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Muted Voice : A Challenge to the Body of Christ to Speak Out Against Racism
Following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, mass protests in the United States turned into a global movement for racial equality. Increased awareness of racial injustice has created a desire for reformation across large spectrums of society including government, education, the military, business arenas, sports, and entertainment. Many institutions in our present day are speaking out against racism. Businesses are changing the names of racially offensive products, advertisements, etc. But how has the Church responded? Muted Voice is a challenge to the body of Christ to speak out against racism. While addressing the church's lack of leadership, Muted Voice also talks about roadblocks to the conversation on racism and includes practical steps to help start the conversation. It's time to find our voice! It's time for the Church to speak out against racism.
116 pages, Hardcover
Published October 22, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 7, 2021
Provided interesting and eye opening historical facts and viewpoints on racism that changed the way I now view the subject, and made me more aware of my own actions.
July 20, 2021
Where White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo is a book for Whites who want to face and combat racism, Muted Voice by Mike Moore is a book for Christians who want to do the same. It’s a great reflective book for individuals or groups to focus on racism in Christianity; racism in the Bible. Throughout each chapter, Moore bolds what he calls Power Points, and then brings them together to conclude the chapter.
I think my biggest issue with the book is that at one point Moore talks about the colors of people: black, white, red, yellow, brown. I HATE when people are referred to as being ‘red’ or ‘yellow.’
- The Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s did not eliminate the numbers of injustices and other racist behaviors in the country.
- Prejudice is about our thoughts, hatred is about our emotions, and discrimination has to do with our actions. Hatred doesn’t just manifest as hostility but also just discomfort and uneasiness around others that make us want to push away from them.
- “Racism is the belief that race and skin color account for differences in human character, intelligence, ability, beauty, or civility that results in partiality toward one race and prejudice against another. In other words, racism is attributing different qualities, whether they are negative qualities or positive qualities, to different racial groups.” (‘What is Racism’)
- Patriotic nationalism is often steeped in racism.
- Christianity often has a muted voice due to how White pastors in the past approached Blacks--a Black Bible, “Ham’s curse,” and other lies have affected our present time. With Ham’s curse, I really like how Moore discussed the various meanings of what is noted in the Bible.
- Because of how White pastors were (and can still be), the Black Church was developed. BUT Christ called us to be united.
- Moore describes what he considers to be the five social viruses of racism: Generational, Environmental, Institutional, Economic, and Reactionary. He also explains how the first Christian Church in Antioch (in Acts) was multiracial and multicultural.
- “Racial division in the Body of Christ is a social construct.” (‘Five Social Viruses of Racism’)
- I love how that chapter leads into the next one about how slavery is denounced in both the Old and New Testaments. While slavery existed and it seemed like even Paul was okay with it, words in Exodus and Paul’s actions say otherwise.
- I also love how Moore explains the need for legislation regarding just practices in media, government, education, religion, business, etc.
- I really like the table (and then written description) of how the 6 threads of slavery (disrespect, harsh treatment, superiority, inequality, unfair treatment, and non-personhood) are debunked in the Gospel. Most are based on mutual respect.
- Other ways in which society has consistently demonstrated that they find Blacks to be “inferior” are through how lighter skin and features are considered more beautiful; Black slaves were not allowed to learn to read and write, and many Blacks are still not considered intelligent (I absolutely love the number of advancements POC contributed to that Moore names); some Whites think that Blacks don’t try hard enough and/or that they don’t treat each other well (like with the ‘N’ word) so why should Whites?
- “The only thing that will break the power of a deep generational stronghold like racism over the Church is the preaching of the Gospel.” (‘The Unmuted Voice’)
- That above quote then refers to how many Christians feel like the religion is a brand (for a vote) instead of a voice.
- “Racism not only kills people, it kills accomplishment, motivation, potential, aspiration, and if you want to sum it up, it kills unity. Racism is the number one thing standing between America and the Church having revival.” (‘The Unmuted Voice’)
- Some white people struggle with racism because of blindness/blind spots, a lack of empathy, and denial.
- Peter even showed this struggle in Moore’s four roots that keep racism in place: pride (to not do what God wants), superiority, ignorance, and fear (of speaking out). Moore then highlights the ways in which Peter demonstrates each of them, which will make me analyze Acts even more the next time I read it.
I think my biggest issue with the book is that at one point Moore talks about the colors of people: black, white, red, yellow, brown. I HATE when people are referred to as being ‘red’ or ‘yellow.’
- The Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s did not eliminate the numbers of injustices and other racist behaviors in the country.
- Prejudice is about our thoughts, hatred is about our emotions, and discrimination has to do with our actions. Hatred doesn’t just manifest as hostility but also just discomfort and uneasiness around others that make us want to push away from them.
- “Racism is the belief that race and skin color account for differences in human character, intelligence, ability, beauty, or civility that results in partiality toward one race and prejudice against another. In other words, racism is attributing different qualities, whether they are negative qualities or positive qualities, to different racial groups.” (‘What is Racism’)
- Patriotic nationalism is often steeped in racism.
- Christianity often has a muted voice due to how White pastors in the past approached Blacks--a Black Bible, “Ham’s curse,” and other lies have affected our present time. With Ham’s curse, I really like how Moore discussed the various meanings of what is noted in the Bible.
- Because of how White pastors were (and can still be), the Black Church was developed. BUT Christ called us to be united.
- Moore describes what he considers to be the five social viruses of racism: Generational, Environmental, Institutional, Economic, and Reactionary. He also explains how the first Christian Church in Antioch (in Acts) was multiracial and multicultural.
- “Racial division in the Body of Christ is a social construct.” (‘Five Social Viruses of Racism’)
- I love how that chapter leads into the next one about how slavery is denounced in both the Old and New Testaments. While slavery existed and it seemed like even Paul was okay with it, words in Exodus and Paul’s actions say otherwise.
- I also love how Moore explains the need for legislation regarding just practices in media, government, education, religion, business, etc.
- I really like the table (and then written description) of how the 6 threads of slavery (disrespect, harsh treatment, superiority, inequality, unfair treatment, and non-personhood) are debunked in the Gospel. Most are based on mutual respect.
- Other ways in which society has consistently demonstrated that they find Blacks to be “inferior” are through how lighter skin and features are considered more beautiful; Black slaves were not allowed to learn to read and write, and many Blacks are still not considered intelligent (I absolutely love the number of advancements POC contributed to that Moore names); some Whites think that Blacks don’t try hard enough and/or that they don’t treat each other well (like with the ‘N’ word) so why should Whites?
- “The only thing that will break the power of a deep generational stronghold like racism over the Church is the preaching of the Gospel.” (‘The Unmuted Voice’)
- That above quote then refers to how many Christians feel like the religion is a brand (for a vote) instead of a voice.
- “Racism not only kills people, it kills accomplishment, motivation, potential, aspiration, and if you want to sum it up, it kills unity. Racism is the number one thing standing between America and the Church having revival.” (‘The Unmuted Voice’)
- Some white people struggle with racism because of blindness/blind spots, a lack of empathy, and denial.
- Peter even showed this struggle in Moore’s four roots that keep racism in place: pride (to not do what God wants), superiority, ignorance, and fear (of speaking out). Moore then highlights the ways in which Peter demonstrates each of them, which will make me analyze Acts even more the next time I read it.
May 25, 2021
Dr. Moore's book "Muted Voice" presents a strong challenge to the Body of Christ to take a stand against racial divisiveness. Dr. Moore confronts the Church for its silence in the arena of race issues. The Church is being called to demonstrate unity; afterward, the Church can lead as a model of unity. This book forces the Church to look in the mirror and address a subject that is very sensitive but that is also very critical to the Church's being what God has called it to be.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews