Religious intolerance is ruining us all

On my way home tonight I ended up behind a Chevy with a “bumper sticker” in the rear window… Actually, “bumper sticker” isn’t the best way to describe it; it was a corrugated cardboard yard sign held in place with blue painters’ tape. It was smack dab in the middle of his rear window - there was no way for him to see out around it.
This is all odd enough by itself, but what really caught my eye was what the sign said. The sign said, “Jesus Is Lord Not Allah”
I sat and blinked a few times, wondering if I had misread his vehicular missive to the world. It distincly said “Jesus Is Lord Not Allah” - my eyes were not deceiving me.
It’s exactly this sort of religious intolerance that keeps everyone at each others’ throats over petty, stupid differences.
Someone I know is fond of pointing out, “But that just shows the bad side of christianity - they don’t speak for the majority of us.” Well I have to say - shame on all the christians who’ve had this thought, let alone those who would actually put a sign like this on their vehicle or applaude someone who would.
I know it’s not just christians who are intolerant, but it’s rather in fashion right now given the current radically religious conserativism that’s sweeping the country.
However, people wonder why religions are perceived badly? I think it just takes one glance at a statement like this to show us - vividly - why.
2 Responses to “Religious intolerance is ruining us all”
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May 6th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
I find it foolish of you to think that the subject of God and religion is a “petty, stupid difference”. If God is the creator of all in existence, I would only assume that any other matter dwarfs in comparison. You really are ignorant to think that the man driving that car is representative of the Christian faith–considering that Christianity teaches forgiveness and tolerance, especially to those of other beliefs. Try learning about the religion before you criticize it, you hopeless ignoramus.
May 11th, 2006 at 9:10 am
Ahh, but doesn’t the word “Islam” mean to “submit” or “surrender, to God” in Arabic? It’s a religion that promotes peace, but you still hear stories in the 5 o’clock news about Muslim violence.
And don’t forget that God and Allah are one-in-the-same. It’s the same God. So yes, I think it’s fair to call the differnces petty and stupid. If you really study the two religions you will find a lot of similarities between them; add in Judiaism and you’ll pull out even more similarities between all three.
The man driving that truck represents the Christian faith, just as the sucicide bomber in Iraq who believes his martyrdom will send him straight to heaven. Both are wrong, but they are very public “spokespeople” for their religion.
If you want to be extremely technical, the sign should read Jesus AND Allah are Lord (Allah = God and Jeusus = God via the trinity).
Maybe it’s *you* who should open your mind a little more to what can be learned from other religions? Just a thought…