Comments on: Tolerate my religion and I’ll tolerate yours

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:31:19 +0000

I’m for tolerance and discussion.

By: Georganna Hancock

Georganna Hancock — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 19:35:36 +0000

The worst that can happen is for people like you and me to sit by on our hands, muzzled, and not to risk speaking out. ‘”Just” say no’ is simplistic and unrealistic. Be brave and say NO! No, you will not run our country and make laws based on your particular religious beliefs. Yes, it is dangerous to speak out against intolerance and abuse, and it is dangerous to your spirit to stay silent.

By: blogdog

blogdog — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 14:16:27 +0000

This is just my somewhat-humble opinion, but I’ve always felt that organized religion is to spirituality what the Ku Klux Klan is to a high school pep rally. Beware fanatics of all kinds.

By: Tonya

Tonya — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 07:06:11 +0000

I have been completely turned off from organized religion for many reasons — and the main one being that intolerance tends to be tantamount to BEING religious. I do think that the vocal fundamentalists push that doctrine. But, I also think of people I know who are not particularly fundamentalist — just supposedly “Christian”, and their views are similarly narrow-minded. My cousin, who is truly a fresh breath of air and in many ways sets a warm example of living a Christian life, was dumbfounded when I once mentioned in conversation that that there was proof that homosexuality was inborn, not a choice. Even presented with evidence and studies clearly documented (and superbly explained on PBS in a documentary called “Brain Sex”), she refused to believe it. Refused to go there. Ca-chink. Case closed. (Probably believed it was the “work of liberals” — a word that they tend to equate with “the devil”).

I agree with Sarah, that murder and abuse should never be tolerated. But in the name of religion (including present-day Catholic priests), these vile acts occur regularly, and always have.

I loathe the hipocrisy of organized religion. Standing on the beach, watching the seagulls and the waves and the glittering sun, smelling that fresh briny air — feeling total spirituality from Earth’s awesome beauty granted to us — that’s where my soul is lifted, and there’s certainly no intolerance or politics present.

And even if I don’t 100% believe that Jesus is my savior, I still resent being told by people that if I don’t believe that, I won’t be going to heaven. I don’t think it’s up to them! I tend to think that silly seagull has more to say about it!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 01:05:32 +0000

Here's an update on the Afghan man who converted: Afghan convert 'arrives in Italy'. He's been granted asylum and has arrived in Italy. I also found some interesting opinion pieces at Belifenet, a couple by Muslim authors, who appear to have a more flexible view than the Afghan government on apostasy. The Legal Tradition of Islamic Apostasy by Ibrahim Abusharif (reprinted from Alt.muslim). Converts from Islam: Let God Be the Judge by Hesham A. Hassaballa, a midwestern Muslim. Conversion Prosecutions Rare to Muslims by Jasper Mortimer, Associated Press Writer (I found the headline misleading). Middle East Democracies Must Protect Religious Freedom by Charles Colson (reprinted from Breakpoint). Good starter reading for those of us interested in learning more about this issue than we can get from TV and radio news.

By: violetismycolor

violetismycolor — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 06:08:22 +0000

I come from a family of Catholic fundamentalists. They didn’t take the extreme right-hand turn till I got into college and so, I wasn’t raised in such a strict, constructionist household as they became. But they are almost the ONLY fundamentalist churchgoers that I know. Not that I don’t know other churchgoers. I belong to a very moderate Presbyterian church and have friends of many faiths (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim) and none of them exhibit the intolerance that you talk about.

But the fundamentalist sects are the ones that shout so loud that they are all that the world hears. Why is that? I think people who are angry and/or frightened are the ones that act out and strike out. People like me don’t shout at other people about our faith; we just quietly go about trying to live our beliefs…hoping that we will be an example that others will want to follow rather than insisting that others agree with us and be clones of who we are.

I am actually more of a spiritual person than a religious one. There are many things that the Presbyterians believe that I don’t and I find the structure of religion with all of it’s manmade rules and folderall as really outside my frame of reference. So, I am not actually defending religion, per se, but just remarking on how many truly fine and tolerant religious people I know.

By: Eric Mayer

Eric Mayer — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 05:44:33 +0000

Sadly, the loudest religious voices we seem to hear these days, from the fundamentalists, both here and abroad, seem to me filled with hatred. I have no knowledge of Islam at all, but last year I reread the gospels (I’m not a churchgoer) and so far as I could see Christ spoke about love and treating each other decently and helping the poor. Maybe I had a bad translation and all these fundamentalist, racist, gay baiting, anti-welfare, pro Corporate greed and war folks are reading the original Aramic or something. They couldn’t have found their ideas in what I read.

By: susan

susan — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:35:35 +0000

Barbara, I think you’re hearing louder voices from extremists rather than religious factions changing as a whole. But you’re right about the political finger pointing and labeling of the to major parties in U.S. politics slowly being more obvious in their religious implications. And the one thing you’re the most right about is that tolerance, which is the basis for this whole country being entered and populated, should be the goal and right above all.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 00:50:11 +0000

I’m naturally a very tolerant person, but I also have strong beliefs about protection of children, fairness, protection of the weak, etc.

I think we need to set standards (thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not molest children are the only two that I consider non-negotiable) and then say,

“We will tolerate all religions and give them their due space and respect UNLESS they violate the ban on murders and child molestation.” If they promote murder and/or child abuse, they will NOT be tolerated.

Toleration without intelligent humane moderation allows–nay, encourages–these vile acts of suicide bombing and child mutilation in the name of religion.