You Can Be Religiously Indifferent While Remaining Religiously Tolerant
I identify as agnostic. The dictionary definition is agnostic is: "a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God." Long story short, it means that I am quite skeptical about the existence of a fluffy white afterlife, but I don't believe we're all just suspended in space for no reason.
The problem I run into quite often, is that people assume that because my religion identifies closer with atheism than it does Christianity, that I won't be tolerant of their chosen faith. Which is not really fair. I am pretty much supportive any anything that brings us peace. You're a Christian? Cool. You're a Muslim? Cool. If that brings you solace in your heart and mind, you be the damn worshipper you can be. Just because we have different beliefs, doesn't mean I will discount yours. I often find that conversations with religious (the overly religious) reveal that they end up completing writing my opinion off as a whole because it doesn't align with theirs.
What sparked this topic, is that I have a friend who recently had a friend pass away. I know my friend is a Christian believes in Heaven, so I told him that his friend was in a better place and he'll see him again. He fired back with "you can't say that because you don't believe Heaven is real." Which is completely unfair. I said it to comfort him, not me. That statement wouldn't bring me any solace if a friend of mine passed, because I don't believe in such things. But I should be able to use terms that comfort him even though they technically fall outside of my personal beliefs.
It's just really unfair, in my opinion. I can have my own personal beliefs and still support others' beliefs as well. I don't push my view on anyone, and I don't allow anyone to push their view on me. It's all about being tolerant. It's all about being open-minded. It's all about allowing yourself to actually hear other people's points of view.
Don't be all about a religion that is based off forgiveness and unity if you're going to seclude those that don't 100% agree with you. It's hypocritical and unfair.
The problem I run into quite often, is that people assume that because my religion identifies closer with atheism than it does Christianity, that I won't be tolerant of their chosen faith. Which is not really fair. I am pretty much supportive any anything that brings us peace. You're a Christian? Cool. You're a Muslim? Cool. If that brings you solace in your heart and mind, you be the damn worshipper you can be. Just because we have different beliefs, doesn't mean I will discount yours. I often find that conversations with religious (the overly religious) reveal that they end up completing writing my opinion off as a whole because it doesn't align with theirs.
What sparked this topic, is that I have a friend who recently had a friend pass away. I know my friend is a Christian believes in Heaven, so I told him that his friend was in a better place and he'll see him again. He fired back with "you can't say that because you don't believe Heaven is real." Which is completely unfair. I said it to comfort him, not me. That statement wouldn't bring me any solace if a friend of mine passed, because I don't believe in such things. But I should be able to use terms that comfort him even though they technically fall outside of my personal beliefs.
It's just really unfair, in my opinion. I can have my own personal beliefs and still support others' beliefs as well. I don't push my view on anyone, and I don't allow anyone to push their view on me. It's all about being tolerant. It's all about being open-minded. It's all about allowing yourself to actually hear other people's points of view.
Don't be all about a religion that is based off forgiveness and unity if you're going to seclude those that don't 100% agree with you. It's hypocritical and unfair.
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