Religious Freedom.....HA!!!!

This morning while I was watching the news there was a story on a petition to stop a mosque in town near where I live.  I had been hearing this story for a few days now, but just got the time (and energy....fractured bone in my finger) to write about it.  This story is really irking me. The United States claims to be a nation of religious freedom....but that is only as long as your are a Christian.

I am a Christian and I love the Lord!!! But I also respect all people for the religious beliefs. I know people and I am friends with people who are Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Jewish, and Muslim. We don't get into religious debates, and we respect each others belief systems.  I don't force my beliefs on others, but I am also I am not ashamed of my beliefs.

I am tired of people using extremist to get their point across.  Not all Muslims are planning the next 911 and all people who are Christians are "saints." Both religions from my understanding do not promote violence and condemn the extreme actions of their followers that go against the teachings of their belief systems.

Yes, I live in Tennessee and the more and more I see the political, religious, and cultural intolerance (amongst other things....) it is become very frustrating and I know this goes on everywhere. Recently I went to visit friends and family in Atlanta and an older cousin said something that really stuck in my head. That side of my family pretty much lived in the New York City area, but she now has been living in Atlanta for several years. One thing that someone said to her when she first moved down there...Don't forget you are in Atlanta, but once you leave Atlanta you are in Georgia....I'll let that statement marinate for a while.

I think Jon Stewart did a great piece which points out some excellent things....

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Defending what you believe in....

I was having a convo with one of my best friends when I left church yesterday and I recurring theme came up....People thinking and knowing for themselves what they believe in.  I will be the first to say that I am not where I think I should be in this, but it is a process and I am learning and reading daily to improve....which I think most people are not.

My friend and I use to go to the same church and did the majority of our college lives and I still go there as an adult. She is now married and lives in Atlanta so she goes to a new church.  One thing that irritates us both is sometimes people will be quick to quote the pastor....but can't quote the Bible.  They will say:

• My pastor says....
• Bishops says....
• Whoever says....

Shall I continue??? My point is people hear things and never question them.  I mean if your pastor told you that your hair was green would you take him at his word or think, hey my hair has always been black, let me go look for myself???  I value the roles of pastors and leaders, but I think people become people followers and they don't study the Bible for themselves.

Now...this being said I strongly believe in respecting other people's faith, religions, and beliefs.  I think more and more of society and the world need to learn to agree to disagree....peacefully.  Everyone has to come to their own understanding and I can't and I will not force my beliefs on someone else and I hope they will respect me the same way.  I do think a problem becomes when people cannot defend what they believe in. 

I can only speak from my perspective, but I think a lot of times Christians are not able to defend their faith...including me in the past (still a process).  If you believe in something you should be able to defend what you believe with a valid argument.  If I make the statement that private school kids are smarter than public school kids I need to be able to show documentation and test scores to prove it (I don't believe this...I am a public school kid!). But I should not just make a blanket statement or believe in something that I am not able to back up.

I think I am done...just wanted to pose the question are you able to defend what you believe in?