Social Issues Passed General Election
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PEAPAC Recommends: YES

Racism has no place in the Christian faith; God judges racism harshly as it places the antithesis at natural privilege rather than faith.

Summary

Deletes or changes objectionable racial language (e.g., regarding “white” population) from the Oregon Constitution.

Biblical Reasoning

Clearly, the Christian faith has no place for racism. Race was never the determining factor in God’s dealing with any people. God’s people were always identified as a faith-based group, not a race based group. Our Constitution should reflect this.

When Israel left Egypt, she was comprised of those faithful descendants of Jacob, but also the faithful Egyptians who were brought to a saving knowledge of God ( Ex. 12:37,38). Faithless Jews, while part of Jacob’s bloodline, were nonetheless destroyed along with faithless Egyptians.

Racism aimed at Moses’ Ethiopian wife may have been the root sin of Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12:1ff . God judges racism harshly, because it strikes at the very core of the Christian faith. Racism’s fundamental error is that of placing the Biblical antithesis at natural privilege or race instead of faith.

Exodus 12:37-38 — “When Israel left Egypt, she was comprised of those faithful descendants of Jacob, but also the faithful Egyptians who were brought to a saving knowledge of God”
Numbers 12:1ff — “Racism aimed at Moses’ Ethiopian wife may have been the root sin of Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12:1ff .”

Election Results

71%
29%
YesNo

Voters approved the removal of historical racial references (71% Yes).

Full PEAPAC Analysis

PEAPAC Explanation: This Measure deletes or changes objectionable portions of the Oregon Constitution. For example, the Constitution still has language from our forming period that uses the “white” population of the state as the basis for the number of judges.

PEAPAC Recommendation: We strongly support this Measure, and urge you to vote Yes on it. Clearly, the Christian faith has no place for racism. Race was never the determining factor in God’s dealing with any people. God’s people were always identified as a faith-based group, not a race based group. Our Constitution should reflect this.

PEAPAC Commentary: When Israel left Egypt, she was comprised of those faithful descendants of Jacob, but also the faithful Egyptians who were brought to a saving knowledge of God ( Ex. 12:37,38). Faithless Jews, while part of Jacob’s bloodline, were nonetheless destroyed along with faithless Egyptians. Racism aimed at Moses’ Ethiopian wife may have been the root sin of Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12:1ff . God judges racism harshly, because it strikes at the very core of the Christian faith. Racism’s fundamental error is that of placing the Biblical antithesis at natural privilege or race instead of faith. All pagan cultures tend towards racism. For too long, the Christian church has not clearly and forcefully spoken out against the sin of racism in our culture. While this Measure will clearly receive the vast majority of votes, it still represents an opportunity for the body of Christ to speak out against racism in all its forms.

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