RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

It is a shame really that some bad eggs in the religious circle have continued to bring shame to religion and God.
I am a Christian, a thinking Christian who studies the Bible. I believe in God and I believe he is love.

At this stage of self-awareness in my life, my spirituality is more important to me than religion. Religion to me is the way I worship God. I worship him through singing, praying, studying the Bible and other practices accustomed to Christianity.

 

Spirituality to me means trying to connect to God on a one on one basis. This picture just summarises my thoughts on Religion and Spirituality.

 

 

 

Having said that, if I was asked to make a wish for the world and its inhabitants, it will be for us as inhabitants of the world to tolerate one another regardless of race, gender or religious differences.

Abide by the principle of 'Do unto others as you will like them to do to you'. This principle, according to notable religious scholars is found in almost all the major religions of the world and this suggests that almost all religions preach and advocate tolerance.

 

I believe there are several ways to connect to God. There are several paths to connecting to God and religion is a path to God. In a world of over 7 billion people, we can't all go through the same path to our destination. Our destination here is God. I do not believe one path is better than the other as they can all lead us to God. The focus should be on our destination not our paths.

 

We are bound to have different views, practice different religions, have different belief systems. We can thrive in our differences by tolerating and respecting one another.

 

There have been some religiously- motivated attacks in the past few months. The attackers claim they are fighting or defending their god. Whatever god you worship and hold in reverence does not need you, a mere human being, to fight or defend him/her.

 

I describe the God I serve as love, the creator of the universe and everything in it. The heaven is his throne, the earth is his footstool. He has the power to do and undo. So again, why will I fight for such God?  He is more than capable of fighting for himself. Exodus 14 vs 14 says it all - "The lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest". So when my God has assured me of fighting my battles and he is this great and magnificent being, pray, tell me why will I be up in arms claiming to fight his own battles? A reciprocative gesture?

 

Excerpts from one of Chinua Achebe's Books titled 'Things fall Apart' suggests that worshippers of gods that are described as lesser gods leave their gods to fight for them and it self..."It is not our custom to fight for our gods" said one of them "Let us presume to do so now. If a man kills the sacred python in the secrecy of his hut, the matter lies between the god and his victim, we may receive blows intended for the offender. When a man blasphemes, what do we do? Do we go and stop his mouth? No. We put our fingers into our ears to stop us hearing, that is a wise action.

 

You claim to serve a greater god, yet you go about killing people in defence of this your god and your beliefs. How contradictory are you now? Or you celebrate the killings and maiming's of other people because they do not conform to your religious practices or beliefs.

 

In the book of John chapter 8 verses 3 - 11, the disciples told the story of how Jesus saved an adulterous woman, by telling the men who wanted to stone her to do so, but be sure they are of no sin. Of course no one did and the men all walked away. Jesus told her to and go and sin no more.

This part of the bible suggests that Jesus who is our Lord and Saviour did not practice intolerance. We as Christians are meant to be Christ like in all our actions.

The Muslim religion is described as a religion of peace and that Muslims who carry out these hate attacks are said to be misinformed or widely ignorant.

 

If that is the case, Religious leaders of all religions must put into cognisance that the population of the world increases by the second and people are bound to have different beliefs or none at all. They must teach their brethren tolerance and remind them of the principle of 'doing unto others as you would like others to do to you'.