Religious tolerance
(Also posted on Dreamwidth, but it's access list only there.)
"I hate people who are intolerant!" Oh, wait...
Actually, I don't think 'tolerance' goes far enough. It's a good start, saying basically "I'll allow you to believe what you like if you'll allow me the same" (and it's a lot better than some people manage), but for me the diversity is a positive thing. I like knowing people who are different from me in their beliefs, I actively enjoy diversity. Similarly, I'm upset when some people try to take that away and persecute others because they believe different things.
I admit that I'm not a fan of 'organised' religion. I don't believe that it is intrinsically bad, but like any large organisation it can get contolled by people who want power, and by fanatics, and again like any organisation it can often 'defend' itself by attacking those not in it and by trying to force others to 'join' or to believe the same way.
I welcome and encourage discussion of religion. If someone wants to tell me about their beliefs I'll happily sit for hours talking about them, I think a greater understanding of what they believe helps any relationship. I've found a lot more similarities in the basics than differences, the details may be different but a lot of the core values are the same, and knowing the differences helps with avoiding conflicts (if I know that a person doesn't eat certain things then I won't offend them by offering them). I'm a lot less keen if they try to 'convert' me, though, or tell me I'm 'damned' because I don't believe the way I do. Tolerance and respect run both ways.
How about we all just try to get along? What does it matter if I believe in Odin and he believes in Allah and she doesn't believe in any deity? It's what people do with their beliefs that matters -- if they start throwing insults (or bombs) I'll get annoyed, if they disagree politely then I won't.
(Thanks to
catsittingstill for suggesting that a lot of us post on this subject today.)
"I hate people who are intolerant!" Oh, wait...
Actually, I don't think 'tolerance' goes far enough. It's a good start, saying basically "I'll allow you to believe what you like if you'll allow me the same" (and it's a lot better than some people manage), but for me the diversity is a positive thing. I like knowing people who are different from me in their beliefs, I actively enjoy diversity. Similarly, I'm upset when some people try to take that away and persecute others because they believe different things.
I admit that I'm not a fan of 'organised' religion. I don't believe that it is intrinsically bad, but like any large organisation it can get contolled by people who want power, and by fanatics, and again like any organisation it can often 'defend' itself by attacking those not in it and by trying to force others to 'join' or to believe the same way.
I welcome and encourage discussion of religion. If someone wants to tell me about their beliefs I'll happily sit for hours talking about them, I think a greater understanding of what they believe helps any relationship. I've found a lot more similarities in the basics than differences, the details may be different but a lot of the core values are the same, and knowing the differences helps with avoiding conflicts (if I know that a person doesn't eat certain things then I won't offend them by offering them). I'm a lot less keen if they try to 'convert' me, though, or tell me I'm 'damned' because I don't believe the way I do. Tolerance and respect run both ways.
How about we all just try to get along? What does it matter if I believe in Odin and he believes in Allah and she doesn't believe in any deity? It's what people do with their beliefs that matters -- if they start throwing insults (or bombs) I'll get annoyed, if they disagree politely then I won't.
(Thanks to
catsittingstill for suggesting that a lot of us post on this subject today.)