Article January 16, 1995 Issue

Some thoughts on prejudice

Sue E. Shields

In a newspaper column, a humorist turned serious for a moment when he deplored what appears to be a current trend toward prejudice, hatred, and violence. He noted that the editorial pages were full of angry letters and asked, "Can't we come together in fellowship, goodwill and respect?" He went on to say that each of us can be "more tolerant and less hostile, more forgiving and less judgmental"; that we can try to see other points of view and find some value in them ("Join us in pledging ..." by Doug Robarchek in The Charlotte Observer [North Carolina], March 8, 1993).

What is it that prevents the establishment of loving brotherhood on earth? Christian Science teaches that it is what the Bible calls the carnal mind, "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7), which would have us form biased views of others, classifying them as enemies instead of discerning their true status as children of God. It is this influence that would promote envy, prejudice, and violence.

We can learn from St. Paul some profound lessons on refusing to be manipulated by this false sense of mind. Because of his preconceived notion about a religion he had not understood, Paul had persecuted the Christians. And later, when he had been converted and followed in the way Christ Jesus had taught, he himself was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and left for dead by those antagonistic to Christianity.

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