Rosa Parks Comparison to Jesus
Rosa Parks essay comparison to the image of Jesus. As an individual who stood up for black people’s rights and fought for racial segregation, Rosa Parks had a lot in common with Jesus, and his actions in the bible. She is most famously known for refusing to sacrifice her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This action was later nationally and globally recognised and led to nationwide efforts to end racial segregation. However, the consequence of this action was an arrest for ‘refusing a bus driver’s instructions to give up a seat to a white passenger’. Her influence and legacy still remain and has inspired many the next generation to fight for the rights of the black population and to ultimately end racism.
Similarities of Rosa Parks and Jesus
In chapter four contains the bible’s story of Gods’ healing strategies, of how he brings healing to creation, centred on communities of people who know God’s love and share that love with other human beings. ‘Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; justice and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and justice will look down from the sky.’ The above quotation shows that God is fighting for justice and that ‘justice and peace will kiss each other’. However, Jesus carried this out. Jesus’ acts of justice involve not only healing the hurt, but to also confront those who have been doing the hurting. God’s words express justice, peace and forgiveness, but most importantly, standing up for what’s right (as Jesus did). This can be directly associated with Rosa Parks’ actions. Rosa Parks not only fought for justice; by refusing to sacrifice her seat for a white man, but she also endured the consequences of her actions; that being a fine, arrest and the ban of the use of public transportation in the state of Alabama. However, since the incident, she became more forgiving, criticising how the lack of education led to what occurred after the bus incident. Jesus was crucified for the welcoming of the outcasts and for fighting for justice for all; and Rosa Parks did exactly that. They both took ‘unlawful” actions, they both rebelled but they both believed. They share immensely similar characters and actions and without these two strong and loving role models, our world would be completely different.
Differences of Rosa Parks and Jesus
Although both sacrificed large amounts to fight for justice, differences can still be observed through their actions and beliefs. Jesus fought for the inclusivity for any and all, including the Jews, poor, diseased, privileged and so on. However, Rosa Parks only specifically fought for the black population. Even though this may be due to the obvious imbalance of treatments and attitudes people had towards black people compared to the white, she did not specifically fight for inclusivity, instead she wanted the black population to receive equal treatments and to end racial segregation. However, from interviews and discussion decades after the arrest, she constantly states ‘ I believe that all humans are kind, they just lack education from a young age; perhaps on kindness, racism or anything’. Therefore, Jesus and Rosa Parks are different, being that one promoted inclusivity whereas the other fought for the rights of only the black population.
Has Much Changed for People Who Stand Up for What is Right Since Jesus’ Time?
If we observe recent history, nothing much has changed for people who stand up for what is right since Jesus’ time. Ignoring Rosa Parks, many recent individuals such as ‘Liu Xiaobo’ (who was imprisoned by the Chinese government for calling for political reforms and the end of communist single-party ruling’) or ‘Aung San Suu Kyi’ (who was also imprisoned for advocating for democracy in Burma) have all faced similar and significant consequences. Even though the world has changed, the change is not enough to persuade all to fight for justice and peace. So, I believe that fighting for justice still has consequences, as seen from the imprisonments of ‘Liu Xiaobo’ and ‘Aung San Suu Kyi’.
Summary
Not only did Jesus and Rosa Parks both fight for the rights of millions of people, they also broke the law and faced consequences as a result of standing up for justice. However, a small difference is how Jesus promoted inclusivity whilst Rosa Parks fought for the African Americans’ rights. No matter similar or different, we should all be grateful that such individuals existed. They have reshaped the world, a world that begs more individuals like them.
