Racism
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The author and psychiatrist, Alfred Adler generally defined the
superiority complex as a compulsive drive to overcome anxiety and
feelings of inferiority by exalting one’s self (or group)
above humankind and who depreciates everyone else and puts them
in the shade (Adler, A., 1979; p. 117).
Satan also suffers from delusions of grandeur. Delusions
of grandeur are defined as false beliefs resting upon self-aggrandizement,
boastfulness, pride, and self-assertiveness; extravagant and impossible
claims are made and plans are drawn (Cameron and Rychlak, 1985).
Many humans fall prey to this ploy of Satan—racism accompanied
with the superiority complex and delusions of grandeur. Psychological
and social seeds of racism have been firmly planted in all societies,
past and present. In any community, there are individuals who have
a compulsive drive to feel innately superior to other individuals.
This compulsive drive is a means of:
1) compensating for their real or imagined limitations,
2) feeling better about themselves, and
3) coping with anxiety.
Ignorance is not the cause of racism. Arrogance is.
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Like the First Racist, all racists want
to position themselves as “Superiors.” Racism is usually
spawned from: 1) distorting the significance of natural differences
in characteristics such as skin complexion, physical features, culture,
language, and place of geographic origin, or 2) accepting bogus
false “differences” concocted by individuals and groups
who distort facts to promote racist ideas.
Some individuals are “reactive
racists.” Having been victims of racism, reactive
racists embrace racist ideas as a defense to repudiate racist beliefs
directed against them. They justify their racist beliefs by saying
that they are only “balancing the scales,” and claim
to be “revealing true facts.” (Some of their “facts”
are really shared fantasies). Reactive racists may also turn against
another group(s) they deem as inferior to them. In the dawn of the
new millennium, there are societies and communities where the social
and cultural stratification of individuals based on long-held racist
ideas is even integrated into religious practices and beliefs.
An intelligent person realizes that racism is more than a biased
attitude or prejudice towards others. Racism should be duly classified
as a mental disorder by mental health professional organizations,
national and international. Racism is also a spiritual illness
first manifested by humanity’s ardent enemy, Satan.
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Racism is wholly incompatible with submission
to God alone (Islam). A person who submits to God alone does not
have a need to embrace racist ideas and beliefs to feel better about
him or her self. A Submitter (Muslim) recognizes that God alone
is the Superior One over His creation with no equal or ‘competitor.’
In contrast, a racist gives him or her self over to the First Racist.
True Submitters are protected by God from Satan and his tool of
racism.
You have no power over My servants. You only have
power over the strayers who follow you. (15:42)
O people, we created you from the same male and
female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may
recognize one another. The best
among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous.
GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant. (49:13)
Dr. E. Douglass Brown
References
Adler, A. (1979). Superiority and social interest. Toronto,
Canada: W.W. Norton & Company.
Abate, F. (Ed.). (1998). The Oxford American Desk Dictionary.
New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Cameron, N. and Rychlak, J.F. (1985) Personality Development
and Psychopathology. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
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