This is a confusing time that we live in. Racial intolerance is at an all time high. Gender indifferences has caused a lot of divides in our country as well as in many families. Different political views are causing wars. Religious backbiting. So many different opinions, who is to say which one is right?
These are only a few problems that the world is dealing with daily. In prison, it is no different. I observe the Christian battle of who has the better church. Which denomination is the true Christian belief. And all I hear them say is, “I’m right, you’re wrong! Believe in this and I will consider helping you.” I think they are selfish, egotistical five year olds. Who gave them that authority to tell someone else that they have to believe in a certain religion or they’re wrong and will be condemned for it? I study the Bible, and nowhere does it endorse that kind of religious bigotry. In fact, it teaches the exact opposite. It teaches to embrace differences, and accept those that are different from you. I’m not going to endorse one relion above another. All I will say is, find what makes you happy and stick with it. Everyone needs a bit of spirituality in their life. It can help lower the urge to hate. And after all, isn’t that the root cause of all forms of bigotry – hating that which is different from you or different from what you think things should be?
Just the other day, I overheard a conversation between an African-American and an Asian, trying to point fingers at each other as they debated which of the two races was the most racist. The main thing they did agree upon was that they were the products of generations bigotry. Here is another example of why hate continues. They recognized their flaw, argued about it, and yet did not take the necessary steps to change it even though both claim to be Christians, dismissing their own religious teachings. What could they have done differently?
What do you think? I am curious to know how others feel about what and why we have a hatred for those that are different from us.
Matthew F. Mehlhaff
DOC #864454
I’VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES TO VARIOUS PERSONS. RELIGION SEEMS TO BE A DIVISIVE TOOL, TOTALLY OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT IS MEANT TO BE. EGO!! I’M RIGHT, YOU’RE WRONG, WE’RE THE BEST, ETC. IT DOESN’T SEEM TO CHANGE. DEFECTIVE MENTALITIES, OHHH, BUT IN THE NAME OF GOD….RIGHT….