I’ve also found that those who claim to be oh-so-tolerant are the most intolerant, and those claiming they’re open minded are usually very close minded.
AZOldCoot wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:45 pmI, myself, am a Christian Unitarian and I've often wondered if I have always been so. I was raised in a Pentecostal Evangelical home though my late dad grew very disenchanted by what he viewed as corruption, hypocrisy, and exclusivity among those in his church that he had attended.WellPreserved wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:17 pmI'm not religious so perhaps I'm missing something, but isn't one of the tenants of most religions conversion? I mean, can you be Christian (even mainline Christian denominations) and not care if others believe as you do? Perhaps in some of the denominations like Quaker and Unitarian which are seeing record numbers of followers but if we look at religion as a "business", they need adherents to survive.AZOldCoot wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 8:59 pm Provided that those who practice a specific religion (and I'm not only referring to Christians) do not force their beliefs on others as they've done for so long, l do feel religions and those who don't follow one can coexist.
It's called mutual respect for the diversity in this world that goes beyond cultural, political, and social differences.
We have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to get there.
Personally, I feel that religious institutions who offer guidance and support for their entire community without exclusivity will survive. Those that try to remain exclusive, won't. I'm not going to see change in my life-time but maybe my kids?
As a Unitarian, I feel that everyone has a right to believe in what they wish to...or don't believe in.
Yes, there are many Christians who feel that everyone must only follow the "good book," and live life as they believe god designed it. However, there are many others who simply want to be allowed to worship as they choose to and not be mocked and ridiculed for it.
I've found that many self-described "free thinkers" in this world are some of the least free thinking individual's on the planet UNLESS you agree with them.
Unless someone or many are choke-holding others to "do as the bible tells you to," they should be free to believe as they do and as they find it useful and beneficial in their own lives.