I thought about one of my College mates who converted to Christianity, after we graduated. She was a typical Hindu when we were together. She was sending me pictures of Jesus, Mary, all kinds of Saints and also prayers with respect to special days of Christian Calendar.
Then she wrote to me.
“ No, I am not converted, I am still a “Pakka” Hindu, but I like Christian songs, stories, prayers etc., that’s why I used to send you, “Forwards” of Christian songs & prayers. “
I wrote:
I don’t think, I will feel more affection to you, if you had converted to Christianity.
I respect all religions. But I believe, I am a Christian only because I was born in a Christian family. I like the stories in Hindu Mythology very much. I think they are richer than the Greek Mythology.
I am just writing it down, to let you know my outlook of religions.
Still I am/was prejudiced about my children marrying somebody who is not a Christian. But now I have changed a lot.
When my second son told me that he wants to marry a Pakistani Muslim girl, I said, “please don’t “.
He asked me, “why? All your close friends are Muslims, then why shouldn’t I get married to a Muslim girl?”
I tried to figure out why did I say so?
Then I said, “ I don’t mind you marrying a Muslim girl. But if you marry a Pakistani girl, you can never go to her country with her or she can never come with you to India”.
“So what? I don’t want to go to Pakistan or India. She too!”
He said.
I told him, “That’s not an easy decision to take like that. You never know what’s there in future!
Also only culture, I know is Christian. So it would be easier for me to deal with my new daughter, if she is of the same culture. But you can decide what do you want. I told you, my side of the story.”
So after few weeks, he decided not to marry that girl.
See, all of us are kind of prejudiced!!!
It is because that’s the way we are brought up or that’s what we experienced in a multi religion environment and we acquired that outlook, whether we liked it or not!
WE ARE ALL PREJUDICED!!
Indeed, we all have prejudice or biases in life.
The capacity to understand other people’s perspective and the ability to change is also within all of us.