At the end of the day...

September 5th 2007

At the end of the day, all labels become divisive.

So you have religious organisations, with titles like "Hindu", "Christian", "Muslim", this that or the other etc, and they adopt different, or opposing viewpoints, and one is arguing with the other about the interpretation of this word or that, so much so that they lose sight of the essential element of Spirituality, which is ( whether we like it or not ) that we all coexist on this planet together, and in order to honour "the divine" we first need to learn to honour and respect each other...in spite of, and even, "because of " our differences.

So if a person is telling me that they belong to this or that religion, that's absolutely fine by me. But if they have no respect, tolerance or appreciation for the differences of others, then I feel that their religion has lost it's juice, and has turned into dry and dodgy old dogma.

And there is nothing less attractive or appealing than a rigid, bigoted individual who has no tolerance, or ability to listen or empathise.

And what is the point of religion, if it is not embodying the essential example of tolerance and respect ?

When I witness grand scale conflict, I observe that it is very often created by the mighty intolerance of one religion pitted against another.

It seems to me that so many of the religious leaders and followers of the world are hypocrites who have total spiritual amnesia.

Their institutionalised bigotry, their intolerance towards "others", and their need to "convert", blinds them to their own limitations and shortcomings.

To conclude... I am not drawn towards, or interested in any kind of religion that tells me that "their way" is the only way, and that anyone different is "doomed." Or that "their holy book" is the "only holy book above all others". Quite honestly, I find this attitude somewhat primitive.

The countries of America, South America, Africa and many parts of Asia were once primarily inhabited by indigenous peoples, who were slaughtered and abused at the hands of white colonialist powers. Their cultures and spiritual practices brutally decimated.

They are the ones who have the most inherent right to lay claim to the land, identity, and way of life, that was taken from them by force in the name of God, country or King all those generations ago...but we tend to put that on the back burner, don't we? The dust of history covers up a great deal of crime done in the name of religion. If Allah, or Christ, or Krishna, or Jehovah were to come down to Earth right now would they all start fighting amongst themselves? I think they'd all weep together for the centuries of violence perpetrated in their name.

Make no bones about it...i am disgusted and appalled by the ruthless arrogance of religious and political leaders who lie to the back teeth, and draw innocents into murderous wars that need never have arisen in the first place. Contrary to creating "solution," they create a thousand times more bloody slaughter, and in so doing, whet the appetite for vengeance rather than peace, all the time claiming that God is on their side.

Am I ranting? Yes I am.