1. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 Love thy Neighbour:
Religious Discrimination and How to Eradicate it To limit further
discrimination and preventable hate crimes, adults as well as
children should be required to be educated on religions other than
their own. Some critics argue that some parents are against other
religious views that they believe would invoke harm to their
children and that such parents (for one reason or another) have
reason for denying their children access to alternative religious
views. They also argue that a mandatory RE class's usefulness to
humanity is highly debatable when compared to other topics such as
algebra (being universally good) or racism (being universally bad).
However, surrounded in a world of imminent globalization, even a
more educated and understanding society could invoke change that
still influences that child firsthand to religious education, even
without the involvement of educating the child through a
comparative religions course. Furthermore, hate crimes will
continue to have justification so long as people remain ignorant.
Despite the United State's claim of religious tolerance as a
cornerstone of our society, religious discrimination is nothing new
to America. But what is religious discrimination? The
2. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 United States Equal
Opportunity Commission (US EOC) lists religious discrimination as
treating a person (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of
his or her religious beliefs(n.d.). Discrimination from a symbolic
interactionist's point of view exists because the people of
different religions and beliefs choose to view themselves as
different from one another. Discrimination will stop when people
stop seeing one another in this way. According to the OCRT (Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance), reasons that may cause
religious discrimination or violence include (but are not limited
to): lack of accurate knowledge, fear, conflict of science and
religion, lack of doubt, linking religion with nationalism, and
dualistic thinking.(Possible causes, aggravating factors, &
examples, n.d.). Starting with Native Americans' beliefs being
superstitions, and furthering out to the KKK's assault in the name
of Christianity, our citizens have been far from tolerant. The
first appliance of religious tolerance in America was not until
1649 in Maryland. 15 years earlier, however, freedom of religion
was being applied in the founding of said colony(Finkelman, 2006).
Fast forward to the past 23 years, and hate crimes related to
religious differences are still going on. In 1995, the FBI reported
1,277 offenses (out of a total 7,947) due to religious
3. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 bias, equaling 16% of
hate crimes that year (Federal Bureau of Investigation, n.d.). In
2013, they reported 1,163 cases due to religious bias, equaling
16.8% of all hate crimes within that year(Federal Bureau of
Investigation, 2014). This means that although slowly, the number
of religious hate crimes is steadily increasing. In addition, Pew
Research Center performed a study in 2013 on the ranking of
countries in social hostility and government restrictions on
religions. On a scale of 0-10 in social hostility, the US ranked a
3.1. Compare this to the US' 1.9 in 2007. For global comparison,
Italy was ranked a 1.9 in 2007, and a 3.7 in 2013; Japan a 0.4, and
later a 2.4; Mexico previously 5.5 and now 3.7; the UK a 1.6 but
now 5.4, Germany a 2.1, now 4.3; India at 8.8, now growing to 9,
and China from 0.9 to 4.4(Religious Hostilities, 2014). For the
majority of countries, the numbers have increased since 2007. This
shows that religious differences are creating more tension and
intolerance than they were only 6 years prior to the study,
emphasizing how important it is to do something about religious
differences. The United States has already implemented policy
measures in an attempt to rectify it such as Title II and VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Violent Crime Control Act of 94
and Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but due to Separation of
Church
4. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 and State, the United
States Government can only do so much. Title II of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination including religion in public
goods and services(Title II of the Civil Rights Act,1964) . Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination
including religion in buying or renting a dwelling(Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act,1964). The Civil Rights Act also allows for
federal prosecution of anyone who "willingly injures, intimidates
or interferes with another person, or attempts to do so, by force
because of the other person's race, color, religion or national
origin"(Federally Protected Activities, 18 U.S. Code 245 (2)). The
Violent Crime Control Act of '94 acts to increase the penalties for
hate crimes committed for race, color, religion, national origin,
ethnicity, or gender. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act
"ensures that interests in religious freedom are
protected"(Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 1993). A compulsory
Comparative Religions class could be essential to lowering, if not
eradicating, religious discrimination. Numerous other countries
already have this policy in place such as Finland, the United
Kingdom, Japan, and Austria. Some countries even offer a choice
between Ethics and Comparative Religions. The United States needs
to also get
5. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 behind this policy, as
it has numerous benefits for individuals. For example, lessons
taught from a comparative religions class (especially so for
younger generations), will be used every day in the globalized
world. Workers are expected to talk or collaborate now daily with
those from different backgrounds, traditions and religious beliefs
not only nationwide, but sometimes worldwide. Those who do not
understand beliefs or backgrounds may have trouble working with
other people. It is imperative that we as a collective population
ensure we become educated and adept at considering alternate
perspectives. In 2010, A study was done by Pew Research Center on
religious knowledge known by religious groups. Americans on average
answered 16 of the 32 questions correctly (Pew Research Center,
2010). This means that the United States is far from religiously
understanding. Thomas Jefferson once said, "Though [the people] may
acquiesce, they cannot approve what they do not understand."
(Educating the People, n.d.) In order to properly do something
about the amount of discrimination, Americans should first
understand what it is they are dealing with. Secondly, learning
from a government-mandated curriculum would mean everything is
taught in an objective, secular manner, ensuring nothing but facts
without twisting the truth. It
6. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 would set out a
religious studies curriculum that is both inclusive and discursive.
When asked how their comparative religions curriculum could be
bettered, Modesto's high school wrote, Neutrality requires that
public schools neither encourage nor discourage the holding of
religious beliefs. Decisions about students religious beliefs must
be left up to parents, religious communities and students
themselves. Omitting the darker side of religion may illegitimately
encourage students to adopt or deepen their religious beliefs. It
alienates non- religious students and parents by failing to
recognize their concerns and perspectives on organized
religion(Lester, E., 2008). Although viewed as difficult, it is
possible to create an objective curriculum that leaves the students
to change their belief or not if wanted. In addition, a national
curriculum would challenge dogmatism, which one could compare with
the subjective and biased point of views some religious groups use
to attract newcomers. In the same study by Pew Research Center,
they found that for Christian religions (Mormon, Evangelist, etc.)
Mormons scored the highest on knowledge of Christianity and the
bible at a lacking 7.9/12. This means that other christian
religions scored even lower. Nearly six-in-ten U.S. adults say that
religion is 'very important' in their lives, and roughly
7. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 four-in-ten say they
attend worship services at least once a week. But the U.S.
Religious Knowledge Survey shows that large numbers of Americans
are uninformed about the tenets, practices, history and leading
figures of major faith traditions including their own (Pew Research
Center, 2010). This may have been caused by twisted words,
misinterpretation of the bible, or simply lack of knowledge. Taking
these courses should not only thoroughly detail Christianity, but
the other major religions as well. Finally, people who have a
better understanding of other faiths and beliefs are less likely to
be contemptuous toward issues that have no immediate influence on
themselves, while also promoting integration into a community. A
study was done in Modesto, California on the effect a Comparative
Religions class for students. Students took a survey at the
beginning of the year and at the end, and some students were also
interviewed afterward. Students were asked if they would permit
their least-liked group to run for public office, teach in public
schools, make a public speech, and hold public rallies. While the
amount of increase varied per question, all questions had an
increase of likelihood at the end of the year, supporting respect
and tolerance in a community. In addition, the number of
students
8. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 that agreed with basic
respect for religious rights and liberties (religious symbols on
clothes, displays outside home) increased after taking the course.
Students who believed that their families may become a victim of a
terrorist attack within the next six months dropped for 17% to 13%
(Lester, 2008). These studies show that taking a comparative
religions class not only increases tolerance and understanding in a
community, but also helps individuals feel safer among religious
groups. A student was interviewed on if he became more interested
in religions because of the course. He replied, ...[it] will really
help my career. There are certain things that they may not agree
with and in your own religion it's really not that bad. So it helps
you treat them with the respect that they want and that they
deserve. Another student replied, It helps to know about others'
religion when you talk to them because you don't want to say
something bad about their religion that affects them. Even if you
don't wish to accept or believe all religions, you should have
knowledge about them. When asked if they have learned more on
something through the course, a student replied, I think [it helps]
when you see things and you don't understand why they do this. You
understand they have certain reasons why they
9. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 perform these
rituals(Lester, 2008). When given a religious knowledge test prior
to taking the course, students averaged a 37.4%. After taking the
course, it jumped to a 66.4%, a 29% increase. The course tested was
only a nine-week, (one semester) course, and several scholars have
argued that schools should implement world religions classes one
semester or longer. In addition to deepening students long-term
respect for religious liberty, a longer course would enable
students to learn about the denominational differences within
religions, and would provide them with a better grasp of the lived
experience of each religion. A large number of the students we
interviewed supported a longer course for the last two
reasons.(Lester, E., 2008) With a longer course, religious
knowledge test-takers would likely have significantly higher
results than listed in this study, and thus being a more successful
fix. When asked what could be improved with the course, one student
said I think religion should be a two-semester class so that we
could learn more, while another student added, I agree with her
because we have to split the time with geography(Lester, 2008).
Surprisingly, very little controversial fights broke out when
working to start this
10. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 curriculum. ...The
course has not sparked any legal or constitutional complaints.
Parents have the right to opt their children out of the course, but
according to Linda Erickson, an average of only two or three out of
3,000 students annually make use of this option(Lester, 2008).
There is clearly a very small amount of students who had taken the
opportunity to opt out, and naturally these numbers will fluctuate
based on location and religious beliefs. If they were to opt out of
the comparative religions class, a secondary option such as ethics
may be suitable to take in place. However, many believe that
understanding is the only way to tolerance, and by opting out of a
religious education class, they may be missing out on a very
important step for society. Religious and denominational
intolerance will be eliminated only when people are more
understanding of the intrinsic worth of religious views and
traditions that are not their own. An effective religious education
program gives accurate information and demonstrates respect for all
world faiths. (NL Kindergarten Religious Education Interim
Curriculum Guide, 2008). By taking the course, there would be a
greater positive effect on the individual than going without. It's
difficult to know for sure if it's educating the individuals that
matters or if it is the
11. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 curiosity in the
individuals that leads to increased tolerance. But based on these
studies, if the US were to have a nationalized course on
comparative religions, religious discrimination would decrease
dramatically. Taking the course provides the necessary skills to
advance in this day and age of globalization without harm of others
and has shown an increase in tolerance, respect, and religious
knowledge overall with students. Even more, having these tolerances
inspires and builds a more integrated community that lacks
ignorance and dogmatism. Until something is done about educating
the general public, discrimination is going to be a problem in our
nation. We have the ability to change that through this
curriculum.
12. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 Smith, R. (2005) "A
place for religion." New Scientist 188.2527: 22. Academic OneFile.
Retrieved 3 June, 2015. Lester, E. (2007). A More Neutral Liberal
Education: Why Not Only Liberals, But Religious Conservatives
Should Endorse Comparative Religious Education in Public Schools.
Polity, 39(2), 179-207. Jensen, T. (2008). RS based RE in Public
Schools: A Must for a Secular State. Numen: International Review
For The History Of Religions, 55(2/3), 123-150.
doi:10.1163/156852708X283023 Religion in the United States,
Religious Discrimination. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2015, from
http://www.countriesquest.com/north_america/usa/people
/religion_in_the_united_ states/religious_discrimination.htm
Finkelman, P. (2006), Maryland Toleration Act, The Encyclopedia of
American Civil Liberties, New York: CRC Press. ISBN 0-415-94342-6.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (n.d.) Uniform Crime Reports - Hate
Crime Statistics 1995. Retrieved July 4, 2015, from
https://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/hatecm.htm
13. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 Federal Bureau of
Investigation. (2014, November 20). 2013 Hate Crime Statistics -
Incidents and Offenses. Retrieved July 4, 2015 from
https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-
crime/2013/topic-pages/incidents-and-offenses/incidentsandoffenses_final
United States Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (n.d.)
Religious Discrimination. Retrieved July 5, 2015, from
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm Pew Research Center.
(2014, January 14). Religious Hostilities Reach Six-Year High.
Retrieved July 1, 2015, from
http://www.pewforum.org/2014/01/14/religious-hostilities-reach-six-
year-high/ Barrett, D. et al, "World Christian Encyclopedia: A
comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200,"
Oxford University Press, (2001). Possible causes, aggravating
factors, & examples. (n.d.). Retrieved July 5, 2015, from
http://www.religioustolerance.org/relconcaus1.htm Lester, E., &
Roberts, P. (2011). Learning about World Religions in Modesto,
California: The Promise of Teaching Tolerance in Public Schools.
Politics and Religion, 264-288. Retrieved July 7, 2015, from
Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
14. Sarah Arab 07/13/2015 Sociology 1010 Pew Research Center.
(2010) U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey. Retrieved from
http://www.pewforum.org/2010/09/28/u-s-religious-knowledge-survey/
Educating the People. (n.d.) Thomas Jefferson on Politics and
Government. Retrieved from
http://famguardian.org/Subjects/Politics/thomasjefferson/jeff1350.htm
Religious Freedom Restoration Act. (1993) 42 U.S.C. 2000bb
