In 2026, Is It Still Acceptable To Use the Term "Colored" When Describing Human Beings?

[Karlon]

Hey Everyone,

There is a discussion going on in Lynx's Which Witch thread in which this user made the following remark:



When confronted about making a racist statement, he then said this:




As for me, I was raised by white people.

One of my best friends is black, and the rest of my friends and family are a mix of various ethnicities and backgrounds. We sometimes call each other this or that, but it's all born out of love, respect, and the familiarity of having been around each other for decades.

My black friend calls me the whitest white girl he knows. (In case you can't tell by my picture and avatar name, I'm not actually white.) But he's earned the right to say those things to me after almost 25 years of walking through the fires with me when I was going through them. He could call me "Cracker Girl" all day long and I wouldn't think twice, because we have a history that's hard to match.

Everyone in this life has had experience with some form of racism or at least bullying in some way.

The thing that makes the difference to me of whether a term is wrong or not is the relationship between the people involved.

When a stranger/someone unfamiliar with someone calls or refers to them by socially questionable terms or words that have a socially charged history, then yes, I see that as racism -- no matter what ethnicities are involved.

But that's just me, and I realize others feel differently.

Seeing as this is a wide and diverse Christian Community with people from all over the world, and from every race and background, I think it's an important subject to discuss.

What are your thoughts?

little by little, around here, "colored", has become obsolete, even derogatory because people are so soft & are hurt so easily. i never liked the term. white people are colored, right"? our skin is light beige, you could say. back about 25 years ago i asked a negro lady, very delicately, "what term should white people use, black or negro? she said negro?.

 

[Texasgal]

When Jesus says “the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35), He’s not talking about crops, seasons, or church programs — He’s declaring that people are ready right now to be brought from darkness into light, and the only question is whether His disciples will step into the work.
The world‑system says “wait for a better moment,” “wait until conditions improve,” “wait until you feel prepared,” but Jesus cuts that off: the harvest is already white, meaning the urgency is present, the opportunity is present, and the responsibility is present.
It’s the same line He draws in Matthew 9:37–38 — the harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few — meaning the shortage is never in God’s readiness but in human obedience.

Have you ever learned how to read between the lines?

 

[OMC]

Have you ever learned how to read between the lines?

Yes — reading between the lines is exactly what Jesus demands, but only inside the boundaries of what the text itself signals, not mystical decoding or hidden layers.
When He says “the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35), He’s not hinting at secret symbolism; He’s exposing the disciples’ blind spot — they saw delay, He saw readiness; they saw ordinary life, He saw spiritual urgency.
Reading between the lines in Scripture means recognizing the implication the text itself drives, not inventing subtext: Jesus uses harvest language to rebuke passivity, expose excuses, and reveal that God is already at work while His people hesitate.
That’s the biblical version of “reading between the lines”: seeing the force of the statement, not a hidden meaning.

 

[seoulsearch]

little by little, around here, "colored", has become obsolete, even derogatory because people are so soft & are hurt so easily. i never liked the term. white people are colored, right"? our skin is light beige, you could say. back about 25 years ago i asked a negro lady, very delicately, "what term should white people use, black or negro? she said negro?.

Great point!!

I definitely agree that people can become too sensitive as well.

I have to admit that I try to walk on the safe side, because I don't like people who don't know me taking liberties and referring to me in any way they want.

I try very hard not to use terms that I've heard used in a negative way for anyone I don't have an understanding with that we are close friends and can joke around about those things.

But that's just me.

When I was in a ministry writing to inmates, one was very offended by being called a "prisoner", and preferred "inmate" for whatever reason (which is why I generally use the term "inmate" today.)

However, I realize this is probably highly individualized, as others didn't seem to have a problem with "prisoner" and might be offended by being called an "inmate".

I do realize that trying to tiptoe around everyone's preferred terms can be madness.

I just try to advocate for respect and edification in whatever choice of words are used.

 

[OMC]

Great point!!

I definitely agree that people can become too sensitive as well.

I have to admit that I try to walk on the safe side, because I don't like people who don't know me taking liberties and referring to me in any way they want.

I try very hard not to use terms that I've heard used in a negative way for anyone I don't have an understanding with that we are close friends and can joke around about those things.

But that's just me.

When I was in a ministry writing to inmates, one was very offended by being called a "prisoner", and preferred "inmate" for whatever reason (which is why I generally use the term "inmate" today.)

However, I realize this is probably highly individualized, as others didn't seem to have a problem with "prisoner" and might be offended by being called an "inmate".

I do realize that trying to tiptoe around everyone's preferred terms can be madness.

I just try to advocate for respect and edification in whatever choice of words are used.

I agree it is hard in today's age to choose the right words that won't offend. I call one woman, ma'am, and they accept it as a sign of respect when others find it offensive. The "prisoner vs Inmate" terms are indeed touchy words to some. I've been using the terms Brother and Sister, in all cases, which can still stir some to anger but it is less confrontational than using other terms.

 

[seoulsearch]

I agree it is hard in today's age to choose the right words that won't offend. I call one woman, ma'am, and they accept it as a sign of respect when others find it offensive. The "prisoner vs Inmate" terms are indeed touchy words to some. I've been using the terms Brother and Sister, in all cases, which can still stir some to anger but it is less confrontational than using other terms.

It's crazy how in our world today, even "Brother and Sister" can be seen as contentious.

I listen to a lot of social commentary channels about the ridiculousness of the alphabet mafia, and the ways they insist everyone else needs to bend to their wishes.

When someone on these videos says, "I'm non-binary," I have to bite my tongue.

Because my immediate thought is, "Ok, so you want to be called 'It'."



The whole reason I listen to any of it though is because I'm trying to be sensitive to the community. Society is lying to people, especially young people, telling them they can change their gender. And many are finally finding out that they can't.

What I'm paying attention to is the de-transitioning stories, because many are finding God in the process.

The heartbreaking part is that this often seems to be after they've made decisions that permanently ruin their bodies and leave them in a partial state (having body parts removed or added on, etc.)

God loves these people too, and I'm trying to prepare myself to be compassionate and encouraging to them, because I have no doubt we will be encountering de-transitioners our local churches (at least here.)

 

[Lanolin]

Cultural sensitivity training is a thing but sometimes it can go too far. I mean, times have changed and now colours mean something different i.e 'rainbow community' or those on the autism 'spectrum'

Have you had your colours done? I'm a winter apparently. I got for bright and jewel tones. I am washed out in pastel. I don't wear black because my hair was already black (actually not anymore, it's now a reddy brown) but the reason why the LBD became popular is because jewellery shines brighter with a bit of contrast.

IFYKYK

 

[Lanolin]

Regarding trans people

When they are in-between stage they are confused about their gender ID. It costs a lot of money to change gender.
They do say its because they are in the wrong package. IDK... it would be like if you woke up one day and found you were in the opposite genders body.

Do you embrace it or would you desperately want to change back.

 

[Lanolin]

I never understood things like breast implants. It was a huge thing in the 90s, women would get breast implants, like silicone inserted INSIDE their bodies to have a bigger chest.
I mean couldn't they just use padding? It cost a lot of money to look so cheap

 

[seoulsearch]

Regarding trans people

When they are in-between stage they are confused about their gender ID. It costs a lot of money to change gender.
They do say its because they are in the wrong package. IDK... it would be like if you woke up one day and found you were in the opposite genders body.

Do you embrace it or would you desperately want to change back.

I find myself having a lot of compassion for trans people because I relate to being tortured by identity.

Growing up, I just wanted to fit in, and that would have meant becoming white.

We had someone on the forum recently who talked about struggling with thoughts of becoming trans, and I wrote a post telling that person that I can understands some of what they're going through.

When I was young, if someone would have told me there was a magical pill or surgery that would have turned me into a Caucasian (to stop the teasing and being reminded I was different,) I would have jumped at the chance.

 

[Lanolin]

A lot of Koreans have eye surgery to make their eyes look rounder.

I'm kind of ..ok I don't have an eye crease and so if I try to put eyeshadow on it just goes all over my face instead of on top of my eyes. lol

 

[seoulsearch]

A lot of Koreans have eye surgery to make their eyes look rounder.

I'm kind of ..ok I don't have an eye crease and so if I try to put eyeshadow on it just goes all over my face instead of on top of my eyes. lol

Ah yes.

The infamous "double eyelid" surgery.

Google says it's estimated that up to 50% of young Korean women have this done -- all because a certain look is deemed as more acceptable. It seems to be similar to the Korean community as black women always trying to do something different with their hair, all trying to reach beauty standards set by other cultures.

To me, the saddest cases of all are when they get the eyelid surgery done -- and it either makes them look worse, give them all sorts of complications, or doesn't even look all that different from what they originally looked like.

It just doesn't seem worth the risk.

But, I certainly understand that insecurity and reasoning behind it.

 

[ScooterJackson]

Ah good, thank you! Every line of this post solidifies my suspicion into a certainty - you are here to troll.

Therefore I don't have to take anything you say seriously and I don't have to be polite anymore.

And I know what getting all up in your grill means. I've still never seen it be productive. It's just an exibition of pride, which is at best wasted energy and and worst exacerbates an already unpleasant situation. If that's your go-to, no wonder you are so unhappy that your only source of amusement is trolling a christian forum.

Also, no wonder people call you cracker. That's something a cracker would do.

You shouldn't think your comedy rants are going to be able to make you a living. They will not.

I'm expressing my opinion so I'm not doing anything different that you are doing.

Your problem obviously is that I'm not bowing down to you and agreeing with all you say and that's your problem not mine.

 

[ScooterJackson]

Generally I think of that c word as antiquated, but not inherently racist.

If the C word is not racist, then neither is the N word.

That is if everyone is to be treated equal.

Right now my biggest beef with all of the racism stuff is how we've developed this ridiculous idea that our more prosperous and successful western cultures need to bend over backwards to accommodate every other culture and not offend them and seems like the same goes for being white, you're expected to affirm every other race's way of doing things but your own. And we can see some cultures practically committing cultural suicide so that they won't be called racist or bigoted. But I don't have time for a full discussion of that now. Discrimination and keeping people from full participation in society because of their race or heritage is wrong. Preference for people who are more like us is perfectly natural and not inherently wrong.

That's what the woke call being a racist!

 

[Lanolin]

What about 'nose jobs' that was a thing too.

Why? A sticky out nose is perfect, it keeps you glasses from sliding of your face and you can wear red noses. Those of us with flat noses can't do that.

 

[ScooterJackson]

In this situation, I was intrigued because the Latinos never saw me as white, but of course, I wasn't Latino either.

That's because they were being racist.
Their whole problem with you was you aren't one of them.

Latinos even have a civil rights advocacy organization called "The Race" (La Raza) because they believe their race is superior to all other races.

 

[seoulsearch]

That's because they were being racist.
Their whole problem with you was you aren't one of them.

Latinos even have a civil rights advocacy organization called "The Race" (La Raza) because they believe their race is superior to all other races.

I honestly never felt like they had a problem with me regarding race. I had a great working relationship with my boss and many of my co-workers who were all Latino.

Any issues I had were outside of just race (married men trying to ask me out, etc.)

I was seen mostly as an object of curiosity, which was understandable, as that's been my experience with all the races I've been around.

It's just that in the other places, when people get accustomed to my personality, they generally see (and treat me) as white. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that -- it's just what I'm used to.

It was interesting to me that the Latinos didn't do this.

Again, not necessarily in a good or bad way, just different from anything I had run into before.

 

[Lanolin]

It is true there's white privelige though, people treat you better if you are seen as white.

Everyone else is kind of condescended to. I think thats the word or being patronised. It really rankles when people treat you as if you are stupid.

 

[seoulsearch]

At the store I worked at in an area with the great divide between whites and blacks, people didn't quite know how to take me -- because I was neither.
I had a lot of fun with that.
I'd tease my white bosses with things like "What about the minorities here?!" and they'd laugh because most people saw me a white. Technically, they knew I was a minority, but they usually didn't "see" me as one.

I should mention that one of my white bosses could dish it out just as much as he could take it!

When I would "complain" about things not being "minority inclusive" (which was a complete joke -- I was blessed to work in a very fair work environment,) he would look at both my white and black co-workers and say things like, "Did any of you hear anything? All I hear is some mumbling from the peanut gallery..."

And everyone would crack up laughing.

This is what I tend to do in these situations -- I try to look for a way to make people laugh.

I just like that when people laugh together, it usually helps build a sense of community, and people start to overlook their differences.

 

[Lanolin]

My boss used to ask me if I could read the instructions as they are often written in chinese

Well I have a Japanese car and I can't read the instructions. I think he was getting Chinese mixed up with Japanese.