Religious Intolerance

I was talking about this yesterday with a good friend and neither of us could understand this subject.  We started with how we both feel totally comfortable giving other people the right to believe what ever they want.  We each admitted that while it might not float our boat, if that's what works for them, okey dokey.  And just for the record, we're not talking Jhadist extremism.  Killing in the name of "your religion" doesn't qualify as a religion, in my book.  Anyway, what got both of us is that while we give others free reign to believe what they choose, seldom, if ever, do they extend the same courtesy and right, to us.

It's as if religious tolerance only flows one direction--theirs.  I've had people tell me I was "wrong" if I didn't believe every word in the Bible, that I was going straight to Hell if I didn't believe exactly what a certain religion required me to believe, and further, that it was their job to turn my wayward ass around--whether I asked for their assistance or not.  If I didn't believe exactly what they believed, somehow I was wrong.  On came the judgement, on came the criticism, on came the "you're wrong and I'm right" attitude, all in the name of religion.  Does any of that sound like a religion you'd want to have any part of??  Does any of that sound like something you've read in the Bible??  Where's the love, peace, and tolerance in that?  Now, while I have never studied comparative religion, I'm going to be hard pressed to believe that any religion preaches intolerance, except the one I referred to earlier that I don't call a religion anyway.  If there is one, that one's sure not for me.  Noooooo, thank ya.

To both my friend and I, the thing that was most hilarious is, the people who act this way see themselves as "carrying God's word", and are completely unable to see how their actions, do not match "the word" they are supposedly carrying.  To me, this is the kind of stuff My Creator laughs his tail off over and just tells me to love them anyway, and that I might want to keep my distance from them.  He has such a great sense of humor.  I really like Him.

And that's just how I see it.