Christianity and #BlackLivesMatter
Some days ago, I posted some resources to help Christians understand George Floyd’s death and systemic racism in America.
This article is an attempt to try to provide some stable ground in the midst of the whirlwind, some starting points for Christians to stand upon, so that we might think through the issues biblically.
But before I do that, let me share who I write this article for. First, I write thinking of my little sister. I agree with her: it’s hard to know where to begin. Understanding George Floyd’s killing at the hands of the police is hard enough, but the subsequent reactions to his killing, and the flood of the counter-reactions, reactions to the counter-reactions, and inevitable splintering and confounding and complexity that comes with these issues, have made it near impossible. What happened? Why did it happen? Is this the truth, or is that? How do I think about this? How does this relate to things that happened earlier? Why are people doing this? What do I say? What do I not say? Should I act? Must I act? What is too much? What is too little? Questions abound, but good answers are hard to come by.
I write this article thinking of my Christian friend who is the token “black friend” of literally hundreds of Asian Christians. He is the one who first taught me that DWB—driving while black—is a real experience for literally every black man he knows. I consider his testimony and perspective on life in Christ invaluable—not because he is black, or because he is a black Christian, but because he is a godly Christian. I am indebted to him; God used him almost single-handedly to carry me through desperate times, shining the light of Christ when I walked in darkness.
I write this article thinking of a Christian husband who feels muzzled because he doesn’t align with the #blacklivesmatter movement. He believes that black lives matter. He believes that America has systemic racism ingrained in its history and its institutions. But he is hesitant to align with the movement because he doesn’t agree with its presuppositions. He wants to speak, but at the same time, he’s afraid of being misunderstood and shamed.
I write this article thinking of Christian friends who feel crushed by guilt. They regret not posting something sooner to align with the black community and #blacklivesmatter. They have devoured resources in an attempt to gain some traction on the issue. Terms like white privilege, intersectionality, racial reconciliation, and oppression have lodged themselves into their psyche. It seems like we have entered a whole new world.
For all these dear saints, my desire is to reveal the things that lie hidden beneath the surface, to comfort the distress and discouraged, and to commend seeing all things through the lens of the Scriptures. I will invariably fail in all these desires. It will be too little, too much, too conservative, too liberal, too general, too specific, too something. There are too many voices to please.
But by the grace of God we walk in faith, and by His power we always do the best we can. Lord, help me.
Crying out to God Almighty
I have read and heard many cries for justice in the world recently. This is good; but as Christians, have we made our cries for justice known to God Almighty?
It is easy to get sucked into the whirlwind. I found myself on a never-ending trail—watching the video of the murder, seeing pictures of the latest protests, reading news articles on the riots, mulling over friends’ posts airing their solidarity with the black community.
But have we prayed to God? There is an appointed time for everything, a time for every event under heaven (Ecc 3:1). But it is always the time for prayer (1 Thess 5:17). Our instinct whenever we hear of injustice ought to be a cry to the Judge of all the earth to have mercy on sinners like us. He is the One we always need.
I have been praying one of my favorite psalms:
Psalm 94
1 O LORD, God of vengeance,
God of vengeance, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth,
Render recompense to the proud.
3 How long shall the wicked, O LORD,
How long shall the wicked exult?
4 They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;
All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.
5 They crush Your people, O LORD,
And afflict Your heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger
And murder the orphans.
7 They have said, “The LORD does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.”
8 Pay heed, you senseless among the people;
And when will you understand, stupid ones?
9 He who planted the ear, does He not hear?
He who formed the eye, does He not see?
It feels condescending to say it, but in a time when emotions run high, I will state it plainly. Racism, by which I mean “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race” (Merriam-Webster), is sin. Abuse of authority is sin. Murder is sin. Heartlessness is sin. Anarchy is sin. Stealing is sin. Looting is sin. Apathy for the things that God cares for is sin. We ought to cry out for justice with all our being, but our first and primary audience must be God.
We are the people of God. And as His people who have been brought from death to life by His power alone, we believe that He alone has the power to transform a sinful heart, a sinful culture, a sinful nation, a sinful world. If we are seeking to change anything apart from the power of God, we labor in vain (Ps 127:1–2). Why? Because God is the Judge of all the earth, and He will judge rightly (Gen 18:25). The promise in Romans 2:9–11 stands true:
There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.
I am praying for God to be merciful to our sinful nation. I pray for God to bring true justice through the legal system. I pray for Him to effect godly change in the police departments that will preserve life and uphold righteousness. I pray for the government, as God’s gift to man for the punishment of evil and the protection of life (Ro 13:1–7), to do its job better. The Spirit within us knows how to pray, if we will only give Him the time.
I am not saying that our response ought to end with prayer to our impartial God; Christian life is more than prayer and Bible reading! But I am saying that if our dominant action is not prayer to the Judge of all the earth, we have certainly begun to build on a wrong foundation. Before we do anything, we must pray.
Interpreting the World through the Scriptures
Christians have many things to learn from unbelievers. God has extended His common grace in manifold ways to all people, not merely to believers.
But, God has granted to His people His precious Word. We have a better resource than learned sociologists, informed friends, or the news cycle; we have the very words of God. Have we heard what He says? Many of us have learned from politicians, celebrities, and influencers. But what have we learned from the Scriptures about ethnicity, murder, abuse of authority, oppression, justice, government, violence, submission, outrage, and anger? God, not His creation, determines reality.
We need more than a two-verse theology of Micah 6:8 and Amos 5:24. We need a comprehensive, biblical, godly, just, compassionate, faithful, God-over-all worldview to interpret all things. We need to be able to mine the Scriptures for answers to questions like these:
What does God say about race and ethnicity?
What does God say about murder?
What does God say about the abuse of authority?
What does God say about oppression of the weak?
How does God define justice? How ought it to be sought?
What does God say about the powers He has granted to government?
What does God say is a Christian’s responsibility unto the government?
What does God say about violence, anarchy, and crime?
What does God command that we do with our sadness, anger, and hunger for righteousness?
Admittedly, understanding racism, injustice, and oppression in our modern world is complicated and challenging. Yet, God has give us everything we need for life and godliness in Himself (2 Pet 1:3). Nothing is beyond the power of the God’s unbreakable Word to understand, analyze, and interpret rightly. The questions we ought to be asking are, “How do we think like Christians through all of these things? How do we think God’s thoughts after Him, not think the world’s thoughts after the world?”
Now, while we might not think that we are like world, worldliness is devastating subtle. The enemy is deceptive. Even when we use Bible verses, we can unwittingly let the world tell us how to interpret the Scriptures instead of letting the Scriptures tell us how to interpret the world! We must not import the mindset of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul says, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” Every thought must be captive to Christ.
But who has captivated us—Christ or the world? Jesus says that Christians are truly in the world, yet not of the world (Jn 17:11, 13–17). How will we be heard as a witness for Christ in this world if we sound exactly like the world? If we think like the world, agree with the world, use the same language as the world, parrot the world, adopt the worldview of the world, then we have become captivated by the world. And if we are captivated by the world, we ought not be surprised if the world thinks Christ entirely superfluous. We ought not be surprised that the world concludes we’re useless. If we are of the world, we are impotent to bring the gospel to the world (1 Jn 2:15, Ro 3:12).
So my challenge is, “How do we have a distinctly Christian voice? How do we speak with compassionate, clear, convictional truth into the world according to the Scriptures?”
Challenging the Foundations
But before speaking, I think we must understand. There are a few things that lurk below the surface of much of the rhetoric, and I’ll try to expose those things with four statements.
Black lives matter, not because any human being says so, but because God says so.
Every person is a gift from God. God has made every person in His image (Gen 1:26–27), stamped indelibly to be like Him, with inestimable dignity, worthy, value, and purpose. God has given to every person a conscience that testifies of Him (Ro 2:14–15). God has appointed all of mankind, every member, over all of creation (Ps 8:3–8); mankind rules over all by the authority of God Himself. God has blessed both the evil and the righteous with food and joy (Mt 5:45), and determined their time and their place in order that they might seek Him (Ac 17:26–27).
We humans derive our worth and dignity not from our heritage, our genetics, our abilities, or our accomplishments, but in our Creator, that He has made us in His image. Yes, black lives matter—because black lives matter to God.
#BlackLivesMatter is different than “black lives matter”
Just like any organization, #BlackLivesMatter is more than just the meaning of its name. Their doctrinal statement—and yes, it is a doctrinal statement—makes it clear that the movement is incompatible with a Christian worldview. Terms like racism, repentance, and reconciliation have taken on a whole new meaning. We cannot assume that the way unbelievers use and understand a word is the same way that we would use a word.
While I have neither the knowledge nor the space to explain fully, much of the #blacklivesmatter movement is built upon an ideology called critical race theory, also called intersectionality theory or cultural Marxism. I cannot say that loudly enough; we must understand the foundations. See this post for a short introduction on why it’s America’s newest religion and this post for a more academic dive into the topic.
To be quite frank, I think the #BlackLivesMatter and Christianity are incompatible. One will devour the other. You cannot serve an agenda of the world and Christ.
Silence is not always sin.
Many Christians feel condemned and guilt-laden for not speaking about this issue. But the Scriptures do not say that it is always a sin to be silent. Being quick to hear and slow to speak (Jas 1:19) necessarily means, well, not speaking for a time. Jesus Himself kept silent while being falsely accused (Mk 14:61), not because He was guilty but because He was waiting to execute His better plan—to be able to respond to the charge of blasphemy.
Racism in America is not the only injustice in our world. Where are the cries of justice for the Nepalese girls being trafficked for the sex trade in India? Where are the cries of justice for the abused and starving citizens of North Korea? Where are the cries of justice for the South Sudanese being slaughtered by their own government? Where are the cries of justice for over 1 billion citizens in the People’s Republic of China being oppressed by a communist, dictatorial regime? If we are guilty before God for failing to speak on #BlackLivesMatter, why are we not just as guilty for speaking up about every injustice in all the world?
There is a difference between intentional, patient, wise waiting and stubborn, apathetic silence. There is a difference between refraining from saying something on social media and ignoring the issue in our heart. God does not condemns us for that which is not sin. He is the one who justifies us in Christ Jesus. Let no one else condemn (Ro 8:33–34).
No ethnicity is inherently less, or more, sinful than any other ethnicity.
We know what race Adam was—the human race. And we know that from this one man, all of humanity inherited the sinful nature (Ro 5:12–21). Every single human is thus cursed by the fall, clothed in unrighteousness and sin. That is why Jesus Christ called all the nations—that is, all the ethnicities and cultures—to repent, not just a subset (Lk 24:47, Mt 28:20). If even the Jews who had the oracles of God were not found righteous before God, then surely every ethnicity needs salvation in Jesus Christ (Ro 3:1–20)!
If a person is of a particular genetic makeup, it does not mean that he inherits the particular sins of all his ancestors (Jer 31:29–30). As Ezekiel 18:19–20 says,
The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
Thus, God Himself does not hold a man accountable for the particular sins of his fathers. Why then should we?
If it were true that specific sins are passed down by genetic inheritance, why wouldn’t humanity seek to eliminate ‘more sinful’ ethnicities? If this framework is true, purifying the gene pool would increase the collective ‘righteousness’ of humanity! But of course, this is vile, and repulsive; that is a return to Aryanism. Ironically, this doctrine of specific sin passed down by genetic inheritance, taken to its logical end, leads to genocide.
But the Scriptures clearly teach that all humanity is under the same condemnation. As it is written:
There is none righteous, not even one.
There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God.
(Ro 3:9–11)
Before a perfectly holy God, not one of us stands righteous. We do not need to repent of our ethnicity, our “privilege”, or our heritage; we need to repent of our own personal sins.
Bowing to Jesus Christ
Christians are defined primarily by the fact that we worship Jesus Christ. Christ Himself is the true knowledge of God’s mystery, in whom are all wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2–3). He deserves all our allegiance because He purchased us with His blood (Ac 20:28). We are commanded to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mk 12:30). We live for His glory (1 Cor 10:31, Gal 2:20).
Therefore, we cannot live for the glory of any other, particular the glory of the world. In Christ, the world has been crucified to us, and us to the world (Gal 6:18). In every realm of life, we are beholden to the approval, authority, and audience of the One who died for me. The question for every situation is, “What does God command of me, for His glory?”
In this current issue, I think God requires at least these four things of us.
God requires us to be wise and patient, not rash or quick to speak.
Proverbs 12:18
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 18:13
He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.
The #BlackLivesMatter movement is complicated. I take it as fact that some Americans are racist against black Americans. And I take it as fact that this is yet another haunting illustration of what the Scriptures say so clearly: what you sow, you will reap (Gal 6:7). After all, America enforced and promulgated the African slave trade for over 250 years. Even after slavery was legally outlawed, our country stumbled—at best—through the next decades of the KKK, “separate but equal” racial segregation, Jim Crow laws, and the civil rights movement of the 1950s to 1970s. These things were, and always will be, evil in the eyes of God. While America is not where she was 450, or even 50, years ago, the devastating consequences of hundreds of years of blood, wickedness, and sin will not easily be erased from our nation’s soil.
Since these issues are so deeply rooted—historically, economically, and socially—wisdom dictates that we think deeply and act comprehensively. I want the sin of racism (which I prefer to call ethnic enmity) to end, just like you do—the sooner, the better. I want racism to be punished as the sin that it is. But, maybe, we need to have a fifty-year plan, not a five-day plan. Solving massive injustice is hard and takes time, so let us prepare for the long haul to do biblical justice, even after the media attention dies down.
God requires us to be grieved and righteously angry at sin, and yet not sin ourselves.
Ephesians 4:26–27
BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
James 1:19–20
…But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Romans 12:19
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
We ought to be righteously angry that George Floyd was killed by the police—regardless of who is black or white or any other color—because God hates murder. We ought to be righteously angry that policemen abused their authority; God is impartial and will bring every crime to justice, either in this world or the next. We ought to be righteously angry that justice is aborted and that compassion is so lacking. We ought to be righteously angry that the weak are crushed, that the powerful are shielded, that the laws permit brutality. God Himself hates these things, and thus so should we.
Yet, there is a difference between sinful anger and righteous anger. Man’s anger is often, if not always, mixed with both. Thus, we ought not assume all of our anger ought to be acted upon immediately, for there is some part that is unrighteous. We are to be angry, and yet be slow to that anger. Our anger does not achieve God’s righteousness.
Note what James 1 and Romans 12 do not say. They don’t say, “Don’t be angry.” They don’t say, “Don’t crave justice.” They don’t say, “Be passive and apathetic towards the sins of men.” No! We are required by God to be angry and yet not sin by trying to bring about the righteousness of God ourselves. We can never take vengeance ourselves; we can never exact justice ourselves; we can never pour out wrath. The Judge of all the earth sits alone as the Judge. He will take vengeance. He will repay.
God’s anger always achieves righteousness. He will bring about the punishment, yes, the vengeance, that the wicked deserve.
Even as we are angry, we must not become guilty of the same sins as those we so vehemently oppose. We hate that some have exalted themselves as judge, jury, and executioner. Are we guilty of the same? Are we not commanded to love those who hate us, and pray for their good even as we hate their evil? I know; that’s a lot to command. But it’s the kind of love that God Himself showed towards us. If we think that’s too much to ask, we can take it up with the lover-of-His-enemies par excellence Himself (Mt 5:43–48)!
God requires us to love our individual neighbors by preserving the life of others, in accordance with the means and opportunity God gives to us.
Although Micah 6:8 and Amos 5:24 are often quoted in times like these, I do not think that they are the most helpful verses when talking about justice. The true meanings of the verses are too easily hijacked by worldly definitions of justice, kindness, humility, and righteousness. Also, the contexts clearly show that these commands are given to the nation of Israel, a theocracy under the direct rule of God Himself. America is not Israel; the church is not Israel. Now, the verses still apply to Christians, but not in a direct one-to-one parallel.
I think instead, a simpler and clearer place to start is the sixth commandment: You shall not murder (Ex 20:13). This command, like all of God’s commandments, is an extension of the first and second greatest commandments:
AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ …” (Mk 12:30–31)
And who is my neighbor (Lk 10:29)? Literally anyone that crosses my path (Lk 10:30–37); we are commanded to show mercy and love to all.
Combining Jesus’ exposition of the sixth commandment in Matthew 5:21–22 with the great commandment, the Westminster Larger Confession Q135 says this (emphasis added):
WLC 135: What are the duties required in the Sixth Commandment?
Answer: The duties required in the Sixth Commandment are, all careful studies, and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all passions, and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices, which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any; by just defense thereof against violence, patient bearing of the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit; a sober use of meat, drink, physical, sleep, labour, and recreations; by charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness; peaceable, mild and courteous speeches and behavior; forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil; comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.
From the Westminster Larger Confession Q135
(I got this from Kevin DeYoung here.)
In his Institutes, John Calvin says something similar (emphasis added):
39. The purport of [the sixth] commandment is that since the Lord has bound the whole human race by a kind of unity, the safety of all ought to be considered as entrusted to each. In general, therefore, all violence and injustice, and every kind of harm from which our neighbour’s body suffers, is prohibited. Accordingly, we are required faithfully to do what in us lies to defend the life of our neighbour; to promote whatever tends to his tranquillity, to be vigilant in warding off harm, and, when danger comes, to assist in removing it. … This commandment, therefore, prohibits the murder of the heart, and requires a sincere desire to preserve our brother’s life. …
40. Scripture notes a twofold equity on which this commandment is founded. Man is both the image of God and our flesh. Wherefore, if we would not violate the image of God, we must hold the person of man sacred—if we would not divest ourselves of humanity we must cherish our own flesh. … The Lord has been pleased to direct our attention to these two natural considerations as inducements to watch over our neighbour’s preservation—viz. to revere the divine image impressed upon him, and embrace our own flesh. To be clear of the crime of murder, it is not enough to refrain from shedding man’s blood. If in act you perpetrate, if in endeavour you plot, if in wish and design you conceive what is adverse to another’s safety, you have the guilt of murder. On the other hand, if you do not according to your means and opportunity study to defend his safety, by that inhumanity you violate the law. …
Calvin’s Institutes Book II, Chapter 8, Section 39 & 40
These are just two examples of how Christians can think biblically and thoroughly about preserving the life of our neighbor. We are compelled not by guilt, but by love of God and His image in the people He has made. Note that neither the WLC nor Calvin are demanding a social movement or institutional upheaval, but God-honoring, demonstrable, intelligent conviction to love “according to your means and opportunity study to defend his safety.” Most practically, that means loving the individuals God has placed in our lives, and using the means (money, influence, organizations, etc.) within our reach to defend the lives of those individuals.
God requires us to preach and live out the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only power that can break down the walls of hostility—including racism, prejudice, and injustice.
The world cries out in pain. For justice! For equality! For unity! Christians do as well, not out of yearning for that which is lacking, but as a declaration of what God has already achieved. In Christ, there is justice! In Christ, we are made equal! In Christ, we are unified! The central dominant cry to sinners must always be this: Christ, and Him crucified!
Galatians 3
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
Ephesians 2
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off [Gentiles] have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups [Jew and Gentile] into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Colossians 3
10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-- 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
1 Corinthians 12
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
Romans 10
8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
Christ and His cross are big enough to bear the sufferings caused by racism. Christ and His cross are big enough to bridge the gap between Jew and Greek, slave and free, man and woman, Greek and barbarian, conservative and liberal, black and white. Christ and His cross are big enough to reconcile sinners to God (Ro 5:10)! We dare not think that He is not big enough to reconcile us to one another (Eph 2:16).
Aiming to achieve this full reconciliation is foolishness. The gospel is the message that God gave to His people; the gospel is the message by which we are saved; the gospel is the message we preach; the gospel is the message that we live; the gospel alone achieves biblical justice, biblical equality, and biblical unity. We must not depart from the only message with the power to save. God gave us one message to reconcile God to man, and man to man: Christ and Him crucified.
Where Do We Go From Here?
I have undoubtedly left many questions unanswered. Can Christians protest peacefully? If we shouldn’t partner with #BlackLivesMatter, what organizations can we partner with to defend the lives of the innocent? How can I practically love the black community in my practical every day life?
To be quite frank, I’m not sure. I’ve written and rewritten this section. But after days of wrestling, I’m starting to think that I’m not the right person to answer that question. Instead, I want to talk to my black brothers and sisters in Christ and listen to how I can more intelligently love them for Christ’s sake. What are practical ways to seek the glory of God by preserving the life and joy of my neighbor? How can I love and serve you—practically and particularly? Maybe you can do the same. Or, if you have suggestions for me, I’m all ears. I have a lot to learn.
But whatever the application, let it be according to the Scriptures in a distinctly Christian way.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
— Romans 12:2
Christ is still King, at all times, to all peoples, in everything, for the glory of God. Let us serve Him alone.
I am indebted to A.L. for his help on this article. Thank you, brother.
Photo by History in HD on Unsplash