all lives matter, they are probably part of that first some

If people who say 'all lives matter' REFUSE to confess that 'black lives matter' they are probably part of the second some

First, thank you all for the replies. I'm late responding because I never received a notification via email that anyone responded.

Matt- I think what you stated sums up the problem accurately. This sounds like a great and simple way to explain the issue to people on both sides. It's like both sides are talking past each other. Each side is assuming the worst about the other side. Even though, some on each side do dislike the other race. After all, we are all human, and most find it challenging to be around people who are different.

When I say, "all lives matter" I want to communicate that everyone matters to God. And, since He created us, he values all life. It seems like a good way to share the Gospel.


God bless






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