" All human being are born free and equal in dignity and right. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood." -Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of human rights.
Despite that lofty ideal, prejudice and discrimination continue to plague mankind. this sad fact reflects not only our times but also the imperfection of the Humans. Netherless, the situation is far from hopeless. Granted, we may be unable to eliminate the discrimination we see around us, but we can work to root out prejudice that may lodge within ourselves.
A good start is to aknowledge that none of us are above developing prejudice. The Book Understanding Prejudice and discrimination says: "Perhaps the most important conclusions to emerge from prejudice research are these:(1) no one capable of human thought and speech in immune from harboring prejudice, (2) it often takes deliberate effort and awareness to reduce prejudice, and(3) with sufficient motivation, it can be done."
Education has been describe as "the most powerfull tool" in the fight against prejudice. The right education can, for example, expose the root causes of prejudice, enable us to examine our own attitudes more obectively, abd hlp us deal wisely with prejudice when we are victims.
Getting to the Roots
Prejudice causes people to distort, misinterpret, or even ignore facts that conflict with their predetermined opinions. Prejudice may have its beginnings in seemingly innoncent, but misguised, family values, or it may be sown by those who deliberately promote warped views of other races or cultures. Prejudice can also be fostered by nationallism and fasle religious teachings. And it can be a product of inordinate prid. As you reflect on the following point and on pertinent principles taken from the Bible, Why not examine your attitude and see if changes are in order?
Associate. Humans are gregarious by nature, and this is a good thing. Indeed, one isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing and will even desregard practical wisdom. We should choose our associate wisely, for the can exert a powerfull influence on us. Wise parents, therefore, take a deep interest in their children's associates. Sudies have shown that children as youg as three years of age can develop racial biases, which they pick up form attitudes, words, and gestures of others. Of course, parents themselves should do all in thir power to be good influence on their little one, kowing that parental influence is usually the most powerfull factor in shaping a child's values.
Nationalism. One dictionarydefine nationalism as a "sense of nationl consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placeing primary emphasis on promotion of its cultures and interests as opposed to those of other nations." Ivo duchacek, a professor of political science, obversed in hs book Conflict and Cooperation Among Nations: " Nationalism divides humanity into mutually intolerant units. As a result people think as Americans, Russians, Egyptians, or Peruvians first, and as human beings second- if at all." A former UN secretary- general wrote: " so many of the problems that we face today are due to, or the result of, false attitude- some of them have ben adopted almost unconsciously. Among these is the concep of narrow nationalism-'my country, right or wrong.' "
Racism. Racists believe"that race account for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is supeiror to others," says one dictionary. Yet, as is noted in the World Book Encyclopedia, researcherss have not discovered any scientific basis for such claims of racial superiority." The gross injustices that racism fosters, such as people's systematic denial of rights to fellow humans, are painful evidence that raciism rests on falsehoods and fallacies.
Religion. The book The Nature of Prejudice says: " Abomination inevitably result when men use their religion to justify [selfish pursuits] and ethnic self-interest. It is then that religion and prejudic merge." What is especially striking, the same book observes, is how readily many religious people "seem to slip from piety into prejudice." Evidence in support of those words is seen in racially exclusive churches, sectarian hatred and violence and acts of terror inspired by religion.
Yes, for good reason that GOD cautions:"more than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life." So view your heart as truly precious, and let nothing corrupt it! Instead, fill it with Godly wisdom. Then, and only then, will 'thinking ability and discernment safeguard you, to deliver your from the bad way, from the person speaking perverse things.'
What, though, can you do if you are a victim of prejudice or discrimination? The next article looks into this matter.
Joel
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