October–December 2012, Volume 39
Features
Religions Coping with Prejudice
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines prejudice as a judgment or opinion formed before the facts are known, and it implies a preconceived and unreasonable judgment or opinion, usually an unfavorable one marked by suspicion, fear, or hatred.
The classic social-psychological definition of prejudice is the one put forth by Gordon Allport in 1954, which explains, “Prejudice is an antipathy based on faulty and inflexible generalization. It may be felt or expressed. It may be directed toward a group or an individual of that group.
Prejudice can be based on various factors, and some of the most well-known types of prejudice include religious prejudice. A recent (2009) analysis by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies (of a survey based on telephone interviews) shows that 43 percent of Americans admitted to feeling at least “a little” prejudice toward Muslims. In Japan, religions, especially new religions, sometimes arouse suspicion or even fear.
Many people’s attitudes toward particular religions are based on stereotypes, such as that some religions encourage violence or exploit people for their influence or wealth. These stereotypes are sometimes reinforced by media reports of religion-related incidents, such as terrorism and fraud.
It is also true that some religions have allowed or promoted discrimination based on gender, ethnic background, or sexual orientation. Also, while many religions teach tolerance and compassion for those who are different, these teachings are ignored by extremists who exploit prejudices to promote hatred and violence.
The feature pages will address how religions cope with the problem of prejudice, examining how prejudice occurs, how it affects understanding of other people, how it impedes interfaith dialogue, and in what way it could be replaced by tolerance and compassion, thereby contributing to the peaceful coexistence of all people and religions.
Prejudices of Our Own
by Norio Yamakoshi
Buddhism and Prejudice: Ancient and Modern Responses to Hatred
by Christopher Queen
Over the past sixty years, Buddhists have begun to explore new approaches to overcoming prejudice. As part of a larger movement that has reverberated throughout Asia and the West, “socially engaged Buddhists” have sought to root out the many institutional forms of hatred, greed, ignorance, injustice, poverty, and environmental destruction that have magnified the scope of suffering in the world.
Religious Prejudice, Diversity, and Living Together in Europe
by Stein Villumstad
Prejudice is by definition judgments made before the facts are known. Increasing knowledge about ethnicity, cultures, and religions among children and youth is of utmost importance to counter prejudice.
Religious Prejudice: What Makes It Worse and What Helps
by Wakoh Shannon Hickey
Prejudice occurs along a spectrum: from negative comments and jokes, to avoiding members of a group, to discriminating against them by denying opportunities and services, to physically attacking them or damaging their property, to trying to exterminate them altogether. Stereotyping is both a cause and a consequence of prejudice.
What a Beautiful World—So Why Do We Insist on Destroying It?
by Gilya G. Schmidt
All human beings harbor prejudice—thoughts and possibly actions that are not informed by knowledge but are the result of ignorance. . . . If we are sensitized through education to the suffering that thoughtless or mindless speech and action cause, we are less likely to inflict suffering on our fellow human beings.
Peace Building at the Community Level through Interreligious Engagement
by Jehan Perera
Faith-based efforts hold immense potential to create peace in Sri Lanka. With the moral authority to decry conflict and the social networks to mobilize support and public action, religious groups could spread the message of peace in effective and sustainable ways.
Overcoming Islamophobia
by A. Rashied Omar
Is there a global and hegemonic discourse that seeks to attribute violent acts committed by Muslims to Islam yet construes acts of atrocity committed by perpetrators such as [Anders] Breivik as motivated by political, economic, or cultural factors? . . . If indeed Islamophobia is a reality in the world today, how can we mitigate such prejudices against Islam and Muslims?
Essays
Cross-Cultural Bridging for the Lotus Sutra
by Malcolm Pearce
As an international advisor to Rissho Kosei-kai, the author gave presentations in November 2011 on Rissho Kosei-kai’s cross-cultural dissemination of the teachings of Buddhism, at the International Dharma Missions Symposium and a meeting of Rissho Kosei-kai’s International Advisory Committee, at Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters in Tokyo. The following essay is based on the two papers he presented.
