Christian Perspectives Coursework

A i) What is racism?

Racism (or racialism) is prejudice against people of another race or ethnic group. Racists believe that through out the world humans can be broken up into many different racial groups. They also believe that most of these other groups are inferior this means that the racists group is superior to the rest. One type of racism is colour prejudice against people who have a different colour skin from your own.

However racism isn't only confined to the colours of peoples' skins it can occur when someone from a different country is discriminated against not because of their colour but simply because they are from another country. Both the Church of England and the Catholic Church both say that racism is unacceptable in any form. However this does not seem to matter to some people as racism still occurs regularly today.

Racism kills many people each year. An example of someone who died because of the colour of his skin was Stephen Lawrence. On an April night in 1993, 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was viciously attacked by a group of knife-wielding white men shouting racial epithets while waiting for a bus in a London neighbourhood. Stephen's wounds were fatal; his case exposed an unfair and inaccurate justice system and a corrupt culture that tolerated institutionalized racism and violence. This case also brought to light the racism that occurs in the police force. The fact is that you are three times more likely to get sacked if you are of black or Asian origin.

Another example of institutionalised racism is the Apartheid system in South Africa. It meant that some types of racism were to be made legal. It was initiated in 1948 but finally dismissed in 1994. Blacks were excluded from some of the best cinemas, buses, schools and even hospitals. Marriage or any sexual relations between blacks and whites were outlawed. This situation came about even though less than 15% were black this just shows how a little power can be taken too far.

There is a group of people called the KKK or Ku Klux Klan. It was founded to maintain the idea of white supremacy in America. They oppose anybody not of Aryan characteristics. The group they hate and fear the most is the blacks of African descent, whom they have committed countless murders against. They are usually coward murderers who hide them selves in there trade mark white costumes. Members of this unethical group can be professional people such as doctors, lawyers, judges and preachers. The worrying fact of this group is that it is still vibrant in the USA.

ii) What Christian teachings could be used in a discussion about racism?

It is very clear that racism still occurs in the world today however there are lots of teachings in the bible which suggest that this should not be the case. The bible is said to be the word of god and from the Bible we can see that god showed love to all of his followers no matter what race they were. One of the most prominent quotes on the subject of racism is 'Love thy neighbour'. This is one of the Ten Commandments and so should be followed by every Christian on this earth. This quote shows us that god wanted us to love everyone regardless of what they look like. God felt that it should not matter whether the people give the same love or respect in return. We know this is true because of the quote 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' (Matthew 5:44). This may seem a strange concept however good has to start somewhere and if you love the people who persecute maybe one day in the future they will learn to love too.
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There is another quote to show us how we should treat other people but this time from another country:

'When an alien lives with you in your land do not ill treat

him. The alien living with you must be treated as one

of your native born. Love him as you love you love your-

self, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the lord your God' (Leviticus 19:33-34)

This quote shows us that not only should we love people in our own country but people of any country around the ...

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