Religious Tolerance in America
Religion Based
Name: Fiona
Comments: Are we really as religion tolerant as we should be? This great land was founded on trying to escape from a government that wanted to dictate how I should worship. Now a days I feel its like if you aren't Christian you aren't acceptable. There is no tolerance for Muslims, Jews, Mormons or any others, even those who aren't believers are labeled as rejects of society.
People already have freedom to worship in this country and I support that but to say that I should be totally accepting of other people's beliefs goes too far. I am a bible believing christian and for me to just act like it is ok for you or anyone else to have beliefs that contradict the bible would be in direct conflict with the faith that I espouse.
We should, as a nation, uphold the individual's right to worship as led by his conscience but it was never the intentions of those that founded this nation to give equal value and legitimacy to all belief systems.
I have the right to say as an individual that you are wrong in what you believe and to try to restrict my right to say that is to rob me of my religious freedom.
Edited: Ealdstan on 16th Jul, 2011 - 5:30pm
I agree. I wouldn't disrupt a funeral for the same reason that I wouldn't disrupt a corporate board meeting. At any time an individual has the right to say that they don't want to hear the gospel and if they do then their decision should be respected. So then, at a venue with a stated purpose that does not include such discussion it would be inappropriate to disrupt the proceedings in order to engage the participants in a dialogue that is not in line with the stated purpose of the gathering.
I base this policy on what Christ told His disciples. In Matthew 10:14 he told the disciples that if any city did not receive them that they were to shake the dust off of the city off of their feet. Also in a specific incident after, Christ and the disciples were spurned by a city, Christ was asked if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy the city and Christ censured them because that was not His purpose. People have the right to refuse to listen.
I understand what both of you are saying but where is our freedom of speech then? Am I limited to express how I feel? (depending the location or circumstance?) It may be morally wrong to do it at a funeral (which I find is unacceptable) but is it legally wrong? I don't think so.
U.S. Still Religious But Trust In Institutions Wanes
Religious Based News
Though more Americans go to church or believe in God than their counterparts in virtually every other Western country, fewer Americans now trust religious institutions. A recent Gallup poll showed that just 44 percent of Americans have a great deal of confidence in 'the church or organized religion."
Source: Religion