Religion and Prejudice Revision

How did Racism develop?

• Western History has not always kept to the teaching of the Bible.

• The white man saw himself superior to others and this led to the slave trade and exploitation of many countries (particularly in Africa).

• In USA when slavery was abolished in the southern states racist attitudes continued. Black people made to live and work in poverty, lacking civil rights and proper education.

• In S. Africa the apartheid (separateness) system was started in 1948 when the white (Boer) government forced strict rules on where black and “coloured” people could live and work.

• They had no civil rights and were subject to strict laws.

• They were segregated from whites and had separate schools, cafes, cinemas etc

• Bad experience – 1 bad experience can lead you to think everyone is like that.

• Parents/upbringing – Families have a huge influence on us from a young age.

• Media – The media is often biased. People tend to believe what they read/hear in the media.

• Ignorance – Judging someone before you know anything about them.

• Scapegoating – When you blame others as an excuse for a problem. E.g. Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany’s economic problems.

Why do people discriminate?

KEY WORDS

Discriminating against someone because of their race or colour

Discriminating against someone because of their gender

Discriminating against someone because of their age

Discriminating against someone because they are attracted to people of the same sex

A thought - Judging someone before knowing them

An Action – putting your prejudice into action e.g. not employing a woman because you don’t believe they’re good enough

A common belief that a person or country have the same characteristics or behaviours e.g. all French people wear a beret

Martin Luther King

• Born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia where his father was a Baptist Minister.

• Brought up in segregated way of s. States.• Became a Baptist minister in Montgomery, Alabama

when Rosa Parks started her bus protest in 1955.• Helped lead bus boycott that led to change in the

law.• Became leader of the Civil Rights Movement.• Followed Christian ideas of non-violence, ‘Love thy

neighbour’ and that God created everyone equally.• Led marches, sit-ins, demonstrations.

MLK continued …

• Very effective leader because of powerful speeches.

• Often imprisoned, home bombed, physically attacked.

• Gained a lot of support because of his non-violence, let others use violence against him and supporters.

• March of ¼ million in Washington in 63 led to change in law.

• 1964 won Nobel Peace Prize.• 1968 assassinated in Memphis,

Tennessee.

Christian attitudes to Discrimination

• The Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do to you.

• Everyone is created in the likeness of God.• Good Samaritan: helping a neighbour, not

judging.• St Paul “In Christ there is no Greek or Jew,

slave nor free man, male nor female. We are all one in Christ.”

• Love your neighbour as you love yourself, pray for those who persecute you.

Attitude of the Churches and Christians

• Churches are united now in putting Bible teaching into practice.

• All Christians would: try to avoid making judgements, try to have equal opportunity policies

in place, disapprove of racist jokes bring up children to share views on

equality.

Bible and Gender

• The Bible gives 2 differing images of the role of women:

• Timothy and Paul (books in the Bible) write that women should not be heard in church, they must dress modestly and do good deeds.

• In the OT women were seen as possessions and could be divorced by their husbands.

• Jesus only chose men as his disciples/apostles.• On the other hand on the OT women were brave,

loyal and set good examples.• In the NT many women followed Jesus and were

more faithful; being at the cross, at the tomb and the first to see him when he rose from the dead

Christian Churches and Gender• For nearly 2,000 years men have taken all

priestly roles in the churches.• For many there is the strong belief that a

priest represents Jesus at the altar and that therefore his place cannot be taken by a woman.

• In some churches in the 20th century Baptist, Methodist and even Church of England changed their minds and allowed women to become priests.

• The Roman Catholics believe that women have a special and distinct role in the Church but it is not priestly.

4. Trevor Huddleston and Desmond Tutu

• TH an English bishop sent to work in S. Africa – horrified by apartheid.

• Used non-violent methods such as international boycott of SA produce in many countries, SAs not allowed in sport, other nations would not go for sport or music tec.

• DT inspired by TH. A black SA from a poor family who became a priest and later Archbishop of Johannesburg.

• Used his position in the church to continue what TH had started.

• Spoke publicly about evils of violence on both sides.• Won Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Buddhist Views on Prejudice

• Discrimination leads to suffering – its wrong and should be avoided

• Do not harm others (1st precept)• Do not use harmful language (3rd precept)• Everyone should develop metta (loving-kindness) – be

kind & respectful to others• Karmic consequences – your actions affect you karma,

which affects your rebirth – bad karma = lower rebirth• Dalai Lama said “Always think compassion” (kindness)• Show beliefs actions racism through Eightfold Path –

– Right Action (work for company that promotes equality),

– Right Livelihood (respect all life and treat people kindly),

– Right Thought (think kind thoughts), – Right Speech (tell your friends your against racism,

speak out against racist comments)

A. What do the following terms mean:– Tolerance (1)– Justice (1)– Prejudice (1)– Discrimination (1)– Stereotype (1)– Ageism (1)– Sexism (1)– Racism (1)– Homophobia (1)

PREJUDICE• Give two ways people are prejudice. (2)• Give three examples of stereotyping. (3)• Give some examples of ageist behaviours. (3)• Explain briefly religious teachings about sexism. (4)• Explain how attitudes towards women can conflict in religion.

(6)• Describe the story of the ‘Good Samaritan’ and explain its

meaning” (5)• If prejudice creates bad karma, how could it have a negative

effect on rebirth? (3)• Describe the work of one individual who has worked against

discrimination. (5)• ‘Without Gandhi, violence would always have been the main

method of protest.’(6)Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer, showing that you have thought about more than one point of view, including the two religious views you have studied.

11. ‘Disabilities hold you back in the work place, so the job should be given to someone healthy.’ (6)Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer, showing that you have thought about more than one point of view, including the two religious views you have studied.

• Explain the attitudes of religious believers towards racism. Use religious teachings and beliefs in your answer. (6)

Religious people would disagree with racism. Christians believe all forms of discrimination are wrong because God created everyone equal and so we should treat everyone with respect. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches that it doesn’t matter what skin colour you are or where you come from, you should ‘love your neighbour’, which means to treat everyone equally.

A Buddhist might say discrimination leads to suffering, which is wrong, because all life should be respected. The Dalai Lama said ‘always think compassion’, which means to be loving and kind to others. If you do good actions in life, Buddhists believe you will get good karma and be reborn as something better. This is why they believe they should treat everyone equally and with respect.