| Religious belief and sacred lore or tradition has | | | | that as long as people felt they could live and believe |
| benefited the races and peoples of the world. Where | | | | in relative safety they thrived. And so did society. |
| people used religion as a way to persecute others | | | | When this practice ceased, so did Rome. |
| and be intolerant to others spiritual beliefs or lack of | | | | What Religion Isn't |
| belief there is conflict and war. | | | | Now, what part of seeking an union with and ultimate |
| Many conversations over war have often led back to | | | | reality has to do with murder, persecution, denial of |
| 'religion' as being the source of war. This is entirely | | | | life and liberty, etc. Religion properly understood has |
| incorrect and in fact a false claim. Yet religion is | | | | to do with seeking the divine and achieving a |
| getting a bad wrap as people in general really don't | | | | harmony with the divine. This is true if one reads |
| know what religion means or is. | | | | religious scholars such as Wilson, Bryant, Fumio |
| Religion has been used as a familiar and longstanding | | | | Sawanda and others. |
| pinion to hold high as something to rally behind. When | | | | Some of the practices of Mohamed as a statesman, |
| it is used for political gain, it has been abused. | | | | disastrously got into the practice of Islam. I personally |
| Religion or Politics? | | | | have a disagreement and repugnance of melding |
| The division of church and state has resulted in many | | | | church and state. Clearly I am not much of a lover of |
| countries rise to great power and prominence. | | | | chaos. Islam as a belief system that seeks peace |
| England, France, Italy, USA, Canada and countries in | | | | through harmony and not war is something that |
| Asia have benefited by not involving a church in the | | | | works for me. |
| laws or affairs of the state. Noted that predominant | | | | What About Atheists? Seeking Religious Tolerance |
| religious beliefs create a societal ethic of right and | | | | A bit of news recently in Canada reads: Humanists |
| wrong which laws are ultimately based on. But | | | | wish to place banners claiming the non-existence of |
| Churches do better when not conducting the affairs | | | | God on buses etc. I see the humanist doctrine has |
| of a country. | | | | already taken over or is in every university, high |
| Let's take a look at Israel and Palestine and consider | | | | school and grade school; even to the point one can't |
| how life could be in the middle east if religious | | | | freely learn about religious philosophy as a core |
| tolerance and ethnic tolerance were practiced. | | | | curriculum study in public school. If one were to |
| Different world, right? | | | | suggest to the humanists to change their slogan to |
| Religion isn't politics. Those who practice religion as | | | | 'love life, go to school and be a humanist', I think |
| population destruction or the destruction of beliefs by | | | | they would get their message across far better. |
| undermining or outright destruction of another's faith | | | | Whereas atheism is a nihilism of God, mostly, there |
| or lack there of, is practicing war for insane or | | | | are some things that atheist are for that wouldn't |
| destructive intent. | | | | undermine others spiritual beliefs. Finding these things |
| What's Religion? Religious Practice Is Tolerance | | | | would put atheists in far better stead than trying to |
| Religion, properly understood, is more of a philosophic | | | | kneecap the competition. |
| belief, practice and system or rites to unite people or | | | | Their is so much good in the best of us, by seeking |
| community in joint endeavors and find greater | | | | to forward what is right about ourselves without |
| meaning in life such as an 'ultimate reality'. This | | | | undermining others could move society forward |
| generally assumes a pluralistic belief embracing both | | | | toward a Golden Age of prosperity and freedom. |
| physical and spiritual. | | | | Greece did this in her high tide. Philosophy and |
| Where some beliefs have inextricably put their | | | | freedom of thought allowed for an advance in |
| practice into the activities of society and society has | | | | civilization. The critic should be made to present a |
| flourished, this is worthwhile. But, the greatest | | | | better way to do things, not just rant. |
| societies in the last 10,000 years or longer have had | | | | Spiritual people of faith can easily live together by |
| one common factor in all of them: religious tolerance. | | | | practicing that faith in a way that seeks to advance |
| Even Rome when it went about empire building, not | | | | their own serenity and love for all things. When |
| in the name of religion but in the name of politics and | | | | people react and dramatize their intolerance's no one |
| war, had a policy of permitting all acts of faith and | | | | benefits. |
| worship to be practiced within it's city. One might say | | | | Try to treat others as you yourself would like to be |
| they like or don't like idolatry, but one couldn't argue | | | | treated. |