Tuesday, November 28, 2006
No Religious Tolerance
'Nativity' Booted From Ill. Holiday Fair
When I started reading this story by the "Associated Press", I got really ticked off. Now that I am here writing something about it, I'm really sad. I'm not even sure anymore what I wanted to say. I'm sitting here shaking my head just like the guys in the story.
I don't think I have ever met someone of a religious faith that said, "You shouldn't have a right to display your faith or celebrate your faith". It seems like it is always these people that have no faith at all.
I have my own feelings and beliefs with God. They are my beliefs. I think people put too much "Worship" into the Cross, and Jesus.
Do I think Jesus is the son of God? Yes.
Do I believe that Jesus died on the cross? Yes.
Do I believe that he rose again after three days? Yes.
Do I pray TO Jesus? No.
I pray to God.
I thank God for giving us this wonderful sacrifice.
And I DO thank Jesus for being so strong that he followed through with it.
What an incredibly strong man he must be. I do look forward to meeting him face to face someday. But he is not my God. He is my brother.
Now that I have sort of gotten off the subject here, let me try to get back to celebrating Christmas. This is the celebration of the birth of my Brother. Do I know for certain that Jesus was born on the 25th of December? NO. And I am not certain that the dinosaurs were killed by a giant meteor. Plain and simple, I wasn't there. But does it really matter? This is the day that we have always celebrated it.
I do not think Muslims celebrate the birth of Mohammad. I will have to ask I suppose. But I do know that he is not believed to be the son of Allah. He is a prophet. Many believe Jesus is a prophet. That's what they want to believe? Ok. That doesn't mean I can't celebrate his birth.
What IF? (Isn't that the greatest question?) What IF, we decided to celebrate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi? What IF, I decided to place a statue of him as a baby in my front yard, or in a civic plaza? Would people riot in the streets? I doubt it. Gandhi isn't a threat to a non-believer. The name Gandhi doesn't make a person of "no" faith feel uneasy inside.
I suppose the reason people do not want to see images of Jesus Christ isn't to take my right away to see them, but rather to take away the uneasy feeling they get from seeing it. I don't think a rabbi is going to run through the streets screaming about a nativity scene. He is a man with a faith. The same, I believe, can be said about any other man, woman, or child which has a faith. A faith that there is something better. Something bigger than ourselves.
It's very sad, when the people of no faith, (even worst are the ones to claim one), will not allow others to celebrate theirs. It's a group of statues people. They won't hurt you. If you do not believe in what the nativity means to others, think of it as a large piece of Art.
When I started reading this story by the "Associated Press", I got really ticked off. Now that I am here writing something about it, I'm really sad. I'm not even sure anymore what I wanted to say. I'm sitting here shaking my head just like the guys in the story.
I don't think I have ever met someone of a religious faith that said, "You shouldn't have a right to display your faith or celebrate your faith". It seems like it is always these people that have no faith at all.
I have my own feelings and beliefs with God. They are my beliefs. I think people put too much "Worship" into the Cross, and Jesus.
Do I think Jesus is the son of God? Yes.
Do I believe that Jesus died on the cross? Yes.
Do I believe that he rose again after three days? Yes.
Do I pray TO Jesus? No.
I pray to God.
I thank God for giving us this wonderful sacrifice.
And I DO thank Jesus for being so strong that he followed through with it.
What an incredibly strong man he must be. I do look forward to meeting him face to face someday. But he is not my God. He is my brother.
Now that I have sort of gotten off the subject here, let me try to get back to celebrating Christmas. This is the celebration of the birth of my Brother. Do I know for certain that Jesus was born on the 25th of December? NO. And I am not certain that the dinosaurs were killed by a giant meteor. Plain and simple, I wasn't there. But does it really matter? This is the day that we have always celebrated it.
I do not think Muslims celebrate the birth of Mohammad. I will have to ask I suppose. But I do know that he is not believed to be the son of Allah. He is a prophet. Many believe Jesus is a prophet. That's what they want to believe? Ok. That doesn't mean I can't celebrate his birth.
What IF? (Isn't that the greatest question?) What IF, we decided to celebrate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi? What IF, I decided to place a statue of him as a baby in my front yard, or in a civic plaza? Would people riot in the streets? I doubt it. Gandhi isn't a threat to a non-believer. The name Gandhi doesn't make a person of "no" faith feel uneasy inside.
I suppose the reason people do not want to see images of Jesus Christ isn't to take my right away to see them, but rather to take away the uneasy feeling they get from seeing it. I don't think a rabbi is going to run through the streets screaming about a nativity scene. He is a man with a faith. The same, I believe, can be said about any other man, woman, or child which has a faith. A faith that there is something better. Something bigger than ourselves.
It's very sad, when the people of no faith, (even worst are the ones to claim one), will not allow others to celebrate theirs. It's a group of statues people. They won't hurt you. If you do not believe in what the nativity means to others, think of it as a large piece of Art.
Enjoy,
Have fun, be safe, and MERRY CHRISTMAS,
Dae
# posted by Daeoin Arlson @ 8:07 AM 
