The Triple Murder Convictions in Savannah, Ga., and What the Bible Says About Racism

The Guilty Verdicts in Savannah, Ga. This Past Week, and What the Bible Says About Hate and Prejudice

(1st John chapter 4, verses 19–21) by Rev. Paul J. Bern

The three men from Savannah, Ga. who hunted down Armaud Aubry as if they were on safari found themselves being used as examples last week during their sentencing. In this case, that big game they were hunting was for an unarmed Black man who was out to get a little exercise that fateful February day nearly 2 years ago. I believe the life sentences handed down to those 3 men in the Glynn County Georgia Superior Court were fitting sentences for their crimes. Of course, there was much more to this than an open-and-shut case of murder. The entire case was steeped in barely concealed racist overtones, and Armaud Aubry was the victim of choice by armed white men.

These triple convictions will hopefully serve to be the final 3 nails in the coffin of rampant racism and the Old South. Those who continue to harbor racist views will have little choice but to keep their hatred to themselves, or risk some heavy-handed prosecution by an American public who are sick and tired of all the hate and boiling rage among most conservative white folks. What, if anything, does the Bible say about all this? How about, “Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of the believers. (Amos 5: 15)

The apostle John had something very concise and to-the-point regarding racial or “religious” hatred when he wrote: “19) We love because He first loved us. 20) Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21) And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” (1st John 4:19–21) It is abundantly clear that the apostle John took a very dim view of prejudice and hate. Based on this fact, I would surmise that the other 11 apostles held very similar views on racism, hatred and prejudice. I also conclude that the apostles’ influence came from Christ himself who, being the Son of…