Church Teachings on Racial DiscriminationThe Church identifies racism as a commitment of sin that divides the family of the human race and obliterates the image and likeness of God. It is also deemed to violate human dignity, which is a fundamental principle of the Catholic social teachings whereby every individual must respect their inherent value and worth as outlined in Genesis 1:26-27. Racism is contrary to the Church’s teachings as it ridicules the words once spoken by Jesus Christ whereby we should “treat others the way you would have them treat you” and denies the dignity upheld in every human being.
The Catholic Church strives to pursue harmony among all and abolish any remains of racial prejudice as verified by the Catechism of the Catholic Church; ‘the equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it. Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design’. |
Racial remarks or displays attack the solidarity within in a workplace environment. Solidarity, in catholic social teachings, is the objective by God for all human rights to be respected so that union and cohesion between all can be achieved.
As long as racism remains in the community/globally, humanity will be divided and weakened to the very core. If the world attained true equality, the workplace environment would not be segregated and opportunities would not be restricted to only those of the majority group. We would, in hindsight, be in the image and likeness of God and display the teachings of the Gospel as God intended. |