If we don't consider new info and question beliefs, how can we expect racists to change?

Question

If we just think that it's ok to believe whatever you've been taught, then how do we expect a racist or an islamic terrorist to change? I just don't get it -- I see so many people shake their heads and wonder why terrorists do what they do and yet when those same people are asked to consider anything that challenges their beliefs, they react in the same rigid and stubborn way. Does anyone have a background in psychology or human dynamics who can explain this?

ronnie b - the irony of your responses is that YOU want ME to change to YOUR model where I don't ask people to question. It's very subtle and you may not see it but it's important to get it. Do you realize the irony?

arrggghh - how is the simple point missed? I used racists and terrorists as extreme examples of unquestioned beliefs. I'm not asking anyone to go with my 'beliefs'. Just showing the repercussions and dynamics involved when we adopt a mindset that doesn't allow questioning. I've gone thru the painful process of questioning everything I've been taught. It's not easy but it's honest and fair.

Answer 1

i'm assuming ur asking about why people who aren't terrorists don't challenge their beliefs but... i'm not a terrorist and i believe that terrorism is wrong and i dont care what colour you are or where you're from so... as far as i'm concerned, they're the ones who have to challenge their beliefs because i'm not the one running aorund bombing, shooting or blowing things up. I don't understand why we'd have to chang ebefore they do. and again, why should we challenge our beliefs if people are racist... THEY should change theirs.. there's nothing wrong with me. all in all.. you're question is redundant. How is us changing OUR beliefs gonna stop terrorists from terrorizing and racists from being racist.

Answer 2

Your absolutely right, thankyou for such an intelligent question!
Im am 20 almost 21 and two months ago I threw the whole jesus theory in the toilet, flushed, and rinse with some tidy bowl.

I will tell that man believes whatever he is taught. If you embed fear, then you will have a fearful person. The same goes with all subjects and theories. The mind is like a bank what ever you deposit, it comes back with interest. People dont change from what happens in the world only what happens to them, and that's only if they know the truth behind what happen. Without the truth people become lost in the lies and trues that learn creating a world of their own. What they know to be true(lies) and what they can prove is true through ignorance.

Throughout history, there are events that you can connect and to make something sound true when it is not. Like in the belief system how people make pamplets on going to hell. They skip from the first book to the twenty-third onto the fifty-fourth. Saying believe or you will die. Which baffles me because everything is said from a physical perspective.

Mans nature is dark, so when you turn on a light it burns their eyes, so naturally anything that causes pain is quickly shut down. In this case their eyes and brains. They fail to see, and what they fail to see, they fail to understand.

On another note racism is just about the color of your skin.
Here are a few more categories: Intelligence, Money, Weight, Height, Muscles.
Each Category comes with its own issues such as a lot of people with big muscles are insecure. Educated people may not be muscular but in the end the two don't mix. I know a guy name Mike who is loaded with muscles and even has a degree in something, but when he talks you can hear how insecure he is, and how he blows off what he doesnt know.

Overall: People are afraid of being destroyed. The reason for this is the brain. A lot dont know, it's not where you Start, but where you End. If an element is embedded in a persons it lays dormant until it can finish the cycle unless you destroy it. Then if you think your gonna destroy something or someone you love, why would you? You wouldn't because it is believed to be the reason why you are where you are. Such as God, if you destroy God where would you be? Where would you go? What would you do? All these statements are base on fear. Now try these, If always do my best? If I make sure I satisfy my needs? If I am happy with myself? Your fine right?

Maybe? the root of the problem is people, can't live with them, can't live without them.

Answer 3

Metazone, this is a complex, age old question. Abraham Maslow, a well known social psychologist presented a hierarchy of needs. After basic needs for survival are fulfilled, food, and shelter, the next step involves security and safety issues. Third , a person will aspire to belong to a group, be it a family, religion, team, couple, troop, terrorist group, gang; he postulates that love and belonging are basic human needs. If you take a look at group dynamics, (see systems theories as well) which is a vast area of study you will find theories that suggest why people adhere to certain beliefs, be they racist, or otherwise. Another direction you can take is to study the early theorists and practitioners in psychotherapy, such as Freud and Erickson, which discuss notions such as projection and transference. You have asked some very interesting questions and there are many directions you can further take to find out why people choose to hate people based on physical characteristics be they race, gender, presence of a disability, etc. Expecting people to change is a big order. It would be so nice if people could lose this very sad component of human nature.

Answer 4

I think a more important question is, "Who or What taught them to be racist in the first place?" I have found that some people with with solid, unshakable beliefs, to be more racist than those who have no real beliefs; those having no beliefs have ideas instead. Perhaps the root of this problem is the fact that there is more than one religion.


11:11

Answer 5

hmm every major religion followers have some size of racist group and those are existing very strongly and polluting whole ethical basis so much. either religion or science is not helping maybe some dicipline might.

Answer 6

Human stupidity leads to racism

Answer 7

>>>I just don't get it -- I see so many people shake their heads and wonder why terrorists do what they do and yet when those same people are asked to consider anything that challenges their beliefs, they react in the same rigid and stubborn way.>>>

Do you want people to just consider other beliefs -- or do you want them to change their beliefs to make them more in line with your own?

I've considered lots of things that have challenged my religious beliefs, and I've rejected them -- not with "rigidity" and "stubbornness" but with logic and reason.

I think it's okay for people to stick to their beliefs. If that makes them "stubborn" and "rigid," then so be it.

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Answer 8

True religion must go hand in hand with science and reason.
If our rational sense cannot satisfy with it, we must naturally doubt and find out precisely whether it is true or false.

Answer 9

See even in your own statement, you are being prejudiced.. YOu said racist or Islamic terrorist.. You never mentioned another religion.. You could have mentioned just "religious fanaticsm" Arent there christian terrorists and Jewish terrorists and Athiest terrorists, and etc etc...

Answer 10

There's a big difference in deffending a religion that preaches love and tolerance over one that kills those who won't believe and teaches its own followers to kill in the name of their god and they will live forever with 6 dozen virgins.

DON'T DEFEND THESE MURDERERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!