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BUILDING COMMUNITY

BUILDING COMMUNITY. CHAPTER 5. Two Approaches to Community. Our social nature draws us together to form communities ; groups of people who relate to one another on the basis of common characteristics , circumstances, or interests. Two approaches to community :

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BUILDING COMMUNITY

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  1. BUILDING COMMUNITY CHAPTER 5

  2. Two Approaches to Community • Our social nature draws us together to form communities; • groups of people who relate to one another on the basis of common characteristics , circumstances, or interests. • Two approaches to community: • Exclusion—attempts to determine who does and does not belong to the community by focusing on the differences that separate people from one another. • Inclusion—recognizes that those differences are small compared to the dignity people share as images of God.

  3. What makes a Community? • Participation in a community is both a right and responsibility. • What does it mean to participate in community? • St.Paul’s key themes to community; • Although we all have different gifts, we are all loved equally by God • We need one another. • Solidarity is key.

  4. Human Rights: Minimum Requirements • 1986 pastoral letter Economic Justice for All, identified these human rights as essential to ensuring human dignity and participation in community: • Basic rights necessary for the protection of human dignity—rights to life, food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care. • Rights necessary to ensure basic human rights—earn a living, right to security in the event of sickness, unemployment, and old age. • Rights that enable participation in community—right to employment, healthy working conditions, wage and job benefits, freedom of speech, right to worship.

  5. The Anatomy of Exclusion • Even though justice demands participation for all, the opportunity to participate is often denied. • Stereotypes • Prejudice • Discrimination • Racism

  6. Stereotypes: A Harmful Assumption • Stereotype—when our view of a person or group is based on inaccurate or incomplete knowledge. • Examples: • Jewish—Cheap • Asian—Smart • Muslim—Terrorists • Irish—Drunks • Catholic school kids—rich, spoiled • Woman—inferior to men, no power

  7. Sources of Stereotypes • Stereotypes can be positive and negative. Either way, it is too broad. • Stereotypes develop from direct experience of others, but the conclusions of these stereotypes are the result if faulty logic. • Another source of stereotypes is the culture in which we grew up. • Many stereotypes are learned from the people around us

  8. Prejudice • When stereotypes are combined with fear or selfishness, they become prejudice—an attitude of hostility directed at whole groups of people. • Prejudice involves prejudgment, or judging something before knowing all the facts—or without considering the facts. • It blinds one to the dignity all people share.

  9. Discrimination • When people are motivated by prejudice use their power to deny individuals or groups the right to participate in community, discrimination results. • http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012304180129 • Discrimination can be based on any of the issues that make people different from one another—race, gender, age, class, religion, etc.

  10. Racism • A personal sin and social disorder rooted in the belief that one race is superior to another. • The history of white racism against blacks in the United States has been particularly influential in shaping thinking and discussion about racial issues.

  11. John Howard Griffin • Irish American who was educated in Europe. • Blinded during WWII. • Regained his eyesight 12 years later. • Embarked on a daring experiment to explore the relationship between blacks and whites in segregated South. • Wrote book, “Black Like Me,” recording his observations as a black man in the deep South. (Used drugs, dyes, and radiation to darken his skin). • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPP_n6cE_TA • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNnS9mOmm5I • Griffin became to realize that the root of racism was fear of the other—that is, fear of those we do not know.

  12. Discrimination on a Social Level • The wage gap • http://theweek.com/article/index/214181/the-gender-pay-gap-why-its-not-about-discrimination • http://careerthoughts.com/equality • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqCuMHcLiPQ • Educational inequalities • http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012304190044 • Housing segregation • http://www.lohud.com/article/20120424/COLUMNIST/304240057/Phil-Reisman-Kenneth-Chamberlain-shooting-brings-racial-tension-forefront?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

  13. The Wage Gap • Is the difference between the amount paid to different groups of people for their work. • Women, for instance, earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. • College educated blacks and Hispanics earn 75 cents and 68 cents, respectively, for every dollar white men earn.

  14. The Cycle of Exclusion • Includes: • Discriminatory actions • Prejudicial attitudes • Stereotyped images • Racial remarks • http://search.espn.go.com/capitals,-racial-remarks/videos/6

  15. Building Inclusive Communities • Who is my Neighbor? • The term neighbor means those who are near to us. • For Jesus, the term neighbor means His love of all people.

  16. Searching the Heart • To change exclusive communities into inclusive ones, we must redefine our notions about who belongs and who is excluded. • We need to experience personal conversion—a change of heart—on both the personal and social level

  17. Examining Our Own Hearts • Attitudes about difference and diversity. • When we are around people who are unlike us, how do we feel deep down? • Self-acceptance. • People who have a hard time accepting themselves often fail to accept others. • The roots of our fear and hatred. • Do we believe that their differences somehow hold a threat or challenge us? • Responding to prejudice. • How do we respond to prejudice that is directed against us? • Our basic approach to life. • Do we put most of our efforts into serving our own needs?

  18. 2. Examining the Heart of Society • Historical patterns • How have past inequalities affected the ability of people to participate in society today? • Patterns of power • Who holds power in society, and how does that affect the ability of all to participate? • Opportunity for all • Do all people have access to benefits of society? • Honesty • Do we honestly recognize patterns of exclusion and address them, or pretend they don’t exist?

  19. Working to Create Inclusive Communities • Simply getting to know “the other,” those whom we might have fears or misconceptions about. • Governments can enact legislation that promotes participation and justice (Ex: ADA) • Encouraging of nations to forgive, or write off, a portion of burdensome debts

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