White Lies: Nine Ways to Expose and Resist the Racial Systems That Divide Us

by Daniel Hill

What can you do to be a force for racial justice?

Many White Christians are eager to fight against racism and for racial justice. But what steps can they take to make good, lasting change? How can they get involved without unintentionally doing more harm than good?

In this practical and illuminating guide drawn from more than twenty years of cross-cultural work and learning from some of the greatest leaders of color, pastor and racial justice advocate Daniel Hill provides nine practices rooted in Scripture that will position you to be an active supporter of inclusion, equality, and racial justice. With stories, studies, and examples from his own journey, Hill will show

How to get free of the impact of White supremacy individually and recognize that it works systemicallyHow to talk about race in an intelligent and respectful way How to recognize which strategies are helpful and which are harmfulWhat you can do to make a difference every day, after protests and major eventsWe cannot experience wholistic justice without confronting and dismantling White supremacy. But as we follow Jesus--the one who is supreme over all things--into overturning false power systems, we will become better advocates of the liberating and unconditional love that God extends to us all.

Genres: Race, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Christian, Christianity, Social Issues, Theology

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2020

Reviews

[Adam Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: An exploration of why Christians need to expose the evil of white superiority, not just attempt to increase diversity. 

As with Rediscipling the White Church I have a somewhat ambivalent approach to reading Daniel Hill. He is an excellent writer, and I really do appreciate what he writes. But I am also reminded that part of why he is needed to voice racial justice is part of his subject matter. In his first book, White Awake, his voice is needed because so many White Christians are resistant to hearing about issues around racism and White racial identity from non-White voices. And the book White Lies is needed because simple exposure to diversity does not actually root out white superiority problems (a euphemism for white supremacy as a cultural system) within the church without it directly being addressed. I am ambivalent, not because his voice is not useful (and certainly not because he isn't a skilled writer or thinker), but because White voices like his are necessary because of the very nature of White belief in the superiority of White culture, which requires White voices to condemn White superiority for White people to be able to hear the problem.

I think it is important to use clear language and say that no one within the United States culture is not impacted by racism. I, as an individual, have feelings of White superiority. While I want to work against those feelings and to work to make sure those are never translated into actions, it is why I regularly point back to George Yancy's language, "the best that I can be is an anti-racist racist", and as a male, "an anti-sexist sexist." And as a Christian, an anti-sin sinner. Because we are not solely individuals, but within a culture and community, regardless of my own attitudes, biases, thoughts, and actions, I cannot control how others respond to me. When I, as a stay-at-home Dad, take my kids to the grocery store (in pre-covid times), the response to me as a parent is different than the average response to a stay-at-home mother who is doing the same thing. I am routinely praised for being a good Dad for doing simple tasks that every mother also does without praise. When I walk around a store, the lack of undue attention because I am a middle-aged White male is not a result of anything I have done, but because of cultural assumptions and realities. But my lack of desire to be racist or sexist has nothing to do with the reality that I still receive benefits whether I want them or not.

I have sat around not writing this review for about two weeks now. I have recommended the book to several. But I have not been sure how to write about it. White Lies is excellent. Daniel Hill's writing is clear, helpful, direct, gentle, and deeply Christian. I mostly listened to the audiobook. After a bad storm, I had several days of cleaning up brush and cutting up fallen trees at my mother in law's cabin. I have both the kindle and audiobook synced together so that I could highlight and sometimes make notes. But this is still a book I should probably read again.

White Lies is pitched toward the White Christian that is racially aware, those that "read the right articles, study the right history books, listen to the right podcasts." It is a follow up to White Awake, which was pitched to those in the initial stages of understanding of White racial identity. It is pitched toward those who already have Black friends, maybe go to a multi-ethnic church, or live in a not all-White neighborhood. It is pitched toward people that think they are fairly safe or are good White people. And as I keep hearing and seeing repercussions, these people are most dangerous and harmful to the Black, Brown, and Indigenous people of color (BBIPOC) around them (to use the current en vogue phrase). It is a Christian version of the same group that Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility and George Yancy's Backlash were written for. And frankly, it is this group that both embraces Critical Race Theory and is why it was needed to be developed. Because proximity, and continued ignorance, allows for the ability to commit the most harm.

When Daniel Hill talks about white lies, he is talking about 'being woke' but believing in a fantasy version of 'wokeness' that is prideful in what they have accomplished and views their status as 'having arrived.' They think they were invited to the Barbeque based on their own merit and not based on their friends' grace. The 'she' in the following quote is a veteran White leader in racial issues that Daniel Hill knows.

She explained that a lot of White folks begin their journey with a clear admission that the system of race is something they typically haven’t thought about and still don’t understand well. But she notices something that happens along the way, specifically for White leaders who are actively searching for ways to participate in solutions to race-based problems. Whereas they used to center voices of people of color in their initial process, they start to shift toward a centering of their own thoughts and ideas. And whereas they used to demonstrate a healthy dependence on people of color to tutor them from lived experience, they start to long for an independence that no longer requires this ongoing mentorship. She sees this desire as a direct symptom of wokeness. The more woke that White leaders deem themselves to be, the more likely they are to see themselves as fit to lead efforts directed toward race in an independent fashion, disconnected from critical feedback on their approaches or theories of change. (page 26)

When Daniel Hill says, 'stop being woke,' he calls us to a spiritual practice of humility. That humility needs to be tied not just to personal repentance (although that is a spiritual practice that is focused on toward the end of the book) but also an awareness of systemic reality and a desire to work (in cooperation) toward changing those systems.

One of the most discouraging things I read in White Lies is that not only are many White people not changed by proximity to other Christians of color (which didn't surprise me), it was that Christians of color are more likely to be changed to be less attentive to systemic realities.

“The typical African American outside of the multiracial congregation is fairly aware that there are structural issues in place that continue to perpetuate inequality . . . But African Americans within multiracial churches don’t report that same level of structural awareness.” Dougherty then summarized the findings of the study in a single, haunting sentence: “Instead of the predominantly white majority changing its views, it appears that African Americans start to think more like whites about the origins of inequality.” (p 73)

I will not summarize the book or walk through the lies and the corresponding spiritual practices that Daniel Hill proscribes. Instead, I will close with a long quote that I think best summarizes the need for the book and for clearly addressing the system of lies that forms white supremacy.

And this is precisely where I see an undeniable connection between the supernatural reality of evil and the social problem of White supremacy. As we explored in both chapters 3 and 4, White supremacy is built on a set of lies about human value. The narrative of racial hierarchy, which is the operating system of White supremacy, is really not much more than one ongoing lie. It is a lie that attempts to deceive and harm people of every background, telling them their value is directly tied to their racial background and not to their divine birthright. The narrative lies to White people, and says they are inherently superior because they have been placed at the top of the hierarchy. It lies to Black people and says they are inherently inferior because they have been placed at the bottom of the hierarchy. It lies to Native people and says they no longer matter and are forever irrelevant within race conversations. It lies to Latino and Latina people, Asian American people, and Middle Eastern people and tells them they can only hope to achieve worthiness by getting proximate to Whiteness. When an individual agrees with the lie of the narrative, this is already a matter of obvious danger. But what happens when it is no longer just an individual who agrees with that lie? How much more powerful does the lie become when it is agreed with by an entire family? Do you see how quickly the power increases when it begins to become a cluster of lies? And then what happens when it is not just a family that agrees with the lie of the narrative, but a whole community agrees with it? What happens when a whole city agrees with it? What happens when a whole nation agrees with it? Do you see how and why the lies that sustain White supremacy become the devil’s breeding ground? Do you see why the father of lies would be so keenly interested in the narrative of racial hierarchy? Can you see how and why White supremacy has become a well-guarded, well-sustained principality of darkness? This is what we’re getting at when we talk about White lies. This swarm of lies around human value has infected the very air we breathe. We cannot live or move in this atmosphere without inhaling these lies. We must, therefore, contend with these White lies. (p 120)

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. I am not religious but I get it. If I could have read one book about racism it would be this.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very helpful as a white person in evangelical ministry. It is practical and contains a lot of truth!

[Jaime K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hill uses his own history, stories, and experiences as both a pastor and a speaker to provide a lot of information as to why white supremacy is a parasite that is integrated in our society.
And its host is Christianity.

Hill does not ignore his own mistakes and transgressions, and offers them as learning experiences for us all.

Although he is white, he points out a lot of issues about taking all information solely from whites, and has used collaborations with BIPOC to provide this information.
I really like how he says that using the acronym BIPOC isn’t being politically correct, but shows how white supremacy evolves around different ethnic groups.

He notes a lot of issues with showing diversity, but not internalizing it. We need to shift how we think about it and actually address the issues of white supremacy that makes us think we are “woke.”

I’ve always disliked that word coming from whites, and through a black person he talks to, Hill explains why it is so troublesome.
It’s tied to white pride.

Because Hill is a pastor, a lot of the information is linked back to the Gospels. He drives home the fact that White Supremacy of the Devil is in a battle against Christ Supremacy of God. One of the things he notes is that the North won the Civil War, but the South won the narrative war; and this narrative is a sin much akin to Cain killing Abel.

Like the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, we have to SEE the treatment and marginalization of BIPOC.. We can’t see [anti]racism as individualistic, but as a part of a system.

Hill also brings in research from others, including the fact that ethnicity and race are very different. Ethnicity is God’s design; race is a human construct based on color. He then discusses some of the history of race and the set of lies that were created for racial hierarchy.

It’s sad that very few white Christians in multiracial congregations change their views on race and still fail to see the systemic issues of race. Generally, white Christians are about hearing the truth...except when it’s about race. Then they turn a deaf ear.

We need to understand the tricks of the Devil, and that he is the Father of lies. With that, he has created the lie that BIPOC don’t hold worth unless they’re compared to the white racial hierarchy.

I did not know there was a slave Bible where passages and even entire books from both the Old & New Testaments were removed.

Manifest destiny was justified by the Bible, to where American exceptionalism took the place of the Jews.

The conversion of Saul shows us that we need to be vulnerable in the midst of community when it comes to our transgressions and discriminations.

We need to interrogate power, especially white power, within organizations...much like ghe first Christians in Antioch did.

I really like how one of his final notes is the fact that we must “adopt a justice-centered framework as a primary motif for how we think about the problem of white supremacy” for an authentic vision of discipleship.

I love that he ends with how repentance can help us understand the lies of racial hierarchy and address white supremacy through spiritual healing.

[Patrick Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of White Lies from the publisher, Zondervan, by way of a giveaway conducted by The Englewood Review of Books.

Daniel Hill’s White Lies is an important and valuable addition to a growing mass of books about white supremacy by white authors. I finished reading it just after listening to a podcast that featured a conversation with Esau McCaulley, author of Reading While Black. Both McCaulley and Hill would affirm that there is only so much that white authors can teach any audience about white supremacy, racial injustice, and the path toward racial equity and justice. Daniel Hill would acknowledge that, but he has clearly made it his mission to learn and to teach as much as he can given that circumstance.

There is also only so much that white readers, and especially white male readers like me, can learn by reading such work. Our longstanding claims to and benefits from privilege and power keep us from grasping the scope and magnitude of racial injustice and inequity in the United States. That should never keep us from doing the work needed to achieve that grasp, though.

Daniel Hill clearly understands that personal narrative is quite effective in communicating even the most complex arguments. The ten chapters in this book are filled with stories of the challenges that he has faced in his pursuit of racial literacy and justice, and that his BIPOC collaborators have faced in the lived reality of racial injustice. One cannot begin to see racial injustice until its victims and its perpetrators have names and life stories.

Hill does not hesitate to burst the blissful bubbles that we privileged white people form around us. The first chapter after the introduction is titled “Stop Being Woke;” the second, “Beware of Diversity.” The remaining chapters are a bit more predictably titled, but the arguments are no less pointed.

Here I would invite any who happen to read this to argue with this observation: The pronouns that Daniel Hill uses most frequently are first person and singular. At times the stories read like long humble brags. Obviously that is not the intention, but it does have the effect of making Hill the hero of his own story. With that one criticism noted, I can heartily recommend White Lies to anyone who wants a better grasp of white privilege and the lies we tell ourselves to sustain it.

[Laura Giessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate Daniel Hill's help on my continued journey to recognize and root out the ravages of white supremacy in my life. He patiently recounts his own learning in detail, helping me to see my blind spots. He presses us beyond diversity as an end goal, saying instead that only when diversity helps us see better can it work powerfully. "Addressing diversity without confronting white supremacy does not achieve the desired result" (p. 35). The white community needs help to see, since we have not had to, as Baldwin communicates in his searing quote: "You give me a terrifying advantage: You never had to look at me. I had to look at you. I know more about you thank you know about me" (p. 46). Hill explores Bryan Stevenson's work with the narrative of racial hierarchy as the "operating system" of white supremacy, and he encourages us to recognize and attack this false narrative. He identifies this narrative as the root of the problem, saying that if at any point a critical mass of resistance would have formed, slavery would have ended much sooner; yet it evolved (and continues to evolve) because we fail to deal with the narrative at the root. His gardening metaphor of pulling weeds but leaving the roots intact so that the weeds keep coming back is helpful. He challenges us in the church to think about how we can think about discipleship as it relates to attacking the narrative--what would it look like if churches taught people about the sin of the narrative? What is we equipped people to attack the narrative within their vocations/workplaces? Hill doesn't sugar coat much for white people, challenging the pride of white people as we want to be seen as "woke" and not part of the problem; naming Christian complicity through the years; confronting the idol of white nationalism; naming the whole struggle as a raging spiritual battle with the devil himself. My journey will continue, and I'm thankful for people who share their insights and their growth. Thankful to have read and discussed this slowly with a group at my church who are also on the journey.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Daniel Hill’s book purports to offer strategies to “expose and resist the racial systems that divide us”. He claims that White Supremacy is a pervading evil in our times that is so powerful and ubiquitous that it is difficult for us, who are so immersed and steeped in the White Supremacy lie to even recognise the effects of White Supremacy, much less resist them.

Now I tend to agree with Mr Hill that we live in such times, but I was hoping that his book could open my eyes and expose examples of White Supremacy that I am deceived by and partake of every day of my life. But such examples are few and far between in his book. The closest he came was relating a conversation he had with a black lady in which he asked her that question. And her answer? Instead of a detailed and expansive revelation of the ways in which White Supremacy poisons us all with its lies and sin, the answer is “don’t ask me to do your work for you - figure it out for yourself”

So because Mr Hill’s book purports to expose racial systems that divide us, but does not do so at all (and remember, I’m on his side), I rate this book as only two stars.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, challenging, inspiring, compelling. This was a great follow up to White Awake. I really value Daniel Hill’s humility as he hosts conversations as a white man. It’s so helpful for me to follow in the footsteps of those who are ahead of me in my racial awakening journey and White Lies walked me through so many of the questions I’ve been asking this year. I definitely recommend this to any white Christians wanting to engage further in understanding white supremacy and the needed dismantling of it, though I recommend reading his first book, White Awake, if you are new to the subject.

[Deryn Tang]

I found this book a difficult read, as I was not born in America, so 'white' to me means a different thing from what it means to the author. I also grew up in the era of the cold war, communism, the ban-the-bomb, and other historical world events, so I really could not relate to all the arguments which Hill presented. I would have preferred the term world systems as to the black and white world that the author represented which would have given the book more general appeal.

[Christine Sokomba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book to read with ladies from church. The chapters were full of great material as well as biblical references. I appreciated how much emphasis was placed on BIPOC points of view. This is a must-read for any Christian, especially one on their journey toward antiracism and dismantling white supremacy.

[Catrina Berka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would consider this a 201 conversation on White Supremacy and suggest it after reading his book, White Awake as a 101 introduction. Insightful and practical for the White Christian struggling to disentangle themselves from the false ideology crippling their walk with Jesus.

[Robert Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting OK take on American Racial situation paratially thru Lens of White Anglo eyes. . .
Having a Black member makes photo proof that group is not prejudice. . . danger is group will stop listening & learning about diversity / racial bias

[Suzanne Noakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago, a friend stated that it wasn't the responsibility of the BIPOC community to educate the dominant culture about all of the dynamics, but it was each individual's responsibility to do their own homework.

This is part of that homework. Put it on the top of your TBR pile.

[Melinda Croes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a worthwhile read for those interested in the intersection of Christianity and white supremacy. I appreciated the practical practices suggested and the thoughtful analysis of current issues.

[Sheri Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and convicting. A must- read along with Hill's first book, White Awake.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read my anti-racism books this year and this one was exceptional! Focus is on the white church's role in the history of racism and its potential role moving forward.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful overview. This offers repentance and faithfulness as responses to our hidden cultural assumptions about race. I'm thankful for pastor Hill's leadership on this subject.

[Reilly K · Rating 5 out of 5]

So grateful for how the Lord has used Daniel Hill to convict and grow me in the area of recognizing and fighting racism and white supremacy.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Hill has a gift for providing a biblical framework to discussions about racial justice. This book has lots of very practical applications.

[Rachel Choate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a church group and it is just so helpful for White Christians to understand the issue of white supremacy within the American church and how we can work against it.

[RiRi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was an interesting read. Makes you wonder more about the rise of Christianity in general.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book.

Daniel Hill hates the "Woke" movement. Most people see it as an end to the conversation, whereas Hill sees it as a means to continue the conversation.

Hill makes his argument that the white church needs to separate itself from White Supremecy. Interspersed with biblical quotes to help one learn to resist and expose racism in the church. Could also be used for workplaces.