Christian teachings about discrimination and prejudice

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Year 10 Religious Studies coursework

Religion and equality

Kelly-Marie Taylor

Describe the Christian teachings about discrimination and prejudice

Prejudice is the act of prejudging someone or something, and usually implies judging another person to be of less worth or value, based on little or no actual knowledge of them. Discrimination is when people are treated badly by others because of prejudice. An example of prejudging is an employer saying, “He won’t do his job well because he is black”, and an example of discrimination is when an employer says, “I won’t employ him because he is black”. In Britain today racial discrimination is against the law but prejudicing is not because an attitude cannot be made illegal. Prejudice can be about many different things: religion, race, colour, sex, sexuality, language, disability and age. All prejudice and discrimination goes against the first two Articles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status

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Christianity teaches that everyone is equal in the eyes of God and so it would be wrong to make anyone feel inferior or suffer because of any difference between them. An example that this is what Christians believe is “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”, Matthew 29v13. This bible reference shows me that the bible teaches Christians to love everyone, and no where in the bible does it say that Christians should discriminate or prejudice. The Christian church is against prejudice and discrimination in all forms. This is based on the belief that all people are created equally by God and so all people are equal in the sight of God. "From one human being he created all the races on Earth and made them live throughout the whole Earth." Acts 17:26 . According to Christians, all human beings are created by God, are equal and are all “God's children”. This would mean that if a Christian were racist to another human being, he would be attacking his “brother”. This would go against Christian values

The teachings of Jesus show Christians that it is wrong to discriminate. This is shown in the story of the Good Samaritan where a lawyer asks the question "What must I do to enter the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus then tells the story of the Good Samaritan a race despised by the Jews. The listeners were forced to realise that they are neighbours, as all fellow humans are.

Explain how followers of Christianity may put these teachings into practice.

‘Everyone is equal and must be treated in exactly the same’ Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Christianity in your answer.

In my opinion I believe that this statement is correct and that every person, no matter of their race, colour or ethnicity, are equal. In my opinion I believe that no one has the right to say they are better than anyone else because of their own prejudice is and that everybody is worth the same.