Does organized religion foster intolerance?

As we begin to get together for the holiday season with family and friends I want to put a little nugget to think about in your brain.  Does religion encourage intolerance of those who are different?

Ten Commandments Cartoon

Let’s say for example you’re with the extended family over the break and your favorite uncle or auntie who has maybe had a few too many comes over and attempts to debate how wrong (value x) is.  Let’s also say since they are recently born again into the religion of their choosing, they start to fling bible quotes to back up this belief of hatred.

Feel Free to Wish Me a Merry Christmas…Again

I must admit that this post was originally a little rant that I wrote last year in an attempt to bring back some of the spirit of Christmas.  Note I said Christmas, not the holidays.  Holidays are something that come in the summer when I go to the beach or take a long well deserved trip.

This  is Christmas time.   Chanukah has long since been celebrated and the Feast of Eid al-Adha has been enjoyed by the faithful of Allah.  So let us say with pride and love Merry Christmas to one and all.

Bob

Please feel free to wish me a Merry Christmas, not a happy x-mas, or dreadful happy holiday.  Well I may be going a little hard on the happy holiday.  You may think Bob, why won’t a happy holiday suffice?

Well I would reply it is the Christmas season, the last time I checked the Chanukah candles have been long blown out.  Don’t get me wrong I have many friends of the Hebrew Faith, and wish them a proper greeting when it is their day.

The thing that gets me riled up is that there are so many forces at work that try to simplify and dumb things down, trying to homogenize our culture as North Americans.  Other forces plead that they don’t want to offend anyone.  Ohhhh there we go offending people with a celebration of family and peace.  Better watch out!  Give me a break.

This whole “War on Christmas” thing has gone on long enough, the only people who are “offended” are by in large other “Christians”. The politically correct few, afraid to say what they believe.  Except when they strive to dumb down what little culture we have left.

Show of hands, how many of you were offended when, someone walked up to you and said Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Happy Chanukah?

All anyone is saying when they say Merry Christmas is Peace.  Let’s face it most of the Christ is long gone from Christmas these days anyways. Long ago replaced by that fat bastard Santa Claus, in trying to deliver dollars to the corporations that re-imagined Old Saint Nick, we can blame Coke for that one.

The Modern Face of Christmas

Also organized religions keep getting their hands slapped for stealing from the poor or doing other far worse things than I care to mention here today.

But we all regardless of creed or belief can do our part to keep the core of the holiday intact.  Remembering what the true meaning of Christmas is, PEACE.  If we can all keep that in our hearts our world, even for a day, could be a better place.

To all of my friends out there, Feliz Navidad, Mele Kalikimaka, Hyvaa Joulua, Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova, Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah, Joyeux Noel, Merry Christmas……. PEACE