Religious Intolerance in America

By: Shane Fitzgerald

Over the years, every religious group has suffered at one time or
many. Those of Muslim faith have been under intense discrimination
especially after 9/11, but in response, a person of another group Florida
pastor Terry Jones made the decision to bash the faith of millions, not just
the small group of people in the extremist Muslim faith who were involved
in the terrorist attack, by burning copies of the Quran, their sacred text.
Due to ignorance, we make decisions based upon ideas and previous
occurrences. I, for example, have seen many quotes from the Quran and
Islamic faiths and found them beautiful and uplifting, the complete opposite
of what I may have believed their sacred text said before due to
assumptions and stereotypes. We have no current knowledge of what is in
the Quran or in the Bible, Jewish practices, and Native American
traditions - for example if we are on the opposing side, and it seems that we
dont want to know, unless we are of no religious affiliation and can take in
every set of beliefs without bias.
It is unwise to fight fire with fire, and it shows a strong lack of
knowledge about others. In the First Amendment, religious freedom is
granted, but it was never guaranteed that people wouldnt criticize the way
we chose to express our deeper, more philosophical thoughts. We must be
willing to learn about others to stop religious intolerance, but everyone is
not accustomed to listening to opposing viewpoints. Religion has always
been a sensitive topic because its something that doesnt just define
someones personality; it defines their views on the universe, perhaps a time
before we were present, and perhaps a time after we have died in which
proof for all of the above cannot be definitely known because we were
physically not there and none of us can change that, or say that we were.
Religion defines a persons soul, and their deepest wishes and when
someone challenges that, its difficult. Thats completely understandable.
However, that simple fact does not give the right for one group to suppress
and then destroy another, such as the act of the Holocaust.
Atheism has fallen under the scrutiny of all religions, since a religion
usually entails a God. If you approached a random person on the street and
told them you didnt believe in God, or any God, they would most likely say
the opposite, or launch into an overbearing attempt to change your mind
over and over again. You dont even have to be an atheist to encounter
someone who desires to push their beliefs onto you. Its human nature to

want to have more and more people you can relate to so you dont feel
lonely, but its selfish to dismiss someone elses feelings in hopes that you
wont be alone. Not believing in God means nothing in the grand scheme of
things, and neither does believing in God. We may think that the ladder
entails a greater physical life somehow, but nothing is guaranteed except
the fact that our bodies cannot continue forever.
In my mind, the before and the after have no place. I like to know that
Im here in the now, and I dont focus my attention on my actions now to
receive something after death, and I do affiliate with a religion. However, I
dont believe you have to die to see your creator in the afterlife. I believe
you can see Him, Her, it, or Them in this life with your own bright eyes in
the situations that happen before you. Criticizing someone elses religion
isnt the way to live. With faith in your own religion, you should be able to
accept others thoughts without batting an eye because no one can interfere
with your life unless you allow them to. Someone elses beliefs wont change
the way you pray, or bow, or how you serve your Church, or the way you
wear your Hijab and read the Quran. There is also nothing wrong with
wanting to share you religion, but we must be wary of others feelings.
I have learned how to listen to opposing viewpoints as Ive gotten
older, and Ive found my own religion and faith that I can live in a way that
makes me comfortable. I listen when someone speaks from the heart about
their religion, and as long as someone speaks to you with the best intent
and you feel a strong passion coming from them, it shouldnt be a burden to
listen to anyone talk about anything, no matter if their viewpoint is against
yours or not. Religious intolerance should not exist, yet it does, but we
should all savor the moment no matter what you identify as when someone
speaks from the heart and speaks the truth about their religion and beliefs
because its theirs and theyre owning it, and that doesnt come around too
often nowadays.