Faith Based Worldview Answer 1

A FAITH BASED WORLDVIEW ANSWER TO DIVERSITY

Prejudice, Bias, Racism, and Discrimination:

A Faith Based Worldview Answer to Diversity

Michael V. Paddy

Liberty Baptist University and Seminary

2009
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Abstract

Throughout the history of the world, the greatest challenge facing humanity is our ability

to accept each other with all the complex differences humanity brings. Hate is as old as

civilization itself and hinders us from making conscious decisions not to act on the hate we feel

towards the visible differences of people in our world. The growth of hate and violence can be

lessened when people of true faith toward God through Jesus Christ endeavor to keep the

mandates of love paramount in their daily walk with God. The Bible speaks volumes on the

history of hate and how our faith can be the solution, to the devastation of prejudice, bias,

racism, and discrimination in our world today.

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Prejudice, Bias, Racism, and Discrimination: A Faith Based Worldview Answer to Diversity

Prejudice, Bias, Racism, and Discrimination, are words that conjure up images of hate,

evil, and oppression. As old as the earth itself these negative emotions and actions have stirred

and perplexed humanity toward destructive patterns of behavior that some say will eventually

cause the end of life itself to become reality, (Johnson 1981). The acts of violent behavior

associated with race, class and gender bias is devastating. The cost factor associated with this

type of conduct is immeasurable, financially, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually,

(Bonilla-Silva 2004). Yet it is as if mankind itself is bent toward self-denial to its responsibility

for the outcomes from this context and doomed to live it out forever with no hope or remedy of

seeing it end.

What is the history of these hateful almost violent actions of humanity from a person of

faith’s point of view? How did it all start and how will it end? Is there an answer that can bring

Utopian bliss and closure to ethnic, racial, gender bias and hate or are we forever doomed to

endure and act out our feelings of discrimination both subtly and overtly?

History of Hate and Indifference

In the Beginning

Taken literally, the Biblical account of the fall of mankind from favor and fellowship

with God set everything into motion. Desiring not just to increase knowledge but to be like God,

the first humans made a choice: live happily ever after with God or see if they could on their own

become a little more independent from the one who created them, (Holy Bible 2006). The choice

was made and the consequences were carried out, banished from the garden to live life at a

distance from God.

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Fast forward a few years when Adam and Eve have children, two specifically are

mentioned in the Biblical record, Cain the first born and Abel his brother. “2Now Abel was a

keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the

LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock

and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but for Cain and

his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6The LORD said to

Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be

accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you

must rule over it”, (Holy Bible p.3).

This anger manifested by Cain created the setting for the first murder and hate crime in

history, (Holy Bible 2006). The admonition from God to do the right thing and the cross

referenced passage in the Letter to the Hebrews, “4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable

sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by

accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” (p.1007).

We see then that faith is at issue. Actions on the part of Cain without faith created an

environment where a division was cast between him and his brother. This caused difference

between them, which led to envy, which simmered into hate and ultimately led to violence and

murder, (Holy Bible 2006).

Kingdoms, Wars and Constant Conflict

History shows that ancient civilizations existed within the realm of empires which were

created for the purpose of dominating peoples and trying to subjugate them through threat and

acculturation to the existing Kingdom’s supremacy, (Roth 2003). From the Babylonian Empire

to the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic, one time labeled by President Ronald Reagan as an
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evil empire, (Reagan 1983), and all empires in between had one goal in mind, create a nation, a

government, an empire that has control of global influences and domination. The problem is that

almost every empire built fails to take into account someone who might have an opposing view

to the existing power and in the process crushes that point of view trying to extinguish their

voice and/or genocide them out of existence altogether, (Wiesel 1994). Difference is not

acceptable and those who are different by race, language, ethnicity, gender and culture are

denied true freedom unless they acculturate conformity into their worldview. The failure to

accept diversity was a life of servitude or martyrdom.

The New World Expansion

Most children are taught in school concerning the explorers to the new world. When

giving a reason for this expansion the first is almost always that the explorers were trying to

create a new passage to the east by going west. The discovery of the Americas created a new

reason for people to face the challenges of sea travel in the 15th and 16th centuries, land, riches

and resources for their own consumption at the expense of the natives who already occupied the

land, (Rogin 2004). “America clearly began not with primal innocence and consent but with acts

of force and fraud”, (p.98).

Slavery

Though slavery did not originate in the Americas the need for slaves grew with the influx

of new settlers and the expansive land that they took to be their own, (Birmingham 1988). The

roots of slavery, one human being the property of another as a slave, can be traced back to

ancient times as a juridical system of debt and wrong, (Birmingham). There are estimates of

fourteen to fifteen million Africans being transported from their homeland to the Americas to be

slaves.
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Like it or not this is racism in its highest form. Looking at the black African as a

consumable item, with no other value. Even the arrogance and hypocrisy of thinking that

subjugating the natives of the Americas was wrong but kidnapping and importing a peoples

group was okay, (Buck 2007; Birmingham 1988).

Gender

The history of the perceived inferiority of the female gender is related to the simplistic

oppression which manifests itself in terms of profit rather than in terms of human need, (Lorde

2007). Much to the chagrin of most evangelicals this myth is fostered in Biblical terms as well by

right-wing fundamentalists. The Biblical mandates of submission on the part of the female to her

male counterpart are often taken out of context to lessen the position of the woman in a

relationship. “New Testament directives about marriage and the relationships between a

husband and wife must not be seen as first-century”, (Jones 2006).

The myth was reproduced over and over in the minds of women, especially in the mid

1950’s when women who thought different about their feminine roles would think something

was wrong with them, (Freidan 2007). In reality the period of softening of the role of women in

society had a negative affect where women tried to over compensate and abandon any and all

characteristics of femininity, turning modern day women into feminists, radically thinking

rebellious to tradition women, (Steinem 2007).

The Poor

Scripturally speaking Jesus actually alluded to the poor being a constant presence in our

lives, (Holy Bible 2006). And the stereotyping and treatment of the poor has not changed much

since Biblical times. We have in fact not taken to heart the need for all of our citizens to try and

come up with better solutions to poverty issues. A President of the U.S. back in the forties said
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that we need to measure that we are as a nation not on how we increase the wealth of the wealthy

but how we increase the wealth of the poor, (Herbert 2007).

Short-lived Temporary Solutions

There have been many attempts on the part of well-meaning individuals and societies to

try and fix the long history of prejudice, bias, racism, and discrimination.

Laws

In my first Bible I ever owned I have written, “Some people say that man is basically

good and laws make them bad, but I say man is basically bad it is laws that make men tolerable.”

I am not sure where I got that from but it resonates here. Anything that our government

has done in the 233 years of its existence is to try and make laws on morality and civility. It is

good to have laws because it is the law that most of us are guided by when we know we could

get caught and punished for infractions against. But most laws are written for a smaller portion

of society who ignores it anyway.

Even the Bible has laws written for man’s understanding of God’s requirements for a

peaceful, righteous society. But nowhere is it written in the Scriptures that any of the laws were

completely adhered to except in the case of Jesus Christ, (Holy Bible 2006). In fact the more

man evolved the more laws were written to deal with their propensity towards evil and wrong-

doing. And even with all that revelation they continued a downward spiral in sinful practices and

behaviors.

Twice in the book of Romans the declination of morality is recorded on the part of

humanity. In one such passage there was no ignorance on the part of the law breakers: “28And

since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what

ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness,
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malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
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slanderers, haters of God, and insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to

parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. 32Though they know God’s decree that those

who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who

practice them”, (p.939).

The Bill of Rights, The Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of

Independence all have statements of equality and justice within their texts but to this day the

implementation of this and all civil rights laws continue to bog us down in loop holes and

rhetoric.

The most damning of these injustices is found written within the framework of the

symbol of freedom, justice and immigrants’ promise of hope, the Statute of Liberty: “Give me

your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of

your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the

golden door!", (Lazarus 2007 p.459).

But today a new thought reflects this old standard, one that is immersed in bigotry and

hatred. Forgetful that far enough back we were all immigrants and yet today we feel entitled to

what we have without sharing it with anyone else.

Welfare Reform and Entitlements

It seems when all else fails, when failure hits us on the nose we create entitlement

programs and try to create an atmosphere of social change. Though helpful for some for the most

part this too fails miserably. What started out as programs to assist, have turned into full time

practice where entitlement increases have created an entitled mindset among the poor. The
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working poor who are not eligible for assistance programs find it hard to motivate themselves to

work harder when there is so much out there to be received if they do not try at all.

Social Welfare, Medicare, and entitlement programs have gone beyond their ability to

help, rather they have become a black hole swallowing everything and still wanting more.

Education

This is by far becoming the best temporary weapon in our arsenal to combat prejudice,

bias, racism, and discrimination. Just the two text books for this class comprise almost 1,600

pages of material not including the appendices and suggested reading. Classes on Sexual

harassment, discrimination, and other human resource issues abound in the workplace due to the

highly litigious nature of these topics.

The problem with education is not the resources it’s the implementation. Education is one

thing, application and ability to implement the education is the key. Can a sustained program of

awareness keep prejudice, bias, racism, and discrimination at bay or is there a better way? Can

we learn enough from this history to abolish prejudice, bias, racism, and discrimination

altogether or are we doomed as a society to live with it as long as you have people involved in

the equation?

A Faith Base Solution

Something New, Something Old

At the outset of this paper I asked the question: “Is there an answer that can bring

Utopian bliss and closure to ethnic, racial, gender bias and hate or are we forever doomed to

endure and act out our feelings of discrimination both subtly and overtly?”

I must say that the answer is maybe. Like all the temporary solutions I suggested in the

previous section the answer maybe hinges on whether or not we can break out of the mold of
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religion based churchianity and come to grips with a faith that is Biblically based, spiritually

driven, and discipleship accountable.

For years anything that had to with God and church were synonymous with each other. If

it looked religious, seemed religious and felt religious, well then that is Christianity and faith in a

nutshell. But there is a new kind of church, a new style of Christianity which is not really new

but awakening from its historical slumber. It is touching the hearts of new generations and if

fully implemented will lessen prejudice, bias, racism, and discrimination, till the Lord returns.

Some call it missional, others the 21st Century Awakening of the church, (Lee 2008). Its

goal is to fulfill what some call missio Dei, (mission of God), (Lee). Its roots are found not in

perfect people, because there are no perfect people, but in the characters of faith found in the

Scriptures who are credited with having a saving faith in God and recognizing that in their ever

day actions and lives. Again, not perfect but faithful to Scriptural mandates that evidenced their

faith even in their imperfections and sin, (Holy Bible 2006).

What type of faith are we talking about?

When the great reformer, Martin Luther was faced with the passage: “The righteous shall

live by faith”, (Holy Bible p.939), all at once his idea of God and living his life for Him changed.

The understanding that everything anyone could possibly do is forever marred by any and all of

the bad actions, thoughts, deeds, injustices, and in a nutshell sin that we do. So faith took on a

meaning of life. That no matter what I do my life is lived in the grace and providence of God

and faith itself is manifest in the Biblically based actions of my life dedicated to Him.

Faith is not a set of rules to follow or mandates to live by it is a life to trust and follow

and that life is Jesus Christ.

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Hebrews chapter 11 is a great read for those who like to learn about the context of faith in

the Old Testament lived out in the church in the New Testament, (Henrichsen 2000). The

characters listed in this chapter have a sense of the constant presence of God in their lives and

live accordingly.

Faith also is a great motivator for good. Before someone displays saving faith in their life

they are prone to the challenges that we mentioned at the beginning. Adam and Eve were not

content with living their lives out with the knowledge of God they had, they wanted their own

knowledge which led to self discovery and turned them toward a life that bordered on hedonism,

self fulfilling desire.

Faith turns our desires into relational presence with God and Jesus Christ, mandating us

to live our faith in a disciple role.

Role of a Disciple

The term disciple means learner or student. It implies one who is not just taught but

willing to learn and be taught. Matthew 28:19, 20 says: “Go therefore and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to

the end of the age", (Holy Bible p.835).

A student’s job is not just to learn but allow the learning to cause change in their life.

Luke 6:40 tells of the outcome of a disciple, a student who learns and acts on the knowledge

acquired: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like

his teacher” (p.863).

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So when we talk about faith, we are talking about full faith followers of the teachings and

teacher, Jesus Christ. The goal? Through time the student of faith, the disciple will become more

and more like his teacher, Jesus Christ.

The Teachings of Jesus Christ

This will not be an exhaustive study but will survey some of the philosophy and

teachings of Christ, teachings if acted upon in faith as a true disciple will give anyone serious

thought and tools to alleviate the prejudice, bias, racism, and discrimination found in our society

today. Matthew 5 – 7 is called the Sermon on the Mount. The teachings cover a multitude of

information and faith action on the part of a disciple and how to react to injustices in the world.

The Persecuted and Down-trodden

Poor in spirit, those who mourn, those hungry for justice, and the persecuted are

encouraged to seek solace in the blessedness of God in their circumstances, (Holy Bible). The

fact that a reward is waiting for them helps to show the care God has on those in these

circumstances. The fact that the relevance of the passage is spoken by Christ to the multitudes,

disciples present, gives an example to the disciples of how God views these people, and how

they should in turn do the same. The fact that this is followed by Christ’s imperative to be a light,

an example to shine in darkness makes it important to the disciple to follow the example.

Hate

So much can be said about Jesus’ abhorrence to anything that is not love, but here we see

the depth of judgment on those who hate. “21"You have heard that it was said to those of old,(AL)

'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' 22But I say to you that

everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother
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will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire”

(p.810).

Hate and anger is equated to murder. In the book of James it says anyone who has is like

Cain a murderer. Hate and anger equals murder in the heart of the one who does such things,

(Holy Bible).

Do Not Judge

Looking at someone with judgmental cause is a symptom of bias and discrimination.

Jesus is telling his followers that this is wrong because we are all the same. One person’s actions

and appearance are but a mirror of our own. We look outward without seeing ourselves inward

which shows us how we are no better. The judgment we cast towards others is the same that is

cast our way and no one can stand in that light.

Response to Injustice

Jesus’ teachings cover a wide range of issues covering many social concerns, but most of

the teachings He favored were to those who were suffering the injustices and their response to it.

It relied heavily on the role of a disciple to be one of care, compassion, and concern. A disciple

was to show love to others in their distress and differences but at the same time the ones who felt

the most need of that care and concern were to be comforted in the care of Christ. Disciples were

both responders and recipients of grace because of their faith relationship to Jesus Christ.

The Teachings Effect: The Book of Acts

Christ Last Command and the New Teacher

Being a disciple was tough enough when the teacher, Jesus was present, how much more

now that His imminent departure was at hand? Its one thing to do the right thing in the presence

of authority, but quite another without Jesus. Before Jesus left He told of another who would
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come, One who would be a new teacher, reminding them of their responsibility to the teaching

He taught. This One who was to come was going to convince the disciples of the truth of the

teaching and convict them when the teaching was followed. This One is the Holy Spirit. Before

they attempted to do anything they were to pray and wait till He came.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came with power. The power to act out the faith life needed

to live in love, peace and harmony in a diverse world.

The Church is Born and Acts

As soon as the Holy Spirit came right away the teachings of Jesus took hold and the

disciples began to truly live a life immersed in faith. The first actions were to tell every one of

this faith and opportunity to live a life of faith. The response was overwhelming. Thousands

converted to this life of faith and they began to care for each other, sharing everything they had

with no one going without life’s necessities.

This sharing called fellowship was such an important part of the church’s character that

severe judgment was placed on those who faked it. The demonstration of their faith was always

in serving each other, preferring each other over themselves and making sure that this DNA was

communicated in the Disciples teaching even going house to house to share the faith.

The Epistles Influence on the Faith of the Disciples

The recorded history of the church in Acts coincided with letters written by different

disciples to help keep the church informed, to continue the habit of teaching and being a disciple.

Written by several authors, these epistles laid the groundwork of the effectiveness of a disciple’s

identity in the Lord, (Garrison 2004). If the disciples failed to see themselves as God saw them

through their identification with Christ as true disciples, their ability to carry out the functions of

the church which bridged race, gender, ethnicity, and class would fail.
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Conclusion

Love was the ultimate tool of the disciples to combat the temptation of prejudice, bias,

racism, and discrimination. Today these tools are available to all who would be serious catalysts

for action to combat these hateful emotions and attributes in our society. Unlike the temporary

solutions, these are solutions when implemented by faith that have long lasting effects on our

society. And unlike laws and legislation, entitlements and social reform, they are not built on a

bureaucracy which is unable to sustain its mandates.

These are mandates that when lived out fully in the strength and grace of God, Father,

Son, and Holy Spirit can and do reach into the most hurtful, hateful and evil hearts the world

could ever imagine.

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