Читать книгу White Christian Privilege - Khyati Y. Joshi - Страница 14

As long as we treat our foundational ideals of freedom of religion and “all men are created equal” as if they are realities rather than aspirations, the dominance of Protestant Christianity and Whiteness over the political and social institutions of the United States will remain invisible.

The fact that religious freedom is nominally ensconced in the First Amendment, and is applied to the states by the Fourteenth, does not mean that we have religious equality. This book debunks the fallacy of American religious freedom and offers ways to acknowledge the harder truth of White Christian supremacy, in hopes of helping to create a society with institutions and cultural practices in which all can more equitably coexist. It does so by listening to the voices and highlighting the experiences of members of religious minorities in our diverse nation, and by placing early twenty-first-century American politics and society in a long historical context. By considering the changes in thought and approach that could direct us toward a more just coexistence, this book aims to amplify the dialogue on national identity and put forward a social justice approach to religion in the US that may finally unshackle us from the legacies described in the next few chapters.

This book is not an exercise in political correctness. Its aim is to illuminate how Christianity in the US has served the needs of the dominant religious, ethnic, racialized majorities with historically greater access to institutional and cultural power than other groups. This exploration challenges deeply held myths and beliefs about American religious freedom and opportunity. Open and honest conversations are messy and difficult, but they are necessary if we are to advance as a nation. US society is highly segregated, not only by race and religion but also by socioeconomic class and political outlook; most of us socialize with others who not only look like us but also think like us.³⁰ Casual conversations with those not in our in-group around religion often become contentious, leaving many feeling uncomfortable.

In many parts of our society, difference is seen as a deficit and dialogue as weakness; diversity, even when touted as a benefit, is given mere lip service. But in order to address the inequalities in our midst, we have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. This conversation will not be easy, but it is essential. This book seeks to offer a guide toward that introspection and to grapple maturely with the challenges and paradoxes of White Christian supremacy in the United States.