I've often asked myself why people insist on trying to convince other individuals that their religious views are the right ones. For starters, I would think that anyone who is that certain about holding the ultimate truth would know better than to try to shove it down someone else's throat. Because part of knowing the truth is grasping the understanding that not everyone is ready to accept it. So, the question remains-by repeating the same old broken record, are they trying to convince themselves?
Have you ever wondered why you hold on to your beliefs? Was it something you learned from your parents? Was it something you found during a long journey in search for answers? Chances are it's a little bit of both. But many people find their religious path once they reach a fork on the road, or worst-a dead end. Religion often offers a pillar of faith and a support system to hold on to that faith for good.
From Mormonism to Catholicism, people have found answers to their prayers. And if it has worked for the individual, who are we to judge if their path is righteous or not?
Every belief-system seems to preach tolerance, love for other human beings, humility, and patience. Yet, believers (and non-believers) keep butting heads trying to prove the other one wrong. A man who claims to hold true knowledge of God is not only arrogant but intolerant towards others. He's also forgetting that God did not write any sacred books himself. Although inspired by God, these manuscripts were written by men, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that human beings are incapable of witnessing without judging-this is especially true for men that lived in a place and time filled with violence and injustices. It makes me question much of God's message was affected by human interpretation. And by having such blind faith on what these men prophesized, are we taking the spotlight off the true Creator?
There are gray areas and fine lines when interpreting these sacred books. But I think God would want us to emphasize on the message we all agree on, and try to build a better world from that perspective.
Whether Mary was a virgin, or Jesus was married is beside the point. The message is one of love for one another, respect for creation, tolerance, and kindness. And if the Christians are correct, and there is a second coming of Christ, I don't think we'll be judged based on whether we knelt in front of an image, baptized at birth or in the ocean as grown men and women. I don't think it would really matter to him how many times you've confessed your sins to a priest or how frequently you attended church. If anything, he might ask whether you showed compassion to a homeless person, lent your ear to an alcoholic without judging him, and honored those whose intellectual level do not match yours. And he will want to know how tolerant you've been throughout your life, because it was that lack of tolerance that led to his crucifixion.
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