Current Events

The current events that I found, that related to religion, all related back to one theme; religious tolerance. I have found that in each of these articles there are cases in which the religion or faith of one person is being challenged, criticized, or silenced for fairness. All of these have to do with religious tolerance or the ability to understand that something is different but accept it and understand that all people are entitled to accept as true what they choose. For example in the article Doubt, “He asked me all sorts of wild questions I had never thought about before, like, ''Well, why do you believe that?'' Everything I said that year, Frank would ask me that question. Then I started asking myself that question about every thought I had.” When this person was challenged by someone else to defend their belief he began to doubt himself, if this person had just accepted and respected those beliefs than he wouldn’t feel this unsettling doubt about something he has believed in for so long. This is not the only form of religious tolerance but there are many, such as tolerating all religions in school rather than none, if evolution is allowed to be taught in curriculums than religion should be too it is unfair to represent one view of how the earth came to be and not the other. If the government believed that Americans were able to tolerate religion in schools, more kids would be raised with better morals, and a greater sense of self and faith. Not one religion is school but the teaching of many, and not forcing kids to believe but to learn so they are able to accept differences. Many people in America are ignorant and are not willing to see things differently than their own way. An example of this is after the 9/11 attacks people immediately associate Muslims with terrorists and this is completely false and the way they are viewed and treated here is unjust. “Why are only Muslims required to defend the horrendous acts of co-religionists? Why is it that Christians aren’t asked the same questions when one of their own commits the same?” This means that if Muslims are judged by the wrong doings of those with the same religion than Christians should be judged by all wrongdoings of all Christians. Tolerance starts with accepting a different perspective, not agreeing with it, but accepting it. The reasons behind all this intolerance is that because religion is such a powerful force in our world those who are intolerant feel the need to defend their own religion by putting down other ones. Others reasons for intolerance are protecting rights, although it is important to protect the rights of American citizens doesn’t it limit them by forbidding religion is schools? Some people are unwilling to accept any religion and therefore feel the need to challenge and probe at people who do because they need to prove a point. Religion appears everywhere today and that is why it is important for Americans to be able to recognize that tolerance is different that agreement, that freedom of religion in schools is different than forcing kids into religion, and that not all people are the same therefore many will have different beliefs.