Happy Days

I am rather lucky to know a number of rather groovy people.  We all share interests, though it can be a very self contained venn diagram.

Despite the differences that we have, we can all be tolerant of each other's beliefs, however ridiculous we find them to be.

What irritates, and always has, is the sanctimonious attitude held that "their belief" is better than anothers. 

In general, I find athiest friends to be the worst where tolerance is concerned. 

I'm not advocating a theory of creationism - personally, I cannot conceive that anyone could dismiss the evidence of evolution, nor dismiss the scientific physical evidence that correlates the Big Bang theory, but I wouldn't judge another if that is their belief.

I have had leaflets thrust upon me telling me that I need to get to church, that Jesus wants to save me, that I am condemning my children to eternal damnation by not having them affilaited to a religion.

I am told that I am an idiot for having any concept of a god figure, that I must be an uneducated lummox for believing in anything past science.

I reside in the middle of the two.  I can't commit to athiesm, and I can't sign on the line and affiliate myself to a religion either.

I remain a hopeful agnostic. Hopeful because I cannot bear the idea that the people I have loved who have died are just worm food, an agnostic because I can't conceive a being that is said to be higher than us mere mortals would hate people who are different.

My faith isn't immoveable and it isn't particularly strong.  I have fallen out with my god, and we have stopped speaking for a number of years in the past.  Presently, we speak infrequently.  We are like estranged siblings.

I believe more in my children than I could ever do in an invisible omnipresence.  I believe in people's right to have beliefs that do not echo my own.  I believe in the right to disagree, the right to argue, the right to disbelieve.

A lady who I consider a very good friend and am lucky to have in my life told me recently that she is a Jehovah's Witness, which took me back a bit as I had found her to be so tolerant of me.  As she said to me at the time "If you're so narrow minded that you can't be friends with me because of it, I don't want you to be my friend anyway."

And that ladies and gentleman, is the very definition of class, style and grace.  It told me in so many ways that I still smile when I think about it.

I mean really; do we all have to hate because we disagree? Can there be no room for us to believe in different things?

Exactly. 

Happy Easter. Or Hoppy Eggster.  Or Happy Friday, Sunday and Monday.  Or Happy Return of the Zombie Jew.  Or Happy Bank Holiday. 

Whatever. Let's just be happy, tolerant and try to get along.  Happy Days, all.