The History of White People by Nell Painter

Nell Painter, an Afro American historian, has written another comprehensive masterpiece, The History of White People (2010).  Previously (2006) she wrote another masterpiece, Creating Black Americans.

Her thesis is simple: "race is an [false] idea, not a fact."  Race is an ideological myth created to legitimate and justify white oppression of blacks---and all non-whites.

Some excerpts from the flyleaf:

"Our  story begins in Greek and Roman antiquity, where the concept of race did not exist."  For 2000 years, Painter searched the historical record and the concept of race, of white people was not to be found.

"Not until the eighteenth century [late 1700s] did an obsession with whiteness flourish" among the Anglo-Saxons.  "Here was a worldview congenial to northern Europeans bent on empire [colonial imperialism].  There followed an explosion of theories of race, now focusing on racial temperament as well as skin color."  "So white race was not merely a skin color but also a signal of power, prestige, and beauty to be withheld and granted selectively."

The false concept of race and the tragically real practice of racism has been, in American history, destructive, dangerous, deadly, oppressive and demonic; but whites see themselves as superior; whiteness is next to godliness.  (See Edward Blum's review of The History of White People).

Neither the Bible nor history nor biology nor anthropology validate the concept of race.  The totally erroneous concept of separate and distinct, superior and inferior races, is a demonic ideology, some would argue a form of idolatry, created to legitimate greedy white oppression.  This lie has been repeated again and again so that most whites regard it as gospel truth; it is the new normal, the way things are and are supposed to be.

Ethnicity, separate and distinct cultural groups, is valid---biblically, historically and anthropologically.  But ethnocentrism, supposed cultural, national or religious superiority of one group over another, is an evil distortion of an valid concept.  Ethnocentrism, widespread historically and cross-culturally, can be every bit as deadly and demonic as white racism.  For example, the British ethnocentrism against the Irish (both from the same 'racial' group), led to the mass slaughter and near slavery of the Irish.

The British brought Anglo-Saxon ethnocentrism here to America, but not the concept of race.  Race was erroneously invented in the late 1700s; it was added to ethnocentrism creating an extremely perverted and demonic, idolatrous mix.  Most white Americans have yet to repent for this sin; they prefer to enjoy white supremacy and white privilege.  This is true for most white Christians.

Happy reading; there will be a chance to repent on almost every one of the 496 pages.

Can something be tragically true and hilariously funny at the same time?  Try this cartoon from the March 9, 2016 Des Moines Register:

Donald Trump is holding a stone tablet that looks like the Ten Commandments; but the ten commandments title is crossed out and replaced with a To-Do-List.  On the to-do-list are idolatry, graven images, false witness, adultery, covet, covet, covet; all are checked off as done.  Standing to the side are two white evangelicals; one says "Well . . . At least it shows some familiarity with the concepts."