Our Own Prejudice, Part II

On behalf of Reeba Monachan, thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this week's posts on prejudices, and sorry for the delay in getting Part II to you. Hopefully, we have all been reminded that the first step for change must come from within. Thank you, Reeba, for your hard work!

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Following up on last week’s Concern I happened to come across this article by a nationally syndicated Harvard grad, Ruben Navarrette Jr.

For more on hate crime statistics, see the sidebar or go to the FBI website here.

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Being a fairly religious person, for Part II of “Our Own Prejudice” I’ve decided to compile a few verses from many of the major religious texts affirming my belief that above all “God is love.”

34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:34-35


Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use it will be measured you.

Matthew 7:1-2


18 "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.'"

Leviticus 19:18

O humankind! We created you from a single [pair] of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other)…T.Q. Sura 49, The Inner Apartments, Ayaa 13.


When you judge, between people, judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which Allah giveth you! T.Q., Sura 4, The Women, Ayaa 58.

O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety… T.Q. Sura 5, The Table Spread, Ayaa 8.

"Tolerance is a virtue that is required no matter how one lives, yet its virtues are certainly greater when based on the bigger picture of life described in the sacred literature…The beginning of realizing and living in this bigger picture beyond the duality of sense perception is tolerance." - Bhagavad-Gita: Its Feeling and Philosophy, p. 46