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Cerberus_Raphael
writes:I am sure there are some who know what day the 16th of November is, and I am also sure that there are some who don't. The 16th of November was declared the 'International Day of Tolerance' and its purpose is to spread peace amongst all races and religions. Some may find it an impossible task whilst others live this day with great ease, with a jubilant smile upon their face. I read a lot of problems and do my best to answer, when lovers find that they are not accepted because one is of a different race or religion. I generally give them the same answer. In the end, it does not matter what others think, one's heart beats louder than any stranger's voice ever could. Why should a Christian deny a Muslim? Why should a Black person stay away from White people? On this day, I think all that have found themselves in this dilemma have an excuse to speak out against their attempted oppressors. Today is a day for tolerance and they have no right to criticize those who are different for just being different. This is the 21st Century. One decade into the 21st Century and the human race has changed far too little. There is still racism, wars continue to wage and hatred spurns within the most humbled hearts. Science has taught us that the entire Human race was birthed in Africa, we all stem from a single bloodline, even modern day religion cannot argue against that. We are, in essence, one dysfunctional family right now but we still have a chance to right what civil damnation we have cursed ourselves with. So bare no hatred today and try to expand on that. Carry this peace within your hearts until the next 16th of November and then start again.
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reader, Cerberus_Raphael +, writes (28 November 2010):
Cerberus_Raphael is verified as being by the original poster of the question Moon river- Religion has bred blind contempt for others for thousands of years but, there have always been the good and the wise who follow none but the purest. That brings into view, a small but ever so powerful glint of hope that followers can change. Change is natural and it is always happening, even religion is not immune to this. It has changed before and it will change again, hopefully, for the better.
I would never even suggest ridding the world of religion. People need to place faith in something strong. Belief itself has saved countless lives and will continue to do so through difficult times. People need to place faith so they will find that they are not, and shall never be, completely alone. Whether or not it is because God watches over them or because they have close friends who shall always be beside them, they need to keep that faith.
Joan of Arc for example led the French army to victory with confidence, based solely on the fact that she felt it was God's will and eventually, the people believed her and they believed in her. It turned the tide of The Hundred Years' War. The cities that had been raped and ravaged no longer feared the onslaught of the enemy troops.
I believe that is a miracle in and of itself. A reason to place faith in something or anything knowing that only good come from it.
Odds- That was a brilliant post but I believe that those you have seen who seem to abuse the whole purpose of spirituality or not spiritual at all, they are merely fools in the same way that I would be if I threw a steak on to the floor, stomped on it and called myself a vegetarian. It is illogical and it does not prove anything, nor should it. Spirituality does not command one to 'do whatever they feel like'. Spirituality is more of a personal journey of thoughts and morals rather than actions. So whoever tells you that they are drowning themselves in alcohol or drugs for the sake of spirituality is being nothing short of an idiot.
The difference between the Eastern and Western world is that (and I am going to try my best to avoid sounding racist or prejudiced in any way, forgive me if I do) the East has strict moral guidelines that most parents teach their children and whilst it usually results in the children being failed by their parents, the children usually grow up with a heightened sense of right and wrong, mostly because there is the constant threat of being abhorred and removed completely by your own family.
The west was based on freedom whilst the east has always had its monumentally unnecessary restrictions. Personally though, I do not think people are ready to have complete freedom yet, only because most tend to abuse it. Free will becomes something to be feared and that just is not right. That is where I think religion shines its flawed light upon us. It offers support for our own morals, it gives us something to believe in and follow out of a sense of righteousness or fear, it does not matter. There are a lot of people who would have made incredible mistakes were it not for the sanctity and miraculous blessings of religion.
Religion has its flaws, people are often to led to believe that it dictates our every action but when it begins to dictate and restrict our hearts, we should know that something is direly wrong. There are so many people who are afraid to love another because of religion both in Islam and in Christianity. Both have their amazing strengths that serve to grant the people some sort of peace. But both, as with any Human creation, has its tragic flaws.
I would not rid the world of religion, merely ask that each follower reviews it and decides for themselves what they think is right and what they think is wrong, not based on what they have been taught or what they fear, instead, based on what they know to be right. What incites happiness or peace? Racism stemmed from religion and no one bothered to ask why that was. They merely followed it. THAT is what I would wish to prevent. Which is why I especially liked your quote from Jesus and your summary of its meaning. Love thy neighbor. It does not command hatred at all. It commands freedom.
Cerberus_Raphael
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reader, Odds  +, writes (27 November 2010):
 "Spirituality" may have a meaning, but far too often I've seen it used as a way to claim some higher purpose to doing whatever someone feels like at the time. Yes, that happens to every philosophy or religion; my point is that holding "spirituality" over religion in that sense in hogwash.
Today, at least in the western world, religion in general (and Christianity in particular) have succumbed to the modern world's ethics, not just it's physical realities. I have not seen any churches actively condeming frivolous divorces. I have not seen any churches following through on their calls to restore religious morality to our elected officials, to resisting the incursion of Islam into our legal system and culture, or to holding men and women to high standards of morality. The closest they come on the last point is half-hearted attempts at "abstinence," with the get-out-of-jail-free card of being "Born Again."
Humankind is inherently tribal (and evil, but that's another point altogether). We will always, on an instinctual level, hate and fear the "other," even if we can choose to consciously accept their existence. Modern Christianity is so afraid of losing membership that most churches do not hold their members to a higher standard; without that standard, their is no real unity within the "tribe" of that faith. Everything becomes the "other." Notably, this is not a weakness of modern Islam.
Without getting into a novel-length explanation of my faith (particularly of the Gospel of Matthew towards the end, or the semi-obsolescene of the Old Testament as a result of the Christ's birth), which I consider private and which I do not wish to push on anyone, I'll focus on Jesus' teaching to love thy neighbor, or the moral of the good Samaritan. Short version - one can be part of a group, seperate from others, while acknowledging their fundamental humanity and right to exist.
The faillings of modern religion regarding tolerance lie in failing to produce a group identity, a community bound by a strict code. Human instinct leads to war, privation and death. Virtue is a gift from God to all mankind, giving us the strength to control our baser instincts to become creators of civilization rather than destroyers. Allowing virtue to become a talking point rather than a code of behavior is the source of nearly all modern-day problems, one which I believe would be best fixed by everyone taking faith more seriously - though I doubt that will happen.
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reader, anonymous, writes (27 November 2010): Yes i think it is true that religion was probably "invented" to unite people but its not that way now and is often a root cause of prejudice.
Would you not say it would be better to scrap religion? If that were possible? Rather than have communities that breed an elitist attitude within themselves?
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reader, Cerberus_Raphael +, writes (27 November 2010):
Cerberus_Raphael is verified as being by the original poster of the questionI think religion was essentially formed to unite people. Body and soul. It is not religion itself that divides but the oblivious followers who blindly follow other corrupted followers. Spirituality does not always come into conflict with religion. In fact, I find that a lot of the times, both religion and spirituality may feed off of each other and in the end, uncover a deeper meaning to one's own sense of being. I believe this is what led to the belief in God or a divine creator in the first place. People need to confide in something or someone, they need to believe that they are being watched over. It gives them hope and such things save lives. It gives others a reason to keep striving for benevolence and in the end, that serves one's spirit.
A belief in God may lead one to spread happiness wherever they go. They will smile and try their best not to offend anyone and in the end, discover something about themselves they had never known before and they might find that it is unbelievably exhilarating. God may never answer and sometimes, God does not need to.
A spiritual belief may lead someone to understand all aspects of everything around them and in the end, figure out what man's words truly meant or what God's words truly meant. Things are not always as they appear and a spiritual belief in things will better one's understanding as it was always meant to do. After all, that is what spirituality is all about.
People in general, religious or not, are divided. When they bring that into religion, what was once pure becomes tainted and poisoned. It is always best to follow the original words. Which is why I tend to follow the words I KNOW are from Jesus himself. I think you will find that it is always possible to find balance in everything, things that may seem entirely different are actually one and the same, just like all of humanity.
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reader, anonymous, writes (26 November 2010): do you not think religion divides? where as spirituality draws people together?
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reader, Cerberus_Raphael +, writes (26 November 2010):
Cerberus_Raphael is verified as being by the original poster of the questionA dear friend of mine is a devout Christian. In school he would pray bravely in public every lunch and break even in front of those who would persecute him for doing so. He always praised Jesus and God and he still is willing to express his love for divinity. Not many people mind it and those who do are often fended off by those of us who are his friend. He doees his best to be a good Christian and follows the Bible closely. He is always hesitant to even make harmless jokes, if he does, he is quick to apologize and ensure that no one was left offended.
He is tolerant of all others. Jesus himself taught all to be loving and peaceful to EVERYONE. He never persecuted anyone or dictated that people shun or take slaves from other countries. All religions were BASED on tolerance and yet somewhere along the passage of time, a handful of men who claimed a certain amount of prophetic wisdom, preached corrupted sermons to his fellow men and women, forcing them to be specific of whom we choose to give our love to. That is unnatural in spiritual, emotional and physical ways. We are free to be tolerant and we are free to love but ONLY if religions would accept none other than the words of the original. Christianity used to work amazingly before people corrupted it. Islam used to be the harbinger of peace before war struck and forced someone to induce bloodthirst and tyranny. Just to name a few.
Human instinct tries to guide us to peace. Why was religion based on providing the means to find peace anyway if not out of instinct? Why do we have a set of morals burned into our minds from birth? We know what is right and what is wrong, unfortunately, it only takes the devilish words of the defiled to sway the innocent heart.
Pope Alexander VI for example was a corrupt Pope. A title that used to mean something. Believe in those who promote peace and tolerance and no one else. I think you will find that in all religions, that is not so difficult.
Cerberus_Raphael
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reader, revelationmaster +, writes (23 November 2010):
It's fine to be tolerant. It's comprosing to give approval. If you tell someone that you approve of their religious beliefs, it means that you wouldn't mind practicing them. If you believe in your particular faith, how can you approve of someone else's. However, you should always be tolerant of people's feelings.
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reader, anonymous, writes (22 November 2010): Really good article. Peace is very importan unfortunately social boundaries hypnotise people into believing something is wrong and it seems there is very little anyone who doesn't take a strong stance can evoke from someone who is completely bigoted!!
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