BC News|November 08, 2013 02:32 EST
LifeWay CEO Apologizes for VBS Material Which Included Asian Stereotypes 10 Years Later at Mosaix 2013
Though Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, wasn't part of the company 10 years, he's taking it upon himself to apologize for some of the mistakes the company made over a decade ago.
At the Mosaix 2013 conference, Rainer issued a video apology in front of the more than 1,000 attendees, for publishing a Vacation Bible School curriculum that stirred controversy in the Asian American Christian community. The initiative included material with racial stereotypes that hurt the Asian American community.
In response Social Media Church founder, D.J. Chuang said even though the incident happened over a decade ago, the feeling of hurt still lingers.
"Asian American Christian leaders raised the issue of the content for the Vacation Bible School curriculum being offensive, including 1,500 to 1,700 people who signed a petition [objecting to the racial stereotypes in the material]," Chuang explained. "It wasn't just a few activists, it was a significant portion of Asian American Christians and leaders who said that this is a problem, and yet there was no response. Actually, there was a response, but a defensive one, saying, 'Well we had good intentions.'"
More recently, mega-pastor Rick Warren recently posted a photo of a smiling Red Guard Communist propaganda online back in September with a comment that read: "The typical attitude of Saddleback Staff as they start work each day."
Chuang explains how, even though the intentions might not be malicious, the same feeling of offense and hurt can still be achieved.