NO Major Religious Doctrine Teaches HATE!
My personal philosophy is fairly simple: “I have the right to believe and do whatever I want so long as it doesn’t interfere with the right of someone else to believe or do whatever he/she wants!”
I have read the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, and many of the books of the other major philosophies (religion is a personal philosophy, NOT a part of a person’s DNA). The largest six religious doctrines in the world today are Christianity (2 billion followers), Islam (1.2 billion), Hinduism (820 million), Buddhism (362 million), Judaism (14.5 million), and Confucianism (6.3 million). NONE of the mainstream groups of these philosophies teach hatred, violence, or discrimination. It is only individuals who associate themselves with various philosophies who resort to hatred, violence, or discrimination, either out of ignorance or frustration that others don’t believe as they do.
When politicians or public figures endorse policies to discriminate, to denigrate, or to encourage others to resort to violence or hate speech, they do nothing to solve problems. If it’s a way to get votes, that’s a sorry way to win an election or gain support for whatever issue you endorse. The only people who respond positively to negative ads or speeches which spread hate or encourage discrimination or outright violence belong to one of several groups: ignorant, uneducated, uninformed, mentally ill, or criminal.
If there were one, true religion, then humans would be born with that belief, just as humans automatically breathe and eat/drink to survive. Religion/philosophy are a CHOICE. My choice is my choice; your choice is your choice. Neither of us has THE answer unless it is to respect each others choice. If you don’t like another religion/philosophy, don’t associate with it or its members. However, DOING something negative is NOT YOUR RIGHT; you don’t have the right to keep anyone else from making a choice!
Robert Butler
P.O. Box 193
Marmaduke, AR 72443
501-827-3792
