Even though the Constitution only mentions that the State shall not establish one religion over any other or force people to join a specific faith, some groups have tried to reinclude prayer in public schools. It stands to reason that praying is eminently a religious practice which would force students to participate in an activity that might go against their family's beliefs.
Now we all know that the United States was founded upon Judeo-Christian values (in itself a contradiction since Jews see Christ as a prophet, not a god), and that millions of American citizens are either atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Indians (from India) or any other faith that does not share Christian beliefs. Granted, they are a minority, but our nation was created specifically to respect such minorities and not impose the will of the majority.
The controversy rages on as evidenced by attempts to eliminate the phrase 'under God' or 'in God we trust' from the pledge and from the dollar bills respectively. The Supreme Court defeated those attempts.
Why is it that religion divides human beings instead of uniting them? They all share common tenets similar to the 10 commandments (which by the way are really 14 or 15 in Exodus). We are tolerant of other cultures, languages, customs (to a point) and social mores, why is it that we cannot accept other religions?
The answer may be found as far back as the Middle Ages, when the pope Urban II made the fateful decision to send Christian armies to the Middle East, more specifically to Jerusalem. In those days, Muslims were quite tolerant of other religions, allowing them to exercise their faith without hindrance. The unspeakable cruelty of Western knights changed all that. They gleefully massacred every Muslim in sight, including women and children, in the name of Christ. As one knight recalls, blood reached their knees in the streets.
I am firmly convinced that we are nowadays reaping the fruits of those atrocities from almost a thousand years ago. Muslims have a long memory and they never forgave the West. Their own mullahs continue to fan the hate toward the 'Infidels', as if the crusades had just taken place yesterday.
Every religion is convinced that they alone represent the true faith, the true God, with the exception of Buddhism which preaches tolerance and respect toward life in general. There have been efforts by the Catholic Church to seek a dialogue with the Orthodox branch, with Jews and with Muslims. But these superficial contacts cannot erase centuries of wars and mistrust.
Religious leaders should convince their followers to accept other faiths and other customs; they should do it from the pulpit every Sunday, instead of attacking political foes, instead of milking their congregations for their hard-earned dollars.
But most of all, these so-called leaders should apply the lessons given by Christ, Allah and Buddha of humility, chastity and poverty. That is most unlikely!!
Now we all know that the United States was founded upon Judeo-Christian values (in itself a contradiction since Jews see Christ as a prophet, not a god), and that millions of American citizens are either atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Indians (from India) or any other faith that does not share Christian beliefs. Granted, they are a minority, but our nation was created specifically to respect such minorities and not impose the will of the majority.
The controversy rages on as evidenced by attempts to eliminate the phrase 'under God' or 'in God we trust' from the pledge and from the dollar bills respectively. The Supreme Court defeated those attempts.
Why is it that religion divides human beings instead of uniting them? They all share common tenets similar to the 10 commandments (which by the way are really 14 or 15 in Exodus). We are tolerant of other cultures, languages, customs (to a point) and social mores, why is it that we cannot accept other religions?
The answer may be found as far back as the Middle Ages, when the pope Urban II made the fateful decision to send Christian armies to the Middle East, more specifically to Jerusalem. In those days, Muslims were quite tolerant of other religions, allowing them to exercise their faith without hindrance. The unspeakable cruelty of Western knights changed all that. They gleefully massacred every Muslim in sight, including women and children, in the name of Christ. As one knight recalls, blood reached their knees in the streets.
I am firmly convinced that we are nowadays reaping the fruits of those atrocities from almost a thousand years ago. Muslims have a long memory and they never forgave the West. Their own mullahs continue to fan the hate toward the 'Infidels', as if the crusades had just taken place yesterday.
Every religion is convinced that they alone represent the true faith, the true God, with the exception of Buddhism which preaches tolerance and respect toward life in general. There have been efforts by the Catholic Church to seek a dialogue with the Orthodox branch, with Jews and with Muslims. But these superficial contacts cannot erase centuries of wars and mistrust.
Religious leaders should convince their followers to accept other faiths and other customs; they should do it from the pulpit every Sunday, instead of attacking political foes, instead of milking their congregations for their hard-earned dollars.
But most of all, these so-called leaders should apply the lessons given by Christ, Allah and Buddha of humility, chastity and poverty. That is most unlikely!!
I was born many years ago in Geneva, Switzerland, where I learned various languages, including English - the Brit type - before emigrating to America where I served in the Army for 3 years. My Mexican wife and I now live in Brownsville, Texas, where I teach special education in a local high school.
