One Reason Why Christians Should Embrace #BlackLivesMatter

Reasons

Reason One

It’s true. 

Objections

Objection 1

But all lives matter!

Answer 1

Let me try to explain this. Many people are correctable and I want to make that clear. They’re teachable, humble, and reasonable people. So I’m not trying to scorn them or insult them.

Being an #AllLivesMatter kind of person right now is like going to someone’s funeral, demanding the mic, and explaining to the suffering friends and family that all lives really should be celebrated at this service. 

‪Being an #AllLivesMatter kind of person right now is like being a spoiled little kid who demands to get a present at someone else’s birthday party.‬ But instead of trying to co-opt someone else’s celebration, you’re co-opting another community’s visibility during their pain and suffering so you can affirm that you matter. ‬

All are created in the Image of God. All lives do matter. As has been said thousands of times before, #BlackLivesMatter does not mean Only Black Lives Matter. The reason that Black Lives Matter is something I’ll say is because many people won’t say it and that often means that they don’t *really* believe that All Lives Matter. There’s a problem. It’s not the only problem, sure, but there is a racism problem. All Lives Matter doesn’t adequately address that problem. At least as a phrase, Black Lives Matter does.

Objection 2

The “official BLM website is far-left and pro-abortion.”

Answer 2

This is true. However, this is also a fallacy of composition. What may be true of the part is not necessarily true of the whole. I pray that people do not judge the Church in this way.

BLM, as a slogan and grassroots movement predates the website and the organization. The “official” BLM website lists about 13 chapters worldwide while there are millions of BLM supporters and hundreds of local and decentralized BLM groups. This fact alone means that it is highly unlikely that the “official” organization is representative of the whole. 

Rejecting the grassroots BLM movement is like rejecting grace because there’s a church called Grace Church that’s heretical.

For example “Oh look, there’s a website that’s called grace dot com and it has bad stuff on it. Christians should reject grace!”

“Some terrible Marxists have used #grace. Grace must be part of a liberal conspiracy!”

Point being, a website with 13 “local chapters” is in no way representative of millions of BLM supporters and hundreds of BLM grassroots groups across the world.

Objection 3

BLM has a bad reputation and so Christians should avoid it. 

Answer 3

You’re doing more to give it a bad reputation when you fallaciously and dishonesty paint the entire movement with a broad brush. Christians should not be moved by fear of man or man pleasing. If the idea is just, then support it. One does not have to support the “official” website. 

Objection 4

Christians should avoid social justice. 

Answer 4

If you demonize social justice and apply your own special definition to it, then sure. But if you use the term the way some Christians have been using it for decades (such as Dr. Greg Bahnsen), social justice is simply obedience to the just standards of God’s Law. The demonization and fear mongering of social justice is effectively the same fallacy used against BLM. The same objections will have the same answers. 

For more on Biblical social justice, see here. For why the Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel is woefully lacking, see here. 

Conclusion

Making a clear distinction between Black Lives Matter Incorporated and the broad grassroots Black Lives Matter movement is a matter of honesty and integrity.

Truth demands a better criticism of BLM. If Josh Buice or any other Christian leader wants to warn Christians away from the “official” organization, that would have been a noble and helpful task. I would have supported an endeavor such as that. Just to be abundantly clear, I do not support BLM as an “official” organization and I, respectfully, suggest that Christians refuse to support the official BLM organization. I find many of the ideas to not only be outside the bounds of truth, but very dangerous. Instead of ringing that alarm, Buice (and many others) are making the decision to cast careful truth aside in favor of demonization. A massive, diverse, and noble cause against racial injustice and police brutality is effectively being handed over to the world. The Bride of Christ can be a good influence in this broad and decentralized cause, or we can alienate ourselves and bring about further confusion, division, and strife by misrepresenting literally millions of Image Bearers of God. The distinction between the broad movement and the organization demands to be made, not for the sake of a social cause, but for the sake of truth and our Christian witness.

I want to be plain and clear. Many of the ideas found at blacklivesmatter.com are not compatible with Christianity. Christians should not fund the organization found at this website, and Christians should not support the organization found at this website. Buice offers many good examples for why this website does not represent truth, but again, what is true of the part is not necessarily true of the whole. I would likewise give similar warnings against several pro-life organizations. 

Using the hashtag and phrase is a matter of wisdom and Christian liberty. I do not believe all Christians must use the phrase. I am deeply sympathetic to those who believe the phrase has been too tarnished to be effectively used. I also understand and sympathize with those who believe the phrase can be used to the glory of God. I am in the latter camp, and I have no contention with my brothers and sisters who are reluctant to use the phrase. This is an altogether different position, based on liberty and wisdom, than an sensational and complete denunciation of the broad and diverse movement.  

The gospel is always the answer. However, the law and gospel of God is not just a vague abstract spiritual concept that gets you into heaven. The law and gospel confronts specific sins and specific injustices. I am calling on Christians to preach the gospel. However, I reject the idea that the gospel cannot be directly applied to specific social justice causes. This is true of poverty, the prison system, abortion, homosexuality, war, police brutality, racial injustice, and much more. The gospel is not only relevant, it must be applied to these issues boldly and directly. Good should be called good, and evil should be called evil. That is why I say Black Lives Matter.