Religious intolerance by the adherents of all of the major faiths are well documented. This is true for the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and also includes Hinduism and Buddhism amongst others.
Religious intolerance is rooted in the belief of the adherent that their specific belief system is the only path to salvation. This intolerance becomes overtly manifested when adherents commit intolerant acts and injustices against others in their service to God.
At the very root of the worst cases of intolerance, is the belief that the God worshiped by others is different than the God they worship.
There are three key steps for the adherent to conquer this deeply seeded religious intolerance:
- The first step is to understand and accept that most religions worship the same God, the creator of the universe.
- The second step is to understand and accept that each adherent seeks to curry similar favor and forgiveness from the same God through their respective worship practices.
- The third step is to understand and accept that intolerance and injustice to other adherents comes at a perilous personal liability with God.
The path forward for the tolerant adherent is to embrace the diversity of worship as an opportunity to gain new perspectives that improve their relationship with God.
The challenge for all religious leaders is to rationalize this new tolerant perspective with the traditional superiority complex that disparages competing practices and beliefs.
The courageous adherents who embrace and promote this tolerant strain of their faith and actively confronts the traditional intolerant positions is the only way to evolve their belief system to be compatible with a modern multi-ethnic, multi-faith society.
This is in fact the true path to serving God for every adherent and a better guarantee of success in this world and the hereafter.
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