Religious Tolerance...

[Chado2423]

Last Night I watched an episode of Bonanza City... (no, I'm sorry not the Bonanza that Michael Landon was in...)

Bonanza City is a show that takes children into a wild-west town... these kids must learn how to deal with what it would have been like to live as though they were adults in a western town in this fascinating show... (or at least I think it's fascinating). On this particular episode however the town seemed devided because of religious diversity. The town council wanted to have a gathering for everyone to come and pray. But no one came to the town-hall. One of the kids said that he didn't want to go because "there have been wars about religion. Real wars with guns and stuff." And he is right. But, later that evening one of the girls approached the situation differently, set up a bon fire and invited the kids to come and pray "their" religious prayers if they wished. Surprisingly the whole town came, even those with no religious affiliation! They all prayed, and one of the kids cried and said "It really touched me that a Muslim and a Jew came together to pray." I have to admit I was I almost in tears, because I began to think how much more powerful these children really were... much more grown up in this aspect than many of us adults are. I began to wonder if these children can do something so noble as allowing religious diversity to come together in one setting to pray, why do we adults have such difficulty?

[Betrade]

Adults have difficulty because of their own arrogance, and the need to be right, even if they have to kill to make their point.

Kids don't have that. They have to learn it, and they usually learn it from well meaning, yet often misinformed parents, and then it's reenforced through our "educational" system.

How many kids have psychic abilities at birth, yet their parents convince them it's all in their imagination?? Then, the kid believes the parent, ignores that inner voice, and never develop what they have.

You can take a little Israeli child, and a Palestinean child, whose parents hate one another, and put them in a room, and watch them play all day. They'll laugh, hug each other, and have a grand old time. They'll ask one another how son they can get together again to have more fun and enjoy life with one another.

If you bring them back in 20 years, after they've been filled with hate, prejudice, and above all else; FEAR, they may very well try and kill one another in the name of the God that they believe in, or some ancient grudge that no one even remembers what started it. And that scenario could apply to any children of any nationality, color, religion etc. It's happening right now; as we speak, all over the world, and within our own countries, cities, towns and homes.

When we're kids, adults (especially our parents and older siblings who have been corrupted) are like gods to us. We believe what they say, and we're so trusting, we wouldn't even consider that they may be misinformed, or even blatantly lying to us, or trying to put the "fear of God" in us.

The chances are, they too were misinformed by their own parents, and it all goes back through generation upon generation, and no one's really sure where it all started. They base much of it on old manuscripts that attempt to explain God's relationship to humanity through parables, metaphors, and even some real history that has no real bearing on life in today's world, other than in the minds of those who believe it does. It doesn't matter what the book isl; the Bible, Koran, Bagahvad Gida, Book of Mormon, etc. The story is the same in one way or another. Do good and get to heaven (or come back and try again) or do bad and go to hell (or come back and try again).

We reflect our parents, and carry their genes to the future, along with the genes of our earliest ancestors. We also carry many of their ideas, customs, traditions, etc. That's why it's so important to raise kids to be decent, kind, open minded people, and more importantly, allow them the freedom to be who they were meant to be, and encourage (put courage into) them. If we don't, who will?? The schools, the gangs on the streets, their peers?? it will be someone.

They'll never know how to be who they really are unless they're taught to be unafraid of being who they really are. They need encouragement to be themselves, and should never be made to feel ashamed about it, even if who they are isn't who we want them to be. We don't own them; we're here to guide and help them, so that they can one day own themselves, and their lives.

I personally abandoned most of what I was taught growing up about life, God, religion, and even politics. As for things like sex and marriage, If I had listened to my parents, I never would have experienced the love I have had in my life, because in their view, sex (and I'm not equating love and sex, but as we all know, there is a deep connection, and sex combined with love is just about the best damn thing in the world IMO) is for married people only, and shouldn't ever be talked about openly (brilliant eh??). I would have married the first girl that came along if I had listened to them instead of my heart.

They couldn't even fathom anyone sleeping with someone who isn't their spouse (hell, I've slept with women who were someone else's spouse; I don't recommend it, I'm not proud of it, nor do I do that anymore, but I'm not going to lie about it either). They never believed in birth control either, and that's why I am one of nine kids. They had 12, but three didn't make it.

If I had lived my life the way I was taught, and according to the rules of my parents, and the religion they followed, I would have at least 6 kids now (I have two, and one who died in infancy), and be in a horrible marriage with a lying, cheating, manipulative, abusive woman, and they would call that "holy" matrimony, because some priest in fancy robes said a few words and burned incense over us when we took the vows. How messed up is that??

I'm amazed that billions of people still believe this. I'm not against marriage at all, and I loved being married for about 7 years, and I would do it again with the right woman. I love my kids above anything or anyone in this world, but people sometimes change, or they grow apart, and some people should never have married in the first place.


My parents were products of a different world than I live in, and their ideas and beliefs are almost foreign to me. If I followed their ways, I would not have grown. Children are so cool, and they have so much to say. Their nature is generally very good, and most of them love life, laughter, fun, and learning. That's why they can get along with one another so well.

It's when we adults come along believing that we know better because we've been around longer, that we destroy much of what they find wonderful about the world, being alive. Everything is so new to them, and they're filled with wonder. If we take that away from them by being cynical, fearful, prejudiced, or just out of plain ignorance, we can damage them, and sometimes what we take away can never be replaced.

If more adults would remember what it was like being a kid, I believe that we would have much happier kids, which could eventually lead to a much happier world.

[Chado2423]

Originally Posted by Betrade

If more adults would remember what it was like being a kid, I believe that we would have much happier kids, which could eventually lead to a much happier world.

Agreed.

[TanGra]

lol

My friends and I are debating this very subject at the moment...

One thinks religion itself is the root of all evil, another feels its wrong to fill kids hearts with the fear of hell.

I marvel at the wisdom of that child to come up with such a simple yet highly effective solution to what could be a nasty uproar.

I strongly believe the education system needs to be totally overhauled not just here in the UK but world wide. Like mentioned earlier children's characters and true colours are stifled so early in life it's heart breaking. Instead of creating this uniform factory made society, cultural and religious differences should be CELEBRATED not banned from schools.

If you think about it this is probably one of the reasons there is bullying. Its drummed into kids heads "you MUST conform, you must be the same" and those with stronger character end up being singled out.