Racism and Prejudice Defined: Are Christians Guilty? -

There is no racism and prejudice found in the quote, “I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.”

It is remarkable to me that the author of this quote was Booker T. Washington, a former American slave. He of all people, perhaps, had some justification for feeling hatred towards another, yet he refused to do so, knowing that hatred would degrade his soul. Booker went on to lead a fulfilling life, filled with a determination to always build up and encourage those around him.

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Racism and Prejudice Defined

Reading Booker T. Washington’s book, Up From Slavery, has increased my understanding of the potential we, as a human family, have to live in perfect harmony, one with another.

In what ways might we increase harmony in our lives?

Do you consider yourself to be racist or prejudice?

I don’t typically consider myself to be racist or prejudice.

Yet Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier recently challenged my long-held beliefs about racism and prejudice by including more words and phrases into the dynamic–words and phrases such as bullying, discrimination, ostracizing, demeaning, comparing, thinking less of others, neglecting, overlooking others, enmity, exclusion, and contention. [1]

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

George Santayana

Taking Responsibility

Suddenly, I find myself feeling a little less comfortable, for several of those words and phrases have taken up residence in my life.

For instance:

I am prone to comparing myself with others.
When my self-confidence is running on empty, I sometimes demean, in my thoughts, the appearance , language, or ability of others.
It is easy for me to exclude those who are not in my inner circle.
How easy it is to make false assumptions on a first impression!
I, too often, neglect the opportunities I have to minister to and care for others.
I am sometimes socially awkward around different ethnicities, which may be perceived as prejudice.
My competitive nature would rather the other team select those with less “ability”.
When someone is being bullied, I’ve sometimes ignored the situation to avoid confrontation.
I’ve been known to gossip.
It’s easier to exclude new church members and neighbors, rather than taking the time to get to know them.
It can be more comfortable to harbor a grudge than to forgive an intentional or perceived injustice.

Sadly, my list could go on.

According to Elder Giraud-Carrier,

“If we intend to build Zion, which we do, such behaviors and thought patterns must be completely irradicated. They can have no place among us.” [2]

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Definitions

To help us better understand these behaviors and thought patterns so that we may work to eliminate them from our lives, let’s take a look at their definitions:

BULLY

More distinguished for insolence and empty menaces, than for courage, and disposed to provoke quarrels (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To treat (someone) in a cruel, insulting, threatening, or aggressive fashion; to cause (someone) to do something by means of force or coercion; to use language or behavior that is cruel, insulting, threatening, or aggressive (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.

Desmond Tutu

COMPARE

To examine the relations of things to each other, with a view to discover their relative proportions, quantities, or qualities (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To examine the character or qualities of especially in order to discover resemblances or differences (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

The proud depend upon the world to tell them whether they have value or not. Their self-esteem is determined by where they are judged to be on the ladders of worldly success. They feel worthwhile as individuals if the numbers beneath them in achievement, talent, beauty, or intellect are large enough. Pride is ugly. It says, “If you succeed, I am a failure.”

Ezra Taft benson, beware of pride, april 1989

Woodlawn

Inspiring movie base on a true story of a school filled with racism and hatred in 1973. A story of love and unity.

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Woodlawn [DVD]

CONTENTION

Strife; struggle; strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. The action of contending or striving together in opposition; strife, dispute, verbal controversy. (Oxford English Dictionary)

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”

matthew 5:44

DEMEAN

1. To debase; to undervalue (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To lower in character, status, or reputation(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.

hermann hesse

DISCRIMINATION

1. The act of making or observing a difference (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. Prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment; the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

nelson mandela

ENMITY

The quality of being an enemy; the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositons; malevolence; a state of opposition (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. Positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

ezra taft benson, beware of pride, april 1989

EXCLUSION

The act of excluding; rejection; non-reception or admission (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To bar from participation, consideration, or inclusion (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Don’t be fooled by what you see. Bullying comes in all sizes, shapes, genders, races, religions, and ages. Verbal threats, stealing, intimidation, exclusion, physical harm, name-calling, humiliation, and manipulations are some tactics that are serious — and forms of bullying.

charlena e. jackson

The Bathwater Brigade

by Jefferson J. Shupe

A powerful story that encourages one to become resilient among today’s conflicting ideologies

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MINIMIZE

To reduce or keep to a minimum; to underestimate intentionally (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Standing by and saying or doing nothing is not an option either for true disciples of the Lord. We can respond with kindness, but we must respond, as we protect those who are being unfairly treated.

Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier

NEGLECT

To let, to leave, to suffer to pass; to omit by carelessness or design; to forbear to do, use, employ, promote or attend to; to omit to receive or embrace; to slight, not to notice; to forbear to treat with attention or respect; to postpone; disregard (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To give little attention or respect to; to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.

J.K. Rowling

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OSTRACIZE

1. To banish by the popular voice (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To exclude from a group by common consent (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

For there are two possible reactions to social ostracism – either a man emerges determined to be better, purer, and kindlier or he goes bad, challenges the world and does even worse things. The last is by far the commonest reaction to stigma.

john steinbeck, “cannery row”

OVERLOOK

1. To view from a higher place; to pass by indulgently; to neglect; to slight (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. To look past (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Don’t let the silence of others dictate your self-worth. You are worth more than their indifference.

unknown

PREJUDICE

Prejudgment; an opinion or decision of mind, formed without due examination of the facts or arguments which are necessary to a just and impartial determination. (Websters 1828 Dictionary)

2. Preconceived judgment or opinion; an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.

William James

RACISM

A belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race; the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

People can’t control their race, but they can control their character.

Ben carson

Questions

Consider:

Are you doing your part to build Zion?
What are you doing to become one in Christ?
In what specific ways will you be proactive in defending against negative thoughts and behaviors related to racism and prejudice?
Do you recognize ways in which you might promote more harmony in your relationships at home, church, work, school, online, and in your community?

Conclusion

In the words of Booker T. Washington himself:

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.