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Sadly and often tragically, we harbor a great deal of bias, discrimination, and prejudice against those from religious traditions different than our own. The recent controversy about the "Ground Zero Mosque" is perhaps a good example. Many people seem to assume that all Muslims are terrorists given the September 11, 2001 attacks as well as much of the news coming out of the Middle East.
Too often we hold extreme and stereotypic views of those from different religious traditions. This is not surprising of course. If the only thing you know about those from particular religious traditions other than your own is what you read about in the newspapers or see on the television news, most traditions would look pretty bad. Actually, really bad!
For example, how many people do you know think that all (or at least most) Muslims are terrorists, oppress women, and hate America, that all Catholic priests (or at least most) are pedophiles, and that all (or at least most) Born Again Christians are Bible-thumpers trying to get you to convert to their point of view?
Do a little word association test right now. What do you immediately think about when you read the following words?
Muslim
Islam
Jew
Mormon
Catholic
Christian
I would venture to guess that the less interaction you have with friends, neighbors, co-workers, and so forth from these groups the more negative of a reaction you'll have that includes stereotyping.
Thankfully, globalization and higher education can help to bridge the gaps between the religious traditions. I tend to think that the only way (and I really do mean only) we can make progress in this regard is to have exposure to real people that we get to know from these traditions.
I remember recently teaching a health psychology class at Santa Clara University where a Muslim student (from Syria), a Jewish student, and a Catholic student sat together in class and did things together socially. They became good friends. I recall some great class discussion where each of these students, who were actively engaged in their respective religious traditions, would compare notes on religious customs, beliefs, and practices. They would joke with each other a lot too. This is exactly where we need to go to do the right thing regarding religious tolerance, literacy, and understanding. We need to do all that we can do to get to know real people in our classrooms, neighborhoods, ball fields, gyms, work environments, and elsewhere from all of the religious traditions to fight the bias, discrimination, and prejudice that is so common in our society. Through exposure to real people from different traditions than our own we are better able to understand and apprecaite each other. Perhaps we can even be in solidarity with each and love each other too.
Getting to know on a personal level those of good will from all of the religious traditions would go a long way to combat discrimination, bias, and intolerance. A very long way in my view.
So, my answer to more religious tolerance and understanding can be summed up in just one simple word: exposure!
What do you think?
