Religion and Respect........By Sammye Kaye/ My Perspective

Once again, I am surprised by the fact that so many people of color were blindsided by the racist comments made by the owner of the Clippers.
Racism will not be the topic of this post, but it's blood cousin, discrimination, will be explored.

I am blessed to have six female friends who have impacted my life in ways they will probably never understand. Four of these women are Catholic.
 We are all women of strong faith. We have shared our experiences from the different denominations we have belonged to over the years..

I grew up in a small town with an impressive representation of various religions. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family who were actually members of different denominations. Except for an occasional tacky comment by a family member who had mastered the art of being 'tacky', there was an unspoken rule of respect regarding the personal belief system of each person.

Over the last twenty years, I have noticed the ease in which some people criticize the religion of other people. The strong boundaries that once protected a very personal choice, has become almost nonexistent.

Who has the right to tell another person how they should practice their beliefs?

I have seen women valiantly attempting to defend a ritual or practice that is dear to their heart.
I have seen the faith of women questioned by people who feel they are mandated to make them see their truth; by any means necessary. Except gentleness and caring??
I have seen women left in tears following an attack of harsh, unyielding words in an attempt to tear down the fiber of their religion.

It appears that those who have chosen to practice Catholicism, are quite often the victims of the most negativity from other denominations.
The disrespectful attacks can range from sharing an offensive news article, to aggressively asking questions that are designed to start a negative dialogue.
This is unfortunate. I reminded one of my friends that in most cases, the person is simply ignorant. Perhaps if they took the time to ask intelligent questions about things they don't understand, they would gain enough knowledge to be respectful, or at the very least, be quiet.

Some harp on the issue of sexual immorality in the priesthood.
Is there not an issue of sexual immorality among the clergy??
Yes, when children are involved, their punishment should fit the crime; for anyone who is guilty.
Is it power?
Yes, the Pope has an incredible amount of power, from the Vatican.
Yes, a popular,and well connected Pastor, also has an enormous amount of power, and he is standing in front of his congregation every Sunday.
Is it money?
It is my personal opinion that most organized religions are too focused on money.
Yes, yes, I know; they are businesses..

Now see, none of the denominations are perfect.
None of us are perfect.
Glass house?
Throwing the first stone?
Think about it...


It basically comes down to Christians attacking other Christians.
Why?
Are they unbelievers??
All parties involved believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
The same people believe that He was crucified on the cross, He was buried, and He arose on the third day.
They also agree that Jesus ascended into heaven, to sit at the right hand of His Father, Our Heavenly Father, God.

So, what is the real problem??
Ultimately, what we believe, and our personal salvation is our choice and our responsibility.
God will hold us accountable for our lives..

If we spent more time trying to become better people, I mean just trying, we would not have either the time or inclination to cause grief for other people.

Give other people the respect you expect to receive....