“Racists Never Seem To Notice Racism”: Survey Finds That White Christians Are More Likely To Deny Racism

Amy LewisNov 9, 2023

Minute Read

According to the most recent statistics from the Pew Research Center, when considering the attitudes and beliefs of different religious groups, the disturbing reality of racism and prejudice is highlighted.

The Recent Survey Conducted by Pew on Americans

Americans were asked to respond to a crucial question in a recent Pew study conducted in April: Which issue presents a bigger challenge to the nation regarding race—the propensity to ignore racism when it exists or the tendency to detect racism where it doesn’t?

Most Americans Believe Discrimination Is Not Correctly Recognized

A little more than half of Americans (53%) think that the greater issue is that prejudice goes unnoticed when it is occurring. Conversely, somewhat less than half (45%) believe that people attributing racism to circumstances in which it doesn’t exist is a more urgent worry.

White Christians Pipe In

As one looks more closely at the statistics, a startling discrepancy between various religious groups becomes apparent. Particularly white Christians were more likely to say that the challenges posed by accusations of nonexistent racial discrimination are greater.

The Statistics

White mainstream Protestants (54 percent), White Catholics (60 percent), and White Evangelicals (72 percent) are the groups most likely to have this opinion. However, some religious organizations present a quite different picture.

Black Christians Don’t Seem to Agree

Ten percent of Black Protestants think that the bigger problem is assuming that prejudice exists when it doesn’t. Conversely, a sizable majority of Americans who identify as non-Christian religious (69 percent), Black Protestants (88 percent), unaffiliated Americans (64 percent), and Hispanic Catholics (60 percent) claim that the bigger issue is that racism is often overlooked when it does exist.

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Story

Editorial credit: Eric Glenn / Shutterstock.

One such example is the Southern Baptist Convention. Founded in the 1850s as a result of the divide between Northern and Southern Baptists over slavery, the religion is predominately white while having a small number of token Black congregations among its membership.

SBC Apologizes for Its Role in Slavery

The SBC, which had 16 million members in its churches, issued an apology in 1995 for its part in slavery; however, the numbers subsequently cast doubt on the sincerity of the apology. Currently, less than 1% of SBC churches are attended by Black people. However, they are now spending millions more on missions in Africa.

Divide Remains Unchanged After George Floyd’s Death

It raises the question of whether SBC churches would travel the world spending millions of dollars to convert those who do not want to attend their local churches. This division, according to Baylor University sociology professor George Yancey, has mostly not shifted since the demonstrations following George Floyd’s death.

“Don’t Think Christians Are the Source of Polarization. But We Haven’t Fought Against It”

He further remarked, “I don’t think Christians are the source of polarization. But I do think we have not fought against it. We have accepted it and put it into our ministries rather than trying to show concern and care for people who disagree with us.”

Colorblindness Has Taken on a Theological Dimension

Colorblindness has taken on a theological component for certain white Christians, according to Rice University sociologist Michael O. Emerson, who will publish “The Religion of Whiteness,” soon. According to Emerson, whiteness and its symbols constitute a unique American religion.

“Racists Never Seem to Notice Racism”

Some individuals on social media shared these worries about racism being unnoticed. On Twitter, someone said, “Racists never seem to notice racism.” Someone else observed that a large number of white Christians have never admitted the systematic racism that underlies actions like taking Native American territory. They don’t understand how important the Christians were in driving the Indians out.

Ministers Use the Language of Racism While at the Same Time Denying They Are Racists

There is still a clear division over racism in American Christianity. Some Christians dispute that prejudice exists, but others believe that the greater issue is our inability to acknowledge it. All it takes to understand that Christians use racist language while simultaneously insisting they are not racists is to listen to them speak or even to hear preachers deliver sermons. Even amid national discussions about racial injustice, this impasse continues.