Image of God

/ Uncategorized / By

Thank you very much for being “here” with me today.  In a finite time to live (according to many; others believe this is a stop on the way to heaven or hell), for you to give me more than thirty-seconds means a lot to me.  So, again … thank you! 

Just to give you an idea of how I am utilizing social media …

I am very open.  I use my real name.  I give you real incidents.  I do change the names of the schools I worked at and students’ names.  Whatever I am sharing something with you, I am sincere. 

Today, I am going to explain how I see people through the lens of “the-image-of-God.”

On December 22, 2021, I explained to my Pinecrest High School band students how I arrived at the decision to retire early.  One of the reasons I have left public school in California is the emphasis that results are based race / ethnicity / gender / lack of Diversity / lack of Inclusion / lack of Equity, oppose to behavior / action / choices. 

How I understand the current direction of the California Public School System is race / ethnicity / gender / lack of Diversity / lack of Inclusion / lack of Equity leads to behavior / action / choices.  Because the student is fill-in-the-color, he or she got in trouble.  Because the student is fill-in-the-gender, he or she did not do well in math. 

Music teachers should select music to perform based on race / ethnicity / gender.  I didn’t want that to be how I select music for students to perform.  I remember receiving a wonderful compliment because two of the pieces were composed by females.  Told the very nice person, “Thank you for the compliment.  However, I did not go out of my way to find female composers.  I just selected the music because I enjoy it.”  The very nice person did not appreciate my honesty. (wink)  

My students were puzzled by what I was saying.  Many of them tilted their head to their right or left shoulder as I like to say a puppy dog does when the puppy dog hears a curious sound.  “What do you mean, Mr. Everts?”

What I mean is my understanding of the following verses (PLEASE, KNOW … I DID NOT USE ANY OF THESE VERSES WITH MY STUDENTS; I would have been escorted off the campus by security) …

  • Genesis 1:27 – So God Created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  (Nowhere does the Bible mention color of male and female)
  • Genesis 9:6 – Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God mad man in his own image.  (Nowhere does the Bible mention the color of the male and female)
  • Psalm 139:14 – I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  (Nowhere does the Bible mention color of male and female)
  • Colossians 3:10 – And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Nowhere does the Bible mention color of male and female)
  • 1 Corinthians 11:7 – For a man ought not to cover his had, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man (oh-oh). (Nowhere does the Bible mention color of male and female)
  • Hebrews 1:3 – He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.  After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high  (Nowhere does the Bible mention color of male and female)
  • Ephesians 4:24 – And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Nowhere does the Bible mention color of male and female)  

Considering the Old Testament of the Bible includes the Torah (From what I know, nowhere does the Torah mention color of male and female), I thought I would look at the third Abrahamic faith:  Islam. 

From Mohammad Ali Shomali (Just an excerpt)

  • The image of God as presented in the Qur’an is one that speaks of Him in personal terms. God has a personal relationship with every individual. In what follows, we will try to present a detailed account of the attributes of God as portrayed in the Qur’an. Efforts have been made to take every name or attribute of God that is mentioned in the Qur’an into account. Muslims believe that both the meaning and the wording of the Qur’an belong to God and that even slight differences in the letters or the frequency of words are significant.  (As far as I know, nowhere does the “Qur’an” mention color of male and female). 

Therefore, I understand and accept those who practice a “faith” use of the term “colorblind.”  I don’t see those “faithful” people as being wrong or insulting.  Those “faithful” people are, for the most part, sharing with you how they see no mention in the three books (Bible / Torah / Qur’an) of the color of human beings being the correct way to look at their fellow humans.  My conclusion would be – all humans, regardless of race / ethnicity / gender – are “images of God.” 

Now, the secularists have begun to return with their version of how we should be.  According to the secularists / humanists, we should be judging people / respecting people / you-can-add-the-next-word people based on how they look and what is their chromosome.  What a shame. 

This sort of teaching by the secularists (maybe even “humanist”) is going to lead to the destruction that we have seen in other cultures. 

I saw a great movie:  APOCALYPTO.  A story of how the Aztecs destroy the Mayans.  And what will happen next… the Spaniards led by Cortez will destroy the Aztecs.  This story is a good parable for us.  If we continue to teach, “white people are inherently racist and are bad,” eventually the white people are going to push back.  Who knows what that “push back” is going to look like!  

Not only are white people going to push back against this way of thinking, many people of faith will also push back because this (judging people based on race / ethnicity / gender) is wrong!  It is unAmerican!   

I left my profession early because I could no longer be culpable in supporting an environment that continues to move away from God.  A movement that really started in 1962 when prayer was taken out of the public schools.  I would ask you to do a little work (“little” would lead to a lot of work) and research how schools are now compared to 60 years ago!  For gosh sake, look at how our cultures is now compared to 1962!  I am sure there is enough evidence to show that removing prayer / God from the classroom is helping THE DECAY OF CIVILIZATION or at least a culture we do not recognize as “American.”    

I ask you to please consider helping our nation to stay with God.  At least stay with the God as a philosophy.  We are created in the “image of God.”  We are all humans.  We need to teach our children that all people have the capability to be evil and / or to be good – no matter their race / ethnicity and gender.  Currently, that (teaching all people have the capability of being evil and / or good) is not the case. 

In Ethnic Studies, there is no such thing as “Black Privilege” “Asian Privilege.”  Only white people can be the oppressors.  Every time “white” is used, substitute “white” with “black” or “Asian” and see how you feel.  I would hope … you would feel uncomfortable.  Right.  Or you would feel this sort of thinking leans to retribution / revenge for definite wrongs committed HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO (the exception would be “happened just ‘yesterday’ “)! 

The possible reason for you to feel uncomfortable is because, you know all humans are made in the image of God or you acknowledge human beings is a species of animal.  You know – you do not want to be judged by your race, ethnicity or gender and there goes that “pesky” Golden Rule (that is in every religion across the world:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you). 

In the 2022 United States of America – No human is better or worse based on race / ethnicity and gender.  In the 2022 United States of America – No human’s results are due to the lack of Diversity, lack of Inclusion, and lack of Equity.  In the 2052 United States of America – I hope will be able to make similar statements.  

In the 2052 United States of America, I want to fly on an airplane with a competent pilot.  That’s it.  For no other reason.  Just want to safely arrive at my destination.