Administrators Gail Posted February 9, 2011 Administrators Posted February 9, 2011 Where does it come from? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Moderators Bravus Posted February 9, 2011 Moderators Posted February 9, 2011 (apologies if this sounds over-academic or whatever: just doing it the way I know how!) Background: 'Prejudice' just means pre-judging: judging someone before the evidence is in. Deciding someone is a bad person, or some other negative (or, more rarely, positive) characteristic on the basis of the way they look rather than what they actually *do*. And, of course, prejudice is not just racial but can relate to age, sex, style of clothing, occupation or any other externally visible thing that marks people as different. In terms of where it comes from, the answer has two parts, IMO: 1. We learn it a our parents' knees, and at school, and 'catch' it from friends and those around it. Sometimes it's overtly taught, but more often it's part of the 'hidden curriculum' revealed in how people act, and what they say and don't say. One of the reasons prejudice is so nasty is that it kind of slips in past our critical filters and common sense, without being checked out. 2. It arises from stereotyping, and from in-group and out-group thinking. Our in-group is the one of which we're a member - our own race, sex, age, clothing style, occupation or whatever. We tend to regard the things that members of our in-group do as characteristics of individuals: if Dave always leaves empty milk cartons in the fridge, that reflects on Dave. For those in our out-groups - everyone unlike us - the tendency is to regard the things that they do (particularly the negative ones) as characteristics of the group. If a white driver (my in-group) cuts me off, I'll say "That idiot" (thereby putting myself in danger of hellfire, but that's another conversation!) If, say, an Asian driver cuts me off, I'm likely to say "Rotten Asian drivers", with the subtext "they're all like that". As I keep doing that, the stereotype becomes self-reinforcing, because when someone in my in-group drives badly I ascribe it to the individual, but when someone in my out-group drives badly I ascribe it to the group. And so on. Quote Truth is important
Dottie Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Aw, come on Bravus, you covered all the answers. Can't add anything at all. Quote
Administrators Gail Posted February 10, 2011 Author Administrators Posted February 10, 2011 :) Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Moderators Bravus Posted February 10, 2011 Moderators Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry, didn't mean to be a thread-killer! I wonder whether people think there is ever a positive role for prejudice? Quote Truth is important
Woody Posted February 10, 2011 Posted February 10, 2011 Quote: I wonder whether people think there is ever a positive role for prejudice? I sure hope so. I like my particular prejudice and intend to hold onto it. Those who are in the Word SHOULD have a certain prejudice. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Moderators Gerr Posted February 11, 2011 Moderators Posted February 11, 2011 Prejudice is a shortcut. It avoids thinking. Quote
Members abelisle Posted February 12, 2011 Members Posted February 12, 2011 Let me throw a wrench into this: are Adventists prejudiced in our very provincial thinking in regard to "having the truth", being "the remnant church", having "the spirit of prophecy" which the Bible says is "the testimony of Jesus" but we understand as EGW. Are we guilty of "in-group thinking"? Us vs. them thinking? Do we tend to judge others because they don't see things through the critical lens that we do as Adventists? And finally, do we learn these things if we have grown up in the church at its knees and through the many traditional mores we hold dear? Alex Quote We are our worst enemy - sad but true. http://abelisle.blogspot.com
Moderators John317 Posted February 12, 2011 Moderators Posted February 12, 2011 Let me throw a wrench into this: are Adventists prejudiced in our very provincial thinking in regard to "having the truth", being "the remnant church", having "the spirit of prophecy" which the Bible says is "the testimony of Jesus" but we understand as EGW. Some people-- even some SDAs--- are prejudiced against those beliefs. Yet they are taught by Ellen White and are part of the official doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. SDAs don't teach that the "testimony of Jesus" is Ellen White. What we teach is that the Spirit of prophecy includes the writings of Ellen White. Ellen White herself taught this. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Members phkrause Posted February 12, 2011 Members Posted February 12, 2011 Let me throw a wrench into this: are Adventists prejudiced in our very provincial thinking in regard to "having the truth", being "the remnant church", having "the spirit of prophecy" which the Bible says is "the testimony of Jesus" but we understand as EGW. Are we guilty of "in-group thinking"? Us vs. them thinking? Do we tend to judge others because they don't see things through the critical lens that we do as Adventists? And finally, do we learn these things if we have grown up in the church at its knees and through the many traditional mores we hold dear? Alex Very interesting wrench ab. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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