Tolerance

When do a person become TOO religious/atheistic? I think that one sign is if you don't feel like spending any time with people of others than your own believes, even if you have the practical opportunity, or respecting them for having another view of things. I think that I have most atheists around me but only because Sweden is one of the most secular countries so it is not so strange I think. Although I also have a lot of people around me in different ways that are Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, part of Free Churches, Muslims and nowadays even Jewish and who knows what else that I am not aware of. Usually I never think of them in that way, couldn't care less, I don't seek their company because of that. I just came to think about it.

I have only one rule * that I try to follow and it is the GOLDEN RULE and it is included in most religions even if many people seem to ignore that fact! You can do what ever the biiip you want to, as long as you NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DISRESPECT OTHERS! In that I include not only when it come to believe in a God, no matter the name, or if there are many Gods, not believing in any God what so ever (like me), respecting ALL HUMAN RIGHTS, which of course 200% forbidds any discrimination. That includes women, "races", religion, sexuality etc. My heart starts to pound very hard (and there are very few things that has that effect on me) even just writing about this because it makes me furious beyond everything that so many, no matter religion or no religion, can not respect others and their feelings. Discrimination against any person because of their religious belief is JUST AS PROHIBITED as ANY discrimination against people with different kinds of sexuality!! I personally see discrimination as any kind of action that helps to lead to anybody getting hurt (that includes all political decisions made to stop full rights for ALL!). I know this might sound harsh but either you agree that discrimination is bad or you don't. You simply can't pick and chose just because you think that some rights are more convenient for you than others. You are never any better than anyone else. Never talk about your rights as long as you are not ready to grant others the same. Hypocricy should be one of the deadly sins. The Golden Rule is the base for the main religions and human rights.

People should never fight because of religion. People should coexist, see the resemblance rather than difference. I am far from exact like my friends but they are my friends because we have things in common that we appreciate. What is weird though is that at the same time as one reject someome because they act in a way (whether it is based on religion and/or culture) that you disagree with, eg. the view that Islam is bad because they discriminates women, you can still agree on issues that are just as prohibited where you live as other kinds of discrimination. Let's SAY that acting oppresing and discriminating against women is one thing that distingueshes some religions and atheists from Islam. Then let's look at the SIMILARITIES! In e.g. Saudiarabia one can get sentenced to death penalty for acting on homosexuality, it is forbidden according to the religion, at least according to some. Extrem right? Sure, but what it says is that homosexuality is wrong. What they in practice are doing is discriminating against homosexuals according to human rights. My question is then, aren't there then a clear connection between Islam in that aspects with other religions and not the least with many atheists? To make it VERY clear for you, I am NOT saying that you can't think or believe whatever you want to, of course you can and I would never say anything against that. By the way, it is a naural part of the human rights to be able to do that. What I AM saying is that ANY action leading, in the shortrun and the long run to minimize , stop or even to take away rights of someone that you yourself think you are intitled to, is according to me participation of an act of discrimination. It doesn't matter what you believe in or don't believe in.

Once a person (atheist) in my inner circle spontaneuosly said that gays should be shot in the neck. Few things has ever made me so sad as hearing that! Just the memory of that day and that night that followed makes me very upset. It doesn't matter that I know that this person didn't mean it literally, it is in my heart and I will never forget it.

I am not so sure that what the world needs in first hand is love, I believe it is respect because how could there be love without respect?

Coexist!

What can be more appropriate than U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday?!

*One rule... "One ring to rule them all" Isn't that what they say in the Lord of the Rings?