Hello again, those of you who still read these few blogs I actually post. I do hope that today finds you well in whatever endeavors you set forth to do.
I have been up all night, bored, and flitting about the internet just to expand my personal knowledge of life and the world. I am sad to say that I ended up finding a random post by Westboro Baptist Church (I'm not exactly sure how that happened, really) and it got me to thinking. For those of you who are not familiar with WBC, they are a congregation who thinks it best to fill the world with their message of hate. They set up protests at the funerals of soldiers killed overseas waving signs that say "Pray for more dead soldiers," "Thank god for 9/11," and "Thank god for IED's." They are also anti-American, often making displays like burning the Flag or changing the words to popular songs to suit their agenda of hate. "God Hates America" (God Bless America) and "God Will Always Hate You" (I Will Always Love You) are among their favorites. They even went so far as to make their website address GodHatesFags.com. I have honestly never felt so dirty after looking at anything as I did after I checked their site for myself to see just how bad it really is. I was horrified. To know that there are people on this planet with so much hate in their heart that they'll go to such lengths to throw it in other people's faces astounds me. Actually...it makes me sick to my stomach.
After I saw that, I kept looking around the net at instances of religious intolerance. It all got me to thinking about how petty it is to harbor violent feelings for someone else based simply on what they choose to believe. Actually, I find it pretentious and preposterous. That being said, I decided to take the time today to share my stance on an individual's beliefs:
I believe that everyone has their own path to follow. I do not follow the path that I am on because it's "popular" or because it makes me a "rebel." I am on it because after EXTENSIVE research and "experimentation," it was where I felt more at home. For some people, Christianity may be that path. For others it might be Shintoism or Daoism. All I have ever asked of people is that they respect my faith as much as I respect theirs. I have friends who follow religions varying from Mormonism, to Christianity, to Buddhism, even a few who are Atheist. The one thing that we all have in common is that we are all respectful of what the others follow. That's not to say that there are not moments where we have some nice heated debates, but they are waged respectfully and intellectually, and they always end in much the same manner...With us agreeing to disagree and changing the subject. The object of another's faith does not have to turn into a warzone simply because you don't believe the same way that they do. My mother is a great example of this. I was raised Methodist, so when I came out of the Spiritual closet to my family, she took it the hardest. For a while things were rough, but it's better now. Now whenever she feels that there's a presence in her house, she'll get me to come do a cleansing, and then tell me that I'm going to hell for knowing how to do it. I know that she actually believes that, but by that same token, she has developed a respect for me and my path to the point where she allows me to help with things beyond her control.
The lesson to be learned here is simply to love. I don't have to believe what you believe to love you as a person. I'm sure some of the people here don't believe the same things, that doesn't keep us from coming together as a group and celebrating our time on this rock. It's just sad that there are plenty of people who will never learn this message. :/
Love, Light, and Blessings. )O(
