Prejudice Can Stop

Prejudice: (1) preconceived judgment or opinion; (2) an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge.

How often do you pre-judge someone? Have you ever walked down the street and crossed over to the other side because someone that was “different” was coming down your side? Whether the difference was skin tone, size, walk, talk, or clothing style, you may have acted out some form of prejudice.

Of course, when we’re talking about this topic, the first thing that comes to mind is “race.” “Race” is a terribly misconstrued term. Consider this: there is only one race—the human race. Yes, there are differences. From skin tone to height, from the shape of our eyes to the size of our noses, we are all somewhat different in appearance. But that’s really as far as the differences go.

One of the most fascinating stories about the effects of evolutionary beliefs on human relations is the story of Ota Benga, a short African man (from a group of people described as pygmies) who was put on display in a zoo as an example of an evolutionarily inferior “race.” The incident clearly reveals the racism of evolutionary ideology and the extent to which evolutionary ideas have gripped the hearts and minds of most scientists. Although nearly everyone today realizes that this was wrong, prejudice still occurs, and much of it is still based on evolutionary concepts that were popularized by Darwin and others in the 1800s.

There simply is no reason for anyone to assume they are more valuable than the next person. We are all created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Isn’t it time that we realize that we are all the same? The Bible teaches us: “From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:26).

Further Reading

• Are There Really Different Races?