Message #861

[Martin]

So self-evident that there are plenty of people from a huge range of backgrounds and walks of life who would disagree with you, Martin.

Quite so Andy.  Such is the power of religion that it prevents reasoning in many people.

Think, for instance, of this scenario.  I know that you regard the BNP as despicable - in fact most of us here do.  Yet, there is no doubting that they feel that what they believe is 'wholesome and true'.

I dispute this.  All prejudiced people know,deep down, that their prejudice is wrong, especially when it is pointed out to them.  But in their minds they quite often go through a justification process, shutting their consciences away.  We sometimes call such behaviour 'mindless' or 'shallow' because it refuses to see the other person as a person,it refuses to allow the mind to go to the deeper level where it might really have to ask the conscience whether there is any truth in what is being pointed out about their prejudice. People build all sorts of defence mechanisms to prevent any challege reaching them and forcing them to look deeply at themselves. Christians use the Bible as an excuse for their prejudices, BNP members will use a distorted view of nationality, they will use stereotypes and stories of the supposed behaviour of those they persecute, to push all black and asian people into a 'type' within their minds - a 'type' who are not like 'us', a 'type' whose behavour is dirty, swindling, criminal, wishes to impose its religion on us, wants to take over what is ours etc.

The conscience only really works if is is allowed to. Suppression of conscience comes from a learned exercise - it's something of the mind, and it's usually rooted in fear - fear of being excluded themselves, fear of being mocked by the crowd for not conforming, fear of being shown to be wrong, that sort of thing.