The Question: Which "ism" is more entrenched in America, sexism or racism? Which should religion address?
Before the question can be answered, the air needs clearing. Sexism and racism are rooted in unevolved consciousness, and both will be solved when consciousness rises. They aren't going to be solved from the pulpit, however. Catholicism will retain its traditional sexism, both spoken and implicit. Southern Baptists will remain covertly or overtly bigoted in racial matters. Protestantism in general will likely keep a genteel distance away from social action. I can't see choosing between racism and sexism to begin with -- both are throwbacks to an outworn attitude that promoted white males to special privilege in God's creation. Religion was one of the chief bulwarks of this world view, so turning to it for a remedy seems ironic. I'd put much more trust in the growing spiritual movement outside the church.
A woman's right to vote or seek an abortion was a civil cause originally, and religious support tended to come late, or in lukewarm fashion, or not at all. There have been exceptions, of course. Liberal Protestant denominations can boast of a better track record than fundamentalists but still lag behind educated secular society, which, to be frank about it, doesn't have a stake in putting down women and minorities as official Christianity too often did.
The religious record on racism -- especially if one counts anti-Semitism as racist -- has not been a proud one, either. Some white denominations did step forward during the civil rights era in the Fifties and Sixties. Without the lead of black churches, though, one wonders if any of them would have acted so boldly. The shoe can be put on the other foot, too, given the anti-white ranting of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, which black theologians and prominent black ministers are inexplicably reluctant to condemn, even at this late date. They rationalize it "in context," as one might rationalize German anti-Semitism "in context" (i.e, we grew up with it, it's part of our culture, it represents what many of us think, we have old grievances, etc.)
I regret having to offer such a dark preamble, but it leads to a more uplifting conclusion. Racism and sexism represent only one side of human nature, the least evolved. They hark back to primitive social models and backward tribalism. Modern society knows that it must move beyond both, and steady progress has been made in condemning toxic attitudes that used to be considered acceptable. (No Southern governors are blocking polling places to prevent voters from casting a ballot for Obama.) Religion hasn't caught up to its own precepts about love, forgiveness, and the equality of souls, yet there's widespread dismay and shame over that failure. In the end, giving women and minorities true equality begins with the individual. Anyone who aspires to raise his or her consciousness can begin here; the results will be far more rewarding than any legislative movement that puts the right laws in place while allowing the wrong attitudes to fester.
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