At our monthly Spirit on Tap presentation last night, we heard from Rev. Hayden McLean about the different kinds of bias that guide our behavior. At the end, I commented that when my son was 2 1/2, he was astounded to learn that boys could be doctors (his mom is one) and girls could cook (I was the main meal maker). He only knew what he had experienced, and it was contrary to the way most families live – and what advertising – and many religious traditions – tell us about gender roles. Our learned biases teach us to make assumptions and judgments, and when the world doesn’t fit into our personal reality, those learnings can lead us to be biased – even hateful. Every family – every marriage – every life – should be “normal” like ours. But normal is only a setting on the dryer.
So, here we are, once again in the midst of culture wars fed by bias. Who is a real American? What language should be spoken in this country? Why aren’t we praying Christian prayers in school? Who has rights and who doesn’t? Whether it is ICE waging war on people of color or psychopaths attacking houses of worship, the bias we are taught leads to fear and distrust and violence. Instead of trying to learn and understand, we are being led down paths of intolerance. Instead of seeing the truth of diversity, we are watching our government try to force unanimity. This is playing itself out through our legal system and the way we wage war, and it is turning us into monsters. Bias leads to hate if it isn’t corrected and hate leads to mayhem.
If we go to church on Sunday morning and learn that every other religion is false, we are being taught bias. If we hear someone speaking a language other than English and hear people grumble about “talking American”, we are being taught bias. If our homes and schools and houses of worship are inculcating us with messages that there is only one way to be a real person – a real American – we grow up with a warped, one-dimensional view of humanity. It doesn’t matter what your political views or religious leanings are – nobody has the right to wage war on others because they are different. It doesn’t matter who we love or what gender we identify as or what flavor our God is – bias, unchecked, eventually leads to hate, and hate, eventually leads to violence. We need to do better at teaching our children about the amazing diversity around us; if we don’t, our national original sin of bigotry will continue to grow.
Prayer – Holy God, You created the diversity around us, so anyone who hates that diversity hates You. Heal us, we pray. Amen.
Today’s art is “Dance Mix” by Eva Van Den Hamsvoort.