What if you were taught to not trust other races?

Question

I was kinda racist when I was young because I just believed everything people and the media told me. When I became a teen I took in my own views such as shut out religion, explore over what is shown, and much more. I'm now open to people of other races and I support interracial love.

The thing is... I kind of doubt my friendship with people of another race... I'm scared what I was told will be true. I was told that people of other races only care for their own kind and would use or betray me. I was told to be less fair to other races... I don't want this! How do I overcome this fear or doubt?

Thank you for reading.

I know there is bad and good in other races but I'm still insecure.

Answer 1

As a person living and working in a foreign land, I can tell you that most people are thinking of the same thing as you are.

The doubt will always be there but to make things work, take a few risks.

When you meet someone from another race, get to know them better. As you get to know them better understand their culture. As you understand their culture learn their limits.

After some time you will learn that people are different yet somehow similar as they are influenced by their culture and religion.

You will meet good people and you will meet bad people (ok, honestly lots and lots of bad people).

But in the end, you will accept and understand and gain a new perspective in life. Your doubts in your new friends will eventually disappear.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Every person is different, and every person is the same as we are all human...we all sin, and we all have prejudices. Anyone that tells you they have no prejudices are simply not human.

I tend to look at it this way...I will give the person I meet, regardless of who they are or what their upbringing may be, or what they look like, the benefit of the doubt. God made all people in His image, not just some.

I will trust someone until they give me repeated reasons not to. I will forgive them in any case, but I may not trust them any longer, if they break my trust. If a person does break my trust, they will have to earn it back if they want to be trusted by me again, and I will certainly give them every opportunity if they really make the effort to gain it back.

Trust is something that can be freely given while at the same time requiring a lot of work to maintain. It is essentially what a real relationship between two people is all about. Eventually it goes beyond simple trust into a loving concern where trust becomes just another piece of the whole.

Race has nothing to do with this as we are all of the human race, anything else is simply ethnicity/culture...and certainly, people of different ethnicities/cultures may have a more difficult time understanding their differences, but just remember if you never trust anyone who is different than you...you'll never really know anyone at all regardless of their ethnicity, because we are all different in some way.

Take Care and God Bless.

Answer 3

Culture & beliefs divide people more than race does. People of the same race but different culture will go to war against each other and people of the same culture/beliefs but different race will live in peace and be friends.

Basically what you are taught from a young age sticks in your head ;)

Answer 4

I was taught the truth that we are all one race only that there are different cultures and nationalities. But we are all human; one race. Also I was taught that people who discriminate based on colour are deluded and are spoon fed such nonsense and they are to be pitied. We should pray that one day the veil will be lifted from over their eyes and they will see the truth; that we are all equal.

Answer 5

Just treat everybody the way you would like to be treated...I wish I could take credit for that bit of wisdom...

I wouldn't think in general terms such as race...it is the individual you should concentrate on....

Answer 6

We all must remember God created man and women not a white man and a white women or black man and black woman so racism is one thing ill hate till i die i cant stand americana BS and their racist nature but I do not mean all poeple and america but those who fall into that category. You just have to realize if you believe in God that He created them in a special way just as He created you and Loves all of His Creation and if You read in The Song of Solomon his lover he fell in love with was black this is not a personal or racist statement pls dont take it the wrong way.

Answer 7

I was raised to be racist in the UK.

Even as a child I thought people who were racist were twits.

So just don't be a twit. University or work in a multi-racial community dispels all that stuff.

If you hang about in a crime-ridden uneducated downtown area full of black, brown, yellow, green or white 'trash' , and you are the opposite colour, then you could make a mistake to associate poverty and crime with skin colour...

Answer 8

Come to Malaysia and you'll get to experience more of that. Our community is segregated by the formation of political parties based on race. But then, because of this, everyone, regardless of their race, is very well taken care of.

I love my country =D

Answer 9

You just have to keep trying, and raise your kids to be more open minded than you were.

My grandparents were VERY racist, but my parents didn't raise me that way *at all*. I was quite shocked when I got old enough to pick up on it coming from my grandparents.

You have the power to break the cycle. We all do. We just have to raise our kids better than we were raised.

Answer 10

You just have to try and train your thoughts to be different.. It also doesnt help when society carry's on in the generations with rasism..

I grew up almost the same and try and trust others until they do something wrong to me...

Its not easy, but give others a chance :)