Tolerance and Belief

Religious freedom has given birth to some interesting beliefs (outside of religious beliefs) as to how we should consider, think about, or believe about those who exercise their political freedom to believe what they want when that belief doesn’t coincide with our own.

Of course religious freedom means that we must tolerate each other’s beliefs: meaning that we don’t malign, hate, discriminate, or lash out verbally or physically against those who believe different than we do. And that includes those who believe in nothing at all.

 

Minerva as a symbol of enlightened wisdom prot... 

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This freedom we enjoy, however, has also created some interesting beliefs of its own that do spill over into an almost “religious belief.”  To begin with, and which seems to stand to reason due to the fact that each religion is so divergent from the other is the concept of “Exclusive Belief.” This idea, simply put, is that a person believes that the religion he accepts as “gospel,” is the only true religion sanctioned by God and designed to bring about God’s will for mankind.  There is nothing new about this particular belief.

But the open mindedness that our religious tolerance has led to a newer concept: “Plurasim.” This idea is taking tolerance a step further by excluding the idea that there is only one true religion. God, in essence didn’t have a particular plan for mankind, but had many. This means that all religions are true – at least for those who practice that particular religion. This isn’t quite the same as taking tolerance to acceptance, but it is bringing it really close.

The final idea which religious tolerance has led to is the idea that one’s religion is the only true religion, but that other religions have elements of truth to them. This is more an “Inclusive Belief,” where though the other religions don’t quite get what God had in mind, they have stumbled across some of the true faith and are therefore partially correct in their thinking.

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The Appeal of Islam

One way to encourage harmony among people of other faiths is to accept another person’s beliefs. Knowing the reasons why someone follows the Islamic religious movement helps to understand them better.  The process of accepting others involves knowing why others join a religion. The following are a few reasons that people are attracted to the Islam religion.

The statements below are not the only reasons to become a Muslim. Not all claims may apply to every Muslim due to people having their own individual motives. Remember to keep an open mind when considering other people’s opinions.

For many, the social unity is a factor in choosing to become a follower of Islam. They are part of a religion that believes in one God, Allah, and that his word was given to the prophet Muhammad. The words revealed to the prophet were used to construct the Quran, the religious text of the Islamic faith.

Identity and Unity

Many countries are in a constant state of influx, which elevates some groups and demotes others on the social hierarchy. The role of becoming a Muslim means achieving a higher identity status than that of your own country, village or clan. Members of the Islamic faith are a large grouping because followers are from different countries including Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

Set a Higher Standard

Another reason that Islam appeals to so many is that the religion provides standards that cover all aspects of life. The followers of Allah believe that his words revealed to Muhammad are the only true and not distorted word. They feel secure that principles are not altered to fit the shift into societal standards.

Islam’s religious text provides clear answers to questions regarding spirituality, home and other areas of life. Directions are given on food hygiene, the social contract of marriage and hygiene. Many appreciate the clear guidelines that Islamic faith endorses.

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The Appeal of Christianity

The key to understanding others is becoming aware of why they support one idea over another. Choosing a religion to follow is a decision that many consider a difficult one. Knowing why people choose Christianity can help believers of other faiths to respect and display tolerance.

Christianity is a religion that believes in one God and the teachings of his son, Jesus Christ. Christians accept as true that God, through his son, came to earth in human form to save all people. Their religious text is the Holy Bible.

A Group Mentality

One attraction to this religious following is the sense of belonging that is gained when, becoming part of large group. Christians make up a large number of the population that makes it easy to find people that think the same way. A majority of Christians share the same views on politics and values, especially the issues of abortion and same sex marriage.

Love and Justice

A second reasoning that attracts Christianity is attributes of God and how he fits in people’s lives. The foremost concept is unconditional love that is guaranteed to all by their Father (God). An added reassurance for Christians is that justice is provided through God. This helps those who feel that bad actions should be punished.

Attainable

The fact that Christianity is available to everyone is cited as a reason to follow this religious movement. Unlike education or wealth, it is reassuring that God’s work and promise is for everyone. Examples are found in the bible of instances when Jesus aligns himself with the rich and poor.

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Religious Entertainment

Every Christian church or school has a Christmas pageant.  The Christmas pageant can be anything from a choir singing beautiful  holiday hymns, to the retelling of the birth of Christ.  Different Christian religions tell the story their own way.  At any given time during the Christmas season you can hear the Christmas story, the story of the birth of Christ through the eyes of Mary, through the eyes of Joseph, his father.  There are even versions that tell the story from the point of view of the animals in the stable the night Jesus was born.  Everyone wants to tell the story of the birth of the Savior.  A Christmas pageant can be an adult cast, or the cast can be made completely from the children of the church.  On any given weekend you can get both versions in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Churches often have choirs singing the joyous news that the Savior has been born.  Beautiful voices in perfect harmony singing for joy, worshiping the newborn Son of Man. Children’s choirs logs many, many practice hours trying to perfect the harmonies that make the religious hymns so beautiful.

On a larger scale, religious movies and plays have done very well throughout the years.  Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, two award winning musicals, one comprised solely of the story of the life of Christ, the other highlighting different parts of the Christian Bible, stories set to song and dance.  More recently we have seen Mel Gibson’s The Passion Of The Christ surpass all expectation to become a huge money maker.  We do not all have to agree on one religion, but we will always have the fascination of the story that is told over and over, and never gets old.

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Religious Art

The Vatican in Rome, home base of the Catholic church, is the house to many priceless pieces of religious art.  The cloth that wiped the face of Jesus, The Shroud of Turin, artifacts that lay claim to have actually touched Jesus, The Savior.  These articles can only be described as priceless pieces of religious art.  They are heavily guarded and do not even have estimates on their value, they are unable to be valued they are so priceless.

Then there are the religious art websites.  There are many artists out there making a good living recreating the priceless religious art of the Vatican and other museums that house priceless religious art.  There are entire books of saints, and there are legions of artists trying to capture their images.  There are so many interpretations of images of Christ, his disciples, the saints, the martyrs.  There are almost as many different crucifixes.  There are many Christian religions whose followers all hang crucifixes somewhere in their homes.  Everyone can choose the crucifix that best represents their family.

Religious art can be very collectible.  There are collectors who are searching all the time for the religious art that will get the big bucks.  While extremely collectible, religious art for the most part is a personal choice, you will find that one picture, painting, sculpture, crucifix that for you will represent your religious beliefs.  Maybe it is something that reminds you of the crucifix that hung in your grandmother’s house or the painting of Christ that your aunt always spoke to, even prayed to when she needed it.  Religious art is as valuable as what it means to the individual.  While there is priceless art in the Vatican, there is irreplaceable art, handed down through the generations is most any Christian home in the country.   Our religious art is a direct representation of the icons to which we pray, to which we worship, and represent our feelings towards the way we see our own faith.

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Tolerance Is Important

While the Constitution makes freedom of religion one of those inalienable rights of every person, it is not always accepted.  Religious persecution is as old as religion itself.  There are people who have died for their religious beliefs, and it should not be this way.  Why can’t everyone worship the way they choose? Why are there people out there who believe it is okay to tell someone they can only worship one way.  We do not have a God that even constrains us this way.  He has given us the freedom of choice, and as dangerous as that can sometimes be, we are free to worship any way we choose.  We are free to worship on our own time, in our own way, in whatever venue we like, whatever building we like, with whomever we choose to share that worship with.

If you believe that you should be able to choose your own religion, then it only stands to reason that you should believe that everyone else has that same right as well.  Allowing someone to exercise their own right is not a statement against the way you worship.  If anything it is just the opposite.  If you are strong enough in your own faith, how someone else chooses to express their faith is neither a threat to your faith, nor is it a judgment that your faith is the wrong one.  God is God, He is Perfect Love.  You may choose to worship in a temple, a church, a hut.  You may choose to go to services, Mass or a gathering with people who share your same religious beliefs.  You can discuss the finer points of your faith, you can sing, you can pray, you can do whatever it is your religious sect uses as their rituals.  The most amazing thing about all of these forms of worship is that Jesus told us in his own words, “Where there are two or more gathered in my name, there am I.  There is love.”  What could possibly be wrong with that?

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Tolerance and Religion

Just as all things evolve over time, so has religion and religious beliefs.  The dividing lines have become gray, no more black and white.  There are almost as many religions as there are groups of people.  Anyone with $20 and a computer can become a minister and start their own church.  Of course, along with that, comes the growing problem of religions made up for personal gain.  Never before have we lived in such a world that literally allows us to worship in any way we choose.  We just have to be careful how we choose.

Maybe you were raised in traditional Judaism, believing in God, waiting for the Savior.  Perhaps you were raised strict Catholic, following the Gospels and believing that Jesus is our Savior.   There was a time when people of these two religions could not see eye to eye.  It was unheard of for a Jewish person to marry a Catholic or any other Christian for that matter, and most Christian religions stayed to themselves as well.

It is written in our Constitution that we have Freedom of Religion.  We have a right to worship any way we want.  Nobody gets to tell us how, of even if, we have to worship.  As this freedom grows in our country, with the springing up of many, many different religions, tolerance has become an important part of our religious worship culture.  We do not have to agree with the way other people worship God, but part of what the Bible preaches, is that we have to accept that they have the right to do so.  No one has the right to tell you not to pray, anymore than they have the right to make you pray.  You can choose to baptize your children into your faith, or you can choose not to.  These are our rights, God given rights, supported by the Constitution of the United States.  We just need to remember that everyone else has that right as well, and we should not judge them.

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Tolerance of Religion

Young Buddhist monks in Tibet.

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When you are tolerant of other religions this does not mean that we are saying the we believe the same thing that the other religious followers might believe. Instead it is a matter of just respecting the person’ right to the beliefs. Without this tolerance of other religions, we have seen the examples in the past of what this can lead to. Even today we are still seeing holy wars and battles being fought due in the name of religion or because someone other group might believe something different.

Even more so should the people who have religious beliefs be one of the first set of people to show tolerance or be the guardians of religious tolerance to others. In the past throughout history, the society has shown that when people believe that religious tolerance means that you agree with the other religion and their beliefs, this can lead to people rejecting the idea or notion of tolerance. This does not have to be the case.

Tolerance of religion in someone else is not saying that your beliefs are wrong and the other person’s beliefs are right. However, tolerance does allow you and the other person to have those religious beliefs. Even if you were to look at the beliefs of other religions and think, “This is so contradictory to mine.”

Another scenario is that you might hear a religious belief or dogma and think how can anyone possibly believe this. Just remember there might be someone thinking the same of your own religious beliefs. However, neither of these are tolerant situations. Instead you should see this as an opportunity to show the world and those that are not religious that tolerance of religion does exist and it is not something that can be overlooked or swept under the carpet.

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Meditation

The term “meditation” is used in different ways to refer to certain exercises that can be completed to help with your emotional, spiritual, and physical management. These are exercises that cause a very pleasant mental state of deep awareness, and also generate a powerful spiritual state. There are various techniques and ways in which be are encouraged to undergo meditation and reflection. However, ultimately the purpose of meditation is to create a more aware spiritual state. This can create new possibilities for a person who practices it.

Some people have declared that they have more confident people, who are sensitive and open to understanding. They are able to reflect on their existence in the world and why they have been created. It is an extraordinary tool for personal growth and deep psychological fulfillment. Meditation has been practiced for years as it provides tremendous benefits. and every time they checked, the advantages of practice. The ability to meditate on His truth bring benefits both spiritual, emotional and physical well-being.

Physical benefits of practicing meditation are quite numerous. They include physical relaxation and the relief of discomfort caused by muscle tension. Some people have stated that it has helped them with the gastrointestinal problems related to stress. The person is able to learn how to breathe slowly and deeply. This can lead to better circulation of the blood throughout the body. From this point, the original meditation results in more oxygen going to the tissues and organs.

Some of the spiritual benefits of meditation can include the ability to focus more on God. It is also a great way to overcome the flesh and focus on the commandments that were given. Spiritually meditation can help people understand the current circumstances that might be plaguing them. Therefore, you can develop a deeper sense of love and happiness.

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The Body-Spirit Conflict

We can become more spiritual by understanding how important it is for our body to have inner peace. Someone who needs to bring their life into focus will understand that one of the best ways to do so will to look for the peace that comes from the Creator. Instead we are always looking for ways to throw ourselves into turmoil. The body and spirit are constantly fighting against each other for each to get its own way.

The body will do whatever it takes to be the victor. Instead we must suppress the inner turmoil we feel and find a way to reach the peace that we need. All we have to do these days is open up a newspaper or turn on the television to see the conflict that is currently happening in the world. A new war or conflict seems to happen everyday. There is nothing that is good about a war or conflict. Even though it might unite the people within the country, it stills leads to death and destruction. The same can be said of the conflict between our body and spirit.

Even though our own immediate world might have conflict, this does not mean that we should let this conflict creep into our spiritual world. The destruction that is felt when the body would like to overtake the spirit can only lead to destruction. It can result in us having both mental and physical health problems. Therefore, it will be necessary to daily strive for inner peace. As hard as this might sound, it is indeed achievable.

Our human body can sometimes be like a spoiled child wanting its own way. Instead we should lift the spiritual aspect within us to try to overcome the spoiled child within that does not want to follow the commandments and just wants his or her own way. Only by doing so can we truly find inner peace.

Filed Under: Spiritual