Chapter 5 Questions

What is ageism? Give an example.

Ageism is prejudice exhibited against the elderly because of their age. Not allowing someone to participate in an activity because they are too young or too old.

What is anti-Semitism?

Anti-Semitism is prejudice manifested in word or deed against people of Jewish origin.

List the five stages of prejudice. Give an example of each.

Antilocution - Ethnic jokes Avoidance - avoiding people of a different group Discrimination - denying someone something because of age, sex, or race Physical Attack - hate crimes Extermination - the Holocaust

Discuss two specific Church teachings that tell us that prejudice and discrimination are wrong.

Discrimination against the elderly includes forced or early retirement as companies "downsize" to enhance the profit line. Our society is "graying," and as it does there is an ever-increasing danger that more more and more elderly people will be living in poverty.

Discuss the meaning of these terms: feminism, patriarchy, glass ceiling.

Feminism is the belief that sexes are equal and should be treated equally. Patriarchy is the institutionalized belief that men should dominate women whom they consider inferior to them. The "glass ceiling" effect is being able to advance only so far and not being able to advance higher.

Discuss five specific biblical teachings that show the immortality of prejudice.

Genesis 1:26-27 - God is telling us that every human deserves respect and we must all give it to one another. Acts 17:26-29 - God is telling us how we are all equal and how he created us equally. Luke 6:27, 15:1-2; Matthew 5:43-48 - God is telling us to love everyone else no matter what. John 15:9-13 - God tells us how much he loves every single one of us. Matthew 25:31-40 - Gods is trying to tell us that we must help everyone we meet and not neglect anyone.

Identify Jean Vanier. How does he embody Christian love?

Jean Vanier was a college professor of philosophy and he gave that up. He met a Dominican Priest who introduced him to a world of persons with developmental disabilities.

Give an example of a "positive" prejudice and a "neutral prejudice. How might these turn into a "negative" prejudice?

Prejudice can be positive when you give someone confidence. Prejudice is neutral when you make an assumption about something. It can turn into negative prejudices when you are saying these things without knowing much about what you are talking about.

Define the term prejudice.

Prejudice is an unsubstantiated or preformed judgment about an individual or group.

When is prejudice sinful and wrong?

Prejudice is sinful and wrong when it resists new information.

Describe the prejudiced personality.

Prejudiced people have difficulty dealing with ambiguity. Prejudiced people have a low self-esteem. Prejudiced people are authority-oriented.

What is sexism? Why is it wrong? How does it encourage other prejudices in boys? Girls?

Sexism is the wrong opinion that one sex is superior to the others by the very nature of things, leading typically to prejudice against women. It is very wrong because it tell people that some are better than others. In boys it makes them think that they are better than girls and encourages them to seek for more power. In girls it encourages them to think that they are inferior to men.

Define the term stereotype. Give some examples of stereotypes related to your own ethnic background or religion.

Stereotype is an oversimplified generalization. Many people think that all Hispanics are Mexicans.

What is the ultimate source of prejudice?

Stereotypical thinking is the ultimate source of prejudice.

Why do people exhibit prejudice towards persons with a homosexual orientation? Why is this wrong?

They exhibit this because of ignorance. This is wrong because every human being deserves respect.

Discuss three specific things you can do to combat prejudice.

Working with a different group at a task in a cooperative and interdependent manner in pursuing common goals. Participating in programs where we put ourselves in the shoes of another. Becoming aware of how inconsistent prejudice is with one's values, attitudes, and behaviors.