The rainbow of truth…..
O.K. … It’s the ol’ Christian/Muslim fundamentalist vs. EVERTHING else.
I just can’t imagine how someone in our modern day society, with all our information and technology, can be so swept away, so rigid, so unyielding, so unable to entertain there are other opinions and beliefs in the world??? This is the cause of wars, religion causes most of the problems, and fighting around the globe. One person saying theirs in “the only way”. Christian fundamentalists say this all the time. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and asked for salvation, you are doomed to live in Hell the rest of your days.
Bullshit.
Now, I don’t know about you, but this is just absolutely crazy, brain washed, Jim Jones kool aid drinking, thinking to me. What about that little Chinese lady squatting in the garden. She loves her family, works hard, is a friend to everyone. She is kind and sweet to neighbors and compassionate to all. She doesn’t curse, is extremely happy, polite and conscientious, and always laughs her troubles away. All she has ever done is GOOD. She is a Buddhist, not a Christian or Catholic.
But…..she is going to HELL??????
Oh I guess, she’ll find herself in hell then with The Dalai Lama, The Maharishi, Thich Nhat Hahn, Krishna, and Mahavira just to name a few. I’d say pretty interesting company.
How can someone believe this is true? It seems unfathomable to me. But, I guess they do. What really bothers me is that they think theirs is the ONLY religion, and wouldn’t even entertain listening or reading anything else. Isn’t this what we call brain washing? When the doctrine is so regimented that nothing else is even respected…..on the contrary it is belittled, and scoffed at.
I try to have respect for everyone’s belief, it is such a personal issue….But I’ll admit it……
I do have a problem with these kind of self serving Christians who are cloaked in the “right religion”, they thoughtlessly throw a bible verse, dismissing the offending person as the devil, bigoted, close minded, or even calling you the aniti-christ, is their usual response.
This fundamentalists mind set, whether Muslim or Christian is an accepted response to God’s powers and is actually an intimidation to thinking clearly. They are swept away in terror and the horror of burning alive, etc.
My understanding is that Jesus Christ was an enlightened being like many others before him, and many to come after. He was a loving, compassionate teacher, who befriended even the worst of the worst. Do you think that the loving Jesus would say some of the things that come out of the mouths of these fanatics…..I think not.
My take……I get something out of every religious book or quote I happen to read. The kindness and compassion of the Dalai Lama IS as real as Jesus Christ’s. The understanding and guidance of Thich Nhat Hahn is equal to Lao Tsu. If people want goodness and kindness they have to be willing to accept it, opening their minds and hearts to the world we live in.
There is NOT JUST ONE WAY!
The world comes in many colors, many beliefs, and many faces.
I’m an old hippy who happens to believe the rainbow has more than one color in it. I must have patience and compassion for those with a closed door of a mind.
A couple of quotes from The Dalai Lama…..
“The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind. It enables us to remain undisturbed, even when the situation is really difficult. It gives us a certain amount of inner peace, which allows us some self-control, so that we can choose to respond to situations in an appropriate and compassionate manner, rather than being driven by our disturbing emotions.”
“The quality of everything we do: our physical actions, our verbal actions, and even our mental actions, depends on our motivation. That’s why it’s important for us to examine our motivation in our day to day life. If we cultivate respect for others and our motivation is sincere, if we develop a genuine concern for others’ well-being, then all our actions will be positive.”
