Prejudice is hard to fight, and we all have some measure of it in us. Some is inconsequential, such as my fierce prejudice against Marmite. I’m sure Marmite manufacturers are doing just fine despite me looking down my nose at their product.
Other prejudices are more deep set and damaging to a society. Prejudice against gangs is a good example. Of course, this prejudice is grounded in incidents of violence and criminal activity. Undoubtedly, gang life can nurture anger, addiction, crime and violence, particularly violence against women. These are not things that our society needs or want.
But we must remember that New Zealand gangs have their origin in urban poverty and disconnection. The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand says gangs usually form ‘among groups of young men who feel alienated from mainstream society, are denied decent job prospects … have poor parental role models, and lack structured adult involvement’. The needs that we as a society fail to meet drive some to gang life, looking for friendship, community and a sense of meaning.
The greatest danger of prejudice is that it excludes people, pushing them to the margins. Once situated there, it becomes even easier for us to treat them as outcasts. But plenty of those who grew up in gangs don’t want that for their children. As Pat of the Wellington Black Power says in this edition, ‘Most of our whanau are born into [the gang], and my role is to improve our kids’ way of thinking and steer them away from the gang scene. This is the change I’m trying to make.’
I suppose you could say that The Salvation Army is a bit like a ‘gang’. We certainly have our own patches and cultural identity. And as a ‘gang’, certain words have rich meaning for us. One such word is ‘repentance’, which means to ‘change one’s mind’.
When we become a Christian, we change our mind about who Jesus is and decide to make him the leader of our life. And once we follow Jesus, he often leads us to repent further, perhaps changing our minds about those we may be wronging by ongoing prejudice, opening our eyes to the deep worth that God sees in every person.
Christina Tyson
Editor
Acts 10:34 The Message
‘God plays no favourites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.’
Nga Mahi 10:34–35
‘Na, ka puaki te mangai o Pita, ka mea, he pono ka kite ahau kahore a te Atua whakapai kanohi: Otiia i roto i nga tini iwi ko te tangata e wehi ana ki a ia, a, e mahi ana i te tika, ka paingia e ia.’