River Church pastor's 'poorly chosen words reveal deep-seated attitudes of many white people’: Kathrada Foundation

01 July 2016 - 10:27 By TMG Digital

Many white people have learned to be “politically correct most of the time”‚ but it’s when they drop their guard that “deep-seated attitudes and approaches that keep on bedevilling relationships between black and white” are revealed.That’s a view endorsed by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation‚ written by the University of South Africa’s Professor JNJ “Klippies’ Kritzinger”‚ in a reaction entitled “Response to Pastor André Olivier of Rivers Church‚ Sandton”. Olivier made waves on social media after his sermon over the weekend was seen by many to suggest that black people were lazy.“It is to be appreciated that Pastor Olivier apologised for the statements he made in a sermon on Sunday‚” wrote Kritzinger.“It is important‚ though‚ not simply to forgive him and move on‚ since his words were not only ‘poorly chosen’ (as he says in his Twitter apology)‚ but reveal deep-seated attitudes and approaches that keep on bedevilling relationships between black and white people in this country.”True reconciliation requires serious repercussions for racists: Sanco“True reconciliation will only be realised when there are serious repercussions‚” said the South African National Civic Organisation in its call for tough action against “white supremacists who are hiding behind Christianity”. Kritzinger said it Olivier’s contentious statements were made when “he digressed from his prepared text and ‘spoke from his heart’.“This is clear when at the end of the clip he says: ‘Back to the message.’ ” Kritzinger said this “reveals something typical about the life of many white people in South Africa: we have learnt to be ‘politically correct’ most of the time‚ particularly when we are speaking in public or in the presence of black people”.Twitter reacts to the #AntiRacismSong - and it's not good!Following the launch of the anti-racism song by the Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa yesterday‚ South Africans have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on the song‚ titled No love‚ No life.“We do this to ‘avoid trouble’ or to prevent being accused of racism. But sometimes‚ when our guard drops‚ we reveal what we really think and who we really are. And then our untransformed mind-sets emerge into the open.“This usually happens when we are angry or disgusted at a specific incident‚ like Penny Sparrow’s experience on a Durban beach‚ or Vicki Momberg’s tirade after the smash-and-grab incident. It also happens around the braaivleis fire‚ when we let our inhibitions go and say what we really think about black people (and about ourselves).”Kritzinger said “Olivier lowered his guard…and revealed his real feelings and thinking about the history of South Africa and the nature of the relationship between black and white people”.“That is what we need to address; not his unfortunate choice of words.”..

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