World racism

Racism is a matter of growing concern amongst the nations of the world. Far from
being a social ill restricted to one or two countries, the moral disease of racism
spans communities, countries, and continents. Racism is a complex issue. At the
core of any working definition of racism is the unspoken ingredient of fear. People
around the world all belong to the same human race; they share the same
tendencies to fear, domination, and subjugation. Hence, inevitably, racism is a
world-wide issue. Darwins controversial theory of evolution has contributed to
the ignorance fueling racial conflicts. Over the years, peoples and nations
exhibiting higher degrees of civilization have been deemed racially superior.
Mankind has been unable to embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of the
various ethnic groups. Instead, fear has taken control. Xenophobia, defined as an
intense fear and dislike of foreign people, or simply racial intolerance, is a disease
reaching epidemic proportions.
Traditionally, ethno-national conflicts had to do with struggles over resources and
land possession. Often these conflicts were tied to religious intolerance, a notable
conflict being the Turkish Islamic vs. the Hungarian Catholics. More recently,
globalization has added to this situation; trade and commerce between the
nations aided by modern-day technology has increased the interaction of foreign
peoples with one another. Anti-immigration has become part of the political
debate in countries world-wide, especially in Europe; the outcome of many
elections has hinged upon this question.
Racism world-wide is manifested in every continent. In Europe, extreme racist
groups have gained more and more acceptability in countries like France,
Germany, and Austria. In Australia, the Aborigines have lost much of their land
and have been the victim of extreme prejudice. Not only has Apartheid -legalized separation -- been practiced in Australia, it has been a well-publicized
condition in South Africa. Many African countries have endured long-term civil
wars, some beginning shortly after that nations freedom from former colonial
countries. In Asia, Cambodians harbor extreme prejudices against the

Vietnamese, and Chinese students have been forbidden access to higher

education in Malaysia. In the Middle East, antagonism between the Israelis and
the Palestinians continues to exist.
The only viable means of dealing with these human issues may be a deeply
spiritual one. Mark 12:28-31 expounds on this point: One of the teachers of
religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus
had answered well, so he asked, Of all the commandments, which is the most
important? Jesus replied, The most important commandment is this: Hear, O
Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord
your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other
commandment is greater than these."