Racism. How might Christians react to racism?

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Julia Ashdown 11E Webster Girls

GCSE R.E Coursework Part A

Racism

Dictionary definitions or racism

  • The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
  • Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
  • The belief that people's qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races:

Racism can be observed in many different ways. The band for how these forms can be observed is very wide. It can range from name calling by different races, for example people of Asian origin are often called ‘paki’s’ and people with Chinese or Japanese appearance may be called ‘chinks’. The most common form of mild racism are white people feeling that they are ‘better’ than a black person and consequently call them a ‘nigger’. Many white people refer to other races as co loured people, This can be seen as very racist because the other races tend to think  the following; why are white people so superior they call us coloured? Aren’t we all a different colour, so why aren’t they referred to as coloured people too?

Christian Teaching on racism

The Bible says that racism is wrong and therefore Christians believe that racism is wrong in any case. The Church also teaches this theory throughout.  As well as obeying the 10 commandments a good Christian must also be no part of racial prejudice, no matter how much you dislike the person in question or their race.

The church teachings depict the same things as those that are shown in the bible. Many black priests are now seen and there is no obvious racial prejudice against them.

The first sign of this is in the first story of the bible, Adam and Eve; Christians are not to be racist. Adam and eve were created in God’s image. “So god created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27) Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, and God does not judge people, no matter what language they speak, colour of skin or religion. The human race was created in his image and respected.

In the bible it is said that people will be contracted a place in heaven, if they help others regardless of how different they are.  But if on the other hand they refuse help from anyone but their own they will be turned away from heaven and have to settle with eternal damnation.

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is a classic teaching in the bible about racism. The subject of this teaching finds himself being stranded after an event with robbers.  He is passed by two men, both of which ignore him because of one thing or another, It is the third man (the Samaritan) who does not take into account the attacked man’s race or religion, and helps him.

The other two men who ignore the attacked are seen as the bad person because of their ignorance to someone who is need of help. The Good Samaritan on the other hand is seen as a good Christian because of his actions to help the attacked man.

In the Old Testament we are taught “when an alien lives on your land do not ill treat him. Love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33)

Aliens are seen as being that are far from our own understanding or appearance, so this teaches us that however odd or different a person may seem, they are to be treated with the respect that they deserve which is the same as a person from your own “group” and treat them how you would like to be treated. The idea of treating others such as you would want them to treat you comes from the same verse “Love him as yourself”. Everyone wants others to treat them well, so this means that you should love the so called alien as yourself, therefore giving him the up most of your respect.

Christians are also told that taking advantage of another living being is wrong and unjust. We are shown this is Deuteronomy (24:14) “Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns”

In this teaching we are told that to take advantage of anyone who is sick and needy is wrong, but it is worse if you then go one step further and take advantage of someone’s situation because their race or religion is different to that of yourself.

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In the eyes of the lord all Christians and people of different races are the same because they are created in his own image, so he will consider them as he does himself.

Racism is now a mild thorn in the foot on the Christian church. But despite it being in place nowadays it has not always been like that. Despite Christians being taught these lessons there has been misfortunes in the past. For examples the mistakes of the missionary’s sent from Western Europe to areas of Africa and Asia. These people were there to convert the native people ...

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