Different religions living together

News: Hindus boycott Indian Catholic villagers for not honoring traditions
BANGALORE, India (CNS) -- The 800-member Catholic community in a village in India is facing a social boycott for refusing to follow traditions to appease Hindus gods. "We are Christians and we are not bound to follow Hindu religious practices," Father Philip Rock, pastor at St. Sebastian Parish in Mangalawada village, told Catholic News Service in early September. The village in India's Karnataka state has about twice as many Hindus as Catholics. Following the spread of cholera in the village, Hindu leaders announced steps to appease their gods and ward off evil. These steps included special fasts and the banning of regular work in the village on all "inauspicious days," including all Tuesdays and Fridays. Father Rock said the Hindus indicated that nobody should eat during the day, wash clothes, work in the fields, open their shops, or repair or wash their vehicles on such days. Pointing out that the government supplies water to the dry village only on Tuesdays and Fridays, Father Rock said, "How could I tell our people to follow these conditions?" The refusal of the Catholic families of Mangalawada to follow the directives angered the Hindu majority. Hindu leaders called a meeting and declared a "social boycott" against the Christians in late August. Father Rock said Hindus were told to have nothing to do with the Christians and were threatened with a fine of $11 for violating the ban on interacting with Christians. Since then, Hindus have stopped buying from small Christian shops, selling to Christians or using vehicles owned by Christians

Children of God thinks:
Like many others in the world, I believe in one God, that is a trinity. That means that there is God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus has died for our sins, and the only way to heaven is to believe that he is our salvation.

As many as there are that have the some belief than I do, there are just as many that does not. Islam, Jews, Buddhists, atheists, and many more. Even within the Christian Church, there are different beliefs: Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, Jehovah, Baptists and many more. The big question is why can’t we live together? In most cases we can. But as I said in another post, God is the fault for many Neighbour fights and even war. It seems like at times it is hard to live together, as the news story above shows.

We all remember the Danish Cartoon crises, where an artist drew Muhammad in satire pictures. In an ordinary society, people would show their disgust at an artist that took Freedom of speech too far. Only a handful of people bought the newspaper. That didn’t stop the crises. Some Muslims in Denmark traveled to the Middle East to tell what has happened. Of course, Muslims in the Middle East expected a government apology and the artist imprisoned. The Middle East did not understand the Freedom of Speech that Denmark has. A relatively unimportant event turned to be International crises. We have experienced that little Denmark was now hated in the Middle East. Flags were burnt, embassies were bombed. The artist himself was put on a death list. The situation now is not much better. Danes do not understand Muslims. Danes thinks that Muslims are a threat to National security and Danish traditions. The Cartoon crises have split the population, where a greater majority does not understand why some/many Muslims are fanatic.

This is where religion becomes dangerous. When we become fanatics. While I will never understand Al Queda’s use of violence in the name of Allah, the IRA’s violence in the name of God, I will never understand fanatics. God does not want Jihad. He does not want people to discriminate and make others suffer in the name of religion. I think he wants us to live together.

In fact when you look at religions, most have something that resembles the 10 commandments. All religions have the golden rule: “Do unto others, as you would like them to do to you”.

So how do we live together?
- Understand our own faith. This is extremely important. If we understood our faith, we would not have to feel uncomfortable every time Mormons or Jehovah knock at our door. We could simply say that we understand our own faith and we do not need them. This is the same when we have a religious debate with another faith. We can tell what we believe in.
- At the same time, it does not hurt to understand other religions. It is important that we understand what is good in every religion and expect that there are some fanatics that want to interpret some aspects of the religion in a narrow minded way or under any circumstances cannot expect that we have our own beliefs.
- Finally, we have to respect that people have a right to choose their own religion and worship their God as they wish, as long as it does not hurt others. We expect them also to respect our choice.

So what do you think, can different religions live together? Leave a comment here.