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The 'offending' Diplomat
One of the major reasons I have a problem with organized religion is the fact that so many faiths believe they are the only true path. The two most guilty of that 'exclusiveness' mentality are Christianity and Islam. The truth is that there are many paths to God, and who is to say which is the right one. Believing that you have the exclusive rights to God is like saying only you have the right to the air we all breathe. Religion has been a major factor in most of the world's wars over the centuries, and continues to be so.
And when you mix religion with politics, it makes things even more troublesome. That's the major problem with Islam. The mix of religious ideology and politics- both state sanctioned. Then you have the far Christian right, who in spite of the fact that there is a definite separation of church and state in the U.S., still manage to slip their religion into their politics. Take newly elected Alabama Governor Robert Bentley who only a mere few days after he took over the governor's mansion had to apologize for telling a group of supporters at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church on the day he was inaugurated that "anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother."
Many people took offense to what could potentially mean applying a different standard to non-Christians, which as an American politician should never be the case. It probably doesn't help that he happens to be a deacon of the Southern Baptist Church, but I'm sure when people elected him to office they didn't expect him to show such religious bias.
Bentley then issued a public apology, in front of reporters and religious leaders, and rightfully so.
"It was never my intention to disenfranchise anyone. If I did make anyone of any faith feel disenfranchised, let me say I am sorry. I did not mean to offend anyone with my comments there."
I'm not sure why people don't think before they speak, but it's this kind of talk about those who are not of the same religion that causes so much global strife. We are brothers and sisters, and if we could just see that in our neighbours maybe we could some day attain peace.
