The Journey 69: Transformation in my community

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Read: Exodus 3
Key Verse: “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. [Galatians 3:28]
 High BP and Racism?  Strange Combination. Don’t be surprised. A news channel yesterday reported that in a new study conducted at the Oxford University, it was found out that,  the beta-blocker drug Propranalol, which patients normally take to reduce high BP, by lowering the heart rate, as well as angina and irregular heartbeat,  can reduce racist tendency that occurs in ones ‘subconscious’ mind. The finding of the study has been reported by the Journal Psycho Pharmacology and can be viewed on the web page                           http://btx3.wordpress.com/. The study was conducted by  Sylvia Terbeck and Professor Julian Savulescu, who found that found that people who took Propranalol scored significantly lower on a standard test used to detect subconscious racial attitudes, than those who took a placebo. The researchers believe that the drug Propranalol reduces racial bias because such subconscious thoughts are triggered by the autonomic nervous system. So in a lighter vein if you if you are worried that you are taking drugs to reduce your blood pressure, be happy it is not only reducing your BP but is also helping you to reduce your racist tendency too.  But on a serious note racism is a blot to the society and hence transformation in our community is all about accepting others irrespective of colour of the skin or the region or the culture that you belong to.
                This week we are meditating on how we can bring transformation in our community based on the life and ministry of Moses. Moses has been asked to be the liberator of the Israelites and also in the process communicate to Pharaoh, the mind of God. The creator God who created all the human being in His image, is in agony because now one group of people are oppressing another group of people purely on divisive policy. Here is a group of people, the Egyptians  who tends to think that they belong to a class and race that is superior and hence it is their right to suppress the rights and freedom of the Israelites. I think they may also tend to think that Israelites were called to be their  slaves. It is this unjust thinking in ones mind that God tries to negate. When racism was very open and prevalent in this country, I was told that there were Christian clergy and preachers who preached and supported racist ideas because of they believed that God made some people consciously slaves as  a part of His divine plan. Strange...but that is the truth. We may tend to think that we are not racist, but I believe we sometimes tend to show racist tendency in our day to day affairs. Have we ever isolated a colleague in your work place or college or a fellow member in your church because he/she thinks differently or comes from a different culture or has a different faith perspective?. Then  in God’s sight we are racist. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” [Galatians 3:28]. If we need to transform our community, let us consciously accept people and take steps and make amends so that we don't allow racist tendency in our life. By the way you don't need to take Propranalol to reduce racist tendency, rather let us have the mind of Christ in us [ Phil 2:5].
Very Queer - High BP and Racism– Strange Combination?

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