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THE QUESTION
Racial Prejudice and Faith
Three in 10 Americans acknowledge feelings of racial prejudice, and yet 9 in 10 say they believe in God. How does racial prejudice reflect on one's religious beliefs?
Posted by
Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on July 31, 2008 12:16 AM
FROM THE PANEL
The Stench of Racism
"Racism," as my seminary professor, the Reverend John Wolverton said, "is a stench in the nostrils of God Almighty." Three in ten Americans are being honest. What about the rest of us?
Posted by Jane Holmes Dixon, on August 4, 2008 11:18 AM
Religion Begets Prejudice
The idea that being religious might make one less prejudiced is a fantasy. It appears to make people more prejudiced, or at the least, not to confront their prejudices.
Posted by John Shelby Spong, on August 4, 2008 10:07 AM
Aspiring to Better Behavior
Religious belief ought to reduce or eliminate racial prejudice, just as it ought to reduce hate speech, marital infidelity or cheating on taxes. But as with many other things in life, adherence to religious principles is ultimately a matter of personal choice.
Posted by Michael Otterson, on August 4, 2008 5:15 AM
Colluding in Scapegoating the "Other"
Even religious leaders learn that scapegoating the other as "the enemy" is a way to keep the conflict going and maintain a claim to power. This is evident in how the church handled the issue of race and how it is handling the issue of homosexuality.
Posted by James Anderson, on August 2, 2008 9:09 PM
Our Very Religious and Somewhat Racist Nation
Racism is a horrifying sin against the command to love our neighbor as self. God creates people in His image, so racism is also blasphemy. It is also stupid since it prevents us from benefiting from the great goods that God would bring through other people.
Posted by John Mark Reynolds, on August 2, 2008 11:37 AM
Faith Seeking Reconciliation
Why does prejudice remain even among people of faith?This question needs to be asked in every generation.
Posted by Gabriel Salguero, on August 2, 2008 9:50 AM
Religious Beliefs Reflect On Racial Prejudice
A culture's sacred (that is, its religion) reflects (though it may also critique) the culture's virtues and vices.
Posted by Willis E. Elliott, on August 2, 2008 8:48 AM
Imagining God in Color
Racism won't disappear from religion until religion stops being exclusionary, a profound flaw that modern believers (some of them, at least) struggle to overcome.
Posted by Deepak Chopra, on August 1, 2008 10:27 AM
Is God Crying?
Apparently, God wanted the variety of people, of religions and traditions. Apparently God is all right with that. The diversity makes the world richer and more interesting.
Posted by Susan K. Smith, on August 1, 2008 8:50 AM
Prejudice, God and the 2008 Elections
There exists no possible avenue on which human beings can reconcile belief in God with racial prejudice.
Posted by Samuel Rodriguez, on August 1, 2008 7:28 AM
Religion and Racial Prejudice: Old But Guilty Partners
Religions of most sorts either helped people invent prejudice or it gave them ammunition for hitting out at 'the other." Most lines in most scrolls, most pages in most holy books gave reasons and inspiration for being prejudiced in all sorts of ways.
Posted by Martin Marty, on July 31, 2008 5:42 AM
Racial Prejudice: What's God Got To Do With It?
The real question, in my view, is why 70 percent of Americans are so sure that they do not harbor racial prejudice. I don't see how any honest American of any race or ethnic group can pretend to be immune to racial bias.
Posted by Susan Jacoby, on July 31, 2008 4:48 AM
Confess to God, Not Pollsters
Racial prejudice in a person of faith reflects an unexamined conscience. It is finally a failure of relationship to God. There's no other conclusion you can draw.
Posted by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, on July 31, 2008 3:07 AM
Faith-Based Racism is an Ancient Tradition
Racial prejudice reflects wonderfully on your religious beliefs....if you are a religious racist! The fact is that one can, and many have, articulated powerful religious systems that posited a divine preference for one race of human being over others.
Posted by Brad Hirschfield, on July 31, 2008 2:17 AM
Can't Love God, Hate Another
If we go to Scripture for the answer to that question, we find "If anyone says 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar."
Posted by Cal Thomas, on July 30, 2008 4:04 PM
Believers as Hypocrites
When people claim to believe in God and still harbor prejudices against people of color and race then the only word that can describe such people is "hypocrites".
Posted by Arun Gandhi, on July 30, 2008 12:06 PM
FEATURED COMMENTS
daniel: The way the question is framed "how does racial prejudice reflect on religious belief?" is as if religions are above racism when historicall...
Soja John Thaikattil, Sydney, Australia: Racial prejudice is a learned trait for one notices little children usually play with children of other races without noticing any differenc...
Soja John Thaikattil, Sydney, Australia: Racial prejudice is born of our collective unconscious conditioning, and is strengthened by our personal preferences and conscious choices. ...
