Always hating the "other"

It has always struck me as horribly ironic that the people who should be the most tolerant among us, the Christians, have proven time and time again to be the most intolerant. It has fueled my general distrust in organized religion and forced me to question the values that were instilled in me by my mother and her family. I stumbled across one more example of supposed Christians acting in a manner quite unlike Jesus Christ.

Of course, I really shouldn't be surprised judging from the rest of the content found on the site http://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/. It looks like most right-wing conservative websites with anti-Obama and pro-Israel slogans and how these people can reconcile their Christian beliefs with these stances is beyond me. The article that caught my attention was http://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2009/09/muslims-find-new-ramadan-fast-partners.html which attacks a fellow Christian for fasting during Ramadan with a Muslim friend.

Yes, it's true that Christians are being persecuted all over the world. The same can be said of many other religions. Hindus and Muslims battle in India. Of course, Pakistan became a splinter faction of India because of religious differences. There are myriad other examples. Radical Christians like to point out the conquer and convert teachings of Muslims but I've never had a Muslim at my door pushing their version of God, just different Christian denominations.

According to Mark Driscoll, lead practicing pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle,

"Christians should have friendships with people of other faith, but engaging in other traditions' worship practices is problematic." Driscoll said that in this case, Christians and Muslims fast for different purposes and do not worship the same God. See full article at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i_eVypKpB1pgxRFGuwI-ZAKCOxWQD9APUMD80

I would like his opinion on participating in the ceremonies of other Christian denominations. What if a Baptist went to Catholic Mass? Most southern denominations that I've visited claim all the others are wrong. What if a Christian went to Temple with a Jewish friend? Surely, all that support for Israel would allow a Christian to participate in a Jewish ceremony without the gates of Hell opening.

Interfaith communication can only help our understanding of each other and the common beliefs that bind us all. These radical intolerant Christians are in the minority and are no different than radical Muslims period. It's apparently wired into our own genes to hate the "other" but we've got to fight that instinct. That freedom of choice, to rail against nature, to rail against our instincts, was granted to us by a higher power. Let's practice it.