In a world torn by faith, how Christianity interrelates with people outside its fold is vital. In this paper, I analyze the mechanisms of dehumanization that Christians inflict upon marginalized outgroups. Furthermore, it deals with personal struggles that challenge interpreting Christ-centred attitudes to particular groups using research and scriptural-based approaches to achieve empathy and humanization.
The tendency within Christian communities is to dehumanize those outside the faith, mostly marginalized outgroups. It can take many forms, including calling them “sinners,” “lost,” or “unworthy.” Also, they can have a sense of superiority/righteousness with Christians, thinking they are owners of truth and salvation. Most times, dehumanization results from ignorance or lack of compassion for people who hold contrary beliefs or live differently. Rather than respecting the inherent dignity and humanity of every human being, discrimination labels them simply as stereotypes or caricatures. Not only that, but historical and cultural factors can also be the cause of the dehumanization of outgroups by Christians. Past conflicts, societal prejudices, and institutionalized racism affect attitudes and conduct toward those perceived as “the others.”Namely, dehumanization destroys the foundational Christian belief – loving one’s neighbor as oneself. It hinders authentic dialogue, reconciliation, and partnership (Tausen et al.,p.180, 2022). This calls for willful acts of seeing the value of everyone’s humanity regardless of their religious affiliation or heritage. This includes stimulating compassion, humility, and inclination to hear and learn from others.
Biblical perspective provides a deep understanding for Christians on how to perceive others through the eyes of Jesus. Central to this is the commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself, found in passages like Matthew 22:39 and 12:31 Mark. This command goes beyond limitations imposed by religion, culture, and society, emphasizing how important each individual is (Sabates, p.320, 2021).In addition, the interactions of Jesus with the marginalized groups in the Gospels provide a pattern for compassionate engagement. He kept reaching out to those far out there in the society, showing sympathy, acceptance and thus commitment to their restoration to dignity. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:The 25-37) demonstrates the need to be merciful and kind to everybody, be they religious or not, spiritual or bodily, high or low, social, and cultural status or level.
Similarly, in Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-22), Christians are exhorted to show favor and forgiveness to those who hurt them. Through rootedness in these biblical principles, Christians are to build zeal, care and respect for everyone regardless of status and doctrine. This allows them to view every person as a fellow image-maker of God, deserving of love, respect, and care.
Research reveals that developing empathy and an understanding of others necessitates deliberate cognitive and behavioral techniques. One way is perspective-taking, a process in which people consciously try to perceive the world from another person’s view, feelings, and opinions. It does so by acknowledging their inherent complexity and individuation. Also, inter-group contact facilitation has effectively reduced prejudice and fostered positive attitudes toward outgroups. Through intentional dialogues with representatives of varied cultures, Christians stand a chance to disprove the stereotypes and grow in concern for the unbelievers (Bartelds et al., p,532,2020). Further, cognitive reframing techniques, for example, accentuating shared values and common humanity, can help people cope with prejudices and bias. Highlighting the unity of all humankind and the image of God in every person, Christians can grow a Christ-like attitude of affection, compassion, and regard for everybody.
Practical action to humanize the ‘Other’ requires actions that people can undertake to generate empathy, understanding, and respect for those outside their religious faith. Another such action is active listening, a process of trying to hear and understand what other people say from their own perspectives and experiences without any prejudice or interruption. This illustrates the sincere concern for that fellow as a human being and their value. Also, kindness and service toward outgroups humanize them by recognizing their needs and showing care and compassion. This could be volunteering at local community centers, joining outreach activities or helping someone in need. Social justice and equality advocating can make marginalized groups more human by challenging systemic injustices and advancing their rights and dignity. It could imply backing up policies and plans that foster inclusion, diversity, and equal opportunities for everybody, irrespective of their faith or background.
In conclusion, recognizing and humanizing those not part of the Christian community is key to practicing Christ’s instructions of love, mercy, and empathy. Through active listening, unselfish acts of love, and justice advocacy, Christians are able to bridge gaps, promote empathy, and give voice to each individual, thus fulfilling the commandment to love thy neighbor like yourself.
References
Bartelds, H., Savenije, G. M., & van Boxtel, C. (2020). Students’ and teachers’ beliefs about historical empathy in secondary history education. Theory & Research in Social Education, 48(4), 529–551. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2020.1808131
Sabates, A. M. (2021). The ABCs of Christians’ Anti-Muslim Attitudes: An Application of Eagly and Chaiken’s Attitude Theory. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 009164712110385. https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471211038544
Tausen, B. M., Douglass, K. M., Hodges, R., Rivera, B., & Thomas, C. (2022). Dining against Dehumanization: A Mixed-Methods and Interdisciplinary Approach to Assessing the Humanizing Effects of Sharing a Meal with Individuals Experiencing Homelessness. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 51(2), 174–190. https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471221130325
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