Conni Donaldson 10 C

R.E Coursework > Racism

A (i) What is racism? (ii) Explain what Christian teachings might be used in a discussion about racism

 

   ‘Racism n; belief in superiority of a particular race; antagonism between different races; theory that human abilities etc are determined by race.’ (Chambers, 1999) 

   Racism is a result of biased and unscientific studies on racial and ethnic differences. Racism is the notion that some ethnic groups are naturally superior to others. Racism has existed since separate races came together. An American anthropologist Franz Boas tried to correct racist thinking by refusing to accept the superiority of any one group over another. Boas pointed out the natural human inclination to view as evidence of inferiority what are mere differences.

   One extreme example of Racist thinking is Adolf Hitler. Between 1939-1945 Hitler persecuted the Jews in Germany. Hitler thought the perfect German would have blonde hair, blue eyes, they would be tall, and heterosexual; this was his ‘perfect race’ Hitler set up concentration camps, in which would hold people who did not match up to the criteria of this one race. These concentration camps would exploit people; they were kept in hard labour until they were not needed. They would then be taken into what they presumed as shower rooms and gases, or lined up in front on pre-dug mass graves and shot in to them! This was an appalling tragedy, which most people hope will never transpire again.

Christian teachings also support Franz Boas’ ideas. Such passages as:

Colossians 3:11 ‘Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free but Christ is in us all’

This shows us that God loves us all, and we are all his children. Another example from James 2:1-9 also shows us that God wants us to live in peace and unity with everybody.

‘You must never treat people in different was according to the colour of their outward appearance…For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgement.’

These passages and others such as John 2:12-22; Matthew 5-8; Matthew 12:1-14; and John 3: 1-21 show us that the biblical messages of freedom is that it begins not by trying to change corrupt systems, but by doing away with them and their way of thinking, and changing as a whole in order to authorise the values of Gods kingdom to be demonstrated. We must behave according to Jesus message in Mark 2:21-22

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‘No one uses a piece of new cloth to patch up an old coat, because it will just tear off the old cloth making a bigger hole…’ just as ‘new wine must be poured into new wine skins’

Which tells us do not try and change, just start again from afresh. People should be taught to start again and to love one another as God loved us all individually. We should try to love someone for what they are inside, not by their ethnic backgrounds.

   Martin Luther King once said hearts con not be changed by force of ...

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