Religious Tolerance

The Passing Of Pope Francis A Loss For The World!

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The passing of Pope Francis this morning at age 88 is a loss for the world, not just for Catholics or Christians, but for all mankind.

He was a promoter of compassion, empathy, decency, and unity for all people, including people of all religions, of no religion, the poor and marginalized, the people who were outside the mainstream, whether in their economic circumstances or their sexual orientations.

He was a visionary on climate change, and the plight of refugees escaping persecution, violence, and hoping for a better life.

He also called for peace and reconciliation regarding the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Gaza War.

Pope Francis humanized the Catholic Church, and it is hoped, but not guaranteed, that his successor will continue to promote the progressive trend that he advocated and promoted in his 12 years as Pope.

Religious Tolerance Or Unending War: The Reality Of Modern Times

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The horrible events in both Libya and Egypt, provoked by a internet video ridiculing and besmirching the prophet Mohammed, are a sign of what the future is, if religious tolerance is not promoted, and it can bring unending war and internal turmoil in nations around the world, including the United States.

While nothing can be done in America, because of the right to freedom of speech, to stop such internet videos, or such crazy people as Pastor Terry Jones in Gainesville, Florida, who encouraged the production and dissemination of this video, and already has been controversial for burning copies of the Koran in 2010, our nation’s leaders must promote the concept that we all have to live in a multi religious world, do not have to agree with other religions and their beliefs, but must do everything we can as a government and as individuals, to promote religious tolerance, so as to avoid provocations that lead to bloodshed, violence, and death.

Those who hate one religion or another must understand that religion is, to a great extent, emotionally based, and there is no way that anyone is going to make any religious belief disappear from the public domain, so the answer is to accept, to work to understand, and learn to co-exist, or else our world will face violence and war that will make the Cold War period between the US and the Soviet Union look like minor events!

Shocking Murder Of US Ambassador To Libya Due To Reckless Anti Muslim Video Produced By Israeli Extremist Who Should Have Used Better Judgment!

Ronald 6 Comments

The tragedy of the death of the US Ambassador to Libya, in a harsh reaction by extremist Muslims in that nation to an extremist, hateful video produced by an Israeli extremist who should have used better judgment, is a warning of the need for religious tolerance if we are to avoid massive bloodshed worldwide.

Promotion of anti Islamic ridicule and hatred is self defeating, as the Islamic world is not going to disappear, and their sensitivities cannot be ignored, unless we wish to send our young men and women in harm’s way endlessly, bleeding our youth and bankrupting our nation, already in tremendous debt due to two failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For a person of Jewish heritage, who certainly knows what anti Semitism has meant to the Jewish people historically, to be so reckless as to incite the Islamic world when Israel must live in that neighborhood for the rest of time, requires the condemnation of the civilized world!

There are those who say the Jewish people are a false religion and people, and here we have an Israeli who says the same thing about Muslims, but with what purpose except to cause trouble and loss of life?

Freedom of religion does not mean we have to attack the beliefs of others in such a hateful way. We may not agree with what others believe, but no religious group should be subject to disrespect.

And for Mitt Romney to politicize this tragedy only shows further than before that he is ill equipped and ill qualified to be President of the United States, unless we are prepared to have unending war, lack of tact and diplomacy, and keep on undermining the strength and stability of our nation!

Louis J. Marinelli: The Ability To Grow And Change And Stop Hating: A Tribute To A Courageous Young Man!

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Louis J. Marinelli spent five years actively working against gay rights and gay marriage, spending his time promoting hate and division.

A conservative Republican, this young man joined the National Organization For Marriage, and spent time holding rallies and organizing support against civil marriage for gays and lesbians.

And then he actually met gay and lesbians who just wanted the same right as straight people, and realized that he had behaved in a reprehensible way that greatly embarrassed him, as he now felt guilt at his promotion of prejudice and narrow mindedness. He possessed the courage to speak out publicly and create a Facebook page to that effect, and the response has been very positive!

Louis should be saluted, and we can only wish that all religious groups–whether evangelical Christians, Protestant main line groups, Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Muslims–would see it in their hearts to preach the concept of love in religion, rather than the concept of hate, war, prejudice, that all of them in varying amounts have been guilty of in the past or the present!

A big step forward would be for all religions and all decent human beings to condemn the Westboro Baptist Church of the Reverend Fred Phelps of Topeka, Kansas, and the small Gainesville, Florida church called Dove Church headed by the Pator Terry Jones, both involved in promotion of hate of gays as well as Muslims!

It is time for all who call themselves “religious” to promote the teachings of their faith with an open mind and generous heart!