Religious Freedom

This little meme has been making the rounds on Facebook ...

I think it's pretty accurate.

It seems as if nowadays many people's religious beliefs serve less as a guide to an upright and moral personal life than as a cudgel with which to beat those who express a different set of beliefs, or no beliefs at all:

Conservative Christians try to impose on everyone else a muscular Christianity they believe (falsely, as it happens) was written into the Constitution;

Aggressive atheists feel the need to loudly show their disdain for the deeply-felt beliefs of others;

Radical Muslims believe it's their duty to kill those who don't worship as they do;

Some Ultra-Orthodox Jews make life miserable for others by demanding accommodation of their insistence on strict separation of the sexes, to the great embarrassment and inconvenience of everyone else;

And every one of them absolutely, positively believes - beyond all doubt, reason, and compassion - that they, and only they, are right.

Perhaps if we just went back to the Golden Rule, things would be a lot better ... but I think that train sailed long ago.

Have a good day. Live your own life ... the rest of us can take care of our own.

More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo