During the first class session, we were introduced to a trio of philosophical quotations. One of the quotes was roughly, "What if truth is a monster?". This immediately came to mind when I read the essay question concerning religion and prejudice. Honestly, I don't consider myself to be completely "open-minded". I lack the ability (or willingness) to confront my own beliefs, especially when it comes to religion. As horrible as it sounds, I've grown comfortable with my current views and opinions concerning religious matters. So, it goes without saying that I was a little reluctant to elaborate on this particular subject. However, more than any of the others, this specific question caught my attention. There must be a reason why I found it to be interesting. With that in mind, I decided to take on the challenge to the best of my ability.
On the surface, prejudice is a collection of false opinions one holds against a group that is unlike him.
Benedict de Spinoza: moral problems and our emotio...
Study room of Spinoza
English: Cover of a publication of Baruch Spinoza'...These prejudgments are formed without due knowledge or examination and result in irrational hatred of a particular group. The most known prejudices are grounded on the basis of gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation, and age. Such groups are regarded as sub-human, people who are not worthy to receive full human rights. Simply put, prejudice is the abrupt opposite of the "Golden Rule".
Because man naturally fears things he does not understand, it is sensible to draw the conclusion that prejudice is an ultimate product of fear. Take for instance, the prejudice many of us hold against tribal communities. Tribes sacrifice animals and mutilate their own bodies in the name of religion. They obviously hold different views from our own and, because we don't understand their way of life, we often consider them
inhuman, maybe even ruthless in their...