When did prejudice begin and how do you feel about it?

Answer 1

The first instance of prejudice that I am aware of in The Bible was when Moses was married to Zipporah and she was an Ethiopian woman, the Bible says,

Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

How do I feel about it? Well, the story goes on to tell how God punished them for that, so I don't think God approves of it! Therefore, neither do I. OPINION

I am also not 100% sure where it started, it is probably pre-Biblical. It could probably be argued that prejudice has been around for almost as long as humans.

In ing a simlar question about a year ago, on ths forum, I likewise said that I am against all forms of prejudice, until another er helped me see a balanced view.

In looking up the definitions of prejudice, not all forms of it are bad. One definition of prejudice is "to affect with a prejudice, either favorable or unfavorable: His honesty and sincerity prejudiced us in his favor." (dictionary.com)

So, a person could excercise prejudice favorably toward another because of that person's good character. Interestingly, God excercises this type of prejudice toward people of a favorable disposition, those who want to serve him. Jesus said that "Happy are the mild-tempered, since they will inherit the earth."(Matthew 5:5) On the other hand, the Bible says at Proverbs 2:22, "As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."

So God himself shows favor toward the rightly disposed, and by definition, this is a form of prejudice.

As far as Moses was concerned, the murmers against him were likely punished, not because of any prejudice they were displaying, but rather because they were murmuring against Moses, who was God's chosen one. Later Korah and those who chose to follow him were put to death for their speaking out against Moses, the chosen one of God. The reason God viewed this as so bad was because speaking against Moses at that time was tantamount to speakng against the arrangement of God.

We often excercise a form of prejudice when selecting association for ourselves and our children. For example, we would not knowingly allow our young child to play with another child who was known for bad language, drug use, or some other bad behaviour. We would not knowingly invite a known thief into our home for close association. Emloyers often screen for illegal drugs, do criminal background checks, and take other measures to insure that their employees are trustworthy and dependable. All of these things are examples of proper prejudice.

That is not to say however that improper prejudice is ever justified. To prejudge a person based on ethnicity, social status, origin, language, or any other improper standard is wrong. In fact, I believe it's more than wrong, it's demonic. I believe that there is a real person in the universe named Satan the Devil, and that he is behind the ethnic strife and wars that origionates in improper prejudice. The Bible says at Acts 10:34,35 that, "For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him."

So there is a requirement for being acceptable to God, and that requirement is to fear God and work righteousness accordng to that scripture. But to judge anyone based on where they are from, language, skin color, or things such as these, would be improper, un-Godly.

So, I believe there is a proper form of prejudice and an improper form. The problem is that MOST of the prejudice we are familiar with is improper.

Limiting to Old TestamentDefinition:

An inclination for or against that inhibits impartial judgment.

Synonyms:

one-sidedness, partiality, partisanship, prepossession, tendentiousness

Opinion:It all started when God favored (respect) Abel's offering and not that of Cain.

Genesis 4:3, And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4:4, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

4:5, But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect......

According to the definition given above Cain was actually the one who showed prejudice, since he made an invalid judgment against his brother Abel and then killed him.

God's righteous judgment of Cain's sacrifice as over against Abel's was nothing like prejudice but was a righteous judgment. The two things are totally different. God's judgment was valid. The judgments of prejudice are not as was Cain's.

Cain failed to look at what God was saying to him - if he had in the first place then he would have offered a right offering and secondly, he would have mastered his wrong attitude of prejudice against his righteous brother.

Since God was the one who was requiring the sacrifice to be made He had every right to make the rules. Since Cain evidently broke the rules then God had every right to withhold favor from Cain. This is no different to any legitimate law today. If the Government sets a speed limit on the road and someone goes over it the officer is not showing prejudice if he apprehends the person - he is in fact showing prejudice if he knows about it and does nothing. His upholding of the law is not partial or prejudiced but simply factual.

Cain, who was showing an attacking attitude towards Abel, should have been discussing it with God instead. Abel just did the right thing. Cain was most definitely the prejudiced one.

Feelings:Prejudice can have many faces. It is commonly regarded as judging a subject or a person before one knows all the facts. An insidious form of prejudice occurs when a person believes they know all the facts when they are actually grossly selective and highly prejudiced against knowing the truth.

Prejudiced people often do not know or do not want to know that they are prejudiced. Herein lies one of the greatest problems with prejudice. A good indicator of whether a person is prejudiced or not is if they are willing to listen long enough to views which differ from their own or to modify their ignorant and bigoted views. People who are deeply prejudiced will not listen to anyone (unless that person already agrees with them) or any valid evidence which contradicts their view. This is a sure sign of prejudice.

This is a very sad state for a person to be in - made even sadder by the fact that the person is so closed they will not recognize it. They will blame everyone but themselves for the troubles that ensue.