*Rick Warren and Asian Stereotypes

So Rick Warren and his antics on race has been surfacing on the internet - more than once - and apparently this isn't the first time he's mixed racism with obscure humour.

So... what did he do? Well, as documented here and here and here

The first incident was about a photo:

With the caption: "the typical attitude of Saddleback Staff as they start work each day."

Like many other asians, I am a bit confused with what he's trying to suggest here (That Christians who work for Rick Warren get up everyday like a Disney movie with a Red Guard Propaganda twist? Or that Christians are coming onto the world like a communist army, a cultural revolution? I don't know nor do I get it). And I'm sure this evokes much stronger emotions for the Chinese-American community than any other Asian-American community. 

But the responses of those who came to the defense of the picture and Rick Warren is even more interesting:

• Don’t you know this is a joke? This is funny. Get over yourself. Get a sense of humor. Christians can be funny.

• I didn’t mean to offend you. BUT…Get over yourself. Get a sense of humor. Christians can be funny.

• Why are you attacking “fill in the blank with well-intentioned White person’s name here”? Don’t you know how many people said person’s ministry and life’s work has touched and brought to faith? Get over yourself. Get a sense of humor. Christians can be funny.

• If you are a Christian, show “fill in the blank with well-intentioned White person’s name here” some grace. Get over yourself. Get a sense of humor. Christians can be funny.

• Don’t be so politically-correct. Be a Christian first. Don’t make this about race. Get over yourself. Get a sense of humor. Christians can be funny.                                   

 Source

Now, I get racist humour when it's done in an appropriate context. I am fully able to laugh at my own heritage, background, phenotype and play on asian stereotypes. I'm not only used to it but grew up learning to deflect and not really taking too much offense at genuine ignorance. But there is an appropriate context for when and where you do make jokes.

Warren - knowingly or unknowingly - evoked a sensitive topic with the image he selected (for reasons I don't think I really need to go into) to characterise his staff. And again, this was done on a public online forum - facebook. Making jokes amongst your buddies in private is one thing. But in public for everybody that 'likes' you and your organization to see?

I wonder how he would feel if the tables were turned. Most racist humour can go both ways. So let's suppose a Chinese pastor wants to do the same:

 With the caption:

"The typical attitude of XYZ staff as they collect for charity"

Or maybe something like this:

 "The typical attitude of our XYZ Church missionaries out in the field"

But hey, forget the social-historical context because Christians are funny! 

Warren later posted an apology for the image.

*Update (10/19): NPR has put up a post about this now - here

The second antic, Rick Warren and his staff did was: 

"In the video at Exponential, a pastor jokes about making his church-planting apprentice do menial activities, such as getting him coffee, giving him massages, and holding his towel, according to the Rev. Christine Lee, a Korean-American Episcopal priest who attended the conference.

The apprentice reacts to the pastor in a parody of the “Karate Kid,” the 1984 martial arts film. The pastor begins speaking in a Chinese accent with “typical ‘Oriental’ music” playing in the background, Lee said. They go into a karate segment, and at one point, they bow to each other."

And the Evangelical Asian-American community didn't appreciate it; they posted an open letter: here