Card. Kasper Should Apologise For Racist Remarks About African Bishops

[Gabriela]

Right. Which is why none of us should tell anyone else how to pastor. Let the Church tell us what's permitted and forbidden, and leave it at that. I think that, on the issues being discussed at the Synod, our stance has always been crystal clear (and Kasper is wrong on them, but still...).

 

If you listen to the interview, you'll hear that there was kind of a lot of talking over each other at the point where Kasper said the Africans won't talk about these issues because they're taboo in African culture. In that whole segment, it's really unclear which question he's answering, because the journalists start piling on questions and he's still talking so he just talks over them. I really don't think any of his comments were racist or displayed any kind of Western superiority. He's just stating that there are serious cultural differences and so pastors from different cultures shouldn't dictate pastoral "policy" to one another.

 

Remember that racism isn't simply the remarking on social or cultural differences. It's the hatred based on those differences. I don't hear hate in Kasper's words, just frustration at being told how to pastor.

 

It does no good to speculate on how Western bishops would behave if the tables were turned. It's hypothetical.

[Ice_nine]

I don't think there needs to be hate to qualify as racism, a smug sense of superiority usually does the trick. You could also be paternalistic and be racist. Not saying Kasper is necessarily either (trying to withhold judgement).

[truthfinder]

*cough*colonialism*cough*