Prejudice against Muslims, Catholics, Mormons...?

Question

All people, even the most wise and compassionate, struggle with pre-judging people based on their looks, culture, and religion.

Have you ever felt negative thoughts toward a certain religion (prejudice), only to find your views changed when you got to know someone from that particular faith? If so, why do you feel your views changed?

Or...have you ever developed a friendship with someone who had a negative view of your religion...that is, until they met you?


Peace be with you.

Answer 1

Colin ,
I have always given people the benefit of the doubt . I have met some wonderful good people from all walks of life . I know that spirituality can define a person , but it's not what completely defines them . I am quite the believer that when it concerns the bible , you can not add or reject teachings of Christ , but am I no better than the man I say hello too ? Or argue with ? All have come short of their beliefs and I will be the first to admit it . The problem arises when a person becomes " holier than thou " and decides to judge me . I then have a problem with that person , not their beliefs .
It's all about the person , not the faith . I am not the most wise or compassionate but I learned a long time ago that you can not base people on race , or religion and anything in between

Answer 2

Well First I want to thank you for asking this Question......it's very average that people pre-judge others,,,I mean for Example if I know nothing about Islam and then one day i met a Muslim person and they were so good to me,,,,the first thing I'd think of is "Muslims are Good people" and I'd not change my Mind (Unless I meet a bad Muslim) ,,,,,only a few people can understand that Religion, race and Color never make people,,,,,Muslims are not the same and so are Cristines ........the problem is Most of people believe what they see on TV and so on,,,,,,so my Point is ,,,,,A person is not A Religion and people are not the same....Peace with you

Answer 3

I realize that I try not to pre-judge people, but all people do this. However there is a difference between pre-judging people and discriminating against them because of your prejudice.

Everyone responds to labels, and those who can move past labels are very wise and loving people. I believe I move past labels(or atleast try very hard) because I know that what I assume they believe, how they act, etc. based on any assumption can and probably is wrong.

I don't feel negative thoughts against other people, unless they(themselves) have made me mad. I know that one Muslim is not the same as another, or one Catholic is the same as the other, and I(being Mormon) know that one Mormon is not the same as the other. Or any faith, race, sex, etc. for that matter.

I'm trying so hard to be positive with this one boy in my town. He works at Walmart (as a cart wrangler...go figure) and I was walking into Walmart with an LDS friend and he yelled "dirty Mormons" accross the parking lot. I was very offended, but I didn't say anything back to him.

Answer 4

They are all the time. The earth is flat, hopefully, where you are trying to land a plane. Those that land in hills have more problems even if they know astronomy. Wouldn't want a biology teacher to know a lot about Noah's animals, or would you? Believing smoking heals cancer is now being taught at what religion? This is your example of something equal to a religious belief? What if someone (like Hitler) firmly believed in evolution and became a military leader and killed 10 million people, should we discriminate against evolutionists being in control of totalitarian states?

Answer 5

I'm Buddhist, and I believe on not judging anyone by preconceptions, but I too struggle with rascism and predjudice. The worst I do is to just avoid people I don't think kindly of, which hurts me because I know they are probably good people, but I do it so I don't hurt them. Another hard part is the fact that I try hard not to be seen as a rascist which I certainly don't feel I am, but I don't want people to think I am.

It's really sad that I had to grow up in an environment that condones racism and predjudice. But I really don't have hard feelings for them, I just don't trust them.

Answer 6

I personally believe in good and evil being existent in any peoples whether they be Muslim, Catholic, Latter Day Saints, Jewish or other. Religion and denominations are man made. However, decisions, no matter how negative or positive they might be are left to the individual. If you dig deep enough I'm sure there is good and bad points about all faiths followers.

salaam

Answer 7

I do know muslims but I have to admit that I worry sometimes because i keep hearing about islam meaning peace but what I see going on even though you hear it is a few of them, there are questions in my mind.

They sometime sleep in my house when they visit but in my heart sometimes I watch and worry, but the good thing it makes me pray more.

The mormons I don't care for some of their beliefs but I love the book of mormon. Great gospel of Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

hey .. thanks for the book ... i couldn't read it though .. it was too long ...