Beliefs Laid Bare

I have said over and over again to the point of mind-numbing boredom, like a mantra put on ‘loop’, that nobody will ever change their mind about anything based on what you write on ‘Facebook’ or any other social networking site.

Anything that you say that opposes their viewpoint will be rejected automatically. You can show all the proofs in the world but they will not read them or look them up.

Such people are right. Always.

Any opposing view or view with which they disagree is, automatically, the work of Satan or Mitt Romney—perhaps both.

With almost equal repetition I have said that I have friends from all walks of life, most belief systems and every ‘colour’ (a misnomer, of course). I even have friends who are supporters of Newcastle United—no, really!

Almost equally unbelievably I have a friend from Louisiana where they invented the toothbrush. That’s logic, by the way. Had it been invented anywhere else it would have been called a ‘teethbrush’.

All of my friends have their own ideas and concepts; all of them have their own beliefs and faiths. Some are of the same faith but have different ideas on how to practice it.

That’s fine. How they do whatever they do has no bearing on my life or my beliefs as, conversely, their faith and lifestyle is singularly unaffected by my concepts.

We can disagree, we can even agree to differ and we can do this without rancour.

I have a great repartee with two gentlemen who are of different faiths and the notion of our dissimilarity never arises.

Why? Because it is irrelevant to us.

What are we looking for? We are looking for a good person, an intelligent person, with whom to have some kind of social discourse.

My beliefs forbid me to coerce someone into joining me in mine—‘the book’ says so very clearly; it also says that each person has their own faith and the freedom to choose that faith.

That means I must respect your beliefs whether I agree with them or not.

I am, it must be said, very old now.

This will, no doubt, give rise to a slew of abuse from ladies in certain quarters who have forbidden me from saying that. Nevertheless it is true.

There are advantages. I can, for example, get away with almost anything. People will just nod wisely at each other and mutter, “He’s old!”

Looking back over that vast stretch of years spreading into an infinite past I wonder what the result of all the arguing and fighting has been?

Millions of deaths? Certainly. Even among people of the same faith.

Now? Increased stress levels and advanced cruelty.

Nobody is innocent here. We all like to put our hand on our hearts, flutter our eyelashes and say, “Not us—we are pure in heart and, therefore, innocent.”

Rubbish.

We have the Westboro’ Baptist Church who are wreaking terrible cruelty.

We have people with honest intentions sidelining other innocent people through political abuse.

How many people are denied employment because they put the ‘wrong’ religion on their application forms?

How many people out there who are, otherwise, honest and respectable people believe that all Muslims are terrorists?

True, the Islamist people have been doing Muslims no favours recently in terms of PR but, then, they didn’t need to do anything for people to twist the words of their book into something resembling Satanic worship.

Goes both ways. There is a perplexity about Christian beliefs that Muslims find difficult to understand. Why do Christians pray to the statue of a woman, for example?

(That last was a rhetorical question, by the way, I do not require anyone to respond to it.)

Similarly there is some sort of edict against ‘graven images’ and yet...

The point here, and this is why the question was a rhetorical one, is that you are happy with it.

Hindus may find a tree with a particular shape to it appealing and regard it as a ‘Holy Place’.

Are they happy with that?

If the answer is ‘yes’ then that is all you need. It is not for me to criticise or hurl abuse.

Those interminable years have told me this.

Although I have one specific faith to which I ascribe because it suits me, I am comfortable with it, I am not sure that those who do not share my belief will perish in the fires of hell.

I am told that I am doomed—by other faiths.

OK. Then I am doomed if that is what you believe.

But I think that your God and mine, although their names may differ, are not only the same but also a benevolent one. He is forgiving and compassionate.

All faiths have one thing in common. “Love thy Neighbour”.

That is, I am sure, the key.

Irrespective of your religion—or non-religion, the aim is to be a good person. To do no harm, to help, to lift up, to support and to love your fellow humans is the ultimate aim.

The rest is, potentially, cant and dogma.

Style it how you will. You will not incur favour with any deity by trying to drag down other people.

You catch more flies with honey...